the crystal stopper-第3章

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　asked　one　another　questions；　yelled　and　shouted；　and　no　one　dreamt　of　checking　Lupin's　statements；　which　sounded　so　plausible。

However；　the　discovery　of　the　body　in　the　pantry　restored　the　comnussary　to　a　sense　of　his　responsibility。　　He　issued　orders；　had　the　house　cleared　and　placed　policemen　at　the　gate　to　prevent　any　one　from　passing　in　or　out。　　Then；　without　further　delay；　he　examined　the　spot　and　began　his　inquiry。　　Vaucheray　gave　his　name；　Gilbert　refused　to　give　his；　on　the　plea　that　he　would　only　speak　in　the　presence　of　a　lawyer。　　But；　when　he　was　accused　of　the　murder；　he　informed　against　Vaucheray；　who　defended　himself　by　denouncing　the　other；　and　the　two　of　them　vociferated　at　the　same　time；　with　the　evident　wish　to　monopolize　the　commissary's　attention。　When　the　commissary　turned　to　Lupin；　to　request　his　evidence；　he　perceived　that　the　stranger　was　no　longer　there。

Without　the　least　suspicion；　he　said　to　one　of　the　policemen：

〃Go　and　tell　that　gentleman　that　I　should　like　to　ask　him　a　few　questions。〃

They　looked　about　for　the　gentleman。　　Some　one　had　seen　him　standing　on　the　steps；　lighting　a　cigarette。　　The　next　news　was　that　he　had　given　cigarettes　to　a　group　of　soldiers　and　strolled　toward　the　lake；　saying　that　they　were　to　call　him　if　he　was　wanted。

They　called　him。　　No　one　replied。

But　a　soldier　came　running　up。　　The　gentleman　had　just　got　into　a　boat　and　was　rowing　away　for　all　he　was　worth。　　The　commissary　looked　at　Gilbert　and　realized　that　he　had　been　tricked：

〃Stop　him！〃　he　shouted。　　Fire　on　him！　He's　an　accomplice！。。。　〃

He　himself　rushed　out；　followed　by　two　policemen；　while　the　others　remained　with　the　prisoners。　　On　reaching　the　bank；　he　saw　the　gentleman；　a　hundred　yards　away；　taking　off　his　hat　to　him　in　the　dusk。

One　of　the　policemen　discharged　his　revolver；　without　thinking。

The　wind　carried　the　sound　of　words　across　the　water。　　The　gentleman　was　singing　as　he　rowed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Go；　little　bark；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Float　in　the　dark。。。　〃

But　the　commissary　saw　a　skiff　fastened　to　the　landing…stage　of　the　adjoining　property。　　He　scrambled　over　the　hedge　separating　the　two　gardens　and；　after　ordering　the　soldiers　to　watch　the　banks　of　the　lake　and　to　seize　the　fugitlve　if　he　tried　to　put　ashore；　the　commissary　and　two　of　his　men　pulled　off　in　pursuit　of　Lupin。

It　was　not　a　difficult　matter；　for　they　were　able　to　follow　his　movements　by　the　intermittent　light　of　the　moon　and　to　see　that　he　was　trying　to　cross　the　lakes　while　bearing　toward　the　right　…　that　is　to　say；　toward　the　village　of　Saint…Gratien。　　Moreover；　the　commissary　soon　perceived　that；　with　the　aid　of　his　men　and　thanks　perhaps　to　the　comparative　lightness　of　his　craft；　he　was　rapidly　gaining　on　the　other。　　In　ten　minutes　he　had　decreased　the　interval　between　them　by　one　half。

〃That's　it！〃　he　cried。　　〃We　shan't　even　need　the　soldiers　to　keep　him　from　landing。　　I　very　much　want　to　make　the　fellow's　acquaintance。　　He's　a　cool　hand　and　no　mistake！〃

The　funny　thing　was　that　the　distance　was　now　diminishing　at　an　abnormal　rate；　as　though　the　fugitive　had　lost　heart　at　realizing　the　futility　of　the　struggle。　　The　policemen　redoubled　their　efforts。　　The　boat　shot　across　the　water　with　the　swiftness　of　a　swallow。　　Another　hundred　yards　at　most　and　they　would　reach　the　man。

〃Halt！〃　cried　the　commissary。

The　enemy；　whose　huddled　shape　they　could　make　out　in　the　boat；　no　longer　moved。　　The　sculls　drifted　with　the　stream。　　And　this　absence　of　all　motion　had　something　alarming　about　it。　　A　ruffian　of　that　stamp　might　easily　lie　in　wait　for　his　aggressors；　sell　his　life　dearly　and　even　shoot　them　dead　before　they　had　a　chance　of　attacking　him。

〃Surrender！〃　shouted　the　commissary。

The　sky；　at　that　moment；　was　dark。　　The　three　men　lay　flat　at　the　bottom　of　their　skiff；　for　they　thought　they　perceived　a　threatening　gesture。

The　boat；　carried　by　its　own　impetus；　was　approaching　the　other。

The　commissary　growled：

〃We　won't　let　ourselves　be　sniped。　　Let's　fire　at　him。　Are　you　ready？〃　And　he　roared；　once　more；　〃Surrender。。。　if　not。。。　！〃

No　reply。

The　enemy　did　not　budge。

〃Surrender！。。。　Hands　up！。。。　You　refuse？。。。　So　much　the　worse　for　you。。。　　I'm　counting。。。　One。。。　Two。。。　〃

The　policemen　did　not　wait　for　the　word　of　command。　　They　fired　and；　at　once；　bending　over　their　oars；　gave　the　boat　so　powerful　an　impulse　that　it　reached　the　goal　in　a　few　strokes。

The　commissary　watched；　revolver　in　hand；　ready　for　the　least　movement。　He　raised　his　arm：

〃If　you　stir；　I'll　blow　out　your　brains！〃

But　the　enemy　did　not　stir　for　a　moment；　and；　when　the　boat　was　bumped　and　the　two　men；　letting　go　their　oars；　prepared　for　the　formidable　assault；　the　commissary　understood　the　reason　of　this　passive　attitude：　there　was　no　one　in　the　boat。　　The　enemy　had　escaped　by　swimming；　leaving　in　the　hands　of　the　victor　a　certain　number　of　the　stolen　articles；　which；　heaped　up　and　surmounted　by　a　jacket　and　a　bowler　hat；　might　be　taken；　at　a　pinch；　in　the　semi…darkness；　vaguely　to　represent　the　figure　of　a　man。

They　struck　matches　and　examined　the　enemy's　cast　clothes。　　There　were　no　initials　in　the　hat。　　The　jacket　contained　neither　papers　nor　pocketbook。　　Nevertheless；　they　made　a　discovery　which　was　destined　to　give　the　case　no　little　celebrity　and　which　had　a　terrible　influence　on　the　fate　of　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray：　in　one　of　the　pockets　was　a　visiting…card　which　the　fugitive　had　left　behind。。。　the　card　of　Arsene　Lupin。

At　almost　the　same　moment；　while　the　police；　towing　the　captured　skiff　behind　them；　continued　their　empty　search　and　while　the　soldiers　stood　drawn　up　on　the　bank；　straining　their　eyes　to　try　and　follow　the　fortunes　of　the　naval　combat；　the　aforesaid　Arsene　Lupin　was　quietly　landing　at　the　very　spot　which　he　had　left　two　hours　earlier。

He　was　there　met　by　his　two　other　accomplices；　the　Growler　and　the　Masher；　flung　them　a　few　sentences　by　way　of　explanation；　jumped　into　the　motor…car；　among　Daubrecq　the　deputy's　armchairs　and　other　valuables；　wrapped　himself　in　his　furs　and　drove；　by　deserted　roads；　to　his　repository　at　Neuilly；　where　he　left　the　chauffeur。　　A　taxicab　brought　him　back　to　Paris　and　put　him　down　by　the　church　of　Saint…Philippe…du　…Roule；　not　far　from　which；　in　the　Rue　Matignon；　he　had　a　flat；　on　the　entresol…floor；　of　which　none　of　his　gang；　excepting　Gilbert；　knew；　a　flat　with　a　private　entrance。　　He　was　glad　to　take　off　his　clothes　and　rub　himself　down；　for；　in　spite　of　his　strong　constitution；　he　felt　chilled　to　the　bone。　　On　retiring　to　bed；　he　emptied　the　contents　of　his　pockets；　as　usual；　on　the　mantelpiece。　　It　was　not　till　then　that　he　noticed；　near　his　pocketbook　and　his　keys；　the　object　which　Gilbert　had　put　into　his　hand　at　the　last　moment。

And　he　was　very　much　surprised。　　It　was　a　decanter…stopper；　a　little　crystal　stopper；　like　those　used　for　the　bottles　in　a　liqueur…stand。　And　this　crystal　stopper　had　nothing　particular　about　it。　　The　most　that　Lupin　observed　was　that　the　knob；　with　its　many　facets；　was　gilded　right　down　to　the　indent。　　But；　to　tell　the　truth；　this　detail　did　not　seem　to　him　of　a　nature　to　attract　special　notice。

〃And　it　was　this　bit　of　glass　to　which　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　attached　such　stubborn　importance！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃It　was　for　this　that　they　killed　the　valet；　fought　each　other；　wasted　their　time；　risked　prison。。。　trial。。。　the　scaffold！。。。　〃

Too　tired　to　linger　further　upon　this　matter；　exciting　though　it　appeared　to　him；　he　replaced　the　stopper　on　the　chimney…piece　and　got　into　bed。

He　had　bad　dreams。　　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　were　kneeling　on　the　flags　of　their　cells；　wildly　stretching　out　their　hands　to　him　and　yelling　with　fright：

〃Help！。。。　Help！〃　they　cried。

But；　notwithstanding　all　his　efforts；　he　was　unable　to　move。　　He　himself　was　fastened　by　invisible　bonds。　　And；　trembling；　obsessed　by　a　monstrous　vision；　he　watched　the　dismal　preparations；　the　cutting　of　the　condemned　men's　hair　and　shirt…collars　the　squalid　tragedy。

〃By　Jove！〃　he　said；　when　he　woke　after　a　series　of　nightmares。　　〃There's　a　lot　of　bad　omens！　　Fortunately；　we　don't　err　on　the　side　of　superstition。　　Otherwise。。。　！〃　　And　he　added；　〃For　that　matter；　we　have　a　talisman　which；　to　judge　by　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray's　behaviour；　should　be　enough；　with　Lupin's　help；　to　frustrate　bad　luck　and　secure　the　triumph　of　the　good　cause。　　Let's　have　a　look　at　that　crystal　stopper！〃

He　sprang　out　of　bed　to　take　the　thing　and　examine　it　more　closely。　　An　exclamation　escaped　him。　　The　crystal　stopper　had　disappeared。。。　


CHAPTER　II

EIGHT　FROM　NINE　LEAVES　ONE


Notwithstanding　my　friendly　relations　with　Lupin　and　the　many　flattering　proofs　of　his　confidence　which　he　has　given　me；　there　is　one　thing　which　I　have；　never　been　quite　able　to　fathom；　and　that　is　the　organization　of　his　gang。

The　existence　of　the　gang　is　an　undoubted　fact。　　Certain　adventures　can　be　explained　only　by　countless　acts　of　devotion；　invincible　efforts　of　energy　and　powerful　cases　of　complicity；　representing　so　many　forces　which　all　obey　one　mighty　will。　　But　how　is　this　will　exerted？　　Through　what　intermediaries；　through　what　subordinates？　　That　is　what　I　do　not　know。　　Lupin　keeps　his　secret；　and　the　secrets　which　Lupin　chooses　to　keep　are；　so　to　speak；　impenetrable。

The　only　supposition　which　I　can　allow　myself　to　make　is　that　this　gang；　which；　in　my　opinion；　is　very　limited　in　numbers　and　therefore　all　the　more　formidable；　is　completed　and　extended　indefinitely　by　the　addition　of　independent　units；　provisional　associates；　picked　up　in　every　class　of　society　and　in　every　country　of　the　worid；　who　are　the　executive　agents　of　an　authority　with　which；　in　many　cases；　they　are　not　even　acquainted。　　The　companions；　the　initiates；　the　faithful　adherents　…　men　who　play　the　leading　parts　under　the　direct　command　of　Lupin　…　move　to　and　fro　between　these　secondary　agents　and　the　master。

Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　evidently　belonged　to　the　main　gang。　　And　that　is　why　the　law　showed　itself　so　implacable　in　their　regard。　　For　the　first　time；　it　held　accomplices　of　Lupin　in　its　clutches　…　declared；　undisputed　accomplices　…　and　those　accomplices　had　committed　a　murder。　　If　the　murder　was　premeditated；　if　the　accusation　of　deliberate　homicide　could　be　supported　by　substantial　proofs；　it　meant　the　scaffold。　　Now　there　was；　at　the　very　least；　one　self…evident　proof；　the　cry　for　assistance　which　Leonard　had　sent　over　the　telephone　a　few　minutes　before　his　death：

〃Help！。。。　Murder！。。。　I　shall　be　killed！。。。　〃

The　desperate　appeal　had　been　heard　by　two　men；　the　operator　on　duty　and　one　of　his　fellow…clerks；　who　swore　to　it　positively。　　And　it　was　in　consequence　of　this　appeal　that　the　conunissary　of　police；　who　was　at　once　informed；　had　proceeded　to　the　Villa　Marie…Therese；　escorted　by　his　men　and　a　number　of　soldiers　off　duty。

Lupin　had　a　very　clear　notion　of　the　danger　from　the　first。　　The　fierce　struggle　in　which　he　had　engaged　against　society　was　entering　upon　a　new　and　terrible　phase。　　His　luck　was　turning。　　It　was　no　longer　a　matter　of　attacking　others；　but　of　defending　himself　and　saving　the　heads　of　his　two　companions。

　　　　　A　littie　memorandum；　which　I　have　copied　from　one　of　t