the crystal stopper-第40章
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p fiercely； flung one of his arms round Daubrecq's neck； threw him to the ground with incredible violence and applied a pad of cotton…wool to his face。 A sudden smell of chloroform filled the room。
Clarisse had recognized M。 Nicole。
〃Come along； Growler！〃 he cried。 〃Come along； Masher！ Drop your shooters： I've got him！ He's a limp rag。。。 Tie him up。〃
Daubrecq； in fact； was bending in two and falling on his knees like a isjointed doll。 Under the action of the chloroform； the fearsome brute sank into impotence； became harmless and grotesque。
The Growler and the Masher rolled him in one of the blankets of the bed and tied him up securely。
〃That's it！ That's it！〃 shouted Lupin； leaping to his feet。
And； in a sudden reaction of mad delight； he began to dance a wild jig in the middle of the room； a jig mingled with bits of can…can and the contortions of the cakewalk and the whirls of a dancing dervish and the acrobatic movements of a clown and the lurching steps of a drunken man。 And he announced； as though they were the numbers in a music…hall performance：
〃The prisoner's dance！。。。 The captive's hornpipe！。。。 A fantasia on the corpse of a representative of the people！。。。 The chloroform polka！。。。 The two…step of the conquered goggles！ Olle！ Olle！ The blackmailer's fandango！ Hoot！ Hoot！ The McDaubrecq's fling！。。。 The turkey trot！。。。 And the bunny hug！。。。 And the grizzly bear！。。。 The Tyrolean dance： tra…la…liety！。。。 Allons； enfants de la partie！。。。 Zing； boum； boum！ Zing； boum； boum！。。。〃
All his street…arab nature； all his instincts of gaiety； so long suppressed by his constant anxiety and disappointment； came out and betrayed themselves in roars of laughter； bursts of animal spirits and a picturesque need of childlike exuberance and riot。
He gave a last high kick； turned a series of cartwheels round the room and ended by standing with his hands on his hips and one foot on Daubrecq's lifeless body。
〃An allegorical tableau！〃 he announced。 〃The angel of virtue destroying the hydra of vice！〃
And the humour of the scene was twice as great because Lupin was ppearing under the aspect of M。 Nicole； in the clothes and figure of that wizened； awkward； nervous private tutor。
A sad smile Bickered across Mme。 Mergy's face； her first smile for many a long month。 But； at once returning to the reality of things； she besought him：
〃Please； please。。。 think of Gilbert！〃
He ran up to her； caught her in his arms and； obeying a spontaneous impulse； so frank that she could but laugh at it； gave her a resounding kiss on either cheek：
〃There； lady； that's the kiss of a decent man！ Instead of Daubrecq； it's I kissing you。。。 Another word and I'll do it again。。。 and I'll call you darling next。。。 Be angry with me； if you dare。 Oh； how happy I am！〃
He knelt before her on one knee。 And； respectfully：
〃I beg your pardon； madame。 The fit is over。〃
And； getting up again； resuming his whimsical manner； he continued； while Clarisse wondered what he was driving at：
〃What's the next article； madame？ Your son's pardon； perhaps？ Certainly！ Madame； I have the honour to grant you the pardon of your son； the commutation of his sentence to penal servitude for life and； to wind up with； his early escape。 It's settled； eh； Growler？ Settled； Masher； what？ You'll both go with the boy to New Caledonia and arrange for everything。 Oh； my dear Daubrecq； we owe you a great debt！ But I'm not forgetting you； believe me！ What would you like？ A last pipe？ Coming； coming！〃
He took one of the pipes from the mantel…piece； stooped over the prisoner； shifted his pad and thrust the amber mouth…piece between his teeth：
〃Draw； old chap； draw。 Lord； how funny you look； with your plug over your nose and your cutty in your mouth。 Come； puff away。 By Jove； I forgot to fill your pipe！ Where's your tobacco； your favourite Maryland？ 。。。 Oh； here we are！。。。 〃
He took from the chimney an unopened yellow packet and tore off the government band：
〃His lordship's tobacco！ Ladies and gentlemen； keep your eyes on me！ This is a great moment。 I am about to fill his lordship's pipe： by Jupiter； what an honour！ Observe my movements！ You see； I have nothing in my hands； nothing up my sleeves！。。。 〃
He turned back his cuffs and stuck out his elbows。 Then he opened the packet and inserted his thumb and fore…finger； slowly； gingerly； like a conjurer performing a sleight…of…hand trick before a puzzled audience； and； beaming all over his face； extracted from the tobacco a glittering object which he held out before the spectators。
Clarisse uttered a cry。
It was the crystal stopper。
She rushed at Lupin and snatched it from him：
〃That's it； that's the one！〃 she exclaimed； feverishiy。 〃There's no scratch on the stem！ And look at this line running down the middle； where the gilt finishes。。。 That's it； it unscrews！。。。 Oh； dear； my trength's going！。。。 〃 She trembled so violently that Lupin took back the stopper and unscrewed it himself。
The inside of the knob was hollow； and in the hollow space was a piece of paper rolled into a tiny pellet。
〃The foreign…post…paper；〃 he whispered； himself greatly excited； with quivering hands。
There was a long silence。 All four felt as if their hearts were ready to burst from their bodies； and they were afraid of what was coming。
〃Please； please。。。 〃stammered Clarisse。
Lupin unfolded the paper。
There was a set of names written one below the other； twenty…seven of them； the twenty…seven names of the famous list： Langeroux； Dechaumont； Vorenglade； d'Albufex； Victorien Mergy and the rest。
And； at the foot； the signature of the chairman of the Two…Seas Canal Company； the； signature written in letters of blood。
Lupin looked at his watch：
〃A quarter to one；〃 he said。 〃We have twenty minutes to spare。 Let's have some lunch。〃
〃But；〃 said Clarisse； who was already beginning to lose her head； 〃don't forget。。。 〃
He simply said：
〃All I know is that I'm dying of hunger。〃
He sat down at the table； cut himself a large slice of cold pie and said to his accomplices：
〃Growler？ A bite？ You； Masher？〃
〃I could do with a mouthful； governor。〃
〃Then hurry up； lads。 And a glass of champage to wash it down with： it's the chioroform…patient's treat。 Your health； Daubrecq！ Sweet champagne？ Dry champagne？ Extra…dry？〃
CHAPTER XI
THE CR055 OF LORRAINE
The moment Lupin had finished lunch； he at once and； so to speak； without transition； recovered all his mastery and authority。 The time for joking was past； and he must no longer yield to his love of astonishing people with claptrap and conjuring tricks。 Now that he had discovered the crystal stopper in the hiding…place which he had guessed with absolute certainty； now that he possessed the list of the Twenty…seven； it became a question of playing off the last game of the rubber without delay。
It was child's play； no doubt； and what remained to be done presented no difficulty。 Nevertheless； it was essential that he should perform these final actions with promptness； decision and infallible perspicacity。 The smallest blunder was irretrievable。 Lupin knew this； but his strangely lucid brain had allowed for every contingency。 And the movements and words which he was now about to make and utter were all fully prepared and matured：
〃Growler； the commissionaire is waiting on the Boulevard Gambetta with his barrow and the trunk which we bought。 Bring him here and have the trunk carried up。 If the people of the hotel ask any questions； say it's for the lady in No。 130。〃
Then； addressing his other companion：
〃Masher； go back to the station and take over the limousine。 The price is arranged： ten thousand francs。 Buy a chauffeur's cap and overcoat and bring the car to the hotel。〃
〃The money； governor。〃
Lupin opened a pocketbook which had been removed from Daubrecq's jacket and produced a huge bundle of bank…notes。 He separated ten of them：
〃Here you are。 Our friend appears to have been doing well at the club。 Off with you； Masher！〃
The two men went out through Clarisse's room。 Lupin availed himself of a moment when Clarisse Mergy was not looking to stow away the pocketbo
