I went and dined at my hotel, eating more heartily than I could have imagined possible, very largely I suppose because I was so glad at the prospect of the man soon being under arrest. Two hours later I returned to the police officer’s house where he was waiting for me.

‘Well, Monsieur,’ he said, as soon as he saw me, ‘we didn’t manage to find your man. My officers have been unable to get hold of him.’

Oh no! I felt faint.

‘But … you found the house, didn’t you?’

‘Easily. It will be under surveillance and guarded till he returns. As for the man himself, he’s disappeared.’

‘Disappeared?’

‘Disappeared. Normally he spends the evening with his neighbour, another dealer, a real old witch, the widow Bidouin. She hasn’t seen him tonight and can give us no information concerning his whereabouts. We shall have to wait until morning.’

I left him. How sinister and how haunted did the streets of Rouen seem to me then. I hardly slept all night. Each time I nodded off it was into one nightmare after another. I did not wish to appear too anxious or impatient, so waited until ten o’clock the following morning before making my way to the police. The dealer had not reappeared. His shop remained closed. The commissioner said to me: ‘I’ve gone through all the necessary procedures. The public prosecutor’s office is aware of these developments. We shall make our way together to the store and have it opened up. You will show me all the items of property which are yours.’

We were whisked away in a coupé. Police officers with a locksmith in attendance were stationed at the shop entrance door which was now open. Upon entering I saw no sign of my cupboard, my armchairs, my tables, or any single one of the objects with which my house had been furnished, nothing at all – whereas the previous evening I had been unable to take a step without bumping into one or other of my former possessions.

The commissioner was surprised. At first he looked at me with suspicion.

‘My God, Monsieur!’ I said to him, ‘isn’t it a bit of a coincidence that my property should disappear at precisely the same time as the dealer?’

He smiled.

‘True enough! It was a mistake to buy your own things yesterday and pay for them. It’s obviously tipped him off.’

I went on: ‘What I simply cannot understand is that all the space taken up by my furniture is now filled completely with other stuff.’

‘Oh!’ replied the commissioner, ‘he’s had all night … and used accomplices, no doubt. This house is bound to lead in some way into the one next door. But don’t worry, Monsieur, leave it all to me. The devil won’t escape us for long, not while we’re sitting on top of his lair, at least.’