A crash . . . outcries. . . . The motor had run into the tram-car, cannoned against a fence, torn down ten yards of planking and, lastly, smashed itself against the corner of a slope. "Driver, are you disengaged?" Lupin, lying flat on the grass of the slope, had hailed a taxi-cab. He scrambled to his feet, gave a glance at his shattered car and the people crowding round to Octave's assistance and jumped into the cab: "Go to the Ministry of the Interior, on the Place Beauvau . . . Twenty francs for yourself. . . ." He settled himself in the taxi and continued: "No, no, he shall not die! No, a thousand times no, I will not have that on my conscience! It is bad enough to have been tricked by a woman and to have fallen into the snare like a schoolboy. . . . That will do! No more blunders for me! I have had that poor wretch arrested. . . . I have had him sentenced to death. . . . I have brought him to the foot of the scaffold . . . but he shall not mount it! . . . Anything but that! If he mounts the scaffold, there will be nothing left for me but to put a bullet through my head." They were approaching the toll-house. He leant out: "Twenty francs more, driver, if you don't stop." And he shouted to the officials: "Detective-service!" They passed through. "But don't slow down, don't slow down, hang it!" roared Lupin. "Faster! . . . Faster still! Are you afraid of running over the old ladies? Never mind about them! I'll pay the damage!" In a few minutes, they were at the Ministry of the Interior. Lupin hurried across the courtyard and ran up the main staircase. The waiting-room was full of people. He scribbled on a sheet of paper, "Prince Sernine," and, hustling a messenger into a corner, said: "You know me, don't you? I'm Lupin. I procured you this berth; a snug retreat for your old age, eh? Only, you've got to show me in at once. There, take my name through. That's all I ask of you. The premier will thank you, you may be sure of that . . . and so I will. . . . But, hurry you fool! Valenglay is expecting me. . . ." Ten seconds later, Valenglay himself put his head through the door of his room and said: "Show the prince in." Lupin rushed into the room, slammed the door and, interrupting the premier, said: "No, no set phrases, you can't arrest me. . . . It would mean ruining yourself and compromising the Emperor. . . . No, it's not a question of that. Look here. Malreich is innocent. . . . I have discovered the real criminal. . . . It's Dolores Kesselbach. She is dead. Her body is down there. I have undeniable proofs. There is no doubt possible. It was she. . . ." He stopped. Valenglay seemed not to understand. "But, look here, Monsieur le President, we must save Malreich. . . . Only think . . . a judicial error! . . . An innocent man guillotined! . . . Give your orders . . . say you have fresh information . . . anything you please . . . but, quick, there is no time to lose. . . ."