the crystal stopper-第43部分

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CHAPTER　XIII

THE　LAST　BATTLE


When　Prasville　returned　to　his　office　he　saw　M。　Nicole　sitting　on　a　bench　in　the　waiting…room；　with　his　bent　back；　his　ailing　air；　his　gingham　umbrella；　his　rusty　hat　and　his　single　glove：

〃It's　he　all　right；〃　said　Prasville；　who　had　feared　for　a　moment　that　Lupin　might　have　sent　another　M。　Nicole　to　see　him。　　〃And　the　fact　that　he　has　come　in　person　proves　that　he　does　not　suspect　that　I　have　seen　through　him。〃　　And；　for　the　third　time；　he　said；　〃All　the　same；　what　a　nerve！〃

He　shut　the　door　of　his　office　and　called　his　secretary：

〃M。　Lartigue；　I　am　having　a　rather　dangerous　person　shown　in　here。　　The　chances　are　that　he　will　have　to　leave　my　office　with　the　bracelets　on。　As　soon　as　he　is　in　my　room；　make　all　the　necessary　arrangements：　send　for　a　dozen　inspectors　and　have　them　posted　in　the　waiting…room　and　in　your　office。　　And　take　this　as　a　definite　instruction：　the　moment　I　ring；　you　are　all　to　come　in；　revolvers　in　hand；　and　surround　the　fellow。　　Do　you　quite　understand？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general。〃

〃Above　all；　no　hesitation。　　A　sudden　entrance；　in　a　body；　revolvers　in　hand。　　Send　M。　Nicole　in；　please。〃

As　soon　as　he　was　alone；　Prasville　covered　the　push　of　an　electric　bell　on　his　desk　with　some　papers　and　placed　two　revolvers　of　respectable　dimensions　behind　a　rampart　of　books。

〃And　now；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃to　sit　tight。　　If　he　has　the　list；　let's　collar　it。　　If　he　hasn't；　let's　collar　him。　　And；　if　possible；　let's　collar　both。　　Lupin　and　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven；　on　the　same　day；　especially　after　the　scandal　of　this　morning；　would　be　a　scoop　in　a　thousand。〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。

〃Come　in！〃　said　Prasville。

And；　rising　from　his　seat：

〃Come　in；　M。　Nicole；　come　in。

M。　Nicole　crept　timidly　into　the　room；　sat　down　on　the　extreme　edge　of　the　chair　to　which　Prasville　pointed　and　said：

〃I　have　come。。。to　resume。。。　our　conversation　of　yesterday。。。　Please　excuse　the　delay；　monsieur。〃

〃One　second；〃　said　Prasville。　　〃Will　you　allow　me？〃

He　stepped　briskly　to　the　outer　room　and；　seeing　his　secretary：

〃I　was　forgetting；　M。　Lartigue。　　Have　the　staircases　and　passages　searched　。。。　in　case　of　accomplices。〃

He　returned；　settled　himself　comfortably；　as　though　for　a　long　and　interesting　conversation；　and　began：

〃You　were　saying；　M。　Nicole？〃

〃I　was　saying；　monsieur　le　secreaire…general；　that　I　must　apologize　for　keeping　you　waiting　yesterday　evening。　　I　was　detained　by　different　matters。　　First　of　all；　Mme。　Mergy。　。。。　〃

〃Yes；　you　had　to　see　Mme。　Mergy　home。〃

〃Just　so；　and　to　look　after　her。　　You　can　understand　the　poor　thing's　despair。。。　Her　son　Gilbert　so　near　death。。。　And　such　a　death！。。。　At　that　time　we　could　only　hope　for　a　miracle。。。　an　impossible　miracle。　　I　myself　was　resigned　to　the　inevitable。。。　You　know　as　well　as　I　do；　when　fate　shows　itself　implacable；　one　ends　by　despairing。〃

〃But　I　thought；〃　observed　Prasville；　〃that　your　intention；　on　leaving　me；　was　to　drag　Daubrecq's　secret　from　him　at　all　costs。〃

〃Certainly。　But　Daubrecq　was　not　in　Paris。〃

〃Oh？〃

〃No。　　He　was　on　his　way　to　Paris　in　a　motor…car。〃

〃Have　you　a　motor…car；　M。　Nicole？〃

〃Yes；　when　I　need　it：　an　out…of…date　concern；　an　old　tin　kettle　of　　sorts。　　Well；　he　was　on　his　way　to　Paris　in　a　motor…car；　or　rather　on　　the　roof　of　a　motor…car；　inside　a　trunk　in　which　I　packed　him。　　But；　unfortunately；　the　motor　was　unable　to　reach　Paris　until　after　the　execution。　　Thereupon。。。　〃

Prasville　stared　at　M。　Nicole　with　an　air　of　stupefaction。　　If　he　had　retained　the　least　doubt　of　the　individual's　real　identity；　this　manner　of　dealing　with　Daubrecq　would　have　removed　it。　　By　Jingo！　　To　pack　a　man　in　a　trunk　and　pitch　him　on　the　top　of　a　motorcar！。。。　No　one　but　Lupin　would　indulge　in　such　a　freak；　no　one　but　Lupin　would　confess　it　with　that　ingenuous　coolness！

〃Thereupon；〃　echoed　Prasville；　〃you　decided　what？〃

〃I　cast　about　for　another　method。〃

〃What　method？〃

〃Why；　surely；　monsieur　le　secretaire…genera1；　you　know　as　well　as　I　do！〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　weren't　you　at　the　execution？〃

〃I　was。〃

〃In　that　case；　you　saw　both　Vaucheray　and　the　executioner　bit；　one　　mortally；　the　other　with　a　slight　wound。　　And　you　can't　fail　to　see。。。　〃

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　Prasville；　dumbfounded；　〃you　confess　it？　　It　was　you　who　fired　the　shots；　this　morning？〃

〃Come；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　think！　　What　choice　had　I？　　The　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　which　you　examined　was　a　forgery。　　Daubrecq；　who　possessed　the　genuine　one；　would　not　arrive　until　a　few　hours　after　the　execution。　　There　was　therefore　but　one　way　for　me　to　save　Gilbert　and　obtain　his　pardon；　and　that　was　to　delay　the　execution　by　a　few　hours。〃

〃Obviously。〃

〃Well；　of　course。　　By　killing　that　infamous　brute；　that　hardened　criminal；　Vaucheray；　and　wounding　the　executioner；　I　spread　disorder　and　panic；　I　made　Gilbert's　execution　physically　and　morally　impossible；　and　I　thus　gained　the　few　hours　which　were　indispensable　for　my　purpose。〃

〃Obviously；〃　repeated　Prasville。

〃Well；　of　course；〃　repeated　Lupin；　〃it　gives　us　all　…　　the　government；　the　president　and　myself　…　time　to　reflect　and　to　see　the　question　in　a　clearer　light。　　What　do　you　think　of　it；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general？〃

Prasville　thought　a　number　of　things；　especially　that　this　Nicole　was　giving　proof；　to　use　a　vulgar　phrase；　of　the　most　infernal　cheek；　of　a　cheek　so　great　that　Prasville　felt　inclined　to　ask　himself　if　he　was　really　right　in　identifying　Nico1e　with　Lupin　and　Lupin　with　Nicole。

〃I　think；　M。　Nicole；　that　a　man　has　to　be　a　jolly　good　shot　to　kill　a　person　whom　he　wants　to　kill；　at　a　distance　of　a　hundred　yards；　and　to　wound　another　person　whom　he　only　wants　to　wound。〃

〃I　have　had　some　little　practice；〃　said　M。　Nicole；　with　　modest　air。

〃And　I　also　think　that　your　plan　can　only　be　the　fruit　of　a　long　preparation。〃

〃Not　at　all　I　That's　where　you're　wrong！　　It　was　absolutely　spontaneous！　If　my　servant；　or　rather　the　servant　of　the　friend　who　lent　me　his　flat　in　the　Place　de　Clichy；　had　not　shaken　me　out　of　my　sleep；　to　tell　me　that　he　had　once　served　as　a　shopman　in　that　little　house　on　the　Boulevard　Arago；　that　it　did　not　hold　many　tenants　and　that　there　might　be　something　to　be　done　there；　our　poor　Gilbert　would　have　had　his　head　cut　off　by　now。。。　and　Mme。　Mergy　would　most　likely　be　dead。〃

〃Oh；　you　think　so？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。　　And　that　was　why　I　jumped　at　that　faithful　retainer's　suggestion。　　Only；　you　interfered　with　my　plans；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general。〃

〃I　did？〃

〃Yes。　　You　must　needs　go　and　take　the　three…cornered　precaution　of　posting　twelve　men　at　the　door　of　my　house。　　I　had　to　climb　five　flights　of　back　stairs　and　go　out　through　the　servants'　corridor　and　the　next　house。　　Such　useless　fatigue！〃

I　am　very　sorry；　M。　Nicole。　　Another　time。。。　〃

〃It　was　the　same　thing　at　eight　o'clock　this　morning；　when　I　was　waiting　for　the　motor　which　was　bringing　Daubrecq　to　me　in　his　trunk：　I　had　to　march　up　and　down　the　Place　de　Clichy；　so　as　to　prevent　the　car　from　stopping　outside　the　door　of　my　place　and　your　men　from　interfering　in　my　private　affairs。　　Otherwise；　once　again；　Gilbert　and　Clarisse　Mergy　would　have　been　lost。〃

〃But；〃　said　Prasville；　〃those　painful　events；　it　seems　to　me。　are　only　delayed　for　a　day；　two　days；　three　days　at　most。　　To　avert　them　for　good　and　all　we　should　want。。。　〃

〃The　real　list；　I　suppose？〃

〃Exactly。　And　I　daresay　you　haven't　got　it。〃

〃Yes；　I　have。〃

〃The　genuine　list？〃

〃The　genuine；　the　undoubtedly　genuine　list。〃

〃With　the　cross　of　Lorraine？〃

〃With　the　cross　of　Lorraine。〃

Prasville　was　silent。　　He　was　labouring　under　violent　emotion；　now　that　the　duel　was　commencing　with　that　adversary　of　whose　terrifying　superiority　he　was　well　aware；　and　he　shuddered　at　the　idea　that　Arsene　Lupin；　the　formidable　Arsene　Lupin；　was　there；　in　front　of　him；　calm　and　placid；　pursuing　his　aims　with　as　much　coolness　as　though　he　had　all　the　weapons　in　his　hands　and　were　face　to　face　with　a　disarmed　enemy。

Not　yet　daring　to　deliver　a　frontal　attack；　feeling　almost　intimidated；　Prasville　said：

〃So　Daubrecq　gave　it　up　to　you？〃

〃Daubrecq　gives　nothing　up。　　I　took　it。〃

〃By　main　force；　therefore？〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃　said　M。　Nicole；　laughing。　　〃Of　course；　I　was　ready　to　go　to　all　lengths；　and；　when　that　worthy　Daubrecq　was　dug　out　of　the　basket　in　which　he　had　been　travelling　express；　with　an　occasional　dose　of　chloroform　to　keep　his　strength　up；　I　had　prepared　things　so　that　the　fun　might　begin　at　once。　　Oh；　no　useless　tortures。。。　no　vain　sufferings！　No。。。　Death；　simply。。。　You　press　the　point　of　a　long　needle　on　the　chest；　where　the　heart　is；　and　insert　it　gradually；　softly　and　gently。　　That's　all　but　the　point　would　have　been　driven　by　Mme。　Mergy。　　You　understand：　a　mother　is　pitiless；　a　mother　whose　son　is　about　to　die！。。。　'Speak；　Daubrecq；　or　I'll　go　deeper。　。。。　You　won't　speak？　。。。　Then　I'll　push　another　quarter　of　an　inch。。。　and　another　still。'　　And　the　patient's　heart　stops　beating；　the　heart　that　feels　the　needle　coming。。。　And　another　quarter　of　an　inch　。。。　and　one　more。。。　I　swear　before　Heaven　that　the　villain　wo