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“Yes, chief, a blackguard, but, I can't help saying, a devil of a clever fellow.
For his plan to succeed, he must have managed in such a way that, for four or five
weeks, no one could express or even conceive the least suspicion of the part played
by Colonel Sparmiento. All the indignation and all the inquiries had to be
concentrated upon Lupin alone. In the last resort, people had to find themselves
faced simply with a mournful, pitiful, penniless widow, poor Edith Swan-neck, a
beautiful and legendary vision, a creature so pathetic that the gentlemen of the
insurance-companies were almost glad to place something in her hands to relieve her
poverty and her grief. That's what was wanted and that's what happened.”
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« Oui, chef, une canaille, mais on doit l’avouer, un rude homme. Pour
que son plan réussît, il fallait avoir manœuvré de telle sorte que, pendant
quatre ou cinq semaines, personne ne pût émettre ou même concevoir le
moindre doute sur le colonel Sparmiento. Il fallait que toutes les colères et
toutes les recherches fussent concentrées sur le seul Lupin. Il fallait que,
en dernier ressort, on se trouvât simplement en face d’une veuve
douloureuse, pitoyable, la pauvre Édith au Cou-de-Cygne, vision de grâce et
de légende, créature si touchante que ces messieurs des Assurances étaient
presque heureux de déposer entre ses mains de quoi atténuer son chagrin.
Voilà ce qui fut. »
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