the crystal stopper-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ideas　that　gave　him　the　same　vague　foretaste　of　light　which　one　receives　on　approaching　the　outlet　of　a　tunnel。

〃It　is　inevitable；　as　the　case　stands；〃　he　thought；　〃that　there　must　soon　be　an　encounter　between　myself　and　the　others。　　From　that　moment　I　shall　be　master　of　the　situation。〃

Five　days　passed；　during　which　Lupin　did　not　glean　the　slightest　particular。　　On　the　sixth　day　Daubrecq　received　a　visit；　in　the　small　hours；　from　a　gentleman；　Laybach　the　deputy；　who；　like　his　colleagues；　dragged　himself　at　his　feet　in　despair　and；　when　all　was　done；　handed　him　twenty　thousand　francs。

Two　more　days；　and　then；　one　night；　posted　on　the　landing　of　the　second　floor；　Lupin　heard　the　creaking　of　a　door；　the　front…door；　as　he　perceived；　which　led　from　the　hall　into　the　garden。　　In　the　darkness　he　distinguished；　or　rather　divined；　the　presence　of　two　persons；　who　climbed　the　stairs　and　stopped　on　the　first　floor；　outside　Daubrecq's　bedroom。

What　were　they　doing　there？　　It　was　not　possible　to　enter　the　room；　because　Daubrecq　bolted　his　door　every　night。　　Then　what　were　they　hoping？

Manifestly；　a　handiwork　of　some　kind　was　being　performed；　as　Lupin　discovered　from　the　dull　sounds　of　rubbing　against　the　door。　　Then　words；　uttered　almost　beneath　a　whisper；　reached　him：

〃Is　it　all　right？〃

〃Yes；　quite；　but；　all　the　same；　we'd　better　put　it　off　till　to…morrow；　　because。。。　〃

Lupin　did　not　hear　the　end　of　the　sentence。　　The　men　were　already　groping　their　way　downstairs。　　The　hall…door　was　closed；　very　gently；　and　then　the　gate。

〃It's　curious；　say　what　one　likes；〃　thought　Lupin。　　〃Here　is　a　house　in　which　Daubrecq　carefully　conceals　his　rascalities　and　is　on　his　guard；　not　without　good　reason；　against　spies；　and　everybody　walks　in　and　out　as　in　a　booth　at　a　fair。　　Victoire　lets　me　in；　the　portress　admits　the　emissaries　of　the　police：　that's　well　and　good；　but　who　is　playing　false　in　these　people's　favour？　　Are　we　to　suppose　that　they　are　acting　alone？　But　what　fearlessness！　　And　how　well　they　know　their　way　about！〃

In　the　afternoon；　during　Daubrecq's　absence；　he　examined　the　door　of　the　first…floor　bedroom。　　And；　at　the　first　glance；　he　understood：　one　of　the　lower　panels　had　been　skilfully　cut　out　and　was　only　held　in　place　by　invisible　tacks。　　The　people；　therefore；　who　had　done　this　work　were　the　same　who　had　acted　at　his　two　places；　in　the　Rue　Matiguon　and　the　Rue　Chateaubriand。

He　also　found　that　the　work　dated　back　to　an　earlier　period　and　that；　as　in　his　case；　the　opening　had　been　prepared　beforehand；　in　anticipation　of　favourable　circumstances　or　of　some　immediate　need。

The　day　did　not　seem　long　to　Lupin。　　Knowledge　was　at　hand。　　Not　only　would　he　discover　the　manner　in　which　his　adversaries　employed　those　little　openings；　which　were　apparently　unemployable；　since　they　did　not　allow　a　person　to　reach　the　upper　bolts；　but　he　would　learn　who　the　ingenious　and　energetic　adversaries　were　with　whom　he　repeatediy　and　inevitably　found　himself　confronted。

One　incident　annoyed　him。　　In　the　evening　Daubrecq；　who　had　complained　of　feeling　tired　at　dinner；　came　home　at　ten　o'clock　and；　contrary　to　his　usual　custom；　pushed　the　bolts　of　the　hall…door。　　In　that　case；　how　would　the　others　be　able　to　carry　out　their　plan　and　go　to　Daubrecq's　room？　　Lupin　waited　for　an　hour　after　Daubrecq　put　out　his　light。　　Then　he　went　down　to　the　deputy's　study；　opened　one　of　the　windows　ajar　and　returned　to　the　third　floor　and　fixed　his　rope…ladder　so　that；　in　case　of　need；　he　could　reach　the　study　without　passing　though　the　house。　Lastly；　he　resumed　his　post　on　the　second…floor　landing。　　

He　did　not　have　to　wait　long。　　An　hour　earlier　than　on　the　previous　night　some　one　tried　to　open　the　hall…door。　　When　the　attempt　failed；　a　few　minutes　of　absolute　silence　followed。　　And　Lupin　was　beginning　to　think　that　the　men　had　abandoned　the　idea；　when　he　gave　a　sudden　start。　　Some　one　had　passed；　without　the　least　sound　to　interrupt　the　silence。　　He　would　not　have　known　it；　so　utterly　were　the　thing's　steps　deadened　by　the　stair…carpet；　if　the　baluster…rail；　which　he　himself　held　in　his　hand；　had　not　shaken　slightly。　　Some　one　was　coming　upstairs。

And；　as　the　ascent　continued；　Lupin　became　aware　of　the　uncanny　feeling　that　he　heard　nothing　more　than　before。　　He　knew；　because　of　the　rail；　that　a　thing　was　coming　and　he　could　count　the　number　of　steps　climbed　by　noting　each　vibration　of　the　rail；　but　no　other　indication　gave　him　that　dim　sensation　of　presence　which　we　feel　in　distinguishing　movements　which　we　do　not　see；　in　perceiving　sounds　which　we　do　not　hear。　　And　yet　a　blacker　darkness　ought　to　have　taken　shape　within　the　darkness　and　something　ought；　at　least；　to　modify　the　quality　of　the　silence。　　No；　he　might　well　have　believed　that　there　was　no　one　there。

And　Lupin；　in　spite　of　himself　and　against　the　evidence　of　his　reason；　ended　by　believing　it；　for　the　rail　no　longer　moved　and　he　thought　that　he　might　have　been　the　sport　of　an　illusion。

And　this　lasted　a　long　time。　　He　hesitated；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　not　knowing　what　to　suppose。　　But　an　odd　circumstance　impressed　him。　　A　clock　struck　two。　　He　recognized　the　chime　of　Daubrecq's　clock。　　And　the　chime　was　that　of　a　clock　from　which　one　is　not　separated　by　the　obstacle　of　a　door。

Lupin　slipped　down　the　stairs　and　went　to　the　door。　　It　was　closed；　but　there　was　a　space　on　the　left；　at　the　bottom；　a　space　left　by　the　removal　of　the　little　panel。

He　listened。　　Daubrecq；　at　that　moment；　turned　in　his　bed；　and　his　breathing　was　resumed；　evenly　and　a　little　stertorously。　　And　Lupin　plainly　heard　the　sound　of　rumpling　garments。　　Beyond　a　doubt；　the　thing　was　there；　fumbling　and　feeling　through　the　clothes　which　Daubrecq　had　laid　beside　his　bed。

〃Now；〃　thought　Lupin；　〃we　shall　learn　something。　　But　how　the　deuce　did　the　beggar　get　in？　　Has　he　managed　to　draw　the　bolts　and　open　the　door？　But；　if　so；　why　did　he　make　the　mistake　of　shutting　it　again？〃

Not　for　a　second　…　a　curious　anomaly　in　a　man　like　Lupin；　an　anomaly　to　be　explained　only　by　the　uncanny　feeling　which　the　whole　adventure　produced　in　him　…　not　for　a　second　did　he　suspect　the　very　simple　truth　which　was　about　to　be　revealed　to　him。　　Continuing　his　way　down；　he　crouched　on　one　of　the　bottom　steps　of　the　staircase；　thus　placing　himself　between　the　door　of　the　bedroom　and　the　hall…door；　on　the　road　which　Daubrecq's　enemy　must　inevitably　take　in　order　to　join　his　accomplices。

He　questioned　the　darkness　with　an　unspeakable　anguish。　　He　was　on　the　point　of　unmasking　that　enemy　of　Daubrecq's；　who　was　also　his　own　adversary。　　He　would　thwart　his　plans。　　And　the　booty　captured　from　Daubrecq　he　would　capture　in　his　turn；　while　Daubrecq　slept　and　while　the　accomplices　lurking　behind　the　hall…door　or　outside　the　garden…gate　vainly　awaited　their　leader's　return。

And　that　return　took　place。　　Lupin　knew　it　by　the　renewed　vibration　of　the　balusters。　　And；　once　more；　with　every　sense　strained　and　every　nerve　on　edge；　he　strove　to　discern　the　mysterious　thing　that　was　coming　toward　him。　　He　suddenly　realized　it　when　only　a　few　yards　away。　　He　himself；　hidden　in　a　still　darker　recess；　could　not　be　seen。　　And　what　he　saw　…　in　the　very　vaguest　manner　…　was　approaching　stair　by　stair；　with　infinite　precautions；　holding　on　to　each　separate　baluster。

〃Whom　the　devil　have　I　to　do　with？〃　said　Lupin　to　himself；　while　his　heart　thumped　inside　his　chest。

The　catastrophe　was　hastened。　　A　careless　movement　on　Lupin's　part　was　observed　by　the　stranger；　who　stopped　short。　　Lupin　was　afraid　lest　the　other　should　turn　back　and　take　to　flight。　　He　sprang　at　the　adversary　and　was　stupefied　at　encountering　nothing　but　space　and　knocking　against　the　stair…rail　without　seizing　the　form　which　he　saw。　　But　he　at　once　rushed　forward；　crossed　the　best　part　of　the　hall　and　caught　up　his　antagonist　just　as　he　was　reaching　the　door　opening　on　the　garden。

There　was　a　cry　of　fright；　answered　by　other　cries　on　the　further　side　of　the　door。

〃Oh；　hang　it；　what's　this？〃　muttered　Lupin；　whose　arms　had　closed；　in　the　dark；　round　a　little；　tiny；　trembling；　whimpering　thing。

Suddenly　understanding；　he　stood　for　a　moment　motionless　and　dismayed；