the crystal stopper-第18部分

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；　that　you　would　follow　Daubrecq　that　evening。〃

〃And　the　woman　who　came　here；　late　one　afternoon　。。。　〃

〃Was　myself。　　I　felt　disheartened　and　wanted　to　see　you。〃

〃And　you　intercepted　Gilbert's　letter？〃

〃Yes；　I　recognized　his　writing　on　the　envelope。〃

〃But　your　little　Jacques　was　not　with　you？〃

〃No；　he　was　outside；　in　a　motor…car；　with　the　Masher；　who　lifted　him　up　to　me　through　the　drawing…room　window；　and　he　slipped　into　your　bedroom　through　the　opening　in　the　panel。〃

〃What　was　in　the　letter？〃

〃As　ill…luck　would　have　it；　reproaches。　　Gilbert　accused　you　of　forsaking　him；　of　taking　over　the　business　on　your　own　account。　　In　short；　it　confirmed　me　in　my　distrust；　and　I　ran　away。〃

Lupin　shrugged　his　shoulders　with　irritation：

〃What　a　shocking　waste　of　time！　　And　what　a　fatality　that　we　were　not　able　to　come　to　an　understanding　earlier！　　You　and　I　have　been　playing　at　hide…and…seek；　laying　absurd　traps　for　each　other；　while　the　days　were　passing；　precious　days　beyond　repair。〃

〃You　see；　you　see；〃　she　said；　shivering；　〃you　too　are　afraid　of　the　future！〃

〃No；　I　am　not　afraid；〃　cried　Lupin。　　〃But　I　am　thinking　of　all　the　useful　work　that　we　could　have　done　by　this　time；　if　we　had　united　our　efforts。　I　am　thinldng　of　all　the　mistakes　and　all　the　acts　of　imprudence　which　we　should　have　been　saved；　if　we　had　been　working　together。　　I　am　thinking　that　your　attempt　to…night　to　search　the　clothes　which　Daubrecq　was　wearing　was　as　vain　as　the　others　and　that；　at　this　moment；　thanks　to　our　foolish　duel；　thanks　to　the　din　which　we　raised　in　his　house；　Daubrecq　is　warned　and　will　be　more　on　his　guard　than　ever。〃

Clarisse　Mergy　shook　her　head：

〃No；　no；　I　don't　think　that；　the　noise　will　not　have　roused　him；　for　we　postponed　the　attempt　for　twenty…four　hours　so　that　the　portress　might　put　a　narcotic　in　his　wine。〃　　And　she　added；　slowly；　〃And　then；　you　see；　nothing　can　make　Daubrecq　be　more　on　his　guard　than　he　is　already。　　His　life　is　nothing　but　one　mass　of　precautions　against　danger。　　He　leaves　nothing　to　chance。。。　　Besides；　has　he　not　all　the　trumps　in　his　hand？〃

Lupin　went　up　to　her　and　asked：

〃What　do　you　mean　to　convey？　　According　to　you；　is　there　nothing　to　hope　for　on　that　side？　　Is　there　not　a　single　means　of　attaining　our　end？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　murmured；　〃there　is　one；　one　only。。。　〃

He　noticed　her　pallor　before　she　had　time　to　hide　her　face　between　her　hands　again。　　And　again　a　feverish　shiver　shook　her　frame。

He　seemed　to　understand　the　reason　of　her　dismay；　and；　bending　toward　her；　touched　by　her　grief：

〃Please；〃　he　said；　〃please　answer　me　openly　and　frankly。　　It's　for　Gilbert's　sake；　is　it　not？　　Though　the　police；　fortunately；　have　not　been　able　to　solve　the　riddle　of　his　past；　though　the　real　name　of　Vaucheray's　accomplice　has　not　Leaked　out；　there　is　one　man；　at　least；　who　knows　it：　isn't　that　so？　　Daubrecq　has　recognized　your　son　Antoine；　through　the　alias　of　Gilbert；　has　he　not？〃

〃Yes；yes。。。　〃

〃And　he　promises　to　save　him；　doesn't　he？　　He　offers　you　his　freedom；　his　release；　his　escape；　his　life：　that　was　what　he　offered　you；　was　it　not；　on　the　night　in　his　study；　when　you　tried　to　stab　him？〃

〃Yes　。。。　yes。。。　that　was　it。。。　〃

〃And　he　makes　one　condition；　does　he　not？　　An　abominable　condition；　such　as　would　suggest　itself　to　a　wretch　like　that？　　I　am　right；　am　I　not？〃

Clarisse　did　not　reply。　　She　seemed　exhausted　by　her　protracted　struggle　with　a　man　who　was　gaining　ground　daily　and　against　whom　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　fight。　　Lupin　saw　in　her　the　prey　conquered　in　advance；　delivered　to　the　victor's　whim。　　Clansse　Mergy；　the　loving　wife　of　that　Mergy　whom　Daubrecq　had　really　murdered；　the　terrified　mother　of　that　Gilbert　whom　Daubrecq　had　led　astray；　Clarisse　Mergy；　to　save　her　son　from　the　scaffold；　must；　come　what　may　and　however　ignominious　the　position；　yield　to　Daubrecq's　wishes。　　She　would　be　the　mistress；　the　wife；　the　obedient　slave　of　Daubrecq；　of　that　monster　with　the　appearance　and　the　ways　of　a　wild　beast；　that　unspeakable　person　of　whom　Lupin　could　not　think　without　revulsion　and　disgust。

Sitting　down　beside　her；　gently；　with　gestures　of　pity；　he　made　her　lift　her　head　and；　with　his　eyes　on　hers；　said：

〃Listen　to　me。　　I　swear　that　I　will　save　your　son：　I　swear　it。。。　　Your　son　shall　not　die；　do　you　understand？。。。　　There　is　not　a　power　on　earth　that　can　allow　your　son's　head　to　be　touched　as　long　as　I　am　alive。〃

〃I　believe　you。。。　I　trust　your　word。〃

〃Do。　　It　is　the　word　of　a　man　who　does　not　know　defeat。　　I　shall　succeed。　Only；　I　entreat　you　to　make　me　an　irrevocable　promise。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃You　must　not　see　Daubrecq　again。〃

〃I　swear　it。〃

〃You　must　put　from　your　mind　any　idea；　any　fear；　however　obscure；　of　an　understanding　between　yourself　and　him。。。　of　any　sort　of　bargain。。。　〃

〃I　swear　it。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　an　expression　of　absolute　security　and　reliance；　and　he；　under　her　gaze；　felt　the　joy　of　devotion　and　an　ardent　longing　to　restore　that　woman's　happiness；　or；　at　least；　to　give　her　the　peace　and　oblivion　that　heal　the　worst　wounds：

〃Come；〃　he　said；　in　a　cheerful　tone；　rising　from　his　chair；　〃all　will　yet　be　well。　　We　have　two　months；　three　months　before　us。　　It　is　more　than　I　need。。。　on　condition；　of　course；　that　I　am　unhampered　in　my　movements。　　And；　for　that；　you　will　have　to　withdraw　from　the　contest；　you　know。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；　you　must　disappear　for　a　time；　go　and　live　in　the　country。　　Have　you　no　pity　for　your　little　Jacques？　　This　sort　of　thing　would　end　by　shattering　the　poor　little　man's　nerves。。。　　And　he　has　certainly　earned　his　rest；　haven't　you；　Hercules？

The　next　day　Clarisse　Mergy；　who　was　nearly　breaking　down　under　the　strain　of　events　and　who　herself　needed　repose；　lest　she　should　fall　seriously　ill；　went；　with　her　son；　to　hoard　with　a　friend　who　had　a　house　on　the　skirt　of　the　Forest　of　Saint…Germain。　　She　felt　very　weak；　her　brain　was　haunted　by　visions　and　her　nerves　were　upset　by　troubles　which　the　least　excitement　aggravated。　　She　lived　there　for　some　days　in　a　state　of　physical　and　mental　inertia；　thinking　of　nothing　and　forbidden　to　see　the　papers。

One　afternoon；　while　Lupin；　changing　his　tactics；　was　working　out　a　scheme　for　kidnapping　and　confining　Daubrecq；　while　the　Growler　and　the　Masher；　whom　he　had　promised　to　forgive　if　he　succeeded；　were　watching　the　enemy's　movements；　while　the　newspapers　were　announcing　the　forthcoming　trial　for　murder　of　Arsene　Lupin's　two　accomplices；　one　afternoon；　at　four　o'clock；　the　telephone…bell　rang　suddenly　in　the　flat　in　the　Rue　Chateaubriand。

Lupin　took　down　the　receiver：

〃Hullo！〃

A　woman's　voice；　a　breathless　voice；　said：

〃M。　Michel　Beaumont？〃

〃You　are　speaking　to　him；　madame。　　To　whom　have　Ithe　honour。。。　〃　　　〃Quick；　monsieur；　come　at　once；　Madame　Mergy　has　taken　poison。〃

Lupin　did　not　wait　to　hear　detai1s。　　He　rushed　out；　sprang　into　his　motor…car　and　drove　to　Saint…Germain。

Clarisse's　friend　was　waiting　for　him　at　the　door　of　the　bedroom。

〃Dead？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃she　did　not　take　sufficient。　　The　doctor　has　just　gone。　　He　says　she　will　get　over　it。〃

〃And　why　did　she　make　the　attempt？〃

〃Her　son　Jacques　has　disappeared。〃

〃Carried　off？〃

〃Yes；　he　was　playing　just　inside　the　forest。　　A　motor…car　was　seen　pulling　up。　　Then　there　were　screams。　　Clarisse　tried　to　run；　but　her　strength　failed　and　she　fell　to　the　ground；　moaning；　'It's　he。。。　it's　that　man。。。　all　is　lost！'　　She　looked　like　a　madwoman。

Suddenly；　she　put　a　little　bottle　to　her　lips　and　swallowed　the　contents。〃

〃What　happened　next？〃

〃My　husband　and　I　carried　her　to　her　room。　　She　was　in　great　pain。〃

〃How　did　you　know　my　address；　my　name？〃

〃From　herself；　while　the　doctor　was　attending　to　her。　　Then　I　telephoned　to　you。〃

〃Has　any　one　else　been　told？〃

〃No；　nobody。　　I　know　that　Clarisse　has　had　terrible　things　to　bear。。。　　and　that　she　prefers　not　to　be　talked　about。〃

〃Can　I　see　her？〃

〃She　is　asleep　just　now。　　And　the　doctor　has　forbidden　all　excitement。〃

〃Is　the　doctor　anxious　about　her？〃

〃He　is　afraid　of　a　fit　of　fever；　any　nervous　strain；　an　attack　of　some　kind　which　might　cause　her　to　make　a　fresh　attempt　on　her　life。　　And　that　would　be。。。　〃

〃‘What　is　needed　to　avoid　it？〃

A　week　or　a　fortnight　of　absolute　quiet；　which　is　impossible　as　long　as　her　little　Jacques。。。　〃

Lupin　interrupted　her：

〃You　think　that；　if　she　got　her　son　back。。。　〃

〃Oh；　certainly；　there　would　be　nothing　more　to　fear！〃

You're　sure？　　You're　sure？。。。　　Yes；　of　course　you　are！。。。　　Well；　when　Madame　Mergy　wakes；　tell　her　from　me　that　I　will　bring　her　back　her　son　this　evening；　before　midnight。　　This　evening；　before　midnight：　it's　a　solemn　promise。〃

With　these　words；　Lupin　hurried　out　of　the　house　and；　stepping　into　his　car；　shouted　to　the　driver：

〃Go　to　Paris；　Square　Lamartine；　Daubrecq　the　deputy's！〃


CHAPTER　VI

THE　DEATH…SENTENCE


Lupin's　motor…car　was　not　only　an　office；　a　writing…　room　furnished　with　books；　stationery；　pens　and　ink；　but　also　a　regular　actor's　dressing…room；　containing　a　complete　make…up　box；　a　trunk　filled　with　every　variety　of　wearing…apparel；　another　crammed　with　〃properties〃