the crystal stopper-第27章

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ertain　number　of　officers　on　half…pay。　　These　officers　were　suspected　by　the　authorities　and　kept　under　observation　by　the　police。　　They　remained　faithful　to　the　emperor's　memory；　and　they　contrived　to　reproduce　the　features　of　their　idol　on　all　sorts　of　objects　of　everyday　use；　snuff…boxes；　rings；　breast…pins；　pen…knives　and　so　on。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　this　bit　comes　from　a　walking…stick；　or　rather　a　sort　of　loaded　cane；　or　life…preserver；　the　knob　of　which　is　formed　of　a　piece　of　carved　ivory。　　When　you　look　at　the　knob　in　a　certain　way；　you　end　by　seeing　that　the　outline　represents　the　profile　of　the　Little　Corporal。　hat　you　have　in　your　hand；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　is　a　bit　of　the　ivory　knob　at　the　top　of　a　half…pay　officer's　life…preserver。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Prasville；　examining　the　exhibit；　〃yes；　I　can　make　out　a　profile。。。　but　I　don't　see　the　inference。。。　〃

〃The　inference　is　very　simple。　　Among　Daubrecq's　victims；　among　those　whose　names　are　inscribed　on　the　famous　list；　is　the　descendant　of　a　Corsican　family　in　Napoleon's　service；　which　derived　its　wealth　and　title　from　the　emperor　and　was　afterward　ruined　under　the　Restoration。　It　is　ten　to　one　that　this　descendant；　who　was　the　leader　of　the　Bonapartist　party　a　few　years　ago；　was　the　fifth　person　hiding　in　the　motor…car。　　Need　I　state　his　name？〃

〃The　Marquis　d'Albufex？〃　said　Prasville。

〃The　Marquis　d'Albufex；〃　said　M。　Nicole。

M。　Nicole；　who　no　longer　seemed　in　the　least　worried　with　his　hat；　his　glove　and　his　umbrella；　rose　and　said　to　Prasville：

〃Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　might　have　kept　my　discovery　to　myself；　and　not　told　you　of　it　until　after　the　final　victory；　that　is；　after　bringing　you　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven。　　But　matters　are　urgent。　Daubrecq's　disappearance；　contrary　to　what　his　kidnappers　expect；　may　hasten　on　the　catastrophe　which　you　wish　to　avert。　　We　must　therefore　act　with　all　speed。　　Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　ask　for　your　immediate　and　practical　assistance。〃

〃In　what　way　can　I　help　you？〃　asked　Prasville；　who　was　beginning　to　be　impressed　by　his　quaint　visitor。

〃By　giving　me；　to…morrow；　those　particulars　about　the　Marquis　d'Albufex　which　it　would　take　me　personally　several　days　to　collect。〃

Prasville　seemed　to　hesitate　and　turned　his　head　toward　Mme。　Mergy。　Clarisse　said：

〃I　beg　of　you　to　accept　M。　Nicole's　services。　　He　is　an　invaluable　and　devoted　ally。　　I　will　answer　for　him　as　I　would　for　myself。〃

〃What　particulars　do　you　require；　monsieur？〃　asked　Prasville。

〃Everything　that　concerns　the　Marquis　d'Albufex：　the　position　of　his　family；　the　way　in　which　he　spends　his　time；　his　family　connections；　the　properties　which　he　owns　in　Paris　and　in　the　country。〃

Prasville　objected：

〃After　all；　whether　it's　the　marquis　or　another；　Daubrecq's　kidnapper　is　working　on　our　behalf；　seeing　that；　by　capturing　the　list；　he　disarms　Daubrecq。〃

〃And　who　says；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　that　he　is　not　working　on　his　own　behalf？〃

〃That　is　not　possible；　as　his　name　is　on　the　list。〃

〃And　suppose　he　erases　it？　　Suppose　you　then　find　yourself　dealing　with　a　second　blackmailer；　even　more　grasping　and　more　powerfui　than　the　first　and　one　who；　as　a　political　adversary；　is　in　a　better　position　than　Daubrecq　to　maintain　the　contest？〃

The　secretary…general　was　struck　by　the　argument。　　After　a　moment's　thought；　he　said：

〃Come　and　see　me　in　my　office　at　four　o'clock　tomorrow。　　I　will　give　you　the　particulars。　　What　is　your　address；　in　case　I　should　want　you？〃

〃M。　Nicole；　25；　Place　de　Clichy。　　I　am　staying　at　a　friend's　flat；　which　he　has　lent　me　during　his　absence。〃

The　interview　was　at　an　end。　　M。　Nicole　thanked　the　secretary…general；　with　a　very　low　bow；　and　walked　out；　accompanied　by　Mme。　Mergy：

〃That's　an　excellent　piece　of　work；〃　he　said；　outside；　rubbing　his　hands。　〃I　can　march　into　the　police…office　whenever　I　like；　and　set　the　whole　lot　to　work。〃

Mme。　Mergy；　who　was　less　hopefully　inclined；　said：

〃Alas；　will　you　be　in　time？　　What　terrifies　me　is　the　thought　that　the　list　may　be　destroyed。〃

〃Goodness　gracious　me；　by　whom？　　By　Daubrecq？〃

〃No；　but　by　the　marquis；　when　he　gets　hold　of　it。〃

〃He　hasn't　got　it　yet！　　Daubrecq　will　resist　long　enough；　at　any　rate；　for　us　to　reach　him。　　Just　think！　　Prasville　is　at　my　orders！〃

〃Suppose　he　discovers　who　you　are？　　The　least　inquiry　will　prove　that　there　is　no　such　person　as　M。　Nicole。

〃But　it　will　not　prove　that　M。　Nicole　is　the　same　person　as　Arsene　Lupin。　Besides；　make　yourself　easy。　　Prasville　is　not　only　beneath　contempt　as　a　detective：　he　has　but　one　aim　in　life；　which　is　to　destroy　his　old　enemy；　Daubrecq。　　To　achieve　that　aim；　all　means　are　equally　good；　and　he　will　not　waste　time　in　verifying　the　identity　of　a　M。　Nicole　who　promises　him　Daubrecq。　　Not　to　mention　that　I　was　brought　by　you　and　that；　when　all　is　said；　my　little　gifts　did　dazzle　him　to　some　extent。　So　let　us　go　ahead　boldly。〃

Clarisse　always　recovered　confidence　in　Lupin's　presence。　　The　future　seemed　less　appalling　to　her；　and　she　admitted；　she　forced　herself　to　admit；　that　the　chances　of　saving　Gilbert　were　not　lessened　by　that　hideous　death…sentence。　　But　he　could　not　prevail　upon　her　to　return　to　Brittany。　　She　wanted　to　fight　by　his　side。　　She　wanted　to　be　there　and　share　all　his　hopes　and　all　his　disappointments。

The　next　day　the　inquiries　of　the　police　confirmed　what　Prasville　and　Lupin　already　knew。　　The　Marquis　d'Albufex　had　been　very　deeply　involved　in　the　business　of　the　canal；　so　deeply　that　Prince　Napoleon　was　obliged　to　remove　him　from　the　management　of　his　political　campaign　in　France；　and　he　kept　up　his　very　extravagant　style　of　living　only　by　dint　of　constant　loans　and　makeshifts。　　On　the　other　hand；　in　so　far　as　concerned　the　kidnapping　of　Daubrecq；　it　was　ascertained　that；　contrary　to　his　usual　custom；　the　marquis　had　not　appeared　in　his　club　between　six　and　seven　that　evening　and　had　not　dined　at　home。　　He　did　not　come　back　until　midnight；　and　then　he　came　on　foot。

M。　Nicole's　accusation；　therefore；　was　receiving　an　early　proof。　Unfortunately　…　and　Lupin　was　no　more　successful　in　his　own　attempts　　…　it　was　impossible　to　obtain　the　least　clue　as　to　the　motor…car；　the　chauffeur　and　the　four　people　who　had　entered　Daubrecq's　house。　　Were　they　associates　of　the　marquis；　compromised　in　the　canal　affair　like　himself？　　Were　they　men　in　his　pay？　　Nobody　knew。

The　whole　search；　consequently；　had　to　be　concentrated　upon　the　marquis　and　the　country…seats　and　houses　which　he　might　possess　at　a　certain　distance　from　Paris；　a　distance　which；　allowing　for　the　average　speed　of　a　motor…car　and　the　inevitable　stoppages；　could　be　put　at　sixty　to　ninety　miles。

Now　d'Albufex；　having　sold　everything　that　he　ever　had；　possessed　neither　country…houses　nor　landed　estates。

They　turned　their　attention　to　the　marquis'　relations　and　intimate　friends。　　Was　he　able　on　this　side　to　dispose　of　some　safe　retreat　in　which　to　imprison　Daubrecq？

The　result　was　equally　fruitless。

And　the　days　passed。　　And　what　days　for　Clarisse　Mergy！　　Each　of　them　brought　Gilbert　nearer　to　the　terrible　day　of　reckoning。　　Each　of　them　meant　twenty…four　hours　less　from　the　date　which　Clarisse　had　instinctively　fixed　in　her　mind。　　And　she　said　to　Lupin；　who　was　racked　with　the　same　anxiety：　

〃Fifty…five　days　more。。。　Fifty　days　more。。。　What　can　one　do　in　so　few　days？。。。　Oh；　I　beg　of　you。。。　　I　beg　of　you。。。　〃

What　could　they　do　indeed？　　Lupin；　who　would　not　leave　the　task　of　watching　the　marquis　to　any　one　but　himself；　practically　lived　without　sleeping。　　But　the　marquis　had　resumed　his　regular　life；　and；　doubtless　suspecting　something；　did　not　risk　going　away。

Once　alone；　he　went　down　to　the　Duc　de　Montmaur's；　in　the　daytime。　　The　duke　kept　a　pack　of　boar…hounds；　with　which　he　hunted　the　Forest　of　Durlaine。　　D'Albufex　maintained　no　relations　with　him　outside　the　hunt。

〃It　is　hardly　likely；〃　said　Prasville；　〃that　the　Duc　de　Montmaur；　an　exceedingly　wealthy　man；　who　is　interested　only　in　his　estates　and　his　hunting　and　takes　no　part　in　politics；　should　lend　himself　to　the　illegal　detention　of　Daubrecq　the　deputy　in　his　chateau。〃

Lupin　agreed；　but；　as　he　did　not