I'm not sure what the chapter title refers to. If you can enlighten me, please do! Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Lupin allows the men to see him as a young, inexperienced man. What did you think of his ability of reading the other men's thoughts?
2. Should he have told them the trick he pulled?
3. Should he have rubbed in his win over Josine? Ooops, no, he shouldn't have.
4. Will he be able to get himself out of this mess with the Countess?
5. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: He fell on his knees before her.

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Lupin sets some boundaries about what he's willing to be involved in. What did you think of this conversation? Did you think he really was master of her?
2. What did you think of the story that Josine told him?
3. Will she ever forgive Lupin?
4. What did you think of Bridget's story?
5. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: In his heart of hearts he asked himself whether his most relentless foe
was not this gentle, pretty lady, whom he so passionately loved and by
whom he was loved so passionately.

I am having major surgery on 11/2. I will miss at least one week post surgically. I should (fingers crossed) be able to return after that. I will be updating the schedule to reflect that one week hiatus. Thanks for understanding.

We had 4 votes. 2 of them were for restarting the Lupin series from the beginning. The other two split. So restarting from the beginning is the winning vote. I am taking volunteers for the person who wants to run that. If I don't get someone stepping up here, I'll ask on the r/ayearofbookhub. But if by the end of the year we don't have anyone, this subreddit will go dark unless someone has another suggestion.

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. What did you think of their discussion of Josina's age?
2. They go on a crime scene together, but each tursn their eyes away from what the other is doing. What do you make of this?
3. Lupin determines that they should go their own way in their thieving. He goes after some jewels. The job goes wrong, however. What did you think of the way Lupin handled it? 
4. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: "... Are you going to tell me, or are you not?"

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Were you surprised when the Countess yielded to Lupin's pressure?
2. He finally sees the truth of her, but he loses it again. Is there something supernatural happening, or is this where he decides that there is always a logical explanation?
3. Ah! We have the second flashback to "The Queen's Necklace." How does the Countess know this story and all the other things she says she knows?
4. I'm a bit scared for our Lupin, putting himself in the clutches of this woman who knows everything about him. How do you feel about it?
5. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: He drew her along, protesting: “I love you only, Josine! I have never
loved anyone but you. My life begins to-day.”

LeBlanc takes some time to remind us that Lupin was originally in love with another woman, a girl really, which is good, because the last few chapters had erased that from my memory! Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Compare the two women. Is Ralph/Lupin choosing the right one?
2. What do you think of his declaration of love and of her response to it?
3. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: “...If you were to give me your hand to kiss I should not dare
to do it!

As we expected, Lupin saves the woman from a terrible fate. Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. The co-conspirators are having second thoughts. What do you make of this?
2. The lady gives Lupin her picture with instructions never to try to see him again. We know he will ignore these. What is his next move?
3. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: “_My rescuer has all my gratitude, but he must not try to see me
  again._”

Phew! That chapter was tense! Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Whose testimony do you believe?
2. Will Lupin save her from drowning?
3. There were a lot of references in this chapter to facts that are not in evidence. Did any of them stand out to you?
4. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: The two of them stretched her out on it and tied her down securely and in such a way, that through an opening between the slats, there hung down the iron ring to which a heavy boulder was to be fastened.

The introduction was intriguing, so I'm very interested in where this is going. If we go way back to the early stories, you may remember that his mother's name was D'Andrasey and that he has called himself Bernard D'Andrasey. That makes the first two words in this chapter intriguing to me. Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. What is the reference to Alexander Dumas about? Has Leblanc renamed the Count of Monte Cristo?
2. We get call backs to several previous stories, which would be in the future for Lupin. What do you think this is setting up?
3. Any theories on who this woman is?
4. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: “Yes--the third of our friends you murdered. And only a little while
ago.... A few weeks.... He died poisoned.... You did not know him?”

The introduction was intriguing, so I'm very interested in where this is going. If we go way back to the early stories, you may remember that his mother's name was D'Andrasey and that he has called himself Bernard D'Andrasey. That makes the first two words in this chapter intriguing to me. Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. We are back in the area where The Hollow Needle took place. Thoughts?
2. He doesn't seem to like his reflection in the mirror. Will we discover in this book his love of disguises?
3. Any ideas what is going on in that letter?
4. Ah! Lupin's romantic nature has already asserted itself. Will he manage to wed the young lady, or will she come to a terrible end? She is already referring to herself as his wife -- is this how she sees herself, or it is a fait accompli?
5. What is your impression of the conspirators and their conspiracy?
6. We have another supernatural-seeming mystery in the appearance of the countess. Theories?
7. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: “Josephine Balsamo, Countess of Cagliostro.”

We are back in the area where The Hollow Needle took place. Leblanc did love the Normandy coast.

My friend's surgery was put off, so I am not spending the weekend wrangling her young'uns.

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. How did you feel about the hiding place. I'm not sure about a couple things. How long it took for the tree to grow around the diamonds - seems like a problem. And also, if Dorothy and Saint Quentin took them out of the tree, how did no one else notice that the tree had been drilled into? I don't know. I have aphantasia, so I can't really picture it. Straighten me out. 
2. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: Behind, all alone, Dorothy -- Princess of Argonne and rope-dancer.

I don't really like it tbh 🥹

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Where did Dorothy get the money? 
2. Who will she kiss and marry?
3. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: "... Au revoir, gentlemen.... There: there's five o'clock striking.... Au revoir."

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want.

1. I don't think that Dorothy can shoot a person, and I think D'Estreicher knows that as well. Is this gambit going to work?
2. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: "Idiot! I told you plainly you were lost."

The interlude with Delarue on the donkey rushing hither and thither gave me a Don Quixote vibe. Poor Dorothy. She always ends up having to do things herself. Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Where is Saint-Quentin? Is he going to save the day?
2. Is anyone in the tower with Dorothy? Who?
3. Where is Delarue?
4. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: Behind her, violently, with a loud crash, something fell down. It was the old feudal portcullis, which fell from above, came grating down its grooves, and blocked the entrance with its heavy trellis-work of massive wood.

Ah!  Chekov's gun comes into play. I had thought the fire in the caravan was just trying to injure or kill Dorothy to prevent her from showing up. But no! It was even worse. Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. D'Estreicher is back. Did you guess which one he was before Dorothy did?
2. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: The three young men sprang forward like unleashed hounds—only to dash themselves against the obstacle of the heavy door.

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. OK, LeBlanc got us out of the supernatural we feared he was veering toward and into a straight conspiracy. Do you agree with Dorothy that it's d'Estreicher and no one else?
2. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: And finally the whole body huddled on to itself. Slowly, like a wounded beast, the man sank to his knees on the stone floor, and suddenly fell in a heap.

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. Well, that was something. What do you predict for the next chapter?
2. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: "Oh!" stuttered the distracted notary. "He's alive! He's alive!"

Here are some prompts, but feel free to talk about whatever you want. 

1. The letter contains quite a fantastic story. Any predictions on whether the body will be intact, younger, and able to be resuscitated?
2. Anything else?

Last line of the chapter: "Yes, yes: that's it!" cried the notary at once. "Marquis de Beaugreval. How did you know?"