IX
WITH THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE
"Come in!" cried Hofferman, who was writing hard.
An orderly stepped gingerly into the room.
"An usher, Colonel, with a message, begging you to be so good as tostep downstairs at once to see the Under-Secretary of State."
Hofferman looked up.
"Are you sure the message is for me?"
"Yes, Colonel."
"Very well. I am coming immediately."
The orderly vanished. Hofferman remained in thought for a minute orso, rose abruptly, half opened the door of the adjoining room, andaddressed Commandant Dumoulin:
"The Under-Secretary of State wishes to see me. I am going down now."
The colonel passed rapidly along the interminable corridors separatinghim from the building in which the Under-Secretary's offices weresituated.
"What can he want to see me about?" Colonel Hofferman asked himself ashe entered the Under-Secretary's room.
Monsieur Maranjevol, an exceedingly active and immensely populardeputy from la Gironde, to whom had been entrusted the delicate taskof serving as buffer between the civil and the military sections.Monsieur Maranjevol was not alone in his vast reception-room, with itsgilding and pictures of battle scenes; seated opposite, and with hisback to the light, was a civilian, of middle height, clean-shaven,whose thin hair, turning grey, curled slightly at the nape of theneck.
The Under-Secretary rose, shook hands with the colonel, and wentstraight to the point.
"Monsieur Juve of the detective force: Colonel Hofferman, head of theSecond Bureau."
The policeman and the soldier bowed gravely. They awaited thebeginning of the conference in a somewhat chilly silence.
Monsieur Maranjevol explained that after a short talk with Juveregarding Captain Brocq's death, he had considered it necessary to puthim in touch with Colonel Hofferman.
The colonel, who had been showing signs of impatience for the last fewminutes, suddenly broke out:
"My faith, Monsieur," declared he, in a sharp abrupt voice, staringstraight into Juve's eyes, "I am very glad to have the opportunity ofmeeting you. I shall not disguise from you that I am astonished, evenvery disagreeably astonished, at your attitude during the past fewdays regarding this wretched drama. Up to now, I have alwaysconsidered that the private personality of an officer, above all, ofan officer on the Headquarters' Staff, was a thing which was almostinviolable.... But it has come to my knowledge that at the death ofCaptain Brocq, you have devoted yourself not only to making the mostminute investigations--that, perhaps, was your right and yourduty--into the circumstances accompanying the death, but that you havesearched the domicile of the defunct as well, and this without givingus the required preliminary notice. I cannot and will not sanctionthis method of procedure, and I congratulate myself on having thisopportunity of telling you so."
During this speech of the colonel's Monsieur Maranjevol stared withastonished eyes, first at the soldier and then at the detective. Thegood-natured and peaceable Under-Secretary was surprised at thecolonel's violent attack, and asked himself how Juve was going to takeit.
Juve took it with an unmoved countenance. He said, in his turn:
"I would point out to you, Colonel, that had it been only a questionof a natural death, I should have contented myself with restoring toyou the documents which had been collected at our headquarters; but,as you probably knew, Captain Brocq was killed--killed in amysterious fashion. I thus found myself in the presence of a crime, acommon law crime: the inquest has restored it to the civil lawjurisdiction, and not to the military: believe me, I understand mybusiness, I know my duty."
Juve had uttered these words with the greatest composure; but theslight tremble in his voice would have made it clear to anyone whoknew him well, that the detective was maintaining his self-controlonly by a violent effort.
The colonel replied in a tone stiff with offence:
"I persist in my opinion: you have no right to meddle in an affairwhich concerns us alone. The death of Captain Brocq coincides with theloss of a certain secret document: is it for you or for us toinstitute an enquiry into it?"
After a pause, Juve's retort was:
"You must permit me to leave that question unanswered."
With all the bluntness of a military man, Colonel Hofferman had puthis finger on the open wound which for long years had been a source ofirritation to the detective force and the intelligence departmentalike, when, owing to circumstances, both were called on to interveneat one and the same time. In cases of theft and of spying the conflictwas ceaseless.
Monsieur Havard, Juve's chief, had talked this matter over the nightbefore, and his last words of command were:
"Above all, Juve, manage matters so that there is no fuss!... Theremust not be a fuss!"
Colonel Hofferman, misinterpreting the detective's attitude, turnedtriumphantly to the Under-Secretary:
"Not only that," he continued, "I think there has been far too muchtalk made about the death of Captain Brocq. This officer was thevictim of an accident. We cannot discuss it. That is all there is tobe said. It really does not matter much. We of the IntelligenceDepartment are soldiers, and believe in a policy of results: at thepresent moment we have lost a document: we are searching for it:action must be left to us.... And, Monsieur, I revert to my firstquestion--what the devil was the police doing at Captain Brocq's--whatbusiness was it of theirs? Really, the detective service is arrogatingto itself more and more powers--powers that cannot be sanctioned, thatwill not be granted or permitted."
Juve had so far contained himself, though with difficulty, but nowColonel Hofferman was going too far. It was Juve's turn to break out.
"Monsieur," he cried, in a voice vibrating with passion, turning tothe Under-Secretary: "I cannot accept such observations--not for amoment! I have among my papers on the case important proofs that theassassination of Captain Brocq is surrounded with mysteriousoccurrences, and also of the gravest nature. The theory ColonelHofferman has just put forward will not hold water--it does not hangtogether! To gain a full understanding of a thing one must begin atthe beginning. This beginning I have brought, and I make you judge,Monsieur, of whether or no it is worth the most carefulconsideration."
Caught between two fires, the Under-Secretary looked exceedingly sorryfor himself. Above everything, he dreaded being forced to act asumpire between Hofferman and Juve. There was no escape, however, so,with a weary air, he asked Juve to make his case clear.
"Well, gentlemen," began our detective, who had fully regained hisself-possession, "you know what the circumstances were which led me tothe discovery that Captain Brocq had been mysteriously assassinated?It was, obviously, of the first importance that I should learn everydetail regarding his private life, get to know with whom he hadintercourse, who his correspondents were, find out where he wasaccustomed to go, so that, being thoroughly posted up regarding hispersonality, I could discover to whose interest it would be that heshould disappear.... I went to Brocq's flat in the rue de Lille tocollect evidence from various sources. I have it all written down inmy case papers. One fact stands out clearly: Captain Brocq wasregularly visited by a woman whom we have not as yet been able toidentify beyond a doubt, but we shall soon know who she is. I amcertain she is a lady of fashion. She was his mistress: thecommencement of a letter written to her by the deceased shows this;but, unfortunately, he has not addressed her by name. The letter wasbegun, according to the experts, some hours before the drama ofassassination was enacted.... It is the mauve document, number 42. Itcommences:
"'_My darling_'."...
Juve showed this sheet of mauve letter paper to his listeners. ColonelHofferman seemed to attach no importance whatever to it.
Juve continued:
"I should greatly value Colonel Hofferman's opinion regarding thesuppositions I am about to formulate. Well, gentlemen, here is what Ideduce from my investigations.... Captain Brocq was a simple, modestfellow; a hard worker; reasonable,
temperate, serious-minded officer:a good middle-class citizen, in fact. If Captain Brocq had anirregular love affair, it was assuredly with the best intentions;Brocq, who perhaps had not been able to resist his senses, was toostraight a man to willingly entertain the idea of not regularising theunion later on. Is that your opinion, Colonel?"
Hofferman frankly replied:
"It is my opinion, Monsieur Juve. That was certainly Captain Brocq'scharacter. But I do not see what you are driving at."
"At this," replied the detective. "Captain Brocq's mistress must belooked for, not among women of the lower orders, but among those of ahigher class, who are more outwardly correct, at any rate, more womenof the world. Among those with whom Brocq was on friendly terms, wasthe family of an old diplomat of Austrian extraction, a Monsieur deNaarboveck. This de Naarboveck has a daughter: she is twenty. ThisMademoiselle Wilhelmine was terribly distressed, and in a state ofprofound grief, the day after Brocq's death. I am not going so far asto pretend that Mademoiselle de Naarboveck was Brocq's mistress; butone might easily think so."
"How do you know that Mademoiselle de Naarboveck showed grief at thedeath of Captain Brocq?"
"Through a journalist who was received in the de Naarboveck familycircle the day after the drama."
"Oh, a journalist!" protested the colonel.
Juve smiled slily.
"A journalist not like the others--it was Jerome Fandor, Colonel!...He went to de Naarboveck's to fulfill a mission entrusted to him bythose in high places. The Minister of War."...
The Under-Secretary cut the inspector short.
"We know all about that, Monsieur Juve ... besides the person whom theMinister wished to learn something about was not Monsieur deNaarboveck's daughter, but her companion--a young woman namedBerthe."...
"And nicknamed Bobinette!" finished Juve.
"What do you think of her?" asked the Under-Secretary.
Juve's reply was an indirect one.
"The more I think about it, the more I am tempted to believe thatWilhelmine de Naarboveck was Brocq's mistress--oh, in the right way,in all honour!--and that in the background, surreptitiously, a thirdperson pushed herself into their confidence was the recipient of theirsecret, and on this account she could take a good many liberties withthem. Berthe, or Bobinette, was this third person, of course!... Sheis known to have visited Brocq repeatedly.... Now, what was she doingthere--what was her object? Well, we have to get a clear idea of whathappened and draw our conclusions. Remember, Brocq left his flat ingreat haste on the afternoon of his assassination; he took a taxi atthe des Saints-Peres, and drove off in pursuit of someone.... Why, wedo not know, yet; but this someone was a woman, and I am convinced thewoman was Bobinette."
"What is Bobinette's social position?"
"Gentlemen, I wish I could define it in a single word, but it is herethat I enter the region of enigmas. Here is mystery on mystery.Without breaking the seal of professional secrecy, I may tell you thatthis woman should be known to me; I say 'should' because I still lackprecise information about her; I await this information withimpatience--I fear it also, for, gentlemen."...
Juve stopped short, got up, and began pacing the immense room. Drawingup before the Under-Secretary and Colonel Hofferman, he gazed at them.His manner was impressive.
"Gentlemen," said he, in a quiet penetrating voice, and with an air ofintense conviction: "Gentlemen, if my conjectures are correct,Bobinette is naught but a girl of low birth--of the lowest--a creaturewho will stick at nothing, who has been mixed up with a band ofcriminals, the most cunning, the most artful, the most unscrupulous,the most dangerous band of criminals in all this round world--a band Ihave, time and again, pursued, decimated, broken up, dispersed ...only to see them spring to an associated evil life again, a ceaselessrebirth of maleficent forces, forming and reforming, a malevolent,hydra-headed monster, a band, gentlemen, of incarnated evil--the bandof Fantomas!"
Juve became silent. He wiped his forehead.
The harsh voice of Colonel Hofferman broke the silence:
"Hypotheses! True to this extent, Monsieur Juve, that Brocq may verywell have had a mistress--we are all agreed about that--but, inreality, it is simply romance!"
There was a discreet knock at the door.
"What is it?" demanded the Under-Secretary. The form of an ushershowed itself in the half-opened doorway.
He entered, and, turning towards the Under-Secretary, said: "Excuseme, sir." Then, addressing Colonel Hofferman: "Captain Loreuil sendsme to tell Colonel Hofferman that he has returned, and has acommunication of extreme urgency to lay before him."
"The captain must wait!" cried Hofferman, in a harsh, authoritativetone.
But the usher, fulfilling his orders, replied:
"The captain anticipated this answer, Colonel, and told me to add thatthe communication cannot wait."
The usher withdrew. Hofferman glanced questioningly at theUnder-Secretary.
"Go to him, Colonel, and return as soon as possible."
The Under-Secretary addressed Juve:
"The Government is greatly annoyed by all these incidents, which areassuming enormous proportions.... Are you aware that rumours of warare becoming wide-spread?... Public opinion is in a most unsettledstate.... Things are bad on the Bourse, too--going from bad toworse!... Really, it is all most distressing!"
With a movement of sympathetic acquiescence, Juve said gently:
"I cannot help it, Monsieur!"
It was noon. Twelve was striking.