Monsieur de Granville turned to him with a look of satisfaction.

“Then ask him,” Corentin went on, “if I have not full power to snatch you from the degrading position in which you stand, and to attach you to me.”

“It is quite true,” said Monsieur de Granville, watching the convict.

“Really and truly!  I may have absolution for the past and a promise of succeeding to you if I give sufficient evidence of my intelligence?”

“Between two such men as we are there can be no misunderstanding,” said Corentin, with a lordly air that might have taken anybody in.

“And the price of the bargain is, I suppose, the surrender of those three packets of letters?” said Jacques Collin.

“I did not think it would be necessary to say so to you——­”

“My dear Monsieur Corentin,” said Trompe-la-Mort, with irony worthy of that which made the fame of Talma in the part of Nicomede, “I beg to decline.  I am indebted to you for the knowledge of what I am worth, and of the importance you attach to seeing me deprived of my weapons —­I will never forget it.

“At all times and for ever I shall be at your service, but instead of saying with Robert Macaire, ‘Let us embrace!’ I embrace you.”

He seized Corentin round the middle so suddenly that the other could not avoid the hug; he clutched him to his heart like a doll, kissed him on both cheeks, carried him like a feather with one hand, while with the other he opened the door, and then set him down outside, quite battered by this rough treatment.

“Good-bye, my dear fellow,” said Jacques Collin in a low voice, and in Corentin’s ear:  “the length of three corpses parts you from me; we have measured swords, they are of the same temper and the same length.  Let us treat each other with due respect; but I mean to be your equal, not your subordinate.  Armed as you would be, it strikes me you would be too dangerous a general for your lieutenant.  We will place a grave between us.  Woe to you if you come over on to my territory!

“You call yourself the State, as footmen call themselves by their master’s names.  For my part, I will call myself Justice.  We shall often meet; let us treat each other with dignity and propriety—­all the more because we shall always remain—­atrocious blackguards,” he added in a whisper.  “I set you the example by embracing you——­”

Corentin stood nonplussed for the first time in his life, and allowed his terrible antagonist to wring his hand.

“If so,” said he, “I think it will be to our interest on both sides to remain chums.”

“We shall be stronger each on our own side, but at the same time more dangerous,” added Jacques Collin in an undertone.  “And you will allow me to call on you to-morrow to ask for some pledge of our agreement.”

“Well, well,” said Corentin amiably, “you are taking the case out of my hands to place it in those of the public prosecutor.  You will help him to promotion; but I cannot but own to you that you are acting wisely.—­Bibi-Lupin is too well known; he has served his turn; if you get his place, you will have the only situation that suits you.  I am delighted to see you in it—­on my honor——­”