"Listen to the grand-duke's notes: _Text of the treaty with Great Britain and France._ And these rather obscure words: 'Alsace-Lorraine. . . . Colonies. . . . Limitation of naval armaments. . . ." "It says that?" blurted Lupin. "And you call that obscure? . . . Why, the words are dazzling with light! . . . Oh, can it be possible? . . . And what next, what next?" As he spoke there was a noise at the door. Some one was knocking. "You can't come in," said Lupin. "I am busy. . . . Go on, Steinweg." "But . . ." said the old man, in a great state of alarm. The door was shaken violently and Lupin recognized Weber's voice. He shouted: "A little patience, Weber. I shall have done in five minutes." He gripped the old man's arm and, in a tone of command: "Be easy and go on with your story. So, according to you, the expedition of the grand duke and his servant to Veldenz Castle had no other object than to hide those papers?" "There can be no question about that." "Very well. But the grand-duke may have taken them away since." "No, he did not leave Dresden until his death." "But the grand-duke's enemies, the men who had everything to gain by recovering them and destroying them: can't they have tried to find out where the papers were?" "They have tried." "How do you know?" "You can understand that I did not remain inactive and that my first care, after receiving those revelations, was to go to Veldenz and make inquiries for myself in the neighboring villages. Well, I learnt that, on two separate occasions, the castle was invaded by a dozen men, who came from Berlin furnished with credentials to the regents." "Well?" "Well, they found nothing, for, since that time, the castle has been found closed to the public." "But what prevents anybody from getting in?" "A garrison of fifty soldiers, who keep watch day and night." "Soldiers of the grand-duchy?" "No, soldiers drafted from the Emperor's own body-guard." The din in the passage increased: "Open the door!" a voice cried. "I order you to open the door!" "I can't. Weber, old chap; the lock has stuck. If you take my advice, you had better cut the door all round the lock." "Open the door!" "And what about the fate of Europe, which we are discussing?" He turned to the old man: "So you were not able to enter the castle?" "No." "But you are persuaded that the papers in question are hidden there?" "Look here, haven't I given you proofs enough? Aren't you convinced?" "Yes, yes," muttered Lupin, "that's where they are hidden . . . there's no doubt about it . . . that's where they are hidden. . . ."