“Here already?” said Daspry, “twenty minutes ahead of time! Incredible!”

I went to the door and ushered in the visitor. It was Madame Andermatt. She was faint and nervous, and in a stammering voice, she ejaculated:

“My husband⁠ ⁠… is coming⁠ ⁠… he has an appointment⁠ ⁠… they intend to give him the letters.⁠ ⁠…”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“By chance. A message came for my husband while we were at dinner. The servant gave it to me by mistake. My husband grabbed it quickly, but he was too late. I had read it.”

“You read it?”

“Yes. It was something like this: ‘At nine o’clock this evening, be at Boulevard Maillot with the papers connected with the affair. In exchange, the letters.’ So, after dinner, I hastened here.”