'
At this I related rapidly all that Valmont had done for him, and even
repeated Valmont's most intimate conversation with him. The man was
nonplussed, but remained firm.
'I dare not do it,' he said.
We were alone in his back shop. I walked to the door and thrust in the
bolt; then, after a moment's pause, turned round, stretched forth my
right hand dramatically, and cried,--'Behold, Eugene Valmont!'
My friend staggered against the wall in his amazement, and I continued
in solemn tones,--'Eugene Valmont, who by this removal of his disguise
places his life in your hands as your life was in his. Now, monsieur,
what will you do?'
He replied,--'Monsieur Valmont, I shall do whatever you ask. If I
refused a moment ago, it was because I thought there was now in France
no Eugene Valmont to rectify my mistake if I made one.'
I resumed my disguise, and told him I wished an innocent substitute
for this picric bomb, and he at once suggested an earthenware globe,
which would weigh the same as the bomb, and which could be coloured to
resemble it exactly.
'And now, Monsieur Valmont, do you wish smoke to issue from this
imitation bomb?'
'Yes,' I said, 'in such quantity as you can compress within it.
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