the crystal stopper-第13章

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ool。　　He　thought　he　was　showing　his　friend　a　kindness；　and　it　proved　his　own　undoing。　　It　was　not　until　the　day　after　the　suicide　of　the　chairman　of　the　company　and　the　disappearance　of　the　secretary；　the　day　on　which　the　affair　of　the　canal　was　published　in　the　papers；　with　its　whole　series　of　swindles　and　abominations；　that　my　husband　knew　that　a　number　of　his　fellow…members　had　been　bribed　and　learnt　that　the　mysterious　list；　of　which　people　suddenly　began　to　speak；　mentioned　his　name　with　theirs　and　with　the　names　of　other　deputies；　leaders　of　parties　and　influential　politicians。　　Oh；　what　awful　days　those　were！　　Would　the　list　be　published？　　Would　his　name　come　out？　　The　torture　of　it！　　You　remember　the　mad　excitement　in　the　Chamber；　the　atmosphere　of　terror　and　denunciation　that　prevailed。　　Who　owned　the　list？　　Nobody　could　say。　　It　was　known　to　be　in　existence　and　that　was　all。　　Two　names　were　sacrificed　to　public　odium。　　Two　men　were　swept　away　by　the　storm。　　And　it　remained　unknown　where　the　denunciation　came　from　and　in　whose　hands　the　incriminating　documents　were。〃

〃Daubrecq；〃　suggested　Lupin。

〃No；　no！〃　cried　Madame　Mergy。　　〃Daubrecq　was　nothing　at　that　time：　he　had　not　yet　appeared　upon　the　scene。　　No；　don't　you　remember；　the　truth　came　out　suddenly　through　the　very　man　who　was　keeping　it　back：　　Germineaux；　the　ex…minister　of　justice；　a　cousin　of　the　chairman　of　the　Canal　Company。　　As　he　lay　dying　of　consumption；　he　wrote　from　his　sick…bed　to　the　prefect　of　police；　bequeathing　him　that　list　of　names；　which；　he　said；　would　be　found；　after　his　death；　in　an　iron　chest　in　the　corner　of　his　room。　　The　house　was　surrounded　by　police　and　the　prefect　took　up　his　quarters　by　the　sick　man's　bedside。　　Germineaux　died。　The　chest　was　opened　and　found　to　be　empty。〃

〃Daubrecq；　this　time；〃　Lupin　declared。

〃Yes；　Daubrecq；〃　said　Madame　Mergy；　whose　excitement　was　momentarily　increasing。　　〃Alexis　Daubrecq；　who；　for　six　months；　disguised　beyond　recognition；　had　acted　as　Germineaux's　secretary。　　It　does　not　matter　how　he　discovered　that　Germineaux　was　the　possessor　of　the　paper　in　question。　　The　fact　remains　that　he　broke　open　the　chest　on　the　night　before　the　death。　　So　much　was　proved　at　the　inquiry；　and　Daubrecq's　identity　was　established。〃

〃But　he　was　not　arrested？〃

〃What　would　have　been　the　use？　　They　knew　well　enough　that　he　must　have　deposited　the　list　in　a　place　of　safety。　　His　arrest　would　have　involved　a　scandal；　the　reopening　of　the　whole　case。。。　〃

〃So。。。　〃　　　〃So　they　made　terms。〃

Lupin　laughed：

〃That's　funny；　making　terms　with　Daubrecq！〃

〃Yes；　very　funny；〃　said　Madame　Mergy；　bitterly。　　〃During　this　time　he　acted　and　without　delay；　shamelessly；　making　straight　for　the　goal。　　A　week　after　the　theft；　he　went　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　asked　for　my　husband　and　bluntly　demanded　thirty　thousand　francs　of　him；　to　be　paid　within　twenty…four　hours。　　If　not；　he　threatened　him　with　exposure　and　disgrace。　　My　husband　knew　the　man　he　was　dealing　with；　knew　him　to　be　implacable　and　filled　with　relentless　hatred。　　He　lost　his　head　and　shot　himself。〃

〃How　absurd！〃　Lupin　could　not　help　saying。　　〃How　absurd！　　Daubrecq　possesses　a　list　of　twenty…seven　names。　　To　give　up　any　one　of　those　names　he　is　obliged；　if　he　would　have　his　accusation　believed；　to　publish　the　list　itself　…　that　is　to　say；　to　part　with　the　document；　or　at　least　a　photograph　of　it。　　Well；　in　so　doing；　he　creates　a　scandal；　it　is　true；　but　he　deprives　himself；　at　the　same　time；　of　all　further　means　of　levying　blackmail。〃

〃Yes　and　no；〃　she　said。

〃How　do　you　know？〃

〃Through　Daubrecq　himself。　　The　villain　came　to　see　me　and　cynically　told　me　of　his　interview　with　my　husband　and　the　words　that　had　passed　between　them。　　Well；　there　is　more　than　that　list；　more　than　that　famous　bit　of　paper　on　which　the　secretary　put　down　the　names　and　the　amounts　paid　and　to　which；　you　will　remember；　the　chairman　of　the　company；　before　dying；　affixed　his　signature　in　letters　of　blood。　　There　is　more　than　that。　　There　are　certain　less　positive　proofs；　which　the　people　　interested　do　not　know　of：　the　correspondence　between　the　chairman　and　the　secretary；　between　the　chairman　and　his　counsel；　and　so　on。　　Of　course；　the　list　scribbled　on　the　bit　of　paper　is　the　only　evidence　that　counts；　it　is　the　one　incontestable　proof　which　it　would　be　no　good　copying　or　even　photographing；　for　its　genuineness　can　be　tested　most　absolutely。　　But；　all　the　same；　the　other　proofs　are　dangerous。　　They　have　already　been　enough　to　do　away　with　two　deputies。　　And　Daubrecq　is　marvelously　clever　at　turning　this　fact　to　account。　　He　selects　his　victim；　frightens　him　out　of　his　senses；　points　out　to　him　the　inevitable　scandal；　and　the　victim　pays　the　required　sum。　　Or　else　he　kills　himself；　as　my　husband　did。　　Do　you　understand　now？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lupin。

And；　in　the　silence　that　followed；　he　drew　a　mental　picture　of　Daubrecq's　life。　　He　saw　him　the　owner　of　that　list；　using　his　power；　gradually　emerging　from　the　shadow；　lavishly　squandering　the　money　which　he　extorted　from　his　victims；　securing　his　election　as　a　district…councillor　and　deputy；　holding　sway　by　dint　of　threats　and　terror；　unpunished；　invuinerable；　unattackable；　feared　by　the　government；　which　would　rather　submit　to　his　orders　than　declare　war　upon　him；　respected　by　the　judicial　authorities：so　powerful；in　a　word；　that　Prasville　had　been　appointed　secretary…general　of　police；　over　the　heads　of　all　who　had　prior　claims；　for　the　sole　reason　that　he　hated　Daubrecq　with　a　personal　hatred。〃

〃And　you　saw　him　again？〃　he　asked。

〃I　saw　him　again。　　I　had　to。　　My　husband　was　dead；　but　his　honour　remained　untouched。　　Nobody　suspected　the　truth。　　In　order　at　least　to　defend　the　name　which　he　left　me；　I　accepted　my　first　interview　with　Daubrecq。〃

〃Your　first；　yes；　for　there　have　been　others。〃

〃Many　others；〃　she　said；　in　a　strained　voice；　〃yes；　many　others。。。　at　the　theatre。。。　or　in　the　evening；　at　Enghien　。。。　or　else　in　Paris；　at　night　。。。　for　I　was　ashamed　to　meet　that　man　and　I　did　not　want　people　to　know　it。。。　　But　it　was　necessary。。。　　A　duty　more　imperative　than　any　other　commanded　it：　the　duty　of　avenging　my　husband。。。　〃

She　bent　over　Lupin　and；　eagerly：

〃Yes；　revenge　has　been　the　motive　of　my　conduct　and　the　sole　preoccupation　of　my　life。　　To　avenge　my　husband；　to　avenge　my　ruined　son；　to　avenge　myself　for　all　the　harm　that　he　has　done　me：　I　had　no　other　dream；　no　other　object　in　life。　　That　is　what　I　wanted：　to　see　that　man　crushed；　reduced　to　poverty；　to　tears　…　as　though　he　still　knew　how　to　cry！　…　sobbing　in　the　throes　of　despair。。。

〃You　wanted　his　death；〃　said　Lupin；　remembering　the　scene　between　them　in　Daubrecq's　study。

〃No；　not　his　death。　　I　have　often　thought　of　it；　I　have　even　raised　my　arm　to　strike　him　　but　what　would　have　been　the　good？　　He　must　have　taken　his　precautions。　　The　paper　would　remain。　　And　then　there　is　no　revenge　in　killing　a　man。。。　　My　hatred　went　further　than　that。。。　　It　demanded　his　ruin；　his　downfall；　and；　to　achieve　that；　there　was　but　one　way：　to　cut　his　claws。　　Daubrecq；　deprived　of　the　document　that　gives　him　his　immense　power；　ceases　to　exist。　　It　means　immediate　bankruptcy　and　disaster。。。　under　the　most　wretched　conditions。　　That　is　what　I　have　sought。〃

〃But　Daubrecq　must　have　been　aware　of　your　intentions？〃

〃Certainly。　　And；　I　assure　you；　those　were　strange　meetings　of　ours：　I　watching　him　closely；　trying　to　guess　his　secret　behind　his　actions　and　his　words；　and　he。。。　he。。。　〃

〃And　he；〃　said　Lupin；　finishing　Clarisse's　thought；　〃lying　in　wait　for　the　prey　which　he　desires。。。　for　the　woman　whom　he　has　never　ceased　to　love。。。　whom　he　loves　。。。　and　whom　he　covets　with　all　his　might　and　with　all　his　furious　passion。。。　〃

She　lowered　her　head　and　said；　simply：

〃Yes。〃

A　strange　duel　indeed　was　that　which　brought　face　to　face　those　two　beings　separated　by　so　many　implacable　things！　　How　unbridled　must　Daubrecq's　passion　be　for　him　to　risk　that　perpetual　threat　of　death　and　to　introduce　to　the　privacy　of　his　house　this　woman　whose　life　he　had　shattered！　　But　also　how　absolutely　safe　he　must　feel　himself！

〃And　your　search　ended。。。　how？〃　asked　Lupin。

〃My　search；〃　she　replied；　〃long　remained　without　fruit。　　You　know　the　methods　of　investigation　which　you　have　followed　and　which　the　police　have　followed　on　their　side。　　Well；　I　myself　employed　them；　years　before　either　of　you　did；　and　in　vain。　　I　was　beginning　to　despair。　Then；　one　day；　when　I　had　gone　to　see　Daubrecq　in　his　villa　at　Enghien；　I　picked　up　under　his　writing…table　a　letter　which　he　had　begun　to　write；　crumpled　up　and　thrown　into　the　waste…paper…basket。　　It　consisted　of　a　few　lines　in　bad　English；　and　I　was　able　to　read　this：　'Empty　the　crystal　within；　so　as　to　leave　a　void　which　it　is　impossible　to　suspect。'　Perhaps　I　should　not　have　attached　to　this　sentence　all　the　importance　which　it　deserved；　if　Daubrecq；　who　was　out　in　the　garden；　had　not　come　running　in　and　begun　to　turn　out　the　waste…paper…basket；　with　an　eagerness　which　was　very　significant。　　He　gave　me　a　suspicious　look：　'There　was　a　letter　there；'　he　said。　　I　pretended　not　to　understand。　　He　did　not　insist；　but　his　agitation　did　not　escape　me；　and　I　continued　my　quest　in　this　direction。　　A　month　later；　I　discovered；　among　the　ashes　in　the　drawing…room　fireplace；　the　torn　half　of　an　English　invoice。　　I　gathered　that　a　Stourbridge　glass…blower；　of　the　name　of　John　Howard；　had　supplied　Daubrecq　with　a　crystal　bottle　made　after　a　model。　　The　word　'crystal'　struck　me　at　once。　　I　went　to　Stourbridge；　got　round　the　foreman　of　the　glass…works　and　learnt　that　the　stopper　of　this　bottle　had　been　hollowed　out　inside；　in　accordance　with　the　instruction　in　the　order；　so　as　to　leave　a　cavity；　the　existence　of　which　would　escape　observation。〃

Lupin　nodded　his　head：

〃The　thing　tallies　beyond　a　doubt。　　Nevertheless；　it　did　not　seem　to　me；　that；　even　under　the　gilt　layer。。。　　　　　　And　then　the　hiding…place　would　be　very　tiny！〃

〃Tiny；　but　large　enough；〃　she　said。　　〃On　my　return　from　England；　I　went　to　the　police…office　to　see　Prasville；　whose　friendship　for　me　had　remained　unchanged。　　I　did　not　hesitate　to　tell　him；　first；　the　reasons　which　had　driven　my　husband　to　suicide　and；　secondly；　the　object　of　revenge　which　I　was　pursuing。　　When　I　informed　him　of　my　discoveries；　he　jumped　for　joy；　and　I　felt　that　his　hatred　for　Daubrecq　was　as　strong　as　ever。　　I　learnt　from　him　that　the　list　was　written　on　a　slip　of　exceedingly　thin　foreign…post…paper；　which；　when　rolled　up　into　a　sort　of　pellet；　would　easily　fit　into　an　exceedingly　limited　space。　　Neither　he　nor　I　had　the　least　hesitation。　　We　knew　the　hiding…place。　　We　agreed　to　act　independently　of　each　other；　while　continuing　to　correspond　in　secret。　　I　put　him　in　touch　with　C1emence；　the　portress　in　the　Square　Lamartine；　who　was　entirely　devoted　to　me。。。　〃

〃But　less　so　to　Prasville；〃　said　Lupin；　〃for　I　can　prove　that　she　betrays　him。〃

〃Now　perhaps；　but　not　at　the　start；　and　the　police　searches　were　numerous。　　It　was　at　that　time；　ten　months　ago；　that　Gilbert　came　into　my　life　again。　　A　mother　never　loses　her　love　for　her　son；　whatever　he　may　do；　whatever　he　may　have　done。　　And　then　Gilbert　has　such　a　way　with