the crystal stopper-第16章
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。 Well； I am entitled to believe that； when you tried to obtain possession of it； you meant to use the power which you attribute to it and to use it to your own advantage。。。 〃
〃What makes you say that？〃
〃Yes； you meant to use it to forward your schemes； in the interest of your own affairs； in accordance with your habits as a。。。 〃
〃As a burglar and a swindler；〃 said Lupin； completing the sentence for her。
She did not protest。 He tried to read her secret thoughts in the depths of her eyes。 What did she want with him？ What was she afraid of？ If she mistrusted him； had he not also reasons to mistrust that woman who had twice taken the crystal stopper from him to restore it to Daubrecq？ Mortal enemy of Daubrecq's though she were； up to what point did she remain subject to that man's will？ By surrendering himself to her； did he not risk surrendering himself to Daubrecq？ And yet he had never looked upon graver eyes nor a more honest face。
Without further hesitation； he stated：
〃My object is simple enough。 It is the release of my friends Gilbert and Vaucheray。〃
〃Is that true？ Is that true？〃 she exclaimed； quivering all over and questioning him with an anxious glance。
〃If you knew me。。。 〃
〃I do know you。。。 I know who you are。 For months； I have taken part in your life； without your suspecting it。。。 and yet； for certain reasons； I still doubt。。。 〃
He said； in a more decisive tone：
〃You do not know me。 If you knew me； you would know that there can be no peace for me before my two companions have escaped the awful fate that awaits them。〃
She rushed at him； took him by the shoulders and positively distraught； said：
〃What？ What did you say？ The awful fate？。。。 Then you believe。。。 you believe 。。。 〃
〃I really believe；〃 said Lupin； who felt how greatly this threat upset her； 〃I really believe that； if I am not in time； Gilbert and Vaucheray are done for。〃
〃Be quiet！。。。 Be quiet！〃 she cried； clutching him fiercely。 〃Be quiet！。。。 You mustn't say that。。。 There is no reason。。。 It's just you who suppose 。。。 〃
〃It's not only I； it's Gilbert as well。。。 〃
〃What？ Gilbert？ How do you know？〃
〃From himself？〃
〃From him？〃
〃Yes； from Gilbert； who has no hope left but in me； from Gilbert； who knows that only one man in the world can save him and who； a few days ago； sent me a despairing appeal from prison。 Here is his letter。〃
She snatched the paper greedily and read in stammering accents：
〃Help； governor！。。。 I am frightened！。。。 I am frightened！。。。 〃
She dropped the letter。 Her hands fluttered in space。 It was as though her staring eyes beheld the sinister vision which had already so often terrified Lupin。 She gave a scream of horror； tried to rise and fainted。
CHAPTER V
THE TWENTY…SEVEN
The child was sleeping peacefully on the bed。 The mother did not move from the sofa on which Lupin had laid her； but her easier breathing and the blood which was now returning to her face announced her impending recovery from her swoon。
He observed that she wore a wedding…ring。 Seeing a locket hanging from her bodice； he stooped and； turning it； found a miniature photograph representing a man of about forty and a lad … a stripling rather … in a schoolboy's uniform。 He studied the fresh； young face set in curly hair：
〃It's as I thought；〃 he said。 〃Ah； poor woman！〃
The hand which he took between his grew warmer by degrees。 The eyes opened； then closed again。 She murmured：
〃Jacques。。。 〃
〃Do not distress yourself。。。 it's all right he's asleep。〃
She recovered consciousness entirely。 But； as she did not speak； Lupin put questions to her； to make her feel a gradual need of unbosoming herself。 And he said； pointing to the locket：
〃The schoolboy is Gilbert； isn't he？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。
〃And Gilbert is your son？〃
She gave a shiver and whispered：
〃Yes； Gilbert is my son； my eldest son。〃
So she was the mother of Gilbert； of Gilbert the prisoner at the Sante； relentlessly pursued by the authorities and now awaiting his trial for murder！
Lupin continued：
〃And the other portrait？
〃My husband。〃
〃Your husband？〃
〃Yes； he died three years ago。〃
She was now sitting up。 Life quivered in her veins once more； together with the horror of living and the horror of all the ghastly things that threatened her。 Lupin went on to ask：
What was your husband's name？〃
he hesitated a moment and answered：
Mergy。〃
He exclaimed：
〃Victorien Mergy the deputy？〃
Yes。〃
There was a long pause。 Lupin remembered the incident and the stir which it had caused。 Three years ago； Mergy the deputy had blown out his brains in the lobby of the Chamber； without leaving a word of explanation behind him； and no one had ever discovered the slightest reason for that suicide。
〃Do you know the reason？〃 asked Lupin； completing his thought aloud。
〃Yes； I know it。〃
〃Gilbert； perhaps？〃
〃No； Gilbert had disappeared for some years； turned out of doors and cursed by my husband。 It was a very great sorrow； but there was another motive。
〃What was that？〃 asked Lupin。
But it was not necessary for Lupin to put further questions。 Madame Mergy could keep silent no longer and； slowly at first； with all the anguish of that past which had to be called up； she told her story：
〃Twenty…five years ago； when my name was Clarisse Darcel and my parents living； I knew three young men at Nice。 Their names will at once give you an insight into the present tragedy： they were Alexis Daubrecq； Victorien Mergy and Louis Prasville。 The three were old acquaintances； had gone to college in the same year and served in the same regiment。 Prasvile； at that time； was in love with a singer at the opera…house at Nice。 The two others； Mergy and Daubrecq； were in love with me。 I shall be brief as regards all this and； for the rest； as regards the whole story； for the facts tell their own tale。 I fell in love with Victorien Mergy from the first。 Perhaps I was wrong not to declare mysell at once。 But true love is always timid； hesitating and shy； and I did not announce my choice until I felt quite certain and quite free。 Unfortunately； that period of waiting； so delightful for those who cherish a secret passion； had permitted Daubrecq to hope。 His anger was something horrible。〃
Clarisse Mergy stopped for a few seconds and resumed； in a stifled voice：
〃I shall never forget it。。。 The three of us were in the drawing…room。 Oh； I can hear even now the terrible words of threat and hatred which he uttered！ Victorien was absolutely astounded。 He had never seen his friend like this； with that repugnant face； that bestial expression： yes； the expression of a wild beast。。。 Daubrecq ground his teeth。 He stamped his feet。 His bloodshot eyes … he did not wear spectacles in those days … rolled in their sockets； and he kept on saying； 'I shall be revenged 。。。 I shall be revenged。。。 Oh； you don't know what I am capable of！。。。 I shall wait ten years； twenty years； if necessary。。。 But it will come like a thunderbolt。。。 Ah； you don't know！。。。 To be revenged。。。 〃 To do harm 。。。 for harm's sake。。。 what joy！ I was born to do harm。。。 And you will both beseech my mercy on your knees； on your knees； yes； on your knees。。。 At that moment； my father entered the room； and； with his assistance and the footman's； Victorien Mergy flung the loathsome creature out of doors。 Six weeks later； I married Victorien。〃
〃And Daubrecq？〃 asked Lupin； interrupting her。 〃Did he not try。。。 〃
〃No； but on our wedding…day； Louis Prasville； who acted as my husband's best man in defiance of Danbrecq's opposition； went home to find the girl he loved； the opera…singer； dead； strangled。。。
〃What！〃 said Lupin； with a start。 〃Had Daubrecq。。。 〃
〃It was known that Daubrecq had been persecuting her with his attentions for some days； but nothing more was known。 It was impossible to discover who had gone in or out during Prasville's absence。 There was not a trace found of any kind： nothing； absolutely nothing。〃
〃But Prasville。。。 〃
〃There was no doubt of the truth in Prasville's mind or ours。 Daubrecq had tried to run away with the girl； perhaps tried to force her； to hustle her and； in the course of the
