XVIII
FANTOMAS' VICTIM
"You understand my object, Fandor? Hitherto I have worked unaided. Iwanted to unearth Fantomas and bring him to Headquarters, saying to mysuperiors, 'For three years you have maintained this man was dead; well,here he is! I have put the darbies on the most terrible ruffian ofmodern times.' Well, I must forego my little triumph. We must now workin the open. Public opinion must come to our aid."
"Then you want me to write my article?"
"Yes, and tell all the details; wind up by putting the questionsquarely. 'Is not Fantomas still alive?' Then sum up in the affirmative.Now, be off. I want to read your article this evening in the _Capital_."
Fandor had just left his detective friend when old Jean, the onlyservant that Juve tolerated in his private quarters, entered the room.
"Don't forget the person who is waiting in the parlour, sir."
"Ah, yes, to be sure. A person who comes to see me at home, when nobodyknows my address should be interesting. Show him in, Jean."
Juve placed his revolver in reach of his hand as Jean announced: "MaitreGerin, notary."
Juve rose, motioned his visitor to a chair and inquired the object ofhis visit.
Maitre Gerin bowed respectfully to Juve.
"I must apologise," he said, "for coming to disturb you at home, sir,but it concerns a matter of such importance and it involves names soterrible that I could not utter them within the walls of the Surete.What brings me here is a crime which must be laid to Fantomas or hisheirs in crime."
Juve was strangely moved.
"Speak, sir, I am all attention."
"M. Juve, I believe that one of my clients, a woman, has been killed. Ihave had for some time a certain sympathy, and, I don't disguise it, animmense curiosity concerning her because she was actually involved inthe mysterious affairs of Fantomas."
"The name of the woman, counsel, her name, I beg of you?"
"The name of the woman who, I fear, has been murdered is--LadyBeltham!"
Juve gave a sigh of relief. It was the name he wished to hear.
Maitre Gerin continued: "I have been Lady Beltham's lawyer for a longperiod of time, but since the Fantomas case came to an end in thesentencing to death of Gurn and the subsequent scandal attached to thename of Lady Beltham, I have ceased to have any further tidings of thatunhappy woman.
"Indirectly, through the medium of the papers which at times gave outsome echo of her, I knew that she had been travelling, then, that shewas back in Paris, and had gone to live at Neuilly, Boulevard Inkermann.But I did not see her again. It is true her family matters were settled,her husband's estate entirely wound up. In short, she had no reason toappeal to me professionally."
"To be sure."
"Well, some days ago, I was greatly surprised by her visiting my office.Naturally I refrained from asking her any awkward questions."
Juve interrupted: "In Heaven's name, sir, how long ago is it since LadyBeltham called on you?"
"Nineteen days, sir."
A sigh of relief escaped Juve. He had feared all his theories regardingthe body at the Morgue the day before were going to collapse. "Go on,sir," he cried.
"Lady Beltham, on being shown into my private office, appeared to memuch the same physically as I had known her previously, but she was nolonger the great lady, cold, haughty, a trifle disdainful. She seemedcrushed under a terrible load, a prey to awful mental torture. She madeappeal to my discretion, both professionally and as a man of honour.
"She then spoke as follows: 'I am going to write a letter which, if itfell into the hands of a third person, would bring about a greatcalamity. This letter I shall intrust to you together with my Will whichwill instruct you what to do with it at my death. I will send you avisiting card with a line in my own handwriting every fortnight. If everthis card fails to come, conclude that I am dead, that they havemurdered me, and carry that letter where I tell you--Avenge me!'"
"Well, what then?" cried Juve, anxiously.
"That is all, M. Juve. I have not seen Lady Beltham again, nor had anynews of her. When I called at her residence I was told she was away. Ihave come to ask you whether you think she has been murdered."
Juve was pacing his room with great strides.
"Maitre," he said at last, "your story confirms all I have suspected.Yes, Lady Beltham is dead. She has been murdered. That letter containedher confession and revealed not only her own crimes, but those of heraccomplices, of her master--of--Fantomas. Fantomas killed her to freehimself of a witness to his evil life."
"Fantomas! But Fantomas is dead."
"So they say."
"Have you proofs of his existence?"
"I am looking for them."
"What do you think of doing?"
"I am going to make an investigation. I am going to learn where and howLady Beltham was killed. I shall see you again, Maitre. Read _TheCapital_ this evening. You will find in it many interesting surprises."