the crystal stopper-第23章

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　　And　is　one　of　the　sides　empty；　as　I　told　you？。。。　　Good。　　Well；　go　to　my　bedroom　and　stand　with　your　face　to　the　chimney…piece。　　Press　with　your　left　hand　on　the　little　carved　rosette　in　front　of　the　marble　slab；　in　the　middle；　and　with　your　right　hand　on　the　top　of　the　mantel…shelf。　　You'll　see　a　sort　of　drawer；　with　two　little　boxes　in　it。　　Be　careful。　　One　of　them　contains　all　our　papers；　the　other；　bank…notes　and　jewellery。　　Put　them　both　in　the　empty　compartment　of　the　bag。　　Take　the　bag　in　your　hand　and　go　as　fast　as　you　can；　on　foot；　to　the　corner　of　the　Avenue　Victor…Hugo　and　the　Avenue　de　Montespan。　　You'll　find　the　car　waiting；　with　Victoire。　　I'll　join　you。　there。。。　　What？。。。　　My　clothes？　　My　knickknacks？。。。　　Never　mind　about　all　that。。。　　You　be　off。　　See　you　presently。〃

Lupin　quietly　pushed　away　the　telephone。　　Then；　taking　Daubrecq　by　the　arm；　he　made　him　sit　in　a　chair　by　his　side　and　said：

〃And　now　listen　to　me；　Daubrecq。〃

〃Oho！〃　grinned　the　deputy。　　〃Calling　each　other　by　our　surnames；　are　we？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lupin；　〃I　allowed　you　to。〃　　And；　when　Daubrecq　released　his　arm　with　a　certain　misgiving；　he　said；　〃No；　don't　be　afraid。　　We　sha'n't　come　to　blows。　　Neither　of　us　has　anything　to　gain　by　doing　away　with　the　other。　　A　stab　with　a　knife？　　What's　the　good？　　No；　sir！　　Words；　nothing　but　words。　　Words　that　strike　home；　though。　　Here　are　mine：　they　are　plain　and　to　the　point。　　Answer　me　in　the　same　way；　without　reflecting：　that's　far　better。　　The　boy？〃

〃I　have　him。〃

〃Give　him　back。〃

〃No。〃

〃Mme。　Mergy　will　kill　herself。〃

〃No；　she　won't。〃

〃I　tell　you　she　will。〃

〃And　I　tell　you　she　will　not。〃

〃But　she's　tried　to；　once。〃

〃That's　just　the　reason　why　she　won't　try　again。〃

〃Well；　then。。。　〃

〃No。〃

Lupin；　after　a　moment；　went　on：

〃I　expected　that。　　Also；　I　thought；　on　my　way　here；　that　you　would　hardly　tumble　to　the　story　of　Dr。　Vernes　and　that　I　should　have　to　use　other　methods。〃

〃Lupin's　methods。〃

〃As　you　say。　　I　had　made　up　my　mind　to　throw　off　the　mask。　　You　pulled　it　off　for　me。　　Well　done　you！　　But　that　doesn't　change　my　plans。〃

〃Speak。〃

Lupin　took　from　a　pocketbook　a　double　sheet　of　foolscap　paper；　unfolded　it　and　handed　it　to　Daubrecq；　saying：

〃Here　is　an　exact；　detailed　inventory；　with　consecutive　numbers；　of　the　things　removed　by　my　friends　and　myself　from　your　Villa　Marie…Tberese　on　the　Lac　d'Enghien。　A　s　you　see；　there　are　one　hundred　and　thirteen　items。　Of　those　one　hundred　and　thirteen　items；　sixty…eight；　which　have　a　red　cross　against　them；　have　been　sold　and　sent　to　America。　　The　remainder；　numbering　forty…five；　are　in　my　possession　。。。　until　further　orders。　They　happen　to　be　the　pick　of　the　bunch。　　I　offer　you　them　in　return　for　the　immediate　surrender　of　the　child。

Daubrecq　could　not　suppress　a　movement　of　surprise：

〃Oho！〃　he　said。　〃You　seem　very　much　bent　upon　it。〃

〃Infinitely；〃　said　Lupin；　〃for　I　am　persuaded　that　a　longer　separation　from　her　son　will　mean　death　to　Mme。　Mergy。〃

〃And　that　upsets　you；　does　it。。。　Lothario？〃

〃What！〃

Lupin　planted　himself　in　front　of　the　other　and　repeated：

〃What！　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Nothing。。。　Nothing。。。　Something　that　crossed　my　mind。。。　Clarisse　Mergy　is　a　young　woman　still　and　a　pretty　woman　at　that。〃

Lupin　shrugged　his　shoulders：

〃You　brute！〃　he　mumbled。　　〃You　imagine　that　everybody　is　like　yourself；　heartless　and　pitiless。　　It　takes　your　breath　away；　what；　to　think　that　a　shark　like　me　can　waste　his　time　playing　the　Don　Quixote？　　And　you　wonder　what　dirty　motive　I　can　have？　　Don't　try　to　find　out：　it's　beyond　your　powers　of　perception。　　Answer　me；　instead：　do　you　accept？〃

〃So　you're　serious？〃　asked　Daubrecq；　who　seemed　but　little　disturbed　by　Lupin's　contemptuous　tone。

〃Absolutely。　　The　forty…five　pieces　are　in　a　shed；　of　which　I　will　give　you　the　address；　and　they　will　be　handed　over　to　you；　if　you　call　there；　at　nine　o'clock　this　evening；　with　the　child。〃

There　was　no　doubt　about　Daubrecq's　reply。　　To　him；　the　kidnapping　of　little　Jacques　had　represented　only　a　means　of　working　upon　Clarisse　Mergy's　feelings　and　perhaps　also　a　warning　for　her　to　cease　the　contest　upon　which　she　had　engaged。　　But　the　threat　of　a　suicide　must　needs　show　Daubrecq　that　he　was　on　the　wrong　track。　　That　being　so；　why　refuse　the　favourable　bargain　which　Arsene　Lupin　was　now　offering　him？

〃I　accept；〃　he　said。

〃Here's　the　address　of　my　shed：　99；　Rue　Charles…Lafitte；　Neuilly。　　You　have　only　to　ring　the　bell。〃

〃And　suppose　I　send　Prasville；　the　secretary…general；　instead？〃

〃If　you　send　Prasville；〃　Lupin　declared；　〃the　place　is　so　arranged　that　I　shall　see　him　coming　and　that　I　shall　have　time　to　escape；　after　setting　fire　to　the　trusses　of　hay　and　straw　which　surround　and　conceal　your　credence…tables；　clocks　and　Gothic　virgins。〃

〃But　your　shed　will　be　burnt　down。。。　〃

〃I　don't　mind　that：　the　police　have　their　eye　on　it　already。　　I　am　leaving　it　in　any　case。〃

〃And　how　am　I　to　know　that　this　is　not　a　trap？〃

〃Begin　by　receiving　the　goods　and　don't　give　up　the　child　till　afterward。　I　trust　you；　you　see。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Daubrecq；　〃you've　foreseen　everything。　　Very　well；　you　shall　have　the　nipper；　the　fair　Clarisse　shall　live；　and　we　will　all　be　happy。　　And　now；　if　I　may　give　you　a　word　of　advice；　it　is　to　pack　off　as　fast　as　you　can。〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Eh？〃

〃I　said；　not　yet。〃

〃But　you're　mad！　　Prasville's　on　his　way！〃　〃He　can　wait。　　I've　not　done。〃

〃Why'　what　more　do　you　want？　　Clarisse　shall　have　her　brat。　　Isn't　that　enough　for　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃There　is　another　son。〃

〃Gilbert。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well？〃

〃I　want　you　to　save　Gilbert。〃

〃What　are　you　saying？　　I　save　Gilbert！〃

〃You　can；　if　you　like；　it　only　means　taking　a　little　trouble。〃　　Until　that　moment　Daubrecq　had　remained　quite　calm。　　He　now　suddenly　blazed　out　and；　striking　the　table　with　his　fist：

〃No；〃　he　cried；　〃not　that！　　Never！　　Don't　reckon　on　me！。。。　　No；　that　would　be　too　idiotic！〃

He　walked　up　and　down；　in　a　state　of　intense　excitement；　with　that　queer　step　of　his；　which　swayed　him　from　right　to　left　on　each　of　his　legs；　like　a　wild　beast；　a　heavy；　clumsy　bear。　　And；　with　a　hoarse　voice　and　distorted　features；　he　shouted：

〃Let　her　come　here！　　Let　her　come　and　beg　for　her　son's　pardon！　　But　let　her　come　unarmed；　not　with　criminal　intentions；　like　last　time！　　Let　her　come　as　a　supplicant；　as　a　tamed　woman；　as　a　submissive　woman；　who　understands　and　accepts　the　situation。。。　　Gilbert？　　Gilbert's　sentence？　The　scaffold？　　Why；　that　is　where　my　strength　lies！　　What！　　For　more　than　twenty　years　have　I　awaited　my　hour；　and；　when　that　hour　strikes；　when　fortune　brings　me　this　unhoped…for　chance；　when　I　am　at　last　about　to　know　the　joy　of　a　full　revenge　…　and　such　a　revenge！　…　you　think　that　I　will　give　it　up；　give　up　the　thing　which　I　have　been　pursuing　for　twenty　years？　　I　save　Gilbert？　　I？　　For　nothing？　　For　love？　　I；　　aubrecq？。。。　　No；　no；　you　can't　have　studied　my　features！〃

He　laughed；　with　a　fierce　and　hateful　laugh。　　Visibly；　he　saw　before　him；　within　reach　of　his　hand；　the　prey　which　he　had　been　hunting　down　so　long。　　And　Lupin　also　summoned　up　the　vision　of　Clarisse；　as　he　had　seen　her　several　days　before；　fainting；　already　beaten；　fatally　conquered；　because　all　the　hostile　powers　were　in　league　against　her。

He　contained　himself　and　said：

〃Listen　to　me。〃

And；　when　Daubrecq　moved　away　impatiently；　he　took　him　by　the　two　shoulders；　with　that　superhuman　strength　which　Daubrecq　knew；　from　having　felt　it　in　the　box　at　the　Vaudeville；　and；　holding　him　motionless　in　his　grip；　he　said：

〃One　last　word。〃

〃You're　Wasting　your　breath；〃　growled　the　deputy。

〃One　last　word。　Listen；　Daubrecq：　forget　Mme。　Mergy；　give　up　all　the　nonsensical　and　imprudent　acts　which　your　pride　and　your　passions　are　making　you　commit；　put　all　that　on　one　side　and　think　only　of　your　interest。。。　〃

〃My　interest；〃　said　Daubrecq；　jestingly；　〃always　coincides　with　my　pride　and　with　what　you　call　my　passions。〃

〃Up　to　the　present；　perhaps。　　But　not　now；　not　now　that　I　have　taken　a　hand　in　the　business。　　That　constitutes　a　new　factor；　which　you　choose　to　ignore。　　You　are　wrong。　　Gilbert　is　my　pal。　　G