the crystal stopper-第28章

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o　the　illegal　detention　of　Daubrecq　the　deputy　in　his　chateau。〃

Lupin　agreed；　but；　as　he　did　not　wish　to　leave　anything　to　chance；　the　next　week；　seeing　d'Albufex　go　out　one　morning　in　riding…dress；　he　followed　him　to　the　Gare　du　Nord　and　took　the　same　train。

He　got　out　at　Aumale；　where　d'Albufex　found　a　carriage　at　the　station　which　took　him　to　the　Chkteau　de　Montmaur。

Lupin　lunched　quietly；　hired　a　bicycle　and　came　in　view　of　the　house　at　the　moment　when　the　guests　were　going　into　the　park；　in　motor…cars　or　mounted。　　The　Marquis　d'Albufex　was　one　of　the　horsemen。

Thrice；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　Lupin　saw　him　cantering　along。　　And　he　found　him；　in　the　evening；　at　the　station；　where　d'Albufex　rode　up；　followed　by　a　huntsman。

The　proof；　therefore；　was　conclusive；　and　there　was　nothing　suspicious　on　that　side。　　Why　did　Lupin；　nevertheless；　resolve　not　to　be　satisfied　with　appearances？　　And　why；　next　day；　did　he　send　the　Masher　to　find　out　things　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Montmaur？　　It　was　an　additional　precaution；　based　upon　no　logical　reason；　but　agreeing　with　his　methodical　and　careful　manner　of　acting。

Two　days　later　he　received　from　the　Masher；　among　other　information　of　less　importance；　a　list　of　the　house…party　at　Montmaur　and　of　all　the　servants　and　keepers。

One　name　struck　him；　among　those　of　the　huntsmen。　　He　at　once　wired：

〃Inquire　about　huntsman　Sebastiani。〃

The　Masher's　answer　was　received　the　next　day：

〃Sebastiani；　a　Corsican；　was　recommended　to　the　Duc　de　Montmaur　by　the　Marquis　d'Albufex。　　He　lives　at　two　or　three　miles　from　the　house；　in　a　hunting…lodge　built　among　the　ruins　of　the　feudal　stronghold　which　was　the　cradle　of　the　Montmaur　family。〃

〃That's　it；〃　said　Lupin　to　Clarisse　Mergy；　showing　her　the　Masher's　letter。　　〃That　name；　Sebastiani；　at　once　reminded　me　that　d'Albufex　is　of　Corsican　descent。　　There　was　a　connection。。。　〃

〃Then　what　do　you　intend　to　do？〃

〃If　Daubrecq　is　imprisoned　in　those　ruins；　I　intend　to　enter　into　communication　with　him。〃

〃He　will　distrust　you。〃

〃No。　　Lately；　acting　on　the　information　of　the　police；　I　ended　by　discovering　the　two　old　ladies　who　carried　off　your　little　Jacques　at　Saint…Germain　and　who　brought　him；　the　same　evening；　to　Neuilly。　　They　are　two　old　maids；　cousins　of　Daubrecq；　who　makes　them　a　small　monthly　allowance。　　I　have　been　to　call　on　those　Demoiselles　Rousselot；　remember　the　name　and　the　address：　134　bis；　Rue　du　Bac。　　I　inspired　them　with　confidence；　promised　them　to　find　their　cousin　and　benefactor；　and　the　elder　sister；　Euphrasie　Rousselot；　gave　me　a　letter　in　which　she　begs　Daubrecq　to　trust　M。　Nicole　entirely。　　So　you　see；　I　have　taken　every　precaution。　　I　shall　leave　to…night。〃

〃We；　you　mean；〃　said　Clarisse。

〃You！〃

〃Can　I　go　on　living　like　this；　in　feverish　inaction？〃　　And　she　whispered；　〃I　am　no　longer　counting　the　days；　the　thirty…eight　or　forty　days　that　remain　to　us：　I　am　counting　the　hours。

Lupin　felt　that　her　resolution　was　too　strong　for　him　to　try　to　combat　it。　　They　both　started　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　by　motor…car。　The　Growler　went　with　them。

So　as　not　to　arouse　suspicion；　Lupin　chose　a　large　town　as　his　headquarters。　　At　Amiens；　where　he　installed　Clarisse；　he　was　only　eighteen　miles　from　Montmaur。

At　eight　o'clock　he　met　the　Masher　not　far　from　the　old　fortress；　which　was　known　in　the　neighbourhood　by　the　name　of　Mortepierre；　and　he　examined　the　locality　under　his　guidance。

On　the　confines　of　the　forest；　the　little　river　Ligier；　which　has　dug　itself　a　deep　valley　at　this　spot；　forms　a　loop　which　is　overhung　by　the　enormous　cliff　of　Mortepierre。

〃Nothing　to　be　done　on　this　side；〃　said　Lupin。　　〃The　cliff　is　steep；　over　two　hundred　feet　high；　and　the　river　hugs　it　all　round。〃

Not　far　away　they　found　a　bridge　that　led　to　the　foot　of　a　path　which　wound；　through　the　oaks　and　pines；　up　to　a　little　esplanade；　where　stood　a　massive；　iron…bound　gate；　studded　with　nails　and　flanked　on　either　side　by　a　large　tower。

〃Is　this　where　Sebastiani　the　huntsman　lives？〃　asked　Lupin。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Masher；　〃with　his　wife；　in　a　lodge　standing　in　the　midst　of　the　ruins。　　I　also　learnt　that　he　has　three　tall　sons　and　that　all　the　four　were　supposed　to　be　away　for　a　holiday　on　the　day　when　Daubrecq　was　carried　off。〃

〃Oho！〃　said　Lupin。　　〃The　coincidence　is　worth　remembering。　　It　seems　likely　enough　that　the　business　was　done　by　those　chaps　and　their　father。〃

Toward　the　end　of　the　afternoon　Lupin　availed　himself　of　a　breach　to　the　right　of　the　towers　to　scale　the　curtain。　　From　there　he　was　able　to　see　the　huntsman's　lodge　and　the　few　remains　of　the　old　fortress：　here；　a　bit　of　wall；　suggesting　the　mantel　of　a　chimney；　further　away；　a　water…tank；　on　this　side；　the　arches　of　a　chapel；　on　the　other；　a　heap　of　fallen　　stones。

A　patrol…path　edged　the　cliff　in　front；　and；　at　one　of　the　ends　of　this　patrol…path；　there　were　the　remains　of　a　formidable　donjon…keep　razed　almost　level　with　the　ground。

Lupin　returned　to　Clarisse　Mergy　in　the　evening。　　And　from　that　time　he　went　backward　and　forward　between　Amiens　and　Mortepierre；　leaving　the　Growler　and　the　Masher　permanently　on　the　watch。

And　six　days　passed。　　Sebastiani's　habits　seemed　to　be　subject　solely　to　the　duties　of　his　post。　　He　used　to　go　up　to　the　Chateau　de　Montmaur；　walk　about　in　the　forest；　note　the　tracks　of　the　game　and　go　his　rounds　at　night。

But；　on　the　seventh　day；　learning　that　there　was　to　be　a　meet　and　that　a　carriage　had　been　sent　to　Aumale　Station　in　the　morning；　Lupin　took　up　his　post　in　a　cluster　of　box　and　laurels　which　surrounded　the　little　esplanade　in　front　of　the　gate。

At　two　o'clock　he　heard　the　pack　give　tongue。　　They　approached；　accompanied　by　hunting…cries；　and　then　drew　farther　away。　　He　heard　them　again；　about　the　middle　of　the　afternoon；　not　quite　so　distinctly；　and　that　was　all。　　But　suddenly；　amid　the　silence；　the　sound　of　galloping　horses　reached　his　ears；　and；　a　few　minutes　later；　he　saw　two　riders　climbing　the　river…path。

He　recognized　the　Marquis　d'Albufex　and　Sebastiani。　　On　reaching　the　esplanade；　they　both　alighted；　and　a　woman　…　the　huntsman's　wife；　no　doubt　…　opened　the　gate。　　Sebastiani　fastened　the　horses'　bridles　to　rings　fixed　on　a　post　at　a　few　yards　from　Lupin　and　ran　to　join　the　marquis。　　The　gate　closed　behind　them。

Lupin　did　not　hesitate；　and；　though　it　was　still　broad　daylight；　relying　upon　the　solitude　of　the　place；　he　hoisted　himself　to　the　hollow　of　the　breach。　　Passing　his　head　through　cautiously；　he　saw　the　two　men　and　Sebastiani's　wife　hurrying　toward　the　ruins　of　the　keep。

The　huntsman　drew　aside　a　hanging　screen　of　ivy　and　revealed　the　entrance　to　a　stairway；　which　he　went　down；　as　did　d'Albufex；　leaving　his　wife　on　guard　on　the　terrace。

There　was　no　question　of　going　in　after　them；　and　Lupin　returned　to　his　hiding…place。　　He　did　not　wait　long　before　the　gate　opened　again。

The　Marquis　d'Albufex　seemed　in　a　great　rage。　　He　was　striking　the　leg　of　his　boot　with　his　whip　and　mumbling　angry　words　which　Lupin　was　able　to　distinguish　when　the　distance　became　less　great：

〃Ah；　the　hound！。。。　I'll　make　him　speak。。。　　I'll　come　back　to…night。。。　　to…night；　at　ten　o'clock；　do　you　hear；　Sebastiani？。。。　And　we　shall　do　what's　necessary。。。　Oh；　the　brute！〃

Sebastiani　unfastened　the　horses。　　D'Albufex　turned　to　the　woman：

〃See　that　your　sons　keep　a　good　watch。。。　If　any　one　attempts　to　deliver　him；　so　much　the　worse　for　him。　　The　trapdoor　is　there。　　Can　I　rely　upon　them？〃

〃As　thoroughly　as　on　myself；　monsieur　le　marquis；〃　declared　the　huntsman。　〃They　know　what　monsieur　le　marquis　has　done　for　me　and　what　he　means　to　do　for　them。　　They　will　shrink　at　nothing。〃

〃Let　us　mount　and　get　back　to　the　hounds；〃　said　d'Albufex。

So　things　were　going　as　Lupin　had　supposed。　　During　these　runs；　d'Albufex；　taking　a　line　of　his　own；　would　push　off　to　Mortepierre；　without　anybody's　suspecting　his　trick。　　Sebastiani；　who　was　devoted　to　him　body　and　soul；　for　reasons　connected　with　the　past　into　which　it　was　not　worth　while　to　inquire；　accompanied　him；　and　together　they　went　to　see　the　captive；　who　was　closely　watched　by　the　huntsman's　wife　and　his　three　sons。

〃That's　where　we