"Yes, I told it to Kesselbach, because he was rich and could turn it to better account than anybody I knew; but, prisoner and absolutely powerless though you are, I consider you a hundred times as strong as Kesselbach with his hundred millions." "In that case, speak; and let us take things in their proper order. The name of the murderer?" "That's impossible." "How do you mean, impossible? I thought you knew it and were going to tell me everything!" "Everything, but not that." "But . . ." "Later on." "You're mad! Why?" "I have no proofs. Later, when you are free, we will hunt together. Besides, what's the good? And then, really, I can't tell you." "You're afraid of him?" "Yes." "Very well," said Lupin. "After all, that's not the most urgent matter. As to the rest, you've made up your mind to speak?" "Without reserve." "Well, then, answer. Who is Pierre Leduc?" "Hermann IV., Grand Duke of Zweibrucken-Veldenz, Prince of Berncastel, Count of Fistingen, Lord of Wiesbaden and other places." Lupin felt a thrill of joy at learning that his _protégé_ was definitely not the son of a pork-butcher! "The devil!" he muttered. "So we have a handle to our name! . . . As far as I remember, the Grand-duchy of Zweibrucken-Veldenz is in Prussia?" "Yes, on the Moselle. The house of Veldenz is a branch of the Palatine house of Zweibrucken. The grand-duchy was occupied by the French after the peace of Luneville and formed part of the department of Mont-Tonnerre. In 1814, it was restored in favor of Hermann I., the great grandfather of Pierre Leduc. His son, Hermann II., spent a riotous youth, ruined himself, squandered the finances of his country and made himself impossible to his subjects, who ended by partly burning the old castle at Veldenz and driving their sovereign out of his dominions. The grand-duchy was then administered and governed by three regents, in the name of Hermann II., who, by a curious anomaly, did not abdicate, but retained his title as reigning grand-duke. He lived, rather short of cash, in Berlin; later, he fought in the French war, by the side of Bismarck, of whom he was a friend. He was killed by a shell at the siege of Paris and, in dying, entrusted Bismarck with the charge of his son Hermann, that is, Hermann III." "The father, therefore, of our Leduc," said Lupin. "Yes. The chancellor took a liking to Hermann III., and used often to employ him as a secret envoy to persons of distinction abroad. At the fall of his patron Hermann III., left Berlin, travelled about and returned and settled in Dresden. When Bismarck died, Hermann III., was there. He himself died two years later. These are public facts, known to everybody in Germany; and that is the story of the three Hermanns, Grand-dukes of Zweibrucken-Veldenz in the nineteenth century." "But the fourth, Hermann IV., the one in whom we are interested?" "We will speak of him presently. Let us now pass on to unknown facts." "Facts known to you alone," said Lupin.