"I must add, my dear Fandor, that no very sensational revelations have come to me, so far, through my intimacy with this set of criminals. It seemed to me I was in the midst of common thieves, who smuggled and circulated false coin; but one thing did puzzle me--puzzles me still: these folk succeed in selling a considerable number of pounds sterling, false coin, of course, and that without my being able to discover, so far, where they sell them--who makes their market. They also sell lace smuggled from Belgium; that, however, interests me but little, and I was prepared to leave to the lower ranks of the service the duty of clearing Paris of this common-place brood of criminals; already, indeed, the regular police had arrested one of the smugglers, the Cooper, and two of his subordinate confederates; I was about to turn my back on this crew in order to give all my attention to a new trail which might put me on the track of Fantomas once more, when the Dollon affair blazed forth; and then suddenly, I meet again my Fandor, braver than ever, more perspicacious also, adroitly taking the affair in hand, bravely thrusting himself into the breach! "Is there any connection between the Dollon affair and my band of smugglers?" "You will appreciate the importance of this question and the reply to it in a minute, my Fandor, when you learn that the Depot warder, Nibet, is one of the most valuable confederates of the coiners, of Mother Toulouche, of that hooligan, the Beard...." "Is it possible!" cried Fandor. "Ah, Juve, all this is so strange that I believe you are really on Fantomas' track, once more!" Juve shook his head; then he continued: "I have still a great deal to tell you, but I must pause a moment to say, that I ought to apologise to you for a fairly brutal act I committed on your behalf--in your best interests, as you will see...." And to Fandor, who opened his eyes in astonishment, the detective related, in humorous fashion, the history of the famous kick he had administered--a kick wherewith Juve had removed his friend from the immediate and certain danger of assassination, at the hand and by the knife of Nibet. Fandor could not get over it! He grasped Juve's hands and pressed them warmly. "My friend! My good friend!" murmured he, moved almost to tears. "If I had had the least suspicion!..." Juve interrupted him. "There are many more things, Fandor, you never suspected, things you ought to know.... And what is more, you seem to me to be neglecting your work badly at this very moment, Mr. Reporter! It is already one o'clock in the afternoon; and if they are counting on you to supply them with information about this affair of the place de l'Opera...." Fandor leapt to his feet. "It's true!" he cried. "I had quite forgotten it!... But it is of no importance by the side of ..." Juve interrupted.