"There's no mistake: this is where we were told to come," and again he signed to his mate. "Let's get on with it!" The concierge was puzzled. She looked first at the mysterious stranger, who was as quiet and silent as ever, and then at the porters, who were beginning to be irritated by these incomprehensible complications. Mme. Doulenques' mistrust waxed greater, and she sincerely regretted being alone on the fifth floor with these strangers, for the other occupants of this floor had gone off to their daily work long ago. Suddenly she escaped from the room, and called shrilly down the stairs: "Madame Aurore! Madame Aurore!" The man in the soft hat rushed after her, seized her gently but firmly by the arm, and led her back into the room. "I beg you, madame, make no noise: do not call out!" he said in a low tone. "Everything will be all right. I only ask you not to create a disturbance." But the concierge was thoroughly alarmed by the really odd behaviour of all these men, and again screamed at the top of her voice: "Help! Police!" The first porter was exasperated. "It's unfortunate to be taken for thieves," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Look here, Auguste, just run down to the corner of the street and bring back a gendarme. The gentleman can explain to the concierge in his presence, and then we shall be at liberty to get on with our job." Auguste hastened to obey, and several tense moments passed, during which not a single word was exchanged between the three people who were left together. Then heavy steps were heard, and Auguste reappeared with a gendarme. The latter came swaggering into the room with a would-be majestic air, and solemnly and pompously enquired: "Now then, what's all this about?" At sight of the officer every countenance cleared. The concierge ceased to tremble; the porter lost his air of suspicion. Both were beginning to explain to the representative of authority, when the man in the soft hat waved them aside, stepped up to the guardian of the peace and looking him straight in the eyes, said: "Criminal Investigation Department! Inspector Juve!" The gendarme, who was quite unprepared for this announcement, stepped back a pace and raised his eyes towards the man who addressed him: then suddenly raised his hand to his _képi_ and came to attention. "Beg pardon, Inspector, I didn't recognise you! M. Juve! And you have been in this division a long time too!" He turned angrily to the foremost porter. "Step forward, please, and let's have no nonsense!" Juve, who had thus disclosed his identity as a detective, smiled, seeing that the gendarme assumed that the South Steamship Company's porter was a thief. "That's all right," he said. "Leave the man alone. He's done no harm." "Then who am I to arrest?" the puzzled gendarme asked. The concierge broke in to explain: she had been much impressed by the style and title of the stranger.