CHAPTER XI
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN STATIONS
On leaving Fandor, Juve walked up the Avenue Champs Elysees, refusingthe offers of various cab drivers. He felt the need of movement as anantidote to his growing worry over the affair. On arriving at the RueSaussaies, Juve sent up his card to M. Annion and requested an immediateinterview. In a few moments he was shown into M. Annion's office.
"Well, what's new? What's the result of your investigation, Juve?"
"There is nothing much to report yet. The theory of suicide is possible,although a crime may have been committed. Whether the King is involvedor not in this affair is still uncertain. It will take me a week atleast to find out."
"In other words, you know nothing yet. Well, I can tell you a few thingsyou don't know. Pass me those documents."
M. Annion looked through the papers and then continued:
"When Vicart saw you this morning he forgot to give you some of theinstructions I had charged him with.... I sent two of my men to theRoyal Palace Hotel.... Do you know what they found?"
"No, I haven't the least idea. There was nothing to learn at the RoyalPalace itself."
"On the contrary, they made an extraordinary discovery."
"What was it?"
"They discovered that the King is not the King. The individual who isposing as Frederick-Christian II is an impostor. Rather sensationalnews, isn't it?"
"So sensational that I don't believe it."
"And why not, if you please?"
Juve avoided a direct reply. He asked:
"Upon what do you place this supposed imposture?"
M. Annion took up the papers before him.
"I have the evidence here before me. But first I must tell you how oursuspicions became aroused.... This morning, after your departure, wereceived a telegram from Hesse-Weimar inquiring why Frederick-Christiandid not reply to the telegram sent him from his kingdom.... That gave mean inkling of what was going on.... I sent to the Royal Palace Hotel andthere my two detectives learned that Frederick-Christian had gained thereputation of being extremely odd, in fact, half crazy. Furthermore,that he was acting in a manner totally different from that of formeroccasions. He now scarcely moves from his room, whereas previously hespent most of his time out of doors."
M. Annion handed Juve the documents and begged him to look them overhimself. After returning them Juve realized that his best chance wouldbe to gain time.
"This is going to cause a great deal of trouble. If an impostor isreally installed in the Royal Palace Hotel we shall have to notify theChancellor and ask for the authorization to verify ... In other words, anumber of tiresome formalities will have to be complied with."
"Wait a minute, I have more surprises for you. We now have the press onour trail. All the evening papers publish articles inferring the guiltof the King.... They come out boldly accusing him of murder. Would youbelieve that at seven o'clock this evening there was a shouting, howlingmob in front of the Royal Palace? And so, my dear Juve, you had bettertake two men with you, and without delay go to the hotel and arrest theman who is passing for the King, and who is, besides, the murderer ofSusy d'Orsel."
This is what Juve feared; he determined to make every effort to preventthe arrest of Fandor.
"All this is very well, but I think you will agree with me that it is aromance, Monsieur Annion."
"May I ask why you think that?"
"Certainly, Monsieur Annion.
"You intend to arrest the false King because he is accused by the publicof murder.... If he were the real King, would you be willing to arresthim without further proof?"
"No ... naturally not ... but then he is an impostor, so that won'tworry me."
"Very good, Monsieur Annion, and now, suppose you have guessed wrong?After all, you are basing your conclusion upon a number of minordetails, upon the observation of hotel clerks. All that is notsufficient. But don't you think anyone in Paris knows the King bysight?"
"Only two persons knew him here.... The Ambassador of Hesse-Weimar, M.de Naarboveck, who has just been changed and whose successor has not asyet arrived. The other person is one of his friends, the Marquis deSerac, who happens to be away from Paris just now."
Juve smiled.
"You forget one man, Monsieur Annion, who knows the King better thaneither of these. I refer to the head of the Secret Service ofHesse-Weimar ... one of my colleagues. He is at present staying at theRoyal Palace and sees the King every day. Consequently it will bescarcely possible to deceive him."
"What is his name?" asked M. Annion.
"It's rather complicated; he calls himself Wulfenmimenglaschk, which wemay cut to Wulf for all practical purposes. What should you think of histestimony?"
M. Annion hesitated.
"Of course, if this individual knows the King ..."
"He is attached to the King's person."
"And you are sure he recognized him at the Royal Palace?"
"I'll bring him here and let him speak for himself."
"Well, I'll give you until eleven to-morrow morning to produce thisWulf ... or whatever he calls himself; if then he cannot positivelyaffirm that the King is really the King, you must arrest the impostorimmediately. If, on the other hand, he does recognize him, we must referthe matter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs."
"That is understood," replied Juve, and he took his leave.
As Juve found himself again in the Rue de Saussaies his face cloudedover.
"Twenty-four hours gained anyway, but I wonder where the devil I can gethold of this Wulf? I might catch him at the Moulin-Rouge ... Fandor senthim there."
Juve drove to the music hall and, showing his card, questioned theofficials.
"I'm looking for a fat little man, probably slightly drunk, foreignaccent, wears a brown coat, tight trousers, white spats, and isplastered all over with decorations."
"I saw him," cried one of the ushers. "I checked his overcoat andnoticed the decorations. He left some time ago."
"Confound it!" muttered Juve. "You don't know why he left so early? Theshow is only beginning."
The usher smiled.
"Well, he carried a couple of girls away with him. Probably he's in somenearby cafe."
Juve decided to spend the whole night, if necessary, to find Wulf, andbegan a systematic search through all the cafes of Montmartre.
At length, about three in the morning, he decided to give himself a restand take a drink. For this purpose he entered a small cafe at thecorner of the Rue de Douai and the Rue Victor-Masse, and ordered a beer.He put the usual question:
"You don't happen to have seen a fat little man, drunk and profuselydecorated?"
The proprietor at once grew excited.
"I should think I have seen him. He came in here asking for someoutlandish brand of cigarettes, and ended by taking the cheapest I had,then paid for them with foreign money. And when I refused to take it, hethreatened me with some King or other! Aren't we still a republic, Ishould like to know?"
Evidently, from the description, it could be no other than theperipatetic Wulf.
"Was he alone?" asked Juve.
"Oh, he brought in a little blonde with him, but when she saw his fakemoney, I guess she gave him the slip, for he turned to the right and shewent up the street in the opposite direction."
"The devil!" exclaimed Juve; "the trail is lost again."
A waiter stepped forward.
"I think he went to the Courcelles Station; he asked me where it was."
"The Courcelles Station!"
Juve stood staring in amazement. What on earth could Wulf want to gothere for?
"Have you a telephone?" he asked.
"Yes, Monsieur."
With great difficulty Juve succeeded in getting the connection.
"Hullo! Is that your Majesty?"
Fandor's voice replied, laughingly:
"Yes, it's His Majesty all right, but His Majesty doesn't like beingwakened up at night. What can I do for you, my dear
Juve?"
"Can you tell me where Wulf is?"
"How should I know? Probably with some women, he seems crazy aboutthem."
"No, he hasn't any French money."
"Hold on, Juve; I advised him to take the circular tube as the bestmethod of seeing Paris. I told him to stay on board till he reached theend of the line. Just a little joke of mine."
Fandor burst out laughing, and Juve rang off, angrily.
Once in the street, he stood a moment in doubt as to his next course. IfWulf was really taking a trip in the circular tube, he would be inprocess of going round and round Paris. How was it possible to overtakehim?
Hailing a taxi, he explained to the chauffeur:
"Look here, I want you to take me to the Courcelles Station ... there wemust find out in what direction the first train passes, either towardPorte Maillot or toward the Avenue de Clichy ..."
The man stared stupidly and Juve found it necessary to explain in a fewwords the quest he was setting out upon.
"If our man isn't on the first train that passes Courcelles, then wemust hurry over to the Bois de Boulogne Station, understand?"
* * * * *
Juve had the luck to learn from the ticket seller at Courcelles that shehad noticed Wulf, and that he had bought a first-class ticket; thislimited the search very considerably.
The first train pulled in, but Wulf was not on board.
Juve sprang into his taxi and now hurried over to the Bois de Boulogne.Here the same result met him; the next station was Auteuil, thenVaugirard, la Glaciere and Bel-Air.
It was now eight o'clock, and his appointment with M. Annion was ateleven. What was to be done?
On reaching Menilmontant Station, Juve had about decided to abandon thechase.
"I'll wait for one more train and then make some other plan," hemuttered.
By great good luck he caught sight of Wulf as it ran into the station.Rushing into the carriage, he seized his man and hauled him on to theplatform.
"What's the matter? Why are you here, Monsieur Juve? I am perfectlyamazed ..."
"Where are you going, Monsieur Wulf?"
Wulf smiled fatuously:
"I have been following his Majesty's advice, seeing Paris. What animmense city! I counted one hundred and twenty-seven stations since fiveo'clock this morning and I have crossed ten rivers! Why have you stoppedme? I wanted to go to the end of the line."
Juve bustled him into the waiting taxi.
"I'll explain as we go," he replied. "It is a question of saving theKing. He is menaced by powerful and terrible enemies."
"I am ready to die for him," exclaimed Wulf. "What must I do?"
"Oh, it's not necessary to die. All you have to do is to certify beforethe police authorities that the person you know as Frederick-Christianat the Royal Palace is actually the King."
"I don't understand in the least what you mean!"
"That doesn't matter; you have only to do as I say and all will bewell."
* * * * *
M. Annion was overcome.
Wulf, after testifying to the identity of the King, had been sent towait in an adjoining room while Juve and M. Annion had a confidentialchat.
"Well, Juve, I can't get over it. Without you, I should have made aterrible break! The King arrested! What a scandal! But, tell me, what'sto be done now? The public's calling for the murderer. I place myself inyour hands. What do you suggest?"
Juve thought a moment.
For the time being Fandor was safe, but he was still very far from beingout of the woods.
"Monsieur Annion," he replied at length, "there is just one method ofprocedure in this case. The assassination of Susy d'Orsel, the questionof this imposture, in fact all these mysterious points which have arisencannot be cleared up in Paris."
"What the devil do you mean, Juve?"
"I mean that in all probability the threads of this intrigue lead toHesse-Weimar, to the capital of the kingdom, to Glotzbourg. And, if youhave no objection, I will start for there this evening."
"Go, go," replied M. Annion; "perhaps you are right ... anyhow, don'tforget to take letters of introduction with you."
"Oh, don't worry about that. I can get all I want from my colleague."
"Your colleague?"
"Yes, from this excellent Wulf."