It is ruin; but then the anxiety
is over."
"Really, M. Balan, one would think that you yourself had had just such
an experience."
"Alas!" sighed the old detective, "it is to my love for the queen of
spades, my unhappy love, that you owe the honour of looking through
this peephole in my company. But this fellow will sleep for a couple of
hours, do not lose sight of him; I am going to smoke a cigarette in the
courtyard."
Albert slept four hours. On awaking his head seemed clearer than it had
been ever since his interview with Noel. It was a terrible moment for
him, when, for the first time he became fully aware of his situation.
"Now, indeed," said he, "I require all my courage."
He longed to see some one, to speak, to be questioned, to explain. He
felt a desire to call out.
"But what good would that be?" he asked himself. "Some one will be
coming soon." He looked for his watch, to see what time it was, and
found that they had taken it away. He felt this deeply; they were
treating him like the most abandoned of villains. He felt in his
pockets: they had all been carefully emptied. He thought now of his
personal appearance; and, getting up, he repaired as much as possible
the disorder of his toilet.
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