the crystal stopper-第52章

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…paper。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　no　match　for　those　rascals。　　But　all　is　not　over　yet。〃

And；　in　point　of　fact；　all　was　not　over。　　If　Lupin　had　acted　so　daringly；　it　showed　that　the　letters　existed　and　that　he　relied　upon　buying　them　from　Stanislas　Vorenglade。　　But；　as；　on　the　other　hand；　Vorenglade　was　not　in　Paris；　Prasville's　business　was　simply　to　forestall　Lupin's　steps　with　regard　to　Vorenglade　and　obtain　the　restitution　of　those　dangerous　letters　from　Vorenglade　at　all　costs。　　The　first　to　arrive　would　be　the　victor。

Prasville　once　more　took　his　hat；　coat　and　stick；　went　downstairs；　stepped　into　a　taxi　and　drove　to　Vorenglade's　flat。

Here　he　was　told　that　the　ex…deputy　was　expected　home　from　London　at　six　o'clock　that　evening。

It　was　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　Prasville　therefore　had　plenty　of　time　to　prepare　his　plan。

He　arrived　at　the　Gare　du　Nord　at　five　o'clock　and　posted　all　around；　in　the　waiting…rooms　and　in　the　railway…offices；　the　three　or　four　dozen　detectives　whom　he　had　brought　with　him。

This　made　him　feel　easy。　　If　M。　Nicole　tried　to　speak　to　Vorenglade；　they　would　arrest　Lupin。　　And；　to　make　assurance　doubly　sure；　they　would　arrest　whosoever　could　be　suspected　of　being　either　Lupin　or　one　of　Lupin's　emissaries。

Moreover；　Prasville　made　a　close　inspection　of　the　whole　station。　　He　discovered　nothing　suspicious。　　But；　at　ten　minutes　to　six；　　Chief…inspector　Blanchon；　who　was　with　him；　said：

〃Look；　there's　Daubrecq。〃

Daubrecq　it　was；　and　the　sight　of　his　enemy　exasperated　the　　secretary…general　to　such　a　pitch　that　he　was　on　the　verge　of　having　him　arrested。　　But　he　reflected　that　he　had　no　excuse；　no　right；　no　warrant　for　the　arrest。

Besides；　Daubrecq's　presence　proved；　with　still　greater　force；　that　everything　now　depended　on　Stanislas　Vorenglade。　　Vorenglade　possessed　the　letters：　who　would　end　by　having　them？　　Daubrecq？　　Lupin？　　Or　he；　Prasville？

Lupin　was　not　there　and　could　not　be　there。　　Daubrecq　was　not　in　a　position　to　fight。　　There　could　be　no　doubt；　therefore；　about　the　result：　Prasville　would　reenter　into　possession　of　his　letters　and；　through　this　very　fact；　would　escape　Daubrecq's　threats　and　Lupin's　threats　and　recover　all　his　freedom　of　action　against　them。

The　train　arrived。

In　accordance　with　orders；　the　stationmaster　had　issued　instructions　that　no　one　was　to　be　admitted　to　the　platform。　　Prasville；　therefore；　walked　on　alone；　in　front　of　a　number　of　his　men；　with　Chief…inspector　Blanchon　at　their　head。

The　train　drew　up。

Prasville　almost　at　once　saw　Stanislas　Vorenglade　at　the　window　of　a　first…class　compartment；　in　the　middle　of　the　train。

The　ex…deputy　alighted　and　then　held　out　his　hand　to　assist　an　old　gentleman　who　was　travelling　with　him。

Prasville　ran　up　to　him　and　said；　eagerly：

〃Vorenglade。。。　I　want　to　speak　to　you。。。　〃

At　the　same　moment；　Daubrecq；　who　had　managed　to　pass　the　barrier；　appeared　and　exclaimed：

〃M。　Vorenglade；　I　have　had　your　letter。　　I　am　at　your　disposal。〃

Vorenglade　looked　at　the　two　men；　recognized　Prasvile；　recognized　Daubrecq；　and　smiled：

〃Oho；　it　seems　that　my　return　was　awaited　with　some　impatience！　　What's　it　all　about？　　Certain　letters；　I　expect？〃

〃Yes。。。　yes。。。〃　replied　the　two　men；　fussing　around　him。

〃You're　too　late；〃　he　declared。

〃Eh？　What？　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that　the　letters　are　sold。〃

〃Sold！　　To　whom？〃

〃To　this　gentleman；〃　said　Vorenglade；　pointing　to　his　travelling…companion；　〃to　this　gentleman；　who　thought　that　the　business　was　worth　going　out　of　his　way　for　and　who　came　to　Amiens　to　meet　me。〃

The　old　gentleman；　a　very　old　man　wrapped　in　furs　and　leaning　on　his　stick；　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed。

〃It's　Lupin；〃　thought　Prasville；　〃it's　Lupin；　beyond　a　doubt。〃

And　he　glanced　toward　the　detectives；　was　nearly　calling　them；　but　the　old　gentleman　explained：

〃Yes；　I　thought　the　letters　were　good　enough　to　warrant　a　few　hours'　railway　journey　and　the　cost　of　two　return　tickets。〃

〃Two　tickets？〃

〃One　for　me　and　the　other　for　one　of　my　friends。〃

〃One　of　your　friends？〃

〃Yes；　he　left　us　a　few　minutes　ago　and　reached　the　front　part　of　the　train　through　the　corridor。　　He　was　in　a　great　hurry。〃

Prasville　understood：　Lupin　had　taken　the　precaution　to　bring　an　accomplice；　and　the　accomplice　was　carrying　off　the　letters。　　The　game　was　lost；　to　a　certainty。　　Lupin　had　a　firm　grip　on　his　victim。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　submit　and　accept　the　conqueror's　conditions。

〃Very　well；　sir；〃　said　Prasville。　　〃We　shall　see　each　other　when；　the　time　comes。　　Good…bye　for　the　present；　Daubrecq：　you　shall　hear　from　me。〃　　And；　drawing　Vorenglade　aside；　〃As　for　you；　Vorenglade；　you　are　playing　a　dangerous　game。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　ex…deputy。　　〃And　why？〃

The　two　men　moved　away。

Daubrecq　had　not　uttered　a　word　and　stood　motionless；　as　though　rooted　to　the　ground。

The　old　gentleman　went　up　to　him　and　whispered：

〃I　say；　Daubrecq；　wake　up；　old　chap。。。　It's　the　chloroform；　I　expect。。。　〃

Daubrecq　clenched　his　fists　and　gave　a　muttered　growl。

〃Ah；　I　see　you　know　me！〃　said　the　old　gentleman。　　〃Then　you　will　remember　our　interview；　some　months　ago；　when　I　came　to　see　you　in　the　Square　Lamartine　and　asked　you　to　intercede　in　Gilbert's　favour。　　I　said　to　you　that　day；　'Lay　down　your　arms；　save　Gilbert　and　and　I　will　leave　you　in　peace。　　If　not；　I　shall　take　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　from　you；　and　then　you're　done　for。'　　Well；　I　have　a　strong　suspicion　that　done　for　is　what　you　are。　　That　comes　of　not　making　terms　with　kind　M。　Lupin。　　Sooner　or　later；　you're　bound　to　lose　your　boots　by　it。　　However；　let　it　be　a　lesson　to　you。

By　the　way；　here's　your　pocketbook　which　I　forgot　to　give　you。　　Excuse　me　if　you　find　it　lightened　of　its　contents。　　There　were　not　only　a　decent　number　of　bank…notes　in　it；　but　also　the　receipt　from　the　warehouse　where　you　stored　the　Enghien　things　which　you　took　back　from　me。　　I　thought　I　might　as　well　save　you　the　trouble　of　taking　them　out　yourself。　　It　ought　to　be　done　by　now。　　No；　don't　thank　me：　it's　not　worth　mentioning。　　Good…bye；　Daubrecq。　　And；　if　you　should　want　a　louis　or　two；　to　buy　yourself　a　new　decanter…stopper；　drop　me　a　line。　Good…bye；　Daubrecq。〃

He　walked　away。

He　had　not　gone　fifty　steps　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　shot。

He　turned　round。

Daubrecq　had　blown　his　brains　out。

〃De　profundist〃　murmured　Lupin；　taking　off　his　hat。　

Two　months　later；　Gilbert；　whose　sentence　had　been　commuted　to　one　of　penal　servitude　for　life；　made　his　escape　from　the　Ile　de　Re；　on　the　day　before　that　on　which　he　was　to　have　been　transported　to　New　Caledonia。

It　was　a　strange　escape。　　Its　least　details　remained　difficult　to　understand；　and；　like　the　two　shots　on　the　Boulevard　Arago；　it　greatly　enhanced　Arsene　Lupin's　prestige。

〃Taken　all　round；〃　said　Lupin　to　me；　one　day；　after　telling　me　the　different　episodes　of　the　story；　〃taken　all　around；　no　enterprise　has　ever　given　me　more　trouble　or　cost　me　greater　exertions　than　that　confounded　adventure　which；　if　you　don't　mind；　we　will　call；　The　Crystal　Stopper；　or；　Never　Say　Die。　　In　twelve　hours；　between　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　I　made　up　for　six　months　of　bad　luck；　blunders；　gropings　in　the　dark　and　reverses。　　I　certainly　count　those　twelve　hours　among　the　finest　and　the　most　glorious　of　my　life。〃

〃And　Gilbert？〃　I　asked。　　〃What　became　of　him？〃　

〃He　is　farming　his　own　land；　way　down　in　Algeria；　under　his　real　name；　his　only　name　of　Antoine　Mergy。　　He　is　married　to　an　Englishwoman；　and　they　have　a　son　whom　he　insisted　on　calling　Arsene。　　I　often　receive　a　bright；　chatty；　warm…hearted　letter　from　him。〃

〃And　Mme。　Mergy？〃

〃She　and　her　little　Jacques　are　living　with　them。〃

〃Did　you　see　her　again？〃

〃I　did　not。〃

〃Really！〃

Lupin　hesitated　for　a　few　moments　and　then　said　with　a　smile：

〃My　dear　fellow；　I　will　let　you　into　a　secret　that　will　make　me　seem　ridiculous　in　your　eyes。　　But　you　know　that　I　have　always　been　as　sentimental　as　a　schoolboy　and　as　silly　as　a　goose。　　Well；　on　the　evening　when　I　went　back　to　Clarisse　Mergy　and　told　her　the　news　of　the　day　…　part　of　which；　for　that　matter；　she　already　kne