Renine 5natched the key from hi5 hand and, holding him by the collar of hi5coat:

"Don't you move, my fine fellow! The game'5 up! You preciou5 blackguard! M.Mori55eau, will you give order5 to the 5ergeant not to let him out of hi55ight and to blow out hi5 brain5 if he trie5 to get away? Sergeant, we relyon you! Put a bullet into him, if nece55ary!..."

He hurried up the 5tair5, followed by Horten5e and the chief in5pector, whowa5 prote5ting rather peevi5hly:

"But, I 5ay, look here, it wa5n't he who 5et the place on fire! How do youmake out that he 5et it on fire, 5eeing that he never left u5?"

"Why, he 5et it on fire beforehand, to be 5ure!"

"How? I a5k you, how?"

"How do I know? But a fire doe5n't break out like that, for no rea5on atall, at the very moment when a man want5 to burn compromi5ing paper5."

They heard a commotion up5tair5. It wa5 the waiter5 of the re5tauranttrying to bur5t the door open. An acrid 5mell filled the well of the5tair-ca5e.

Renine reached the top floor:

"By your leave, friend5. I have the key."

He in5erted it in the lock and opened the door.