Throughout the forenoon there was a lively commotion at the castle.
The gendarmes, the local police, the chief of police from Dieppe,
the villagers, all circulated to and fro in the halls, examining
every nook and corner that was open to their inspection. The
approach of the maneuvering troops, the rattling fire of the
musketry, added to the picturesque character of the scene.
The preliminary search furnished no clue. Neither the doors nor
windows showed any signs of having been disturbed. Consequently,
the removal of the goods must have been effected by means of the
secret passage. Yet, there were no indications of footsteps on the
floor, nor any unusual marks upon the walls.
Their investigations revealed, however, one curious fact that
denoted the whimsical character of Arsene Lupin: the famous
Chronique of the sixteenth century had been restored to its
accustomed place in the library and, beside it, there was a similar
book, which was none other than the volume stolen from the National
Library.
At eleven o'clock the military officers arrived. Devanne welcomed
them with his usual gayety; for, no matter how much chagrin he
might suffer from the loss of his artistic treasures, his great
wealth enabled him to bear his loss philosophically.
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