the crystal stopper-第41章

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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　pocketbook　with　the　greatest　satisfaction：

〃I　shall　have　done　a　fair　stroke　of　business；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃When　all　the　expenses　are　paid；　I　shall　still　be　well　to　the　good；　and　it's　not　over　yet。〃

Then　turning　to　Clarisse　Mergy；　he　asked：

〃Have　you　a　bag？〃

〃Yes；　I　bought　one　when　I　reached　Nice；　with　some　linen　and　a　few　necessaries；　for　I　left　Paris　unprepared。〃

〃Get　all　that　ready。　　Then　go　down　to　the　office。　　Say　that　you　are　expecting　a　trunk　which　a　commissionaire　is　bringing　from　the　station　cloakroom　and　that　you　will　want　to　unpack　and　pack　it　again　in　your　room；　and　tell　them　that　you　are　leaving。〃

When　alone；　Lupin　examined　Daubrecq　carefully；　felt　in　all　his　pockets　and　appropriated　everything　that　seemed　to　present　any　sort　of　interest。

The　Growler　was　the　first　to　return。　　The　trunk；　a　large　wicker　hamper　covered　with　black　moleskin；　was　taken　into　Clarisse's　room。　　Assisted　by　Clarisse　and　the　Growler；　Lupin　moved　Daubrecq　and　put　him　in　the　trunk；　in　a　sitting　posture；　but　with　his　head　bent　so　as　to　allow　of　the　lid　being　fastened：

〃I　don't　say　that　it's　as　comfortable　as　your　berth　in　a　sleeping…car；　my　dear　deputy；〃　Lupin　observed。　　〃But；　all　the　same；　it's　better　than　a　coffin。　　At　least；　you　can　breathe。　　Three　little　holes　in　each　side。　You　have　nothing　to　complain　of！〃

Then；　unstopping　a　flask：

〃A　drop　more　chloroform？　　You　seem　to　love　it！。。。　〃

He　soaked　the　pad　once　more；　while；　by　his　orders；　Clarisse　and　the　Growler　propped　up　the　deputy　with　linen；　rugs　and　pillows；　which　they　had　taken　the　precaution　to　heap　in　the　trunk。

〃Capital！〃　said　Lupin。　　〃That　trunk　is　fit　to　go　round　the　world。　　Lock　it　and　strap　it。〃

The　Masher　arrived；　in　a　chauffeur's　livery：

〃The　car's　below；　governor。〃

〃Good；〃　he　said。　　〃Take　the　trunk　down　between　you。　　It　would　be　dangerous　to　give　it　to　the　hotel…servants。〃

〃But　if　any　one　meets　us？〃

〃Well；　what　then；　Masher？　　Aren't　you　a　chauffeur？　　You're　carrying　the　trunk　of　your　employer　here　present；　the　lady　in　No。　130；　who　will　also　go　down；　step　into　her　motor。。。　and　wait　for　me　two　hundred　yards　farther　on。　　Growler；　you　help　to　hoist　the　trunk　up。　　Oh；　first　lock　the　partition…door！〃

Lupin　went　to　the　next　room；　closed　the　other　door；　shot　the　bolt；　walked　out；　locked　the　door　behind　him　and　went　down　in　the　lift。

In　the　office；　he　said：

〃M。　Daubrecq　has　suddenly　been　called　away　to　Monte　Carlo。　　He　asked　me　to　say　that　he　would　not　be　back　until　Tuesday　and　that　you　were　to　keep　his　room　for　him。　　His　things　are　all　there。　　Here　is　the　key。〃

He　walked　away　quietly　and　went　after　the　car；　where　he　found　Clarisse　lamenting：

〃We　shall　never　be　in　Paris　to…morrow！　　It's　madness！　　The　least　breakdown。。。

〃That's　why　you　and　I　are　going　to　take　the　train。　　It's　safer。。。　〃

He　put　her　into　a　cab　and　gave　his　parting　instructions　to　the　two　men：

〃Thirty　miles　an　hour；　on　the　average；　do　you　understand？　　You're　to　drive　and　rest；　turn　and　turn　about。　　At　that　rate；　you　ought　to　be　in　Paris　between　six　and　seven　to…morrow　evening。　　But　don't　force　the　pace。　I'm　keeping　Daubrecq；　not　because　I　want　him　for　my　plans；　but　as　a　hostage。。。　and　then　by　way　of　precaution。。。　I　like　to　feel　that　I　can　lay　my　hands　on　him　during　the　next　few　days。　　So　look　after　the　dear　fellow。。。　Give　him　a　few　drops　of　chioroform　every　three　or　four　hours：　it's　his　one　weakness。。。　Off　with　you；　Masher。。。　And　you；　Daubrecq；　don't　get　excited　up　there。　　The　roof'll　　bear　you　all　right。。。　If　you　feel　at　all　sick；　don't　mind。。。　Off　you　go；　Masher！

He　watched　the　car　move　into　the　distance　and　then　told　the　cabman　to　drive　to　a　post…office；　where　he　dispatched　a　telegram　in　these　words：

　　　　　　　　〃M。　Prasville；　Prefecture　de　Police；　Paris：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Person　found。　　Will　bring　you　document　eleven　o'clock　　　　　　　　　to…morrow　morning。　　Urgent　communciation。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃CLARISSE。〃

Clarisse　and　Lupin　reached　the　station　by　half…past　two。

〃If　only　there's　room！〃　said　Clarisse；　who　was　alarmed　at　the　least　thing。

〃Room？　　Why；　our　berths　are　booked！〃

〃By　whom？〃

〃By　Jacob。。。　by　Daubrecq。〃

〃How？〃

〃Why；　at　the　office　of　the　hotel　they　gave　me　a　letter　which　had　come　for　Daubrecq　by　express。　　It　was　the　two　berths　which　Jacob　had　sent　him。　　Also；　I　have　his　deputy's　pass。　　So　we　shall　travel　under　the　name　of　M。　and　Mme。　Daubrecq　and　we　shall　receive　all　the　attention　due　to　our　rank　and　station。　　You　see；　my　dear　madam；　that　everything's　arranged。〃

The　journey；　this　time；　seemed　short　to　Lupin。　　Clarisse　told　him　what　she　had　done　during　the　past　few　days。　　He　himself　explained　the　miracle　of　his　sudden　appearance　in　Daubrecq's　bedroom　at　the　moment　when　his　adversary　belleved　him　in　Italy：

〃A　miracle；　no；〃　he　said。　　〃But　still　a　remarkable　phenomenon　took　place　in　me　when　I　left　San　Remo；　a　sort　of　mysterious　intuition　which　prompted　me　first　to　try　and　jump　out　of　the　train　…　and　the　Masher　prevented　me　…　and　next　to　rush　to　the　window；　let　down　the　glass　and　follow　the　porter　of　the　Ambassadeurs…Palace；　who　had　given　me　your　message；　with　my　eyes。　　Well；　at　that　very　minute；　the　porter　aforesaid　was　rubbing　his　hands　with　an　air　of　such　satisfaction　that；　for　no　other　reason；　suddenly；　I　understood　everything：　I　had　been　diddled；　taken　in　by　Daubrecq；　as　you　yourself　were。　　Heaps　of　llttle　details　flashed　across　my　mind。　　My　adversary's　scheme　became　clear　to　me　from　start　to　finish。　　Another　minute。。。　and　the　disaster　would　have　been　beyond　remedy。　　I　had；　I　confess；　a　few　moments　of　real　despair；　at　the　thought　that　I　should　not　be　able　to　repair　all　the　mistakes　that　had　been　made。　　It　depended　simply　on　the　time…table　of　the　trains；　which　would　either　allow　me　or　would　not　allow　me　to　find　Daubrecq's　emissary　on　the　railway…platform　at　San　Remo。　　This　time；　at　last；　chance　favoured　me。　　We　had　hardly　alighted　at　the　first　station　when　a　train　passed；　for　France。　　When　we　arrived　at　San　Remo；　the　man　was　there。　I　had　guessed　right。　　He　no　longer　wore　his　hotel…porter's　cap　and　frock…coat；　but　a　jacket　and　bowler。　　He　stepped　into　a　second…class　compartment。　　From　that　moment；　victory　was　assured。〃

〃But。。。　how　。。。　？〃　asked　Clarisse；　who；　in　spite　of　the　thoughts　that　obsessed　her；　was　interested　in　Lupin's　story。

〃How　did　I　find　you？　　Lord；　simply　by　not　losing　sight　of　Master　Jacob；　while　leaving　him　free　to　move　about　as　he　pleased；　knowing　that　he　was　bound　to　account　for　his　actions　to　Daubrecq。　　In　point　of　fact；　this　morning；　after　spending　the　night　in　a　small　hotel　at　Nice；　he　met　Daubrecq　on　the　Promenade　des　Anglais。　　They　talked　for　some　time。　　I　followed　them。　　Daubrecq　went　back　to　the　hotel；　planted　Jacob　in　one　of　the　passages　on　the　ground…floor；　opposite　the　telephone…office；　and　went　up　in　the　lift。　　Ten　minutes　later　I　knew　the　number　of　his　room　and　knew　that　a　lady　had　been　occupying　the　next　room；　No。　130；　since　the　day　before。　　'I　believe　we've　done　it；'　I　said　to　the　Growler　and　the　Masher。　　I　tapped　lightly　at　your　door。　　No　answer。　　And　the　door　was　locked。〃

〃Well？〃　asked　Clarisse。

〃Well；　we　opened　it。　　Do　you　think　there's　only　one　key　in　the　world　that　will　work　a　lock？　　So　I　walked　in。　　Nobody　in　your　room。　　But　the　partition…door　was　ajar。　　I　slipped　through　it。　　Thenceforth；　a　mere　hanging　separated　me　from　you；　from　Daubrecq　and　from　the　packet　of　tobacco　which　I　saw　on　the　chimney…slab。〃

〃Then　you　knew　the　hiding…place？〃　〃A　look　round　Daubrecq's　study　in　Paris　showed　me　that　that　packet　of　tobacco　had　disappeared。　　Besides。。。　〃

〃What？〃

〃I　knew；　from　certain　confessions　wrung　from　Daubrecq　in　the　Lovers'　Tower；　that　the　word　Marie　held　the　key　to　the　riddle。　　Since　then　I　had　certainly　thought　of　this　word；　but　with　the　preconceived　notion　that　it　was　spelt　M　A　R　I　E。　　Well；　it　was　really　the　first　two　syllables　of　another　word；　which　I　guessed；　so　to　speak；　only　at　the　moment　when　I　was　struck　by　the　absence　of　the　packet　of　tobacco。〃

〃What　word　do　you　mean？〃

〃Maryl