the crystal stopper-第26章

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What　decided　Lupin　to　start　at　once　was；　first；　a　letter　in　which　Clarisse　told　him　that　she　had　found　Daubrecq's　traces；　and；　also；　a　telegram；　published　in　the　Amiens　papers；　which　stated　that　the　Marquis　d'Albufex　had　been　arrested　for　his　complicity　in　the　affair　of　the　　canal。

Daubrecq　was　taking　his　revenge。

Now　the　fact　that　Daubrecq　was　taking　his　revenge　proved　that　the　marquis　had　not　been　able　to　prevent　that　revenge　by　seizing　the　document　which　was　on　the　writing…desk　in　the　study。　　It　proved　that　Chief…inspector　Blanchon　and　the　detectives　had　kept　a　good　watch。　　It　proved　that　the　crystal　stopper　was　still　in　the　Square　Lamartine。

It　was　still　there；　and　this　showed　either　that　Daubrecq　had　not　ventured　to　go　home；　or　else　that　his　state　of　health　hindered　him　from　doing　so；　or　else　again　that　he　had　sufficient　confidence　in　the　hiding…place　not　to　trouble　to　put　himself　out。

In　any　case；　there　was　no　doubt　as　to　the　course　to　be　pursued：　Lupin　must　act　and　he　must　act　smartly。　　He　must　forestall　Daubrecq　and　get　hold　of　the　crystal　stopper。

When　they　had　crossed　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　and　were　nearing　the　Square　Lamartine；　Lupin　took　leave　of　the　doctor　and　stopped　the　car。　　The　Growler　and　the　Masher；　to　whom　he　had　wired；　met　him。

〃Where's　Mme。　Mergy？〃　he　asked。

〃She　has　not　been　back　since　yesterday；　she　sent　us　an　express　message　to　say　that　she　saw　Daubrecq　leaving　his　cousins'　place　and　getting　into　a　cab。　　She　knows　the　number　of　the　cab　and　will　keep　us　informed。〃

〃Nothing　further？〃

〃Nothing　further。〃

〃No　other　news？〃

〃Yes；　the　Paris…Midi　says　that　d'Albufex　opened　his　veins　last　night；　with　a　piece　of　broken　glass；　in　his　cell　at　the　Sante。　　He　seems　to　have　left　a　long　letter　behind　him；　confessing　his　fault；　but　accusing　Daubrecq　of　his　death　and　exposing　the　part　played　by　Daubrecq　in　the　canal　affair。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃No。　　The　same　paper　stated　that　it　has　reason　to　believe　that　the　pardoning　commission；　after　examining　the　record；　has　rejected　Vaucheray　and　Gilbert's　petition　and　that　their　counsel　will　probably　be　received　in　audience　by　the　president　on　Friday。〃

Lupin　gave　a　shudder。

〃They're　losing　no　time；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　see　that　Daubrecq；　on　the　very　first　day；　put　the　screw　on　the　old　judicial　machine。　　One　short　week　more。。。　and　the　knife　falls。　　My　poor　Gilbert！　　If；　on　Friday　next；　the　papers　which　your　counsel　submits　to　the　president　of　the　Republic　do　not　contain　the　conditional　offer　of　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven；　then；　my　poor　Gilbert；　you　are　done　for！〃

〃Come；　come；　governor；　are　you　losing　courage？〃

〃I？　　Rot！　　I　shall　have　the　crystal　stopper　in　an　hour。　　In　two　hours；　I　shall　see　Gilbert's　counsel。　　And　the　nightmare　will　be　over。〃

〃Well　done；　governor！　　That's　like　your　old　self。　　Shall　we　wait　for　you　here？〃

〃No；　go　back　to　your　hotel。　　I'll　join　you　later。〃

They　parted。　　Lupin　walked　straight　to　the　house　and　rang　the　bell。

A　detective　opened　the　door　and　recognized　him：

〃M。　Nicole；　I　believe？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃Is　Chief…inspector　Blanchon　here？〃

〃He　is。〃

〃Can　I　speak　to　him？〃

The　man　took　him　to　the　study；　where　Chief…inspector　Blanchon　welcomed　him　with　obvious　pleasure。

〃Well；　chief…inspector；　one　would　say　there　was　something　new？〃

〃M。　Nicole；　my　orders　are　to　place　myself　entirely　at　your　disposal；　and　I　may　say　that　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you　to…day。〃

〃Why　so？〃

Because　there　is　something　new。〃　　　　　　　　　　Something　serious？〃　　　　　　　　　　〃Something　very　serious。〃

〃Quick；　speak。〃

〃Daubrecq　has　returned。〃

〃Eh；　what！〃　exclaimed　Lupin；　with　a　start。　　〃Daubrecq　returned？　　Is　he　here？〃

〃No；　he　has　gone。〃

And　did　he　come　in　here；　in　the　study？〃

Yes。〃

〃This　morning。〃

And　you　did　not　prevent　him？〃

〃What　right　had　I？〃

〃And　you　left　him　alone？〃

〃By　his　positive　orders；　yes；　we　left　him　alone。〃

Lupin　felt　himself　turn　pale。　　Daubrecq　had　come　back　to　fetch　the　crystal　stopper！

He　was　silent　for　some　time　and　repeated　to　himself：

〃He　came　back　to　fetch　it。。。　He　was　afraid　that　it　would　be　found　and　he　has　taken　it。。。　　　Of　course；　it　was　inevitable。。。　with　d'Albufex　arrested；　with　d'Albufex　accused　and　accusing　him；　Daurecq　was　bound　to　defend　himself。　　It's　a　difficult　game　for　him。　After　months　and　months　of　mystery；　the　public　is　at　last　learning　that　the　infernal　being　who　contrived　the　whole　tragedy　of　the　Twenty…Seven　and　who　ruins　and　kills　his　adversaries　is　he；　Daubrecq。　　What　would　become　of　him　if；　by　a　miracle；　his　talisman　did　not　protect　him？　　He　has　taken　it　back。〃

And；　trying　to　make　his　voice　sound　firm；　he　asked：

〃Did　he　stay　long？〃

〃Twenty　seconds；　perhaps。〃

〃What！　　Twenty　seconds？　　No　longer？〃

〃No　longer。〃

〃What　time　was　it？〃

〃Ten　o'clock。〃

〃Could　he　have　known　of　the　Marquis　d'Albufex'　suicide　by　then？〃

〃Yes。　　I　saw　the　special　edition　of　the　Paris…Midi　in　his　pocket。〃

〃That's　it；　that's　it；〃　said　Lupin。　　And　he　asked；　〃Did　M。　Prasville　give　you　no　special　instructions　in　case　Daubrecq　should　return？〃

〃No。　　So；　in　M。　Prasville's　absence；　I　telephoned　to　the　police…office　and　I　am　waiting。　　The　disappearance　of　Daubrecq　the　deputy　caused　a　great　stir；　as　you　know；　and　our　presence　here　has　a　reason；　in　the　eyes　of　the　public；　as　long　as　that　disappearance　continues。　　But；　now　that　Daubrecq　has　returned；　now　that　we　have　proofs　that　he　is　neither　under　restraint　nor　dead；　how　can　we　stay　in　the　house？〃

〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　said　Lupin；　absently。　　〃It　doesn't　matter　whether　the　house　is　guarded　or　not。　　Daubrecq　has　been；　therefore　the　crystal　stopper　is　no　longer　here。〃

He　had　not　finished　the　sentence；　when　a　question　quite　naturally　forced　itself　upon　his　mind。　　If　the　crystal　stopper　was　no　longer　there；　would　this　not　be　obvious　from　some　material　sign？　　Had　the　removal　of　that　object；　doubtless　contained　within　another　object；　left　no　trace；　no　void？

It　was　easy　to　ascertain。　　Lupin　had　simply　to　examine　the　writing…desk；　for　he　knew；　from　Sebastiarn's　chaff；　that　this　was　the　spot　of　the　hiding…place。　　And　the　hiding…place　could　not　be　a　complicated　one；　seeing　that　Daubrecq　had　not　remained　in　the　study　for　more　than　twenty　seconds；　just　long　enough；　so　to　speak；　to　walk　in　and　walk　out　again。

Lupin　looked。　And　the　result　was　immediate。　　His　memory　had　so　faithfully　recorded　the　picture　of　the　desk；　with　all　the　articles　lying　on　it；　that　the　absence　of　one　of　them　struck　him　instantaneously；　as　though　that　article　and　that　alone　were　the　characteristic　sign　which　distinguished　this　particular　writing…table　from　every　other　table　in　the　world。

〃Oh；〃　he　thought；　quivering　with　delight；　〃everything　fits　in！　　Everything！　。。。　　Down　to　that　half…word　which　the　torture　drew　from　Daubrecq　in　the　tower　at　Mortepierre！　　The　riddle　is　solved。　　There　need　be　no　more　hesitation；　no　more　groping　in　the　dark。　　The　end　is　in　sight。〃

And；　without　answering　the　inspector's　questions；　he　thought　of　the　simplicity　of　the　hiding…place　and　remembered　Edgar　Allan　Poe's　wonderful　story　in　which　the　stolen　letter；　so　eagerly　sought　for；　is；　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　displayed　to　all　eyes。　　People　do　not　suspect　what　does　not　appear　to　be　hidden。

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Lupin；　as　he　went　out；　greatly　excited　by　his　discovery；　〃I　seem　doomed；　in　this　confounded　adventure；　to　knock　up　against　disappointments　to　the　finish。　　Everything　that　I　build　crumbles　to　pieces　at　once。　　Every　victory　ends　in　disaster。〃

Nevertheless；　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　be　cast　down。　　On　the　one　hand；　he　now　knew　where　Daubrecq　the　deputy　hid　the　crystal　stopper。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　would　soon　learn　from　Clarisse　Mergy　where　Daubrecq　himself　was　lurking。　　The　rest；　to　him；　would　be　child's　play。

The　Growler　and　the　Masher　were　waiting　for　him　in　the　drawing…room　of　the　Hotel　Franklin；　a　small　family…hotel　near　the　Trocadero。　　Mme。　Mergy　had　not　yet　written　to　him。

〃Oh；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　trust　her！　　She　will　hang　on　to　Daubrecq　until　she　is　certain。〃

However；　toward　the　end　of　the　afternoon；　he　began　to　grow　impatient　and　anxious。　　He　was　fighting　one　of　those　battles　…　the　last；　he　hoped　…　in　which　the　least　delay　might　jeopardize　everything。　　If　Daubrecq　threw　Mme。　Mergy　off　the　scent；　how　was　he　to　be　caught　again？　　They　no　longer　had　weeks　or　days；　but　only　a　few　hours；　a　terribly　limited　number　of　hours；　in　which　to　repair　any　mistakes　that　they　might　commit。

He　saw　the　proprietor　of　the　hotel　and　asked　him：

〃Are　you　sure　that　there　is　no　express　letter　for　my　two　friends？〃

〃Quite　sure；　sir。〃

〃Nor　for　me；　M。　Nicole？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃That's　curious；〃　said　Lupin。　　〃We　were　certain　that　we　should　hear　from　Mme。　Audran。〃

Audran　was　the　name　under　which　Clarisse　was　staying　at　the　hotel。

〃But　the　lady　has　been；〃　said　the　proprietor。

〃What's　that？〃

〃She　came　some　time　ago　and；　as　the　gentlemen　were　not　there；　left　a　letter　in　her　room。　　Didn't　the　porter　tell　you？〃

Lupin　and　his　friends　hurried　upstairs。　　There　was　a　letter　on　the　table。

〃Hullo！〃　said　Lupin。　　〃It's　been　opened！　　How　is　that？　And　why　has　it　　een　cut　about　with　scissors？〃

The　letter　contained　the　following　lines：

　　　　　　　　〃Daubrecq　has　spent　the　week　at　the　Hotel　Central。　　This　morning　　　　　　　　　he　had　his　luggage　taken　to　the　Gare　de　…　　and　telephoned　to　　　　　　　　　reserve　a　berth　in　the　sleeping…car　…　for　…　　

　　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　know　when　the　train　starts。　　But　I　shall　be　at　the　　　　　　　　　station　all　the　afternoon。　　Come　as　soon　as　you　can；　all　three　　　　　　　　　of　you。　　We　will　arrange　to　kidnap　him。〃

〃What　next？〃　said　the　Masher。　　〃At　which　station？　　And　where's　the　sleeping…car　for？　　She　has　cut　out　just　the　words　we　wanted！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Growler。　　〃Two　snips　with　the　scissors　in　each　place；　and　the　words　which　we　most　want　are　gone。　　Who　ever　saw　such　a　thing？　Has　Mme。　Mergy　lost　her　head？〃

Lupin　did　not　move。　　A　rush　of　blood　was　beating　at　his　temples　with　such　violence　that　he　glued　his　fists　to　them　and　pressed　with　all　his　might。　　His　fever　returned；　burning　and　riotous；　and　his　will；　incensed　to　the　verge　of　physical　suffering；　concentrated　itself　upon　that　stealthy　enemy；　which　must　be　controlled　then　and　there；　if　he　himself　did　not　wish　to　be　irretrievably　beaten。

He　muttered；　very　calmly：　　　　　　　　　　〃Daubrecq　has　been　here。〃

〃Daubrecq！〃

〃We　can't　suppose　that　Mme。　Mergy　has　been　amusing　herself　by　cutting　out　those　two　words。　　Daubrecq　has　been　here。　　Mme。　Mergy　thought　that　she　was　watching　him。　　He　was　watching　her　instead。〃

〃How？〃

〃Doubtless　through　that　hall…porter　who　did　not　tell　us　that　Mme。　Mergy　had　been　to　the　hotel；　but　who　must　have　told　Daubrecq。　　He　came。　　He　read　the　letter。　　And；　by　way　of　getting　at　us；　he　contented　himself　with　cutting　out　the　essential　words。〃

〃We　can　find　out。。。　we　can　ask。。。　〃

〃What's　the　good？　　What's　the　use　of　finding　out　how　he　came；　when　we　know　that　he　did　come？〃

He　examined　the　letter　for　some　time；　turned　it　over　and　over；　then　stood　up　and　said：

〃Come　along。〃

〃Where　to？〃

〃Gare　de　Lyon。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　nothing　with　Daubrecq。　　But；　as　we　have　to　choose；　according　to　the　contents　of　the　letter；　between　the　Gare　de　l'Est　and　the　Ga