But a bewildering, a terrible problem still confronted the great lady; with what surprise, with what agitation she realized that Fandor was in her house, and must be there, the very terms of his letter showed it, disguised as Fantômas—in the same disguise as Tom Bob? There were two “Fantômas” then among the dancers, the American detective and Jérôme Fandor. It was quite possible, quite probable indeed, as she soon came to see. The costumes the detective and the journalist had donned must obviously be alike, if they were correct: was it not therefore allowable to suppose there were two “Fantômas” in the rooms without anyone having so far noted the fact: naturally people would conclude it was the same masquer they saw each time. Why, she herself was deceived just now, believing herself in the presence of Fantômas-Tom Bob, when she was actually standing before Fantômas-Fandor! Eventually Lady Beltham returned to the dancing rooms, thinking to herself: “I will go presently into the conservatory; he is sure to be watching me and will join me there.” * * * * * While the grand duchess in the retirement of her private apartments was reading the strange note slipped into her hand by Fandor, who had likewise come, as she had guessed, disguised as Fantômas, a diverting scene occurred in the dancing rooms below! The fact is Fantômas-Fandor had caught sight of another Fantômas. “Halloa!” the young man told himself, “someone has had the same idea as myself, it’s really capital!” Then he disappeared in the crush, ready to keep a watchful eye on Lady Beltham. But now the second Fantômas, Fantômas-Tom Bob, had also noted his double, and the news was flying fast from mouth to mouth: “You know, there are two Fantômas!... a highly original idea, don’t you think?” “Why yes, highly original!” all agreed. Yet no one observed that not merely two Fantômas were at the dance, but perhaps three or four, or even more! A few minutes afterwards, the lovely Sonia Danidoff was waltzing with one of the men wearing the grim black cowl when the second masquer clad in the same tragic garb knocked against the couple; a dialogue verging on the ludicrous ensued. “Sir!” the first Fantômas, Sonia’s partner, was saying, “I think it a very bold proceeding to have adopted my costume!” “And why so, sir?” retorted the other Fantômas in the same emphatic tone. “Because, sir, it is a heavy costume, and a dangerous one, to wear! No brigand, save myself, had ever dreamt of adopting it till you.” To this the second masquer replied in a tone of raillery: “You are in the wrong to complain, sir; it would more become _me_ to protest against _your_ audacity. You are an impostor, you carry a disguise. _I_ am the genuine Fantômas!” “Easy talking, sir!” “Easier still to prove, sir!” “So it’s a quarrel, is it; we must settle between us, arms in hand?” “As you please, sir!” “Now, at once?” “At once!”