“You have just received a telegram?”

“This very moment, my dear friend. Out of politeness, I did not wish to read it in your presence. But if you will permit me⁠—”

“You are joking, Lupin.”

“My dear friend, if you will be so kind as to break that egg, you will learn for yourself that I am not joking.”

Mechanically, Ganimard obeyed, and cracked the eggshell with the blade of a knife. He uttered a cry of surprise. The shell contained nothing but a small piece of blue paper. At the request of Arsène he unfolded it. It was a telegram, or rather a portion of a telegram from which the postmarks had been removed. It read as follows:

“Contract closed. Hundred thousand balls delivered. All well.”