When discreetly questioned, Arsene Lupin confessed his
poverty and distress. Immediately, the unfortunate young man was
appointed private secretary to the Imberts, husband and wife, at a
salary of one hundred francs a month. He was to come to the house
every day and receive orders for his work, and a room on the second
floor was set apart as his office. This room was directly over
Mon. Imbert's office.
Arsene soon realized that his position as secretary was essentially
a sinecure. During the first two months, he had only four
important letters to recopy, and was called only once to Mon.
Imbert's office; consequently, he had only one opportunity to
contemplate, officially, the Imbert safe. Moreover, he noticed
that the secretary was not invited to the social functions of the
employer. But he did not complain, as he preferred to remain,
modestly, in the shade and maintain his peace and freedom.
However, he was not wasting any time. From the beginning, he made
clandestine visits to Mon. Imbert's office, and paid his respects
to the safe, which was hermetically closed. It was an immense
block of iron and steel, cold and stern in appearance, which could
not be forced open by the ordinary tools of the burglar's trade.
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