XVII The Safety-pin Again

           Moncharmin’slastphrasesodearlyexpressedthesuspicioninwhichhenowheldhispartnerthatitwasboundtocauseastormyexplanation,attheendofwhichitwasagreedthatRichardshouldyieldtoallMoncharmin’swishes,withtheobjectofhelpinghimtodiscoverthemiscreantwhowasvictimizingthem.

           ThisbringsustotheintervalaftertheGardenAct,withthestrangeconductobservedbyM.Remyandthosecuriouslapsesfromthedignitythatmightbeexpectedofthemanagers.ItwasarrangedbetweenRichardandMoncharmin,first,thatRichardshouldrepeattheexactmovementswhichhehadmadeonthenightofthedisappearanceofthefirsttwenty-thousandfrancs;and,second,thatMoncharminshouldnotforaninstantlosesightofRichard’scoat-tailpocket,intowhichMme.Girywastoslipthetwenty-thousandfrancs.

           M.Richardwentandplacedhimselfattheidenticalspotwherehehadstoodwhenhebowedtotheunder-secretaryforfinearts.M.Moncharmintookuphispositionafewstepsbehindhim.

           Mme.Girypassed,rubbedupagainstM.Richard,gotridofhertwenty-thousandfrancsinthemanager’scoat-tailpocketanddisappeared...Orrathershewasconjuredaway.InaccordancewiththeinstructionsreceivedfromMoncharminafewminutesearlier,Merciertookthegoodladytotheacting-manager’sofficeandturnedthekeyonher,thusmakingitimpossibleforhertocommunicatewithherghost.

           Meanwhile,M.Richardwasbendingandbowingandscrapingandwalkingbackward,justasifhehadthathighandmightyminister,theunder-secretaryforfinearts,beforehim.