the crystal stopper-第20章

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Lupin　had　risen　from　his　seat　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　thinking。　　Then　he　stood　still　beside　Clarisse　and　asked：

〃When　all　is　said；　since　the　Enghien　incident；　you　have　not　advanced　a　single　step？〃

〃Not　one。　　I　have　acted　from　day　to　day；　led　by　those　two　men　or　leading　them；　without　any　definite　plan。〃

〃Or；　at　least；〃　he　said；　〃without　any　other　plan　than　that　of　getting　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　from　Daubrecq。〃

〃Yes；　but　how？　　Besides；　your　tactics　made　things　more　difficult　for　me。　It　did　not　take　us　long　to　recognize　your　old　servant　Victoire　in　Daubrecq's　new　cook　and　to　discover；　from　what　the　portress　told　us；　that　Victoire　was　putting　you　up　in　her　room；　and　I　was　afraid　of　your　schemes。〃

〃It　was　you；　was　it　not；　who　wrote　to　me　to　retire　from　the　contest？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　also　asked　me　not　to　go　to　the　theatre　on　the　Vaudeville　night？〃

〃Yes；　the　portress　caught　Victoire　listening　to　Daubrecq's　conversation　with　me　on　the　telephone；　and　the　Masher；　who　was　watching　the　house；　saw　you　go　out。　　I　suspected；　therefore；　that　you　would　follow　Daubrecq　that　evening。〃

〃And　the　woman　who　came　here；　late　one　afternoon　。。。　〃

〃Was　myself。　　I　felt　disheartened　and　wanted　to　see　you。〃

〃And　you　intercepted　Gilbert's　letter？〃

〃Yes；　I　recognized　his　writing　on　the　envelope。〃

〃But　your　little　Jacques　was　not　with　you？〃

〃No；　he　was　outside；　in　a　motor…car；　with　the　Masher；　who　lifted　him　up　to　me　through　the　drawing…room　window；　and　he　slipped　into　your　bedroom　through　the　opening　in　the　panel。〃

〃What　was　in　the　letter？〃

〃As　ill…luck　would　have　it；　reproaches。　　Gilbert　accused　you　of　forsaking　him；　of　taking　over　the　business　on　your　own　account。　　In　short；　it　confirmed　me　in　my　distrust；　and　I　ran　away。〃

Lupin　shrugged　his　shoulders　with　irritation：

〃What　a　shocking　waste　of　time！　　And　what　a　fatality　that　we　were　not　able　to　come　to　an　understanding　earlier！　　You　and　I　have　been　playing　at　hide…and…seek；　laying　absurd　traps　for　each　other；　while　the　days　were　passing；　precious　days　beyond　repair。〃

〃You　see；　you　see；〃　she　said；　shivering；　〃you　too　are　afraid　of　the　future！〃

〃No；　I　am　not　afraid；〃　cried　Lupin。　　〃But　I　am　thinking　of　all　the　useful　work　that　we　could　have　done　by　this　time；　if　we　had　united　our　efforts。　I　am　thinldng　of　all　the　mistakes　and　all　the　acts　of　imprudence　which　we　should　have　been　saved；　if　we　had　been　working　together。　　I　am　thinking　that　your　attempt　to…night　to　search　the　clothes　which　Daubrecq　was　wearing　was　as　vain　as　the　others　and　that；　at　this　moment；　thanks　to　our　foolish　duel；　thanks　to　the　din　which　we　raised　in　his　house；　Daubrecq　is　warned　and　will　be　more　on　his　guard　than　ever。〃

Clarisse　Mergy　shook　her　head：

〃No；　no；　I　don't　think　that；　the　noise　will　not　have　roused　him；　for　we　postponed　the　attempt　for　twenty…four　hours　so　that　the　portress　might　put　a　narcotic　in　his　wine。〃　　And　she　added；　slowly；　〃And　then；　you　see；　nothing　can　make　Daubrecq　be　more　on　his　guard　than　he　is　already。　　His　life　is　nothing　but　one　mass　of　precautions　against　danger。　　He　leaves　nothing　to　chance。。。　　Besides；　has　he　not　all　the　trumps　in　his　hand？〃

Lupin　went　up　to　her　and　asked：

〃What　do　you　mean　to　convey？　　According　to　you；　is　there　nothing　to　hope　for　on　that　side？　　Is　there　not　a　single　means　of　attaining　our　end？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　murmured；　〃there　is　one；　one　only。。。　〃

He　noticed　her　pallor　before　she　had　time　to　hide　her　face　between　her　hands　again。　　And　again　a　feverish　shiver　shook　her　frame。

He　seemed　to　understand　the　reason　of　her　dismay；　and；　bending　toward　her；　touched　by　her　grief：

〃Please；〃　he　said；　〃please　answer　me　openly　and　frankly。　　It's　for　Gilbert's　sake；　is　it　not？　　Though　the　police；　fortunately；　have　not　been　able　to　solve　the　riddle　of　his　past；　though　the　real　name　of　Vaucheray's　accomplice　has　not　Leaked　out；　there　is　one　man；　at　least；　who　knows　it：　isn't　that　so？　　Daubrecq　has　recognized　your　son　Antoine；　through　the　alias　of　Gilbert；　has　he　not？〃

〃Yes；yes。。。　〃

〃And　he　promises　to　save　him；　doesn't　he？　　He　offers　you　his　freedom；　his　release；　his　escape；　his　life：　that　was　what　he　offered　you；　was　it　not；　on　the　night　in　his　study；　when　you　tried　to　stab　him？〃

〃Yes　。。。　yes。。。　that　was　it。。。　〃

〃And　he　makes　one　condition；　does　he　not？　　An　abominable　condition；　such　as　would　suggest　itself　to　a　wretch　like　that？　　I　am　right；　am　I　not？〃

Clarisse　did　not　reply。　　She　seemed　exhausted　by　her　protracted　struggle　with　a　man　who　was　gaining　ground　daily　and　against　whom　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　fight。　　Lupin　saw　in　her　the　prey　conquered　in　advance；　delivered　to　the　victor's　whim。　　Clansse　Mergy；　the　loving　wife　of　that　Mergy　whom　Daubrecq　had　really　murdered；　the　terrified　mother　of　that　Gilbert　whom　Daubrecq　had　led　astray；　Clarisse　Mergy；　to　save　her　son　from　the　scaffold；　must；　come　what　may　and　however　ignominious　the　position；　yield　to　Daubrecq's　wishes。　　She　would　be　the　mistress；　the　wife；　the　obedient　slave　of　Daubrecq；　of　that　monster　with　the　appearance　and　the　ways　of　a　wild　beast；　that　unspeakable　person　of　whom　Lupin　could　not　think　without　revulsion　and　disgust。

Sitting　down　beside　her；　gently；　with　gestures　of　pity；　he　made　her　lift　her　head　and；　with　his　eyes　on　hers；　said：

〃Listen　to　me。　　I　swear　that　I　will　save　your　son：　I　swear　it。。。　　Your　son　shall　not　die；　do　you　understand？。。。　　There　is　not　a　power　on　earth　that　can　allow　your　son's　head　to　be　touched　as　long　as　I　am　alive。〃

〃I　believe　you。。。　I　trust　your　word。〃

〃Do。　　It　is　the　word　of　a　man　who　does　not　know　defeat。　　I　shall　succeed。　Only；　I　entreat　you　to　make　me　an　irrevocable　promise。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃You　must　not　see　Daubrecq　again。〃

〃I　swear　it。〃

〃You　must　put　from　your　mind　any　idea；　any　fear；　however　obscure；　of　an　understanding　between　yourself　and　him。。。　of　any　sort　of　bargain。。。　〃

〃I　swear　it。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　an　expression　of　absolute　security　and　reliance；　and　he；　under　her　gaze；　felt　the　joy　of　devotion　and　an　ardent　longing　to　restore　that　woman's　happiness；　or；　at　least；　to　give　her　the　peace　and　oblivion　that　heal　the　worst　wounds：

〃Come；〃　he　said；　in　a　cheerful　tone；　rising　from　his　chair；　〃all　will　yet　be　well。　　We　have　two　months；　three　months　before　us。　　It　is　more　than　I　need。。。　on　condition；　of　course；　that　I　am　unhampered　in　my　movements。　　And；　for　that；　you　will　have　to　withdraw　from　the　contest；　you　know。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；　you　must　disappear　for　a　time；　go　and　live　in　the　country。　　Have　you　no　pity　for　your　little　Jacques？　　This　sort　of　thing　would　end　by　shattering　the　poor　little　man's　nerves。。。　　And　he　has　certainly　earned　his　rest；　haven't　you；　Hercules？

The　next　day　Clarisse　Mergy；　who　was　nearly　breaking　down　under　the　strain　of　events　and　who　herself　needed　repose；　lest　she　should　fall　seriously　ill；　went；　with　her　son；　to　hoard　with　a　friend　who　had　a　house　on　the　skirt　of　the　Forest　of　Saint…Germain。　　She　felt　very　weak；　her　brain　was　haunted　by　visions　and　her　nerves　were　upset　by　troubles　which　the　least　excitement　aggravated。　　She　lived　there　for　some　days　in　a　state　of　physical　and　mental　inertia；　thinking　of　nothing　and　forbidden　to　see　the　papers。

One　afternoon；　while　Lupin；　changing　his　tactics；　was　working　out　a　scheme　for　kidnapping　and　confining　Daubrecq；　while　the　Growler　and　the　Masher；　whom　he　had　promised　to　forgive　if　he　succeeded；　were　watching　the　enemy's　movements；　while　the　newspapers　were　announcing　the　forthcoming　trial　for　murder　of　Arsene　Lupin's　two　accomplices；　one　afternoon；　at　four　o'clock；　the　telephone…bell　rang　suddenly　in　the　flat　in　the　Rue　Chateaubriand。

Lupin　took　down　the　receiver：

〃Hullo！〃

A　woman's　voice；　a　breathless　voice；　said：

〃M。　Michel　Beaumont？〃

〃You　are　speaking　to　him；　madame。　　To　whom　have　Ithe　honour。。。　〃　　　〃Quick；　monsieur；　come　at　once；　Madame　Mergy　has　taken　poison。〃

Lupin　did　not　wait　to　hear　detai1s。　　He　rushed　out；　sprang　into　his　motor…car　and　drove　to　Saint…Germain。

Clarisse's　friend　was　waiting　for　him　at　the　door　of　the　bedroom。

〃Dead？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃she　did　not　take　sufficient。　　The　doctor　has　just　gone。　　He　says　she　wi