Chapter 10 chapter Ten

Near two o'clock, the customers who came to Mathilde's restaurant for lunch have left one after another, and the tables have been tidied up, waiting for the dinner business.The girls helping out in the kitchen made the usual crackling noises as they scrubbed the pots and stacked the dishes.With her glasses on her nose, Mathilde bent over and stared suspiciously at the cash register drawer, while arranging crumpled banknotes into neat bundles, and worrying about the checks that must go through the bank for taxation.She watched the general put on his coat and patted the pockets. He said, "Damn, I probably don't have time to make a stop, you better give me some cash."

Mathilde wet her thumb with saliva and counted five hundred francs.She puts the money on the cash register and must ask him to give you a discount. When will you come back? The general took the money, bypassed Mathilde's glasses, and kissed her on the cheek, it won't be too late, unless he finds something serious, let's take a good nap. Mathilde nodded.Okay, honey, I'll take a nap, and I'll let you take care of the evening's affairs.let's go!Just remember to get the discount. The general was still smiling when he got into the car.Mathilde is such a good woman.Every penny must be compared.If they were millionaires, she'd probably still be, and if things worked out this time, they might indeed become millionaires.He turned right at the signpost for Sog Island, feeling a void in his stomach, a flash of excitement.Mathilde thought he was going to the dentist.In fact, he was going to investigate the scene of the crime.

He stopped a hundred yards from the Savings Bank and checked his watch.He still has plenty of time to buy what he needs before the appointed time.He bought two Provence newspapers, and then discovered a stationery store.He selected a small notebook and two large Luzon paper envelopes, and he put the folded newspaper into the envelope, puffing it up. Ten minutes left.He crossed the bridge to a bar at the end and ordered a glass of cider to ease his nerves.The town was silent, almost like ruins, it was just a dreary autumn afternoon.The general felt the cider, giving him a feeling of warmth and comfort, and he imagined how the view from the bar would be different on a Sunday in July next year.At that time, there will be many vendors along the river, second-hand dealers along the main road, tourists can be seen everywhere, the traffic will come to a standstill, and there will be no signs of people.It was perfect.

The general wiped his beard, touched the envelope under his arm, and crossed the bridge, walking with small steps like a man with a secret business to do.He passed the old waterwheel by the bank, glanced quickly at the top of the waterwheel, and then climbed the stairs to the entrance. The clerk behind the counter ignored him for the statutory two minutes (as required by banking law) before looking up at him from his computer statement paper. The general said: I have an appointment with Mr. Miller. The clerk sighed, put down the work at hand, and led the general to a small room in the corner.Before he pushed open the door, he knocked on the glass door, and then whispered in the ear of the person who buried his head in the copybook.Mr. Miller took off his glasses, placed them carefully in the center of the document he was reading, stood up, and stretched out his small, pale hand.He looked trim and thin in a white shirt and polka-dot tie.His desk was neat and orderly, and his pencils were sharply sharpened.Beside his empty file case was a framed picture of a demure lady and a well-groomed child.The general was still wondering why he didn't have a phone when the bell rang in the drawer.

Mr. Miller said: Excuse me, please take a seat first.He opened the drawer and picked up the microphone.The general didn't want his large envelope to disturb the order of the table, so he put it on his lap. When Mr. Miller finished talking on the phone, he hid it.He rested his elbows on the table, clasped his hands, and leaned over to the general, giving him his full attention.What's up? The general patted the envelope on his knee and said: I have some important documents, such as deeds and contracts, which cannot be lost. Mr Miller said: "Deeds and contracts, I understand, are documents of value and importance.

That's why I feel they should be kept in a safe place. Absolutely safe, my dear sir, absolutely safe.His pale little hands trembled with concern.As I always tell my employees, without the right documentation, the world stops working.Documents should be treated like gold. The general nodded, and patted his two stacks of Provence newspapers again.He leans forward, especially these, I want to put them here, in your safe, safer than at home. yes!Hope everyone is as cautious as you are.Vaucluse has the highest theft rate in all of France, with the exception of Paris.Miller shrugged his thin shoulders, then forced a smile.Fortunately, people are starting to behave.He reached into his pocket, took out the key slip that was chained to his belt, opened the small drawer in the drawer where he hid the phone, and took out a thick stack of documents.

He puts on his glasses, I have the details here on the rental of safes, last year we installed three hundred safes, I can say, it was suggested by me, today, let me see, we only have thirty-eight One hasn't been rented yet.He pursed his lips, and rearranged the paper protruding from the stack.In less than a year, 262 safes were rented out.He looked at the general, yes, people are starting to behave. It was encouraging that the general stroked his beard, I thought, by natives you mean, like yourself? This, sir, I cannot tell you.Miller took off his glasses and clasped his hands again.We assure our clients of absolute discretion, discretion and safety.

The general said: Great!This is how it is done in Switzerland. Miller was a little unimpressed.We have nothing to learn from Switzerland.You'll find out when I show you our safe.Now, is it time to go through the formalities? The general wanted to use a pseudonym, but in the end decided it was unnecessary.Just complicates things in vain.There's nothing wrong with what he's doing.His safe will then be robbed along with everyone else's.Why take the risk (although the possibility is so small), maybe one day I ran into Miller on the street, and he ended up calling him another name.So he filled out the form and wrote a check for a year's rent in advance from a checkbook that even Mathilde didn't know about.This account has been carefully maintained by him for so many years, and now it can come in handy.

Miller excused himself to the general for a few minutes and returned with the key to the safe and the general's personal safe.Together they walked to the unmarked door at the back of the bank. "Now, pretend you're a bank robber," Miller said, and he smiled at the general, that's an interesting hypothetical, isn't it?Without waiting for an answer, he said: Well, you have arrived, what do you see? The general looked at it, shrugged and said, "One door." Miller held up his index finger and shook it like a metronome.That's the first mistake you make, it's actually a cover for a solid steel door, voila!

He selected two keys from the chain, unlocked them, and pushed open the door.The general estimated that it was about six to seven centimeters thick.Nothing like a can of sardines.He nodded and looked as closely as he could. Miller proudly pointed to the second barrier, which was the second door. This time it was made of square steel bars, and each steel tube was as thick as his wrist.The general looked at it dutifully and carefully. He said: Tell me, Mr. Miller, why is this second door made of steel bars? Miller took two more from the keychain.Of course we will have electronic surveillance system video recorders, alarm bells, the most advanced and sensitive technology.But we must not forget one thing, he turned to face the General and waved a key under his nose.Be careful, my dear sir, be careful!For this reason, no surveillance equipment was placed in the room where the safe was located.When our clients are in this room, they need absolute privacy and absolute security because they are locked inside.

He knocked on the solid steel door with his key.This, as you can imagine, is soundproof.Assuming it was locked, a client was inside, had a heart attack, and Mr. Miller tugged at his chest dramatically, and he collapsed.Called loudly, but no one could hear him at all.This is the problem of confined spaces.We must envision all possibilities.This is why the first door is still open and the second door is locked.That's it. Miller led the general into the safe room.It is L-shaped, with countless gray iron boxes lined up, and a small table and two chairs are placed in the corner, and anyone who is by the door can't see the inside. Miller said: The safe can only be opened by combining the master key with the guest's personal key.He locked box No. 263 and gave the general two chrome-steel keys.It is simply impossible to copy your personal key. He stood back, waiting for the opening ceremony to proceed. The general said: "Give me a few more minutes, I want to take one last look before putting them in." Of course, sir, as long as you need.He held his head up and smiled and said: Obviously, I have to lock you inside. It's a rare experience, isn't it, being locked behind steel bars like this? The general also smiled back, so how can the people locked inside escape? Press that red button next to the door and we'll come to your rescue.Here, we treat prisoners as guests of honor. The general said: I can see that, thank you. He sat down at the table, and took out his notebook, and a pocket measuring ruler.Fernand needed to know the thickness of the steel rod in order to calculate the strength of the explosive.And the back door and floor.Within ten minutes, the general measured and drew a sketch of the room with a guilty conscience, and looked outside the steel fence from time to time until he had a preliminary idea of ​​the size of the room and the door, and just to be sure, he opened the door. The corner of the carpet, the floor is made of reinforced concrete.This, he thought, would be the loudest part of the explosion.Everything else will be absorbed by the soundproofed doors.It's going to be a rowdy night anyway.He looked at the rows of safes and stroked the end of his beard.How much money is there?Hundreds of thousands?Or a few million?gold?Or jewelry? At this point, he has the information he needs.He can come back later.He threw the Luzon envelope into Box 263 and locked it.Yes, it will be a restless night.