the crystal stopper-第4部分

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igure　of　a　man。

They　struck　matches　and　examined　the　enemy's　cast　clothes。　　There　were　no　initials　in　the　hat。　　The　jacket　contained　neither　papers　nor　pocketbook。　　Nevertheless；　they　made　a　discovery　which　was　destined　to　give　the　case　no　little　celebrity　and　which　had　a　terrible　influence　on　the　fate　of　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray：　in　one　of　the　pockets　was　a　visiting…card　which　the　fugitive　had　left　behind。。。　the　card　of　Arsene　Lupin。

At　almost　the　same　moment；　while　the　police；　towing　the　captured　skiff　behind　them；　continued　their　empty　search　and　while　the　soldiers　stood　drawn　up　on　the　bank；　straining　their　eyes　to　try　and　follow　the　fortunes　of　the　naval　combat；　the　aforesaid　Arsene　Lupin　was　quietly　landing　at　the　very　spot　which　he　had　left　two　hours　earlier。

He　was　there　met　by　his　two　other　accomplices；　the　Growler　and　the　Masher；　flung　them　a　few　sentences　by　way　of　explanation；　jumped　into　the　motor…car；　among　Daubrecq　the　deputy's　armchairs　and　other　valuables；　wrapped　himself　in　his　furs　and　drove；　by　deserted　roads；　to　his　repository　at　Neuilly；　where　he　left　the　chauffeur。　　A　taxicab　brought　him　back　to　Paris　and　put　him　down　by　the　church　of　Saint…Philippe…du　…Roule；　not　far　from　which；　in　the　Rue　Matignon；　he　had　a　flat；　on　the　entresol…floor；　of　which　none　of　his　gang；　excepting　Gilbert；　knew；　a　flat　with　a　private　entrance。　　He　was　glad　to　take　off　his　clothes　and　rub　himself　down；　for；　in　spite　of　his　strong　constitution；　he　felt　chilled　to　the　bone。　　On　retiring　to　bed；　he　emptied　the　contents　of　his　pockets；　as　usual；　on　the　mantelpiece。　　It　was　not　till　then　that　he　noticed；　near　his　pocketbook　and　his　keys；　the　object　which　Gilbert　had　put　into　his　hand　at　the　last　moment。

And　he　was　very　much　surprised。　　It　was　a　decanter…stopper；　a　little　crystal　stopper；　like　those　used　for　the　bottles　in　a　liqueur…stand。　And　this　crystal　stopper　had　nothing　particular　about　it。　　The　most　that　Lupin　observed　was　that　the　knob；　with　its　many　facets；　was　gilded　right　down　to　the　indent。　　But；　to　tell　the　truth；　this　detail　did　not　seem　to　him　of　a　nature　to　attract　special　notice。

〃And　it　was　this　bit　of　glass　to　which　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　attached　such　stubborn　importance！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃It　was　for　this　that　they　killed　the　valet；　fought　each　other；　wasted　their　time；　risked　prison。。。　trial。。。　the　scaffold！。。。　〃

Too　tired　to　linger　further　upon　this　matter；　exciting　though　it　appeared　to　him；　he　replaced　the　stopper　on　the　chimney…piece　and　got　into　bed。

He　had　bad　dreams。　　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　were　kneeling　on　the　flags　of　their　cells；　wildly　stretching　out　their　hands　to　him　and　yelling　with　fright：

〃Help！。。。　Help！〃　they　cried。

But；　notwithstanding　all　his　efforts；　he　was　unable　to　move。　　He　himself　was　fastened　by　invisible　bonds。　　And；　trembling；　obsessed　by　a　monstrous　vision；　he　watched　the　dismal　preparations；　the　cutting　of　the　condemned　men's　hair　and　shirt…collars　the　squalid　tragedy。

〃By　Jove！〃　he　said；　when　he　woke　after　a　series　of　nightmares。　　〃There's　a　lot　of　bad　omens！　　Fortunately；　we　don't　err　on　the　side　of　superstition。　　Otherwise。。。　！〃　　And　he　added；　〃For　that　matter；　we　have　a　talisman　which；　to　judge　by　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray's　behaviour；　should　be　enough；　with　Lupin's　help；　to　frustrate　bad　luck　and　secure　the　triumph　of　the　good　cause。　　Let's　have　a　look　at　that　crystal　stopper！〃

He　sprang　out　of　bed　to　take　the　thing　and　examine　it　more　closely。　　An　exclamation　escaped　him。　　The　crystal　stopper　had　disappeared。。。　


CHAPTER　II

EIGHT　FROM　NINE　LEAVES　ONE


Notwithstanding　my　friendly　relations　with　Lupin　and　the　many　flattering　proofs　of　his　confidence　which　he　has　given　me；　there　is　one　thing　which　I　have；　never　been　quite　able　to　fathom；　and　that　is　the　organization　of　his　gang。

The　existence　of　the　gang　is　an　undoubted　fact。　　Certain　adventures　can　be　explained　only　by　countless　acts　of　devotion；　invincible　efforts　of　energy　and　powerful　cases　of　complicity；　representing　so　many　forces　which　all　obey　one　mighty　will。　　But　how　is　this　will　exerted？　　Through　what　intermediaries；　through　what　subordinates？　　That　is　what　I　do　not　know。　　Lupin　keeps　his　secret；　and　the　secrets　which　Lupin　chooses　to　keep　are；　so　to　speak；　impenetrable。

The　only　supposition　which　I　can　allow　myself　to　make　is　that　this　gang；　which；　in　my　opinion；　is　very　limited　in　numbers　and　therefore　all　the　more　formidable；　is　completed　and　extended　indefinitely　by　the　addition　of　independent　units；　provisional　associates；　picked　up　in　every　class　of　society　and　in　every　country　of　the　worid；　who　are　the　executive　agents　of　an　authority　with　which；　in　many　cases；　they　are　not　even　acquainted。　　The　companions；　the　initiates；　the　faithful　adherents　…　men　who　play　the　leading　parts　under　the　direct　command　of　Lupin　…　move　to　and　fro　between　these　secondary　agents　and　the　master。

Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　evidently　belonged　to　the　main　gang。　　And　that　is　why　the　law　showed　itself　so　implacable　in　their　regard。　　For　the　first　time；　it　held　accomplices　of　Lupin　in　its　clutches　…　declared；　undisputed　accomplices　…　and　those　accomplices　had　committed　a　murder。　　If　the　murder　was　premeditated；　if　the　accusation　of　deliberate　homicide　could　be　supported　by　substantial　proofs；　it　meant　the　scaffold。　　Now　there　was；　at　the　very　least；　one　self…evident　proof；　the　cry　for　assistance　which　Leonard　had　sent　over　the　telephone　a　few　minutes　before　his　death：

〃Help！。。。　Murder！。。。　I　shall　be　killed！。。。　〃

The　desperate　appeal　had　been　heard　by　two　men；　the　operator　on　duty　and　one　of　his　fellow…clerks；　who　swore　to　it　positively。　　And　it　was　in　consequence　of　this　appeal　that　the　conunissary　of　police；　who　was　at　once　informed；　had　proceeded　to　the　Villa　Marie…Therese；　escorted　by　his　men　and　a　number　of　soldiers　off　duty。

Lupin　had　a　very　clear　notion　of　the　danger　from　the　first。　　The　fierce　struggle　in　which　he　had　engaged　against　society　was　entering　upon　a　new　and　terrible　phase。　　His　luck　was　turning。　　It　was　no　longer　a　matter　of　attacking　others；　but　of　defending　himself　and　saving　the　heads　of　his　two　companions。

　　　　　A　littie　memorandum；　which　I　have　copied　from　one　of　the　note…books　in　which　he　often　jots　down　a　summary　of　the　situations　that　perplex　him；　will　show　us　the　workings　of　his　brain：

〃One　definite　fact；　to　begin　with；　is　that　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　　humbugged　me。　　The　Enghien　expedition；　undertaken　ostensibly　with　the　object　of　robbing　the　Villa　Marie…Therese；　had　a　secret　purpose。　　This　purpose　obsessed　their　minds　throughout　the　operations；　and　what　they　were　looking　for；　under　the　furniture　and　in　the　cupboards；　was　one　thing　and　one　thing　alone：　the　crystal　stopper。　　Therefore；　if　I　want　to　see　clear　ahead；　I　must　first　of　all　know　what　this　means。　　It　is　certain　that；　for　some　hidden　reason；　that　mysterious　piece　of　glass　possesses　an　incalculable　value　in　their　eyes。　　And　not　only　in　theirs；　for；　last　night；　some　one　was　bold　enough　and　clever　enough　to　enter　my　flat　and　steal　the　object　in　question　from　me。〃

This　theft　of　which　he　was　the　victim　puzzled　Lupin　curiously。

Two　problems；　both　equally　difficult　of　solution；　presented　themselves　to　his　mind。　　First；　who　was　the　mysterious　visitor？　　Gilbert；　who　enjoyed　his　entire　confidence　and　acted　as　his　private　secretary；　was　the　only　one　who　knew　of　the　retreat　in　the　Rue　Matignon。　　Now　Gilbert　was　in　prison。　　Was　Lupin　to　suppose　that　Gilbert　had　betrayed　him　and　put　the　police　on　his　tracks？　　In　that　case；　why　were　they　content　with　taking　the　crystal　stopper；　instead　of　arresting　him；　Lupin？

But　there　was　something　much　stranger　still。　　Admitting　that　they　had　been　able　to　force　the　doors　of　his　flat　…　and　this　he　was　compelled　to　admit；　though　there　was　no　mark　to　show　it　…　how　had　they　succeeded　in　entering　the　bedroom？　　He　turned　the　key　and　pushed　the　bolt　as　he　did　every　evening；　in　accordance　with　a　habit　from　which　he　never　departed。　And；　nevertheless　…　the　fact　was　undeniable　…　the　crystal　stopper　had　disappeared　without　the　lock　or　the　bolt　having　been　touched。　　And；　although　Lupin　flattered　himself　that　he　had　sharp　ears；　even　when　asleep；　not　a　sound　had　waked　him！

He　took　no　great　pains　to　probe　the　mystery。　　He　knew　those　problems　too　well　to　hope　that　this　one　could　be　solved　other　than　in　the　course　of　events。　　But；　feeling　very　much　put　out　and　exceedingly　uneasy；　he　then　and　there　locked　up　his　entresol　flat　in　the　Rue　Matignon　and　swore　that　he　would　never　set　foot　in　it　again。

And　he　applied　himself　forthwith　to　the　question　of　corresponding　with　Vaucheray　or　Gilbert。

Here　a　fresh　disappointment　awaited　him。　　It　was　so　clearly　understood；　both　at　the　Sante　Prison　and　at　the　Law　Courts；　that　all　communication　between　Lupin　and　the　prisoners　must　be　absolutely　prevented；　that　a　multitude　of　minute　precautions　were　ordered　by　the　prefect　of　police　and　minutely　observed　by　the　lowest　subordinates。　　Tried　policemen；　always　the　same　men；　watched　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray；　day　and　night；　and　never　let　them　out　of　their　sight。

Lupin；　at　this　time；　had　not　yet　promoted　himself　to　the　crowning　honour　of　his　career；　the　post　of　chief　of　the　detective~service；*　and；　consequently；　was　no