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The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin
ARSENE LUPIN
VERSUS HERLOCK SHOLMES
BY
MAURICE LEBLANC
Translated from the French
By GEORGE MOREHEAD
M.A. DONOHUE & CO.
CHICAGO
1910
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. Lottery Ticket No. 514 CHAPTER II. The Blue Diamond CHAPTER III. Herlock Sholmes Opens Hostilities CHAPTER IV. Light in the Darkness CHAPTER V. An Abduction CHAPTER VI. Second Arrest of Arsene Lupin CHAPTER VII. The Jewish Lamp CHAPTER VIII. The Shipwreck
CHAPTER I.
LOTTERY TICKET NO. 514.
On the eighth day of last December, Mon. Gerbois, professor ofmathematics at the College of Versailles, while rummaging in an oldcuriosity-shop, unearthed a small mahogany writing-desk which pleasedhim very much on account of the multiplicity of its drawers.
"Just the thing for Suzanne's birthday present," thought he. And as healways tried to furnish some simple pleasures for his daughter,consistent with his modest income, he enquired the price, and, aftersome keen bargaining, purchased it for sixty-five francs. As he wasgiving his address to the shopkeeper, a young man, dressed with eleganceand taste, who had been exploring the stock of antiques, caught sightof the writing-desk, and immediately enquired its price.
"It is sold," replied the shopkeeper.
"Ah! to this gentleman, I presume?"
Monsieur Gerbois bowed, and left the store, quite proud to be thepossessor of an article which had attracted the attention of a gentlemanof quality. But he had not taken a dozen steps in the street, when hewas overtaken by the young man who, hat in hand and in a tone of perfectcourtesy, thus addressed him:
"I beg your pardon, monsieur; I am going to ask you a question that youmay deem impertinent. It is this: Did you have any special object inview when you bought that writing-desk?"
"No, I came across it by chance and it struck my fancy."
"But you do not care for it particularly?"
"Oh! I shall keep it--that is all."
"Because it is an antique, perhaps?"
"No; because it is convenient," declared Mon. Gerbois.
"In that case, you would consent to exchange it for another desk thatwould be quite as convenient and in better condition?"
"Oh! this one is in good condition, and I see no object in making anexchange."
"But----"
Mon. Gerbois is a man of irritable disposition and hasty temper. So hereplied, testily:
"I beg of you, monsieur, do not insist."
But the young man firmly held his ground.
"I don't know how much you paid for it, monsieur, but I offer youdouble."
"No."
"Three times the amount."
"Oh! that will do," exclaimed the professor, impatiently; "I don't wishto sell it."
The young man stared at him for a moment in a manner that Mon. Gerboiswould not readily forget, then turned and walked rapidly away.
An hour later, the desk was delivered at the professor's house on theViroflay road. He called his daughter, and said:
"Here is something for you, Suzanne, provided you like it."
Suzanne was a pretty girl, with a gay and affectionate nature. She threwher arms around her father's neck and kissed him rapturously. To her,the desk had all the semblance of a royal gift. That evening, assistedby Hortense, the servant, she placed the desk in her room; then shedusted it, cleaned the drawers and pigeon-holes, and carefully arrangedwithin it her papers, writing material, correspondence, a collection ofpost-cards, and some souvenirs of her cousin Philippe that she kept insecret.
Next morning, at half past seven, Mon. Gerbois went to the college. Atten o'clock, in pursuance of her usual custom, Suzanne went to meet him,and it was a great pleasure for him to see her slender figure andchildish smile waiting for him at the college gate. They returned hometogether.
"And your writing desk--how is it this morning!"
"Marvellous! Hortense and I have polished the brass mountings until theylook like gold."
"So you are pleased with it?"
"Pleased with it! Why, I don't see how I managed to get on without itfor such a long time."
As they were walking up the pathway to the house, Mon. Gerbois said:
"Shall we go and take a look at it before breakfast?"
"Oh! yes, that's a splendid idea!"
She ascended the stairs ahead of her father, but, on arriving at thedoor of her room, she uttered a cry of surprise and dismay.
"What's the matter?" stammered Mon. Gerbois.
"The writing-desk is gone!"
* * * * *
When the police were called in, they were astonished at the admirablesimplicity of the means employed by the thief. During Suzanne's absence,the servant had gone to market, and while the house was thus leftunguarded, a drayman, wearing a badge--some of the neighbors sawit--stopped his cart in front of the house and rang twice. Not knowingthat Hortense was absent, the neighbors were not suspicious;consequently, the man carried on his work in peace and tranquility.
Apart from the desk, not a thing in the house had been disturbed. EvenSuzanne's purse, which she had left upon the writing-desk, was foundupon an adjacent table with its contents untouched. It was obvious thatthe thief had come with a set purpose, which rendered the crime evenmore mysterious; because, why did he assume so great a risk for such atrifling object?
The only clue the professor could furnish was the strange incident ofthe preceding evening. He declared:
"The young man was greatly provoked at my refusal, and I had an ideathat he threatened me as he went away."
But the clue was a vague one. The shopkeeper could not throw any lighton the affair. He did not know either of the gentlemen. As to the deskitself, he had purchased it for forty francs at an executor's sale atChevreuse, and believed he had resold it at its fair value. The policeinvestigation disclosed nothing more.
But Mon. Gerbois entertained the idea that he had suffered an enormousloss. There must have been a fortune concealed in a secret drawer, andthat was the reason the young man had resorted to crime.
"My poor father, what would we have done with that fortune?" askedSuzanne.
"My child! with such a fortune, you could make a most advantageousmarriage."
Suzanne sighed bitterly. Her aspirations soared no higher than hercousin Philippe, who was indeed a most deplorable object. And life, inthe little house at Versailles, was not so happy and contented as ofyore.
Two months passed away. Then came a succession of startling events, astrange blending of good luck and dire misfortune!
On the first day of February, at half-past five, Mon. Gerbois enteredthe house, carrying an evening paper, took a seat, put on hisspectacles, and commenced to read. As politics did not interest him, heturned to the inside of the paper. Immediately his attention wasattracted by an article entitled:
"Third Drawing of the Press Association Lottery.
"No. 514, series 23, draws a million."
The newspaper slipped from his fingers. The walls swam before his eyes,and his heart ceased to beat. He held No. 514, series 23. He hadpurchased it from a friend, to oblige him, without any thought ofsuccess, and behold, it was the lucky number!
Quickly, he took out his memorandum-book. Yes, he was quite right. TheNo. 514, series 23, was written there, on the inside of the cover. Butthe ticket?
He rushed to his desk to find the envelope-box in whic
h he had placedthe precious ticket; but the box was not there, and it suddenly occurredto him that it had not been there for several weeks. He heard footstepson the gravel walk leading from the street.
He called:
"Suzanne! Suzanne!"
She was returning from a walk. She entered hastily. He stammered, in achoking voice:
"Suzanne ... the box ... the box of envelopes?"
"What box?"
"The one I bought at the Louvre ... one Saturday ... it was at the endof that table."
"Don't you remember, father, we put all those things away together."
"When?"
"The evening ... you know ... the same evening...."
"But where?... Tell me, quick!... Where?"
"Where? Why, in the writing-desk."
"In the writing-desk that was stolen?"
"Yes."
"Oh, mon Dieu!... In the stolen desk!"
He uttered the last sentence in a low voice, in a sort of stupor. Thenhe seized her hand, and in a still lower voice, he said:
"It contained a million, my child."
"Ah! father, why didn't you tell me?" she murmured, naively.
"A million!" he repeated. "It contained the ticket that drew the grandprize in the Press Lottery."
The colossal proportions of the disaster overwhelmed them, and for along time they maintained a silence that they feared to break. At last,Suzanne said:
"But, father, they will pay you just the same."
"How? On what proof?"
"Must you have proof?"
"Of course."
"And you haven't any?"
"It was in the box."
"In the box that has disappeared."
"Yes; and now the thief will get the money."
"Oh! that would be terrible, father. You must prevent it."
For a moment he was silent; then, in an outburst of energy, he leapedup, stamped on the floor, and exclaimed:
"No, no, he shall not have that million; he shall not have it! Whyshould he have it? Ah! clever as he is, he can do nothing. If he goes toclaim the money, they will arrest him. Ah! now, we will see, my finefellow!"
"What will you do, father?"
"Defend our just rights, whatever happens! And we will succeed. Themillion francs belong to me, and I intend to have them."
A few minutes later, he sent this telegram:
"Governor Credit Foncier
"rue Capucines, Paris.
"Am holder of No. 514, series 23. Oppose by all legal means any other claimant.
"GERBOIS."
Almost at the same moment, the Credit Foncier received the followingtelegram:
"No. 514, series 23, is in my possession.
"ARSENE LUPIN."
* * * * *
Every time I undertake to relate one of the many extraordinaryadventures that mark the life of Arsene Lupin, I experience a feeling ofembarrassment, as it seems to me that the most commonplace of thoseadventures is already well known to my readers. In fact, there is not amovement of our "national thief," as he has been so aptly described,that has not been given the widest publicity, not an exploit that hasnot been studied in all its phases, not an action that has not beendiscussed with that particularity usually reserved for the recital ofheroic deeds.
For instance, who does not know the strange history of "The BlondeLady," with those curious episodes which were proclaimed by thenewspapers with heavy black headlines, as follows: "Lottery Ticket No.514!" ... "The Crime on the Avenue Henri-Martin!" ... "The BlueDiamond!" ... The interest created by the intervention of the celebratedEnglish detective, Herlock Sholmes! The excitement aroused by thevarious vicissitudes which marked the struggle between those famousartists! And what a commotion on the boulevards, the day on which thenewsboys announced: "Arrest of Arsene Lupin!"
My excuse for repeating these stories at this time is the fact that Iproduce the key to the enigma. Those adventures have always beenenveloped in a certain degree of obscurity, which I now remove. Ireproduce old newspaper articles, I relate old-time interviews, Ipresent ancient letters; but I have arranged and classified all thatmaterial and reduced it to the exact truth. My collaborators in thiswork have been Arsene Lupin himself, and also the ineffable Wilson, thefriend and confidant of Herlock Sholmes.
Every one will recall the tremendous burst of laughter which greeted thepublication of those two telegrams. The name "Arsene Lupin" was initself a stimulus to curiosity, a promise of amusement for the gallery.And, in this case, the gallery means the entire world.
An investigation was immediately commenced by the Credit Foncier, whichestablished these facts: That ticket No. 514, series 23, had been soldby the Versailles branch office of the Lottery to an artillery officernamed Bessy, who was afterward killed by a fall from his horse. Sometime before his death, he informed some of his comrades that he hadtransferred his ticket to a friend.
"And I am that friend," affirmed Mon. Gerbois.
"Prove it," replied the governor of the Credit Foncier.
"Of course I can prove it. Twenty people can tell you that I was anintimate friend of Monsieur Bessy, and that we frequently met at theCafe de la Place-d'Armes. It was there, one day, I purchased the ticketfrom him for twenty francs--simply as an accommodation to him.
"Have you any witnesses to that transaction?"
"No."
"Well, how do you expect to prove it?"
"By a letter he wrote to me."
"What letter?"
"A letter that was pinned to the ticket."
"Produce it."
"It was stolen at the same time as the ticket."
"Well, you must find it."
It was soon learned that Arsene Lupin had the letter. A short paragraphappeared in the _Echo de France_--which has the honor to be his officialorgan, and of which, it is said, he is one of the principalshareholders--the paragraph announced that Arsene Lupin had placed inthe hands of Monsieur Detinan, his advocate and legal adviser, theletter that Monsieur Bessy had written to him--to him personally.
This announcement provoked an outburst of laughter. Arsene Lupin hadengaged a lawyer! Arsene Lupin, conforming to the rules and customs ofmodern society, had appointed a legal representative in the person of awell-known member of the Parisian bar!
Mon. Detinan had never enjoyed the pleasure of meeting Arsene Lupin--afact he deeply regretted--but he had actually been retained by thatmysterious gentleman and felt greatly honored by the choice. He wasprepared to defend the interests of his client to the best of hisability. He was pleased, even proud, to exhibit the letter of Mon.Bessy, but, although it proved the transfer of the ticket, it did notmention the name of the purchaser. It was simply addressed to "My DearFriend."
"My Dear Friend! that is I," added Arsene Lupin, in a note attached toMon. Bessy's letter. "And the best proof of that fact is that I hold theletter."
The swarm of reporters immediately rushed to see Mon. Gerbois, who couldonly repeat:
"My Dear Friend! that is I.... Arsene Lupin stole the letter with thelottery ticket."
"Let him prove it!" retorted Lupin to the reporters.
"He must have done it, because he stole the writing-desk!" exclaimedMon. Gerbois before the same reporters.
"Let him prove it!" replied Lupin.
Such was the entertaining comedy enacted by the two claimants of ticketNo. 514; and the calm demeanor of Arsene Lupin contrasted strangely withthe nervous perturbation of poor Mon. Gerbois. The newspapers werefilled with the lamentations of that unhappy man. He announced hismisfortune with pathetic candor.
"Understand, gentlemen, it was Suzanne's dowry that the rascal stole!Personally, I don't care a straw for it,... but for Suzanne! Just thinkof it, a whole million! Ten times one hundred thousand francs! Ah! Iknew very well that the desk contained a treasure!"
It was in vain to tell him that his adversary, when stealing the desk,was unaware that the lottery ticket was in it, and tha
t, in any event,he could not foresee that the ticket would draw the grand prize. Hewould reply;
"Nonsense! of course, he knew it ... else why would he take the troubleto steal a poor, miserable desk?"
"For some unknown reason; but certainly not for a small scrap of paperwhich was then worth only twenty francs."
"A million francs! He knew it;... he knows everything! Ah! you do notknow him--the scoundrel!... He hasn't robbed you of a million francs!"
The controversy would have lasted for a much longer time, but, on thetwelfth day, Mon. Gerbois received from Arsene Lupin a letter, marked"confidential," which read as follows:
"Monsieur, the gallery is being amused at our expense. Do you not think it is time for us to be serious? The situation is this: I possess a ticket to which I have no legal right, and you have the legal right to a ticket you do not possess. Neither of us can do anything. You will not relinquish your rights to me; I will not deliver the ticket to you. Now, what is to be done?
"I see only one way out of the difficulty: Let us divide the spoils. A half-million for you; a half-million for me. Is not that a fair division? In my opinion, it is an equitable solution, and an immediate one. I will give you three days' time to consider the proposition. On Thursday morning I shall expect to read in the personal column of the Echo de France a discreet message addressed to _M. Ars. Lup_, expressing in veiled terms your consent to my offer. By so doing you will recover immediate possession of the ticket; then you can collect the money and send me half a million in a manner that I will describe to you later.
"In case of your refusal, I shall resort to other measures to accomplish the same result. But, apart from the very serious annoyances that such obstinacy on your part will cause you, it will cost you twenty-five thousand francs for supplementary expenses.
"Believe me, monsieur, I remain your devoted servant, ARSENE LUPIN."
In a fit of exasperation Mon. Gerbois committed the grave mistake ofshowing that letter and allowing a copy of it to be taken. Hisindignation overcame his discretion.
"Nothing! He shall have nothing!" he exclaimed, before a crowd ofreporters. "To divide my property with him? Never! Let him tear up theticket if he wishes!"
"Yet five hundred thousand francs is better than nothing."
"That is not the question. It is a question of my just right, and thatright I will establish before the courts."
"What! attack Arsene Lupin? That would be amusing."
"No; but the Credit Foncier. They must pay me the million francs."
"Without producing the ticket, or, at least, without proving that youbought it?"
"That proof exists, since Arsene Lupin admits that he stole thewriting-desk."
"But would the word of Arsene Lupin carry any weight with the court?"
"No matter; I will fight it out."
The gallery shouted with glee; and wagers were freely made upon theresult with the odds in favor of Lupin. On the following Thursday thepersonal column in the _Echo de France_ was eagerly perused by theexpectant public, but it contained nothing addressed to _M. Ars. Lup_.Mon. Gerbois had not replied to Arsene Lupin's letter. That was thedeclaration of war.
That evening the newspapers announced the abduction of Mlle. SuzanneGerbois.
* * * * *
The most entertaining feature in what might be called the Arsene Lupindramas is the comic attitude displayed by the Parisian police. ArseneLupin talks, plans, writes, commands, threatens and executes as if thepolice did not exist. They never figure in his calculations.
And yet the police do their utmost. But what can they do against such afoe--a foe that scorns and ignores them?
Suzanne had left the house at twenty minutes to ten; such was thetestimony of the servant. On leaving the college, at five minutes pastten, her father did not find her at the place she was accustomed to waitfor him. Consequently, whatever had happened must have occurred duringthe course of Suzanne's walk from the house to the college. Twoneighbors had met her about three hundred yards from the house. A ladyhad seen, on the avenue, a young girl corresponding to Suzanne'sdescription. No one else had seen her.
Inquiries were made in all directions; the employees of the railways andstreet-car lines were questioned, but none of them had seen anything ofthe missing girl. However, at Ville-d'Avray, they found a shopkeeper whohad furnished gasoline to an automobile that had come from Paris on theday of the abduction. It was occupied by a blonde woman--extremelyblonde, said the witness. An hour later, the automobile again passedthrough Ville-d'Avray on its way from Versailles to Paris. Theshopkeeper declared that the automobile now contained a second womanwho was heavily veiled. No doubt, it was Suzanne Gerbois.
The abduction must have taken place in broad daylight, on a frequentedstreet, in the very heart of the town. How? And at what spot? Not a crywas heard; not a suspicious action had been seen. The shopkeeperdescribed the automobile as a royal-blue limousine of twenty-fourhorse-power made by the firm of Peugeon & Co. Inquiries were then madeat the Grand-Garage, managed by Madame Bob-Walthour, who made aspecialty of abductions by automobile. It was learned that she hadrented a Peugeon limousine on that day to a blonde woman whom she hadnever seen before nor since.
"Who was the chauffeur?"
"A young man named Ernest, whom I had engaged only the day before. Hecame well recommended."
"Is he here now?"
"No. He brought back the machine, but I haven't seen him since," saidMadame Bob-Walthour.
"Do you know where we can find him?"
"You might see the people who recommended him to me. Here are thenames."
Upon inquiry, it was learned that none of these people knew the mancalled Ernest. The recommendations were forged.
Such was the fate of every clue followed by the police. It endednowhere. The mystery remained unsolved.
Mon. Gerbois had not the strength or courage to wage such an unequalbattle. The disappearance of his daughter crushed him;, he capitulatedto the enemy. A short an announcement in the _Echo de France_ proclaimedhis unconditional surrender.
Two days later, Mon. Gerbois visited the office of the Credit Foncierand handed lottery ticket number 514, series 23, to the governor, whoexclaimed, with surprise:
"Ah! you have it! He has returned it to you!"
"It was mislaid. That was all," replied Mon. Gerbois.
"But you pretended that it had been stolen."
"At first, I thought it had ... but here it is."
"We will require some evidence to establish your right to the ticket."
"Will the letter of the purchaser, Monsieur Bessy, be sufficient!"
"Yes, that will do."
"Here it is," said Mon. Gerbois, producing the letter.
"Very well. Leave these papers with us. The rules of the lottery allowus fifteen days' time to investigate your claim. I will let you knowwhen to call for your money. I presume you desire, as much as I do, thatthis affair should be closed without further publicity."
"Quite so."
Mon. Gerbois and the governor henceforth maintained a discreet silence.But the secret was revealed in some way, for it was soon commonly knownthat Arsene Lupin had returned the lottery ticket to Mon. Gerbois. Thepublic received the news with astonishment and admiration. Certainly, hewas a bold gamester who thus threw upon the table a trump card of suchimportance as the precious ticket. But, it was true, he still retained atrump card of equal importance. However, if the young girl shouldescape? If the hostage held by Arsene Lupin should be rescued?
The police thought they had discovered the weak spot of the enemy, andnow redoubled their efforts. Arsene Lupin disarmed by his own act,crushed by the wheels of his own machination, deprived of every sou ofthe coveted million ... public interest now centered in the camp of hisadversary.
But it was necessary to find Suzanne. And they did not find her, nor didshe escape. Consequently, it m
ust be admitted, Arsene Lupin had won thefirst hand. But the game was not yet decided. The most difficult pointremained. Mlle. Gerbois is in his possession, and he will hold her untilhe receives five hundred thousand francs. But how and where will such anexchange be made? For that purpose, a meeting must be arranged, and thenwhat will prevent Mon. Gerbois from warning the police and, in that way,effecting the rescue of his daughter and, at the same time, keeping hismoney? The professor was interviewed, but he was extremely reticent. Hisanswer was:
"I have nothing to say."
"And Mlle. Gerbois?"
"The search is being continued."
"But Arsene Lupin has written to you?"
"No."
"Do you swear to that?"
"No."
"Then it is true. What are his instructions?"
"I have nothing to say."
Then the interviewers attacked Mon. Detinan, and found him equallydiscreet.
"Monsieur Lupin is my client, and I cannot discuss his affairs," hereplied, with an affected air of gravity.
These mysteries served to irritate the gallery. Obviously, some secretnegotiations were in progress. Arsene Lupin had arranged and tightenedthe meshes of his net, while the police maintained a close watch, dayand night, over Mon. Gerbois. And the three and only possibledenouements--the arrest, the triumph, or the ridiculous and pitifulabortion--were freely discussed; but the curiosity of the public wasonly partially satisfied, and it was reserved for these pages to revealthe exact truth of the affair.
* * * * *
On Monday, March 12th, Mon. Gerbois received a notice from the CreditFoncier. On Wednesday, he took the one o'clock train for Paris. At twoo'clock, a thousand bank-notes of one thousand francs each weredelivered to him. Whilst he was counting them, one by one, in a state ofnervous agitation--that money, which represented Suzanne's ransom--acarriage containing two men stopped at the curb a short distance fromthe bank. One of the men had grey hair and an unusually shrewdexpression which formed a striking contrast to his shabby make-up. Itwas Detective Ganimard, the relentless enemy of Arsene Lupin. Ganimardsaid to his companion, Folenfant:
"In five minutes, we will see our clever friend Lupin. Is everythingready?"
"Yes."
"How many men have we?"
"Eight--two of them on bicycles."
"Enough, but not too many. On no account, must Gerbois escape us; if hedoes, it is all up. He will meet Lupin at the appointed place, give halfa million in exchange for the girl, and the game will be over."
"But why doesn't Gerbois work with us? That would be the better way, andhe could keep all the money himself."
"Yes, but he is afraid that if he deceives the other, he will not gethis daughter."
"What other?"
"Lupin."
Ganimard pronounced the word in a solemn tone, somewhat timidly, as ifhe were speaking of some supernatural creature whose claws he alreadyfelt.
"It is very strange," remarked Folenfant, judiciously, "that we areobliged to protect this gentleman contrary to his own wishes."
"Yes, but Lupin always turns the world upside down," said Ganimard,mournfully.
A moment later, Mon. Gerbois appeared, and started up the street. At theend of the rue des Capucines, he turned into the boulevards, walkingslowly, and stopping frequently to gaze at the shop-windows.
"Much too calm, too self-possessed," said Ganimard. "A man with amillion in his pocket would not have that air of tranquillity."
"What is he doing?"
"Oh! nothing, evidently.... But I have a suspicion that it isLupin--yes, Lupin!"
At that moment, Mon. Gerbois stopped at a news-stand, purchased a paper,unfolded it and commenced to read it as he walked slowly away. A momentlater, he gave a sudden bound into an automobile that was standing atthe curb. Apparently, the machine had been waiting for him, as itstarted away rapidly, turned at the Madeleine and disappeared.
"Nom de nom!" cried Ganimard, "that's one of his old tricks!"
Ganimard hastened after the automobile around the Madeleine. Then, heburst into laughter. At the entrance to the Boulevard Malesherbes, theautomobile had stopped and Mon. Gerbois had alighted.
"Quick, Folenfant, the chauffeur! It may be the man Ernest."
Folenfant interviewed the chauffeur. His name was Gaston; he was anemployee of the automobile cab company; ten minutes ago, a gentleman hadengaged him and told him to wait near the news-stand for anothergentleman.
"And the second man--what address did he give?" asked Folenfant.
"No address. 'Boulevard Malesherbes ... avenue de Messine ... doublepourboire.' That is all."
But, during this time, Mon. Gerbois had leaped into the first passingcarriage.
"To the Concorde station, Metropolitan," he said to the driver.
He left the underground at the Place du Palais-Royal, ran to anothercarriage and ordered it to go to the Place de la Bourse. Then a secondjourney by the underground to the Avenue de Villiers, followed by athird carriage drive to number 25 rue Clapeyron.
Number 25 rue Clapeyron is separated from the Boulevard des Batignollesby the house which occupies the angle formed by the two streets. Heascended to the first floor and rang. A gentleman opened the door.
"Does Monsieur Detinan live here?"
"Yes, that is my name. Are you Monsieur Gerbois?"
"Yes."
"I was expecting you. Step in."
As Mon. Gerbois entered the lawyer's office, the clock struck three. Hesaid:
"I am prompt to the minute. Is he here?"
"Not yet."
Mon. Gerbois took a seat, wiped his forehead, looked at his watch as ifhe did not know the time, and inquired, anxiously:
"Will he come?"
"Well, monsieur," replied the lawyer, "that I do not know, but I amquite as anxious and impatient as you are to find out. If he comes, hewill run a great risk, as this house has been closely watched for thelast two weeks. They distrust me."
"They suspect me, too. I am not sure whether the detectives lost sightof me or not on my way here."
"But you were--"
"It wouldn't be my fault," cried the professor, quickly. "You cannotreproach me. I promised to obey his orders, and I followed them to thevery letter. I drew the money at the time fixed by him, and I came herein the manner directed by him. I have faithfully performed my part ofthe agreement--let him do his!"
After a short silence, he asked, anxiously:
"He will bring my daughter, won't he?"
"I expect so."
"But ... you have seen him?"
"I? No, not yet. He made the appointment by letter, saying both of youwould be here, and asking me to dismiss my servants before three o'clockand admit no one while you were here. If I would not consent to thatarrangement, I was to notify him by a few words in _the Echo de France_.But I am only too happy to oblige Mon. Lupin, and so I consented."
"Ah! how will this end?" moaned Mon. Gerbois.
He took the bank-notes from his pocket, placed them on the table anddivided them into two equal parts. Then the two men sat there insilence. From time to time, Mon. Gerbois would listen. Did someonering?... His nervousness increased every minute, and Monsieur Detinanalso displayed considerable anxiety. At last, the lawyer lost hispatience. He rose abruptly, and said:
"He will not come.... We shouldn't expect it. It would be folly on hispart. He would run too great a risk."
And Mon. Gerbois, despondent, his hands resting on the bank-notes,stammered:
"Oh! Mon Dieu! I hope he will come. I would give the whole of that moneyto see my daughter again."
The door opened.
"Half of it will be sufficient, Monsieur Gerbois."
These words were spoken by a well-dressed young man who now entered theroom and was immediately recognized by Mon. Gerbois as the person whohad wished to buy the desk from him at Versailles. He rushed toward him.
"Where is my daughter--my Suzanne?"
; Arsene Lupin carefully closed the door, and, while slowly removing hisgloves, said to the lawyer:
"My dear maitre, I am indebted to you very much for your kindness inconsenting to defend my interests. I shall not forget it."
Mon. Detinan murmured:
"But you did not ring. I did not hear the door--"
"Doors and bells are things that should work without being heard. I amhere, and that is the important point."
"My daughter! Suzanne! Where is she!" repeated the professor.
"Mon Dieu, monsieur," said Lupin, "what's your hurry? Your daughter willbe here in a moment."
Lupin walked to and fro for a minute, then, with the pompous air of anorator, he said:
"Monsieur Gerbois, I congratulate you on the clever way in which youmade the journey to this place."
Then, perceiving the two piles of bank-notes, he exclaimed:
"Ah! I see! the million is here. We will not lose any time. Permit me."
"One moment," said the lawyer, placing himself before the table. "Mlle.Gerbois has not yet arrived."
"Well?"
"Is not her presence indispensable?"
"I understand! I understand! Arsene Lupin inspires only a limitedconfidence. He might pocket the half-million and not restore thehostage. Ah! monsieur, people do not understand me. Because I have beenobliged, by force of circumstances, to commit certain actions a little... out of the ordinary, my good faith is impugned ... I, who havealways observed the utmost scrupulosity and delicacy in businessaffairs. Besides, my dear monsieur if you have any fear, open the windowand call. There are at least a dozen detectives in the street."
"Do you think so?"
Arsene Lupin raised the curtain.
"I think that Monsieur Gerbois could not throw Ganimard off thescent.... What did I tell you? There he is now."
"Is it possible!" exclaimed the professor. "But I swear to you--"
"That you have not betrayed me?... I do not doubt you, but those fellowsare clever--sometimes. Ah! I can see Folenfant, and Greaume, andDieuzy--all good friends of mine!"
Mon. Detinan looked at Lupin in amazement. What assurance! He laughed asmerrily as if engaged in some childish sport, as if no danger threatenedhim. This unconcern reassured the lawyer more than the presence of thedetectives. He left the table on which the bank-notes were lying. ArseneLupin picked up one pile of bills after the other, took from each ofthem twenty-five bank-notes which he offered to Mon. Detinan, saying:
"The reward of your services to Monsieur Gerbois and Arsene Lupin. Youwell deserve it."
"You owe me nothing," replied the lawyer.
"What! After all the trouble we have caused you!"
"And all the pleasure you have given me!"
"That means, my dear monsieur, that you do not wish to accept anythingfrom Arsene Lupin. See what it is to have a bad reputation."
He then offered the fifty thousand francs to Mon. Gerbois, saying:
"Monsieur, in memory of our pleasant interview, permit me to return youthis as a wedding-gift to Mlle. Gerbois."
Mon. Gerbois took the money, but said:
"My daughter will not marry."
"She will not marry if you refuse your consent; but she wishes tomarry."
"What do you know about it!"
"I know that young girls often dream of such things unknown to theirparents. Fortunately, there are sometimes good genii like Arsene Lupinwho discover their little secrets in the drawers of their writingdesks."
"Did you find anything else?" asked the lawyer. "I confess I am curiousto know why you took so much trouble to get possession of that desk."
"On account of its historic interest, my friend. Although despite theopinion of Monsieur Gerbois, the desk contained no treasure except thelottery ticket--and that was unknown to me--I had been seeking it for along time. That writing-desk of yew and mahogany was discovered in thelittle house in which Marie Walewska once lived in Boulogne, and, on oneof the drawers there is this inscription: '_Dedicated to Napoleon I,Emperor of the French, by his very faithful servant, Mancion_.' Andabove it, these words, engraved with the point of a knife: 'To you,Marie.' Afterwards, Napoleon had a similar desk made for the EmpressJosephine; so that the secretary that was so much admired at theMalmaison was only an imperfect copy of the one that will henceforthform part of my collection."
"Ah! if I had known, when in the shop, I would gladly have given it upto you," said the professor.
Arsene Lupin smiled, as he replied:
"And you would have had the advantage of keeping for your own uselottery ticket number 514."
"And you would not have found it necessary to abduct my daughter."
"Abduct your daughter?"
"Yes."
"My dear monsieur, you are mistaken. Mlle. Gerbois was not abducted."
"No?"
"Certainly not. Abduction means force or violence. And I assure you thatshe served as hostage of her own free will."
"Of her own free will!" repeated Mon. Gerbois, in amazement.
"In fact, she almost asked to be taken. Why, do you suppose that anintelligent young girl like Mlle. Gerbois, and who, moreover, nourishesan unacknowledged passion, would hesitate to do what was necessary tosecure her dowry. Ah! I swear to you it was not difficult to make herunderstand that it was the only way to overcome your obstinacy."
Mon. Detinan was greatly amused. He replied to Lupin:
"But I should think it was more difficult to get her to listen to you.How did you approach her?"
"Oh! I didn't approach her myself. I have not the honor of heracquaintance. A friend of mine, a lady, carried on the negotiations."
"The blonde woman in the automobile, no doubt."
"Precisely. All arrangements were made at the first interview near thecollege. Since then, Mlle. Gerbois and her new friend have beentravelling in Belgium and Holland in a manner that should prove mostpleasing and instructive to a young girl. She will tell you all about itherself--"
The bell of the vestibule door rang, three rings in quick succession,followed by two isolated rings.
"It is she," said Lupin. "Monsieur Detinan, if you will be so kind--"
The lawyer hastened to the door.
Two young women entered. One of them threw herself into the arms of Mon.Gerbois. The other approached Lupin. The latter was a tall woman of agood figure, very pale complexion, and with blond hair, parted over herforehead in undulating waves, that glistened and shone like the settingsun. She was dressed in black, with no display of jewelled ornaments;but, on the contrary, her appearance indicated good taste and refinedelegance. Arsene Lupin spoke a few words to her; then, bowing to Mlle.Gerbois, he said:
"I owe you an apology, mademoiselle, for all your troubles, but I hopeyou have not been too unhappy--"
"Unhappy! Why, I should have been very happy, indeed, if it hadn't beenfor leaving my poor father."
"Then all is for the best. Kiss him again, and take advantage of theopportunity--it is an excellent one--to speak to him about your cousin."
"My cousin! What do you mean? I don't understand."
"Of course, you understand. Your cousin Philippe. The young man whoseletters you kept so carefully."
Suzanne blushed; but, following Lupin's advice, she again threw herselfinto her father's arms. Lupin gazed upon them with a tender look.
"Ah! Such is my reward for a virtuous act! What a touching picture! Ahappy father and a happy daughter! And to know that their joy is yourwork, Lupin! Hereafter these people will bless you, and reverentlytransmit your name unto their descendants, even unto the fourthgeneration. What a glorious reward, Lupin, for one act of kindness!"
He walked to the window.
"Is dear old Ganimard still waiting?... He would like very much to bepresent at this charming domestic scene!... Ah! he is not there.... Norany of the others.... I don't see anyone. The deuce! The situation isbecoming serious. I dare say they are already under the porte-cochere... talking to the concierge, perhaps ... or, even
, ascending thestairs!"
Mon. Gerbois made a sudden movement. Now, that his daughter had beenrestored to him, he saw the situation in a different light. To him, thearrest of his adversary meant half-a-million francs. Instinctively, hemade a step forward. As if by chance, Lupin stood in his way.
"Where are you going, Monsieur Gerbois! To defend me against them! Thatis very kind of you, but I assure you it is not necessary. They are moreworried than I."
Then he continued to speak, with calm deliberation:
"But, really, what do they know! That you are here, and, perhaps, thatMlle. Gerbois is here, for they may have seen her arrive with an unknownlady. But they do not imagine that I am here. How is it possible that Icould be in a house that they ran-sacked from cellar to garret thismorning! They suppose that the unknown lady was sent by me to make theexchange, and they will be ready to arrest her when she goes out--"
At that moment, the bell rang. With a brusque movement, Lupin seizedMon. Gerbois, and said to him, in an imperious tone:
"Do not move! Remember your daughter, and be prudent--otherwise--As toyou, Monsieur Detinan, I have your promise."
Mon. Gerbois was rooted to the spot. The lawyer did not stir. Withoutthe least sign of haste, Lupin picked up his hat and brushed the dustfrom off it with his sleeve.
"My dear Monsieur Detinan, if I can ever be of service to you.... Mybest wishes, Mademoiselle Suzanne, and my kind regards to MonsieurPhilippe."
He drew a heavy gold watch from his pocket.
"Monsieur Gerbois, it is now forty-two minutes past three. At forty-sixminutes past three, I give you permission to leave this room. Not oneminute sooner than forty-six minutes past three."
"But they will force an entrance," suggested Mon. Detinan.
"You forget the law, my dear monsieur! Ganimard would never venture toviolate the privacy of a French citizen. But, pardon me, time flies, andyou are all slightly nervous."
He placed his watch on the table, opened the door of the room andaddressing the blonde lady he said:
"Are you ready my dear?"
He drew back to let her pass, bowed respectfully to Mlle. Gerbois, andwent out, closing the door behind him. Then they heard him in thevestibule, speaking, in a loud voice: "Good-day, Ganimard, how goes it?Remember me to Madame Ganimard. One of these days, I shall invite her tobreakfast. Au revoir, Ganimard."
The bell rang violently, followed by repeated rings, and voices on thelanding.
"Forty-five minutes," muttered Mon. Gerbois.
After a few seconds, he left the room and stepped into the vestibule.Arsene Lupin and the blonde lady had gone.
"Papa!... you mustn't! Wait!" cried Suzanne.
"Wait! you are foolish!... No quarter for that rascal!... And thehalf-million?"
He opened the outer door. Ganimard rushed in.
"That woman--where is she? And Lupin?"
"He was here ... he is here."
Ganimard uttered a cry of triumph.
"We have him. The house is surrounded."
"But the servant's stairway?" suggested Mon. Detinan.
"It leads to the court," said Ganimard. "There is only one exit--thestreet-door. Ten men are guarding it."
"But he didn't come in by the street-door, and he will not go out thatway."
"What way, then?" asked Ganimard. "Through the air?"
He drew aside a curtain and exposed a long corridor leading to thekitchen. Ganimard ran along it and tried the door of the servants'stairway. It was locked. From the window he called to one of hisassistants:
"Seen anyone?"
"No."
"Then they are still in the house!" he exclaimed. "They are hiding inone of the rooms! They cannot have escaped. Ah! Lupin, you fooled mebefore, but, this time, I get my revenge."
* * * * *
At seven o'clock in the evening, Mon. Dudonis, chief of the detectiveservice, astonished at not receiving any news, visited the rueClapeyron. He questioned the detectives who were guarding the house,then ascended to Mon. Detinan's apartment. The lawyer led him into hisroom. There, Mon. Dudonis beheld a man, or rather two legs kicking inthe air, while the body to which they belonged was hidden in the depthsof the chimney.
"Ohe!... Ohe!" gasped a stifled voice. And a more distant voice, from onhigh, replied:
"Ohe!... Ohe!"
Mon. Dudonis laughed, and exclaimed:
"Here! Ganimard, have you turned chimney-sweep?"
The detective crawled out of the chimney. With his blackened face, hissooty clothes, and his feverish eyes, he was quite unrecognizable.
"I am looking for _him_," he growled.
"Who?"
"Arsene Lupin ... and his friend."
"Well, do you suppose they are hiding in the chimney?"
Ganimard arose, laid his sooty hand on the sleeve of his superiorofficer's coat, and exclaimed, angrily:
"Where do you think they are, chief? They must be somewhere! They areflesh and blood like you and me, and can't fade away like smoke."
"No, but they have faded away just the same."
"But how? How? The house is surrounded by our men--even on the roof."
"What about the adjoining house?"
"There's no communication with it."
"And the apartments on the other floors?"
"I know all the tenants. They have not seen anyone."
"Are you sure you know all of them?"
"Yes. The concierge answers for them. Besides, as an extra precaution, Ihave placed a man in each apartment. They can't escape. If I don't getthem to-night, I will get them to-morrow. I shall sleep here."
He slept there that night and the two following nights. Three days andnights passed away without the discovery of the irrepressible Lupin orhis female companion; more than that, Ganimard did not unearth theslightest clue on which to base a theory to explain their escape. Forthat reason, he adhered to his first opinion.
"There is no trace of their escape; therefore, they are here."
It may be that, at the bottom of his heart, his conviction was lessfirmly established, but he would not confess it. No, a thousand times,no! A man and a woman could not vanish like the evil spirits in a fairytale. And, without losing his courage, he continued his searches, as ifhe expected to find the fugitives concealed in some impenetrableretreat, or embodied in the stone walls of the house.