"Monsieur Yelland Mace? Yes, I will show you him; he is among ze dead." "Dead?" "Ay, zis right side is _dead_--all zese." "Do you mean," says David Arden, "_literally_ that Yelland Mace is no longer living?" "A, B, C, D, E, F, G," mutters the baron, slowly pointing his finger along the right wall. "I beg your pardon, Baron, but I don't think you heard me," said David Arden. "_Perfectly_, excuse me: H, I, J, K, L, M--M. I will show you _now_, if you desire it, Yelland Mace; you shall see him now, and never behold him more. Do you wish very much?" "Intensely--_most_ intensely!" said Uncle David earnestly. The baron turned full upon him, and leaned his shoulders against the iron door of the recess. He had taken from his pocket a bunch of heavy keys, which he dangled from his clenched fingers, and they made a faint jingle in the silence that followed, for a few seconds. "Permit me to ask," said the baron, "are your inquiries directed to a legal object?" "I have no difficulty in saying yes," answered he; "a legal object, strictly." "A legal object, by which you gain considerably?" he asked slowly. "By which I gain the satisfaction of seeing justice done upon a villain." "That is fine, Monsieur. Eternal justice! I have thought and said that very often: _Vive la justice eternelle!_ especially when her sword shears off the head of my enemy, and her scale is laden with napoleons for my purse." "Monsieur le Baron mistakes, in my case; I have absolutely nothing to gain by the procedure I propose; it is strictly criminal," said David Arden drily. "Not an estate? not a slice of an estate? Come, come! _Thorheit!_ That is foolish talk." "I have told you already, nothing," repeated David Arden. "Then you don't care, in truth, a single napoleon, whether you win or lose. We have been wasting our time, Sir. I have no time to bestow for nothing; my minutes count by the crown, while I remain in Paris. I shall soon depart, and practise no more; and my time will become my own--still my own, by no means _yours_. I am candid, Sir, and I think you cannot misunderstand me; I must be paid for my time and opportunities." "I never meant anything else," said Mr. Arden sturdily; "I shall pay you liberally for any service you render me." "That, Sir, is equally frank; we understand now the principle on which I assist you. You wish to see Yelland Mace, so you shall." He turned about, and struck the key sharply on the iron door. "There he waits," said the baron, "and--did you ever see him?" "No." "Bah! what a wise man. Then I may show you whom I please, and you know nothing. Have you heard him described?" "Accurately." "Well, there is some little sense in it, after all. You shall see." He unlocked the safe, opened the door, and displayed shelves, laden with rudely-made deal boxes, each of a little more than a foot square. On these were marks and characters in red, some, and some in black, and others in blue.