the crystal stopper-第46章

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f。　　Clarisse　and　he；　though　pursuing　an　identical　aim；　had　wasted　weeks　in　fighting　each　other。　　Then；　at　the　moment　when　they　were　uniting　their　efforts；　a　series　of　ghastly　disasters　had　come　one　after　the　other：　the　kidnapping　of　little　Jacques；　Daubrecq's　disappearance；　his　imprisonment　in　the　Lovers'　Tower；　Lupin's　wound；　his　enforced　inactivity；　followed　by　the　cunning　manceuvres　that　dragged　Clarisse　　…　and　Lupin　after　her　…　to　the　south；　to　Italy。　And　then；　as　a　crowning　catastrophe；　when；　after　prodigies　of　will…power；　after　miracles　of　perseverance；　they　were　entitled　to　think　that　the　Golden　Fleece　was　won；　it　all　caine　to　nothing。　　The　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　had　no　more　value　than　the　most　insignificant　scrap　of　paper。

〃The　game's　up！〃　said　Lupin。　　〃It's　an　absolute　defeat。　　What　if　I　do　revenge　myself　on　Daubrecq；　ruin　him　and　destroy　him？　　He　is　the　real　victor；　once　Gilbert　is　going　to　die。

He　wept　anew；　not　with　spite　or　rage；　but　with　despair。　　Gilbert　was　going　to　die！　　The　lad　whom　he　called　his　chum；　the　best　of　his　pals　would　be　gone　for　ever；　in　a　few　hours。　　He　could　not　save　him。　　He　was　at　the　end　of　his　tether。　　He　did　not　even　look　round　for　a　last　expedient。　　What　was　the　use？

And　his　persuasion　of　his　own　helplessness　was　so　deep；　so　definite　that　he　felt　no　shock　of　any　kind　on　receiving　a　telegram　from　the　Masher　that　said：

　　　　　　　　〃Motor　accident。　　Essential　part　broken。　　Long　repair。　　　　　　　　　　Arrive　to…morrow　morning。〃

It　was　a　last　proof　to　show　that　fate　had　uttered　its　decree。　　He　no　longer　thought　of　rebelling　against　the　decision。

He　looked　at　Clarisse。　　She　was　peacefully　sleeping；　and　this　total　oblivion；　this　absence　of　all　consciousness；　seemed　to　him　so　enviable　that；　suddenly　yielding　to　a　fit　of　cowardice；　he　seized　the　bottle；　still　half…filled　with　the　sleeping…draught；　and　drank　it　down。

Then　he　stretched　himself　on　a　couch　and　rang　for　his　man：

〃Go　to　bed；　Achille；　and　don't　wake　me　on　any　pretence　whatever。〃

〃Then　there's　nothing　to　be　done　for　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray；　governor？〃　said　Achille。

〃Nothing。〃

〃Are　they　going　through　it？〃

〃They　are　going　through　it。〃

Twenty　minutes　later　Lupin　fell　into　a　heavy　sleep。　　It　was　ten　o'clock　in　the　evening。

The　night　was　full　of　incident　and　noise　around　the　prison。　　At　one　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　Rue　de　la　Sante；　the　Boulevard　Arago　and　all　the　streets　abutting　on　the　gaol　were　guarded　by　police；　who　allowed　no　one　to　pass　without　a　regular　cross…examination。

For　that　matter；　it　was　raining　in　torrents；　and　it　seemed　as　though　the　lovers　of　this　sort　of　show　would　not　be　very　numerous。　　The　public…houses　were　all　closed　by　special　order。　　At　four　o'clock　three　companies　of　infantry　came　and　took　up　their　positions　along　the　pavements；　while　a　battalion　occupied　the　Boulevard　Arago　in　case　of　a　surprise。　　Municipal　guards　cantered　up　and　down　between　the　lines；　a　whole　staff　of　　police…magistrates；　officers　and　functionaries；　broughttogether　for　the　occasion；　moved　about　among　the　troops。

The　guillotine　was　set　up　in　silence；　in　the　middle　of　the　square　formed　by　the　boulevard　and　the　street；　and　the　sinister　sound　of　hammering　was　heard。

But；　at　five　o'clock；　the　crowd　gathered；　notwithstanding　the　rain；　and　people　began　to　sing。　　They　shouted　for　the　footlights；　called　for　the　curtain　to　rise；　were　exasperated　to　see　that；　at　the　distance　at　which　the　barriers　had　been　fixed；　they　could　hardly　distinguish　the　uprights　of　the　guillotine。

Several　carriages　drove　up；　bringing　official　persons　dressed　in　black。　There　were　cheers　and　hoots；　whereupon　a　troop　of　mounted　municipal　guards　scattered　the　groups　and　cleared　the　space　to　a　distance　of　three　hundred　yards　from　the　square。　　Two　fresh　companies　of　soldiers　lined　up。

And　suddenly　there　was　a　great　silence。　　A　vague　white　light　fell　from　the　dark　sky。　　The　rain　ceased　abruptly。

Inside　the　prison；　at　the　end　of　the　passage　containing　the　condemned　cells；　the　men　in　black　were　conversing　in　low　voices。　　Prasville　was　talking　to　the　pubhc　prosecutor；　who　expressed　his　fears：

〃No；　no；〃　declared　Prasville；　〃I　assure　you；　it　will　pass　without　an　incident　of　any　kind。〃

〃Do　your　reports　mention　nothing　at　all　suspicious；　monsieur　le　5ecretaire…general？〃

〃Nothing。　　And　they　can't　mention　anything；　for　the　simple　reason　that　we　have　Lupin。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that？〃

〃Yes；　we　know　his　hiding…place。　　The　house　where　he　lives；　on　the　Place　de　Clichy；　and　where　he　went　at　seven　o'clock　last　night；　is　surrounded。　Moreover；　I　know　the　scheme　which　he　had　contrived　to　save　his　two　accomplices。　　The　scheme　miscarried　at　the　last　moment。　　We　have　nothing　to　fear；　therefore。　　The　law　will　take　its　course。〃

Meanwhile；　the　hour　had　struck。

They　took　Vaucheray　first；　and　the　governor　of　the　prison　ordered　the　door　of　his　cell　to　be　opened。　　Vaucheray　leapt　out　of　bed　and　cast　eyes　dilated　with　terror　upon　the　men　who　entered。

〃Vaucheray；　we　have　come　to　tell　you。。。　〃

〃Stow　that；　stow　that；〃　he　muttered。　　〃No　words。　　I　all　about　it。　　Get　on　with　the　business。〃

One　would　have　thought　that　he　was　in　a　hurry　for　it　to　be　over　as　fast　as　possible；　so　readily　did　he　submit　to　the　usual　preparations。　　But　he　would　not　allow　any　of　them　to　speak　to　him：

〃No　words；〃　he　repeated。　　〃What？　　Confess　to　the　priest？　　Not　worth　while。　　I　have　shed　blood。　　The　law　sheds　my　blood。　　It's　the　good　old　rule。　　We're　quits。〃

Nevertheless；　he　stopped　short　for　a　moment：

〃I　say；　is　my　mate　going　through　it　too？〃

And；　when　he　heard　that　Gilbert　would　go　to　the　scaffold　at　the　same　time　as　himself；　he　had　two　or　three　seconds　of　hesitation；　glanced　at　the　bystanders；　seemed　about　to　speak；　was　silent　and；　at　last；　muttered：

〃It's　better　so。。。。　They'll　pull　us　through　together。。。　we'll　clink　glasses　together。〃

Gilbert　was　not　asleep　either；　when　the　men　entered　his　cell。

Sitting　on　his　bed；　he　listened　to　the　terrible　words；　tried　to　stand　up；　began　to　tremble　frightfully；　from　head　to　foot；　like　a　skeleton　when　shaken；　and　then　fell　back；　sobbing：

〃Oh；　my　poor　mummy；　poor　mummy1〃　he　stammered。

They　tried　to　question　him　about　that　mother；　of　whom　he　had　never　spoken；　but　his　tears　were　interrupted　by　a　sudden　fit　of　rebellion　and　he　cried：

〃I　have　done　no　murder。。。　　I　won't　die。　I　have　done　no　murder。。。　〃

〃Gilbert；〃　they　said；　〃show　yourself　a　man。〃

〃Yes；　yes。。。　but　I　have　done　no　murder。。。　Why　should　I　die？〃

His　teeth　chattered　so　loudly　that　words　which　he　uttered　became　unintelligible。　　He　let　the　men　do　their　work；　made　his　confession；　heard　mass　and　then；　growing　calmer　and　almost　docile；　with　the　voice　of　a　little　child　resigning　itself；　murmured：

〃Tell　my　mother　that　I　beg　her　forgiveness。〃

〃Your　mother？〃

〃Yes。。。　Put　what　I　say　in　the　papers。。。　She　will　understand。。。　And　then。。。　〃

〃What；　Gilbert？〃

〃Well；　I　want　the　governor　to　know　that　I　have　not　lost　confidence。〃

He　gazed　at　the　bystanders；　one　after　the　other；　as　though　be　entertained　the　mad　hope　that　〃the　govermor〃　was　one　of　them；　disguised　beyond　recognition　and　ready　to　carry　him　off　in　his　arms：

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　gently　and　with　a　sort　of　religious　piety；　〃yes；　I　still　have　confidence；　even　at　this　moment。。。　Be　sure　and　let　him　know；　won't　you？。。。　I　am　positive　that　he　will　not　let　me　die。　　I　am　certain　of　it。。。　〃

They　guessed；　from　the　fixed　look　in　his　eyes；　that　he　saw　Lupin；　that　he　felt　Lupin's　shadow　prowling　around　and　seeking　an　inlet　through　which　to　get　to　him。　　And　never　was　anything　more　touching　than　the　sight　of　that　stripling　…　clad　in　the　strait…jacket；　with　his　arms　and　legs　bound；　guarded　by　thousands　of　men　…　whom　the　executioner　already　held　in　his　inexorable　hand　and　who；　nevertheless；　hoped　on。

Anguish　wrung　the　hearts　of　all　the　beholders。　　Their　eyes　were　dimmed　with　tears：

〃Poor　little　chap！〃　stammered　some　one。

Prasville；　touched　like　the　rest　and　thinking　of　Clarisse；　repeated；　in　a　whisper：

〃Poor　little　chap！〃

But　the　hour　struck；　the　preparations　were　finished。　　They　set　out。

The　two　processions　met　in　the　passage。　　Vaurheray；　on　seeing　Gilbert；　snapped　out：

〃I　say；　kiddie；　the　gove