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THE EXAMINATION OF SONIA + XVI. VICTOIRE'S SLIP + XVII. SONIA'S ESCAPE + XVIII. THE DUKE STAYS + XIX. THE DUKE GOES + XX. LUPIN COMES HOME + XXI. THE CUTTING OF THE TELEPHONE WIRES + XII. THE BARGAIN + XXIII. THE END OF THE DUEL + + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ARSENE LUPIN + +THE MILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER + +The rays of the September sun flooded the great halls of the old +chateau of the Dukes of Charmerace, lighting up with their mellow +glow the spoils of so many ages and many lands, jumbled together with +the execrable taste which so often afflicts those whose only standard +of value is money. The golden light warmed the panelled walls and old +furniture to a dull lustre, and gave back to he fading gilt of the +First Empire chairs and couches something of its old brightness. It +illumined the long line of pictures on the walls, pictures of dead and +gone Charmeraces, the stern or debonair faces of the men, soldiers, +statesmen, dandies, the gentle or imperious faces of beautiful women. +It flashed back from armour of brightly polished steel, and drew dull +gleams from armour of bronze. The hues of rare porcelain, of the rich +inlays of Oriental or Renaissance cabinets, mingled with the hues of the +pictures, the tapestry, the Persian rugs about the polished floor to +fill the hall with a rich glow of colour. + +But of all the beautiful and precious things which the sun-rays +warmed to a clearer beauty, the face of the girl who sat writing at +a table in front of the long windows, which opened on to the +centuries-old turf of the broad terrace, was the most beautiful and +the most precious. + +It was a delicate, almost frail, beauty. Her skin was clear with the +transparent lustre of old porcelain, and her pale cheeks were only +tinted with the pink of the faintest roses. Her straight nose was +delicately cut, her rounded chin admirably moulded. A lover of +beauty would have been at a loss whether more to admire her clear, +germander eyes, so melting and so adorable, or the sensitive mouth, +with its rather full lips, inviting all the kisses. But assuredly he +would have been grieved by the perpetual air of sadness which rested +on the beautiful face--the wistful melancholy of the Slav, deepened +by something of personal misfortune and suffering. + +Her face was framed by a mass of soft fair hair, shot with strands +of gold where the sunlight fell on it; and little curls, rebellious +to the comb, strayed over her white forehead, tiny feathers of gold. + +She was addressing envelopes, and a long list of names lay on her +left hand. When she had addressed an envelope, she slipped into it a +wedding-card. On each was printed: + + "M. Gournay-Martin has the honour to inform + you of the marriage of his daughter + Germaine to the Duke of Charmerace." + +She wrote steadily on, adding envelope after envelope to the pile +ready for the post, which rose in front of her. But now and again, +when the flushed and laughing girls who were playing lawn-tennis on +the terrace, raised their voices higher than usual as they called +the score, and distracted her attention from her work, her gaze +strayed through the open window and lingered on them wistfully; and +as her eyes came back to her task she sighed with so faint a +wistfulness that she hardly knew she sighed. Then a voice from the +terrace cried, "Sonia! Sonia!" + +"Yes. Mlle. Germaine?" answered the writing girl. + +"Tea! Order tea, will you?" cried the voice, a petulant voice, +rather harsh to the ear. + +"Very well, Mlle. Germaine," said Sonia; and having finished +addressing the envelope under her pen, she laid it on the pile ready +to be posted, and, crossing the room to the old, wide fireplace, she +rang the bell. + +She stood by the fireplace a moment, restoring to its place a rose +which had fallen from a vase on the mantelpiece; and her attitude, +as with arms upraised she arranged the flowers, displayed the +delightful line of a slender figure. As she let fall her arms to her +side, a footman entered the room. + +"Will you please bring the tea, Alfred," she said in a charming +voice of that pure, bell-like tone which has been Nature's most +precious gift to but a few of the greatest actresses. + +"For how many, miss?" said Alfred. + +"For four--unless your master has come back." + +"Oh, no; he's not back yet, miss. He went in the car to Rennes to +lunch; and it's a good many miles away. He won't be back for another +hour." + +"And the Duke--he's not back from his ride yet, is he?" + +"Not yet, miss," said Alfred, turning to go. + +"One moment," said Sonia. "Have all of you got your things packed +for the journey to Paris? You will have to start soon, you know. Are +all the maids ready?" + +"Well, all the men are ready, I know, miss. But about the maids, +miss, I can't say. They've been bustling about all day; but it takes +them longer than it does us." + +"Tell them to hurry up; and be as quick as you can with the tea, +please," said Sonia. + +Alfred went out of the room; Sonia went back to the writing-table. +She did not take up her pen; she took up one of the wedding-cards; +and her lips moved slowly as she read it in a pondering depression. + +The petulant, imperious voice broke in upon her musing. + +"Whatever are you doing, Sonia? Aren't you getting on with those +letters?" it cried angrily; and Germaine Gournay-Martin came through +the long window into the hall. + +The heiress to the Gournay-Martin millions carried her tennis +racquet in her hand; and her rosy cheeks were flushed redder than +ever by the game. She was a pretty girl in a striking, high- +coloured, rather obvious way--the very foil to Sonia's delicate +beauty. Her lips were a little too thin, her eyes too shallow; and +together they gave her a rather hard air, in strongest contrast to +the gentle, sympathetic face of Sonia. + +The two friends with whom Germaine had been playing tennis followed +her into the hall: Jeanne Gautier, tall, sallow, dark, with a +somewhat malicious air; Marie Bullier, short, round, commonplace, +and sentimental. + +They came to the table at which Sonia was at work; and pointing to +the pile of envelopes, Marie said, "Are these all wedding-cards?" + +"Yes; and we've only got to the letter V," said Germaine, frowning +at Sonia. + +"Princesse de Vernan--Duchesse de Vauvieuse--Marquess--Marchioness? +You've invited the whole Faubourg Saint-Germain," said Marie, +shuffling the pile of envelopes with an envious air. + +"You'll know very few people at your wedding," said Jeanne, with a +spiteful little giggle. + +"I beg your pardon, my dear," said Germaine boastfully. "Madame de +Relzieres, my fiance's cousin, gave an At Home the other day in my +honour. At it she introduced half Paris to me--the Paris I'm +destined to know, the Paris you'll see in my drawing-rooms." + +"But we shall no longer be fit friends for you when you're the +Duchess of Charmerace," said Jeanne. + +"Why?" said Germaine; and then she added quickly, "Above everything, +Sonia, don't forget Veauleglise, 33, University Street--33, +University Street." + +"Veauleglise--33, University Street," said Sonia, taking a fresh +envelope, and beginning to address it. + +"Wait--wait! don't close the envelope. I'm wondering whether +Veauleglise ought to have a cross, a double cross, or a triple +cross," said Germaine, with an air of extreme importance. + +"What's that?" cried Marie and Jeanne together. + +"A single cross means an invitation to the church, a double cross an +invitation to the marriage and the wedding-breakfast, and the triple +cross means an invitation to the marriage, the breakfast, and the +signing of the marriage-contract. What do you think the Duchess of +Veauleglise ought to have?" + +"Don't ask me. I haven't the honour of knowing that great lady," +cried Jeanne. + +"Nor I," said Marie. + +"Nor I," said Germaine. "But I have here the visiting-list of the +late Duchess of Charmerace, Jacques' mother. The two duchesses were +on excellent terms. Besides the Duchess of Veauleglise is rather +worn-out, but greatly admired for her piety. She goes to early +service three times a week." + +"Then put three crosses," said Jeanne. + +"I shouldn't," said Marie quickly. "In your place, my dear, I +shouldn't risk a slip. I should ask my fiance's advice. He knows +this world." + +"Oh, goodness--my fiance! He doesn't care a rap about this kind of +thing. He has changed so in the last seven years. Seven years ago he +took nothing seriously. Why, he set off on an expedition to the +South Pole--just to show off. Oh, in those days he was truly a +duke." + +"And to-day?" said Jeanne. + +"Oh, to-day he's a regular slow-coach. Society gets on his nerves. +He's as sober as a judge," said Germaine. + +"He's as gay as a lark," said Sonia, in sudden protest. + +Germaine pouted at her, and said: "Oh, he's gay enough when he's +making fun of people. But apart from that he's as sober as a judge." + +"Your father must be delighted with the change," said Jeanne. + +"Naturally he's delighted. Why, he's lunching at Rennes to-day with +the Minister, with the sole object of getting Jacques decorated." + +"Well; the Legion of Honour is a fine thing to have," said Marie. + +"My dear! The Legion of Honour is all very well for middle-class +people, but it's quite out of place for a duke!" cried Germaine. + +Alfred came in, bearing the tea-tray, and set it on a little table +near that at which Sonia was sitting. + +Germaine, who was feeling too important to sit still, was walking up +and down the room. Suddenly she stopped short, and pointing to a +silver statuette which stood on the piano, she said, "What's this? +Why is this statuette here?" + +"Why, when we came in, it was on the cabinet, in its usual place," +said Sonia in some astonishment. + +"Did you come into the hall while we were out in the garden, +Alfred?" said Germaine to the footman. + +"No, miss," said Alfred. + +"But some one must have come into it," Germaine persisted. + +"I've not heard any one. I was in my pantry," said Alfred. + +"It's very odd," said Germaine. + +"It is odd," said Sonia. "Statuettes don't move about of +themselves." + +All of them stared at the statuette as if they expected it to move +again forthwith, under their very eyes. Then Alfred put it back in +its usual place on one of the cabinets, and went out of the room. + +Sonia poured out the tea; and over it they babbled about the coming +marriage, the frocks they would wear at it, and the presents +Germaine had already received. That reminded her to ask Sonia if any +one had yet telephoned from her father's house in Paris; and Sonia +said that no one had. + +"That's very annoying," said Germaine. "It shows that nobody has +sent me a present to-day." + +Pouting, she shrugged her shoulders with an air of a spoiled child, +which sat but poorly on a well-developed young woman of twenty- +three. + +"It's Sunday. The shops don't deliver things on Sunday," said Sonia +gently. + +But Germaine still pouted like a spoiled child. + +"Isn't your beautiful Duke coming to have tea with us?" said Jeanne +a little anxiously. + +"Oh, yes; I'm expecting him at half-past four. He had to go for a +ride with the two Du Buits. They're coming to tea here, too," said +Germaine. + +"Gone for a ride with the two Du Buits? But when?" cried Marie +quickly. + +"This afternoon." + +"He can't be," said Marie. "My brother went to the Du Buits' house +after lunch, to see Andre and Georges. They went for a drive this +morning, and won't be back till late to-night." + +"Well, but--but why did the Duke tell me so?" said Germaine, +knitting her brow with a puzzled air. + +"If I were you, I should inquire into this thoroughly. Dukes--well, +we know what dukes are--it will be just as well to keep an eye on +him," said Jeanne maliciously. + +Germaine flushed quickly; and her eyes flashed. "Thank you. I have +every confidence in Jacques. I am absolutely sure of him," she said +angrily. + +"Oh, well--if you're sure, it's all right," said Jeanne. + +The ringing of the telephone-bell made a fortunate diversion. + +Germaine rushed to it, clapped the receiver to her ear, and cried: +"Hello, is that you, Pierre? . . . Oh, it's Victoire, is it? . . . +Ah, some presents have come, have they? . . . Well, well, what are +they? . . . What! a paper-knife--another paper-knife! . . . Another +Louis XVI. inkstand--oh, bother! . . . Who are they from? . . . Oh, +from the Countess Rudolph and the Baron de Valery." Her voice rose +high, thrilling with pride. + +Then she turned her face to her friends, with the receiver still at +her ear, and cried: "Oh, girls, a pearl necklace too! A large one! +The pearls are big ones!" + +"How jolly!" said Marie. + +"Who sent it?" said Germaine, turning to the telephone again. "Oh, a +friend of papa's," she added in a tone of disappointment. "Never +mind, after all it's a pearl necklace. You'll be sure and lock the +doors carefully, Victoire, won't you? And lock up the necklace in +the secret cupboard. . . . Yes; thanks very much, Victoire. I shall +see you to-morrow." + +She hung up the receiver, and came away from the telephone frowning. + +"It's preposterous!" she said pettishly. "Papa's friends and +relations give me marvellous presents, and all the swells send me +paper-knives. It's all Jacques' fault. He's above all this kind of +thing. The Faubourg Saint-Germain hardly knows that we're engaged." + +"He doesn't go about advertising it," said Jeanne, smiling. + +"You're joking, but all the same what you say is true," said +Germaine. "That's exactly what his cousin Madame de Relzieres said +to me the other day at the At Home she gave in my honour--wasn't it, +Sonia?" And she walked to the window, and, turning her back on them, +stared out of it. + +"She HAS got her mouth full of that At Home," said Jeanne to Marie +in a low voice. + +There was an awkward silence. Marie broke it: + +"Speaking of Madame de Relzieres, do you know that she is on pins +and needles with anxiety? Her son is fighting a duel to-day," she +said. + +"With whom?" said Sonia. + +"No one knows. She got hold of a letter from the seconds," said +Marie. + +"My mind is quite at rest about Relzieres," said Germaine. "He's a +first-class swordsman. No one could beat him." + +Sonia did not seem to share her freedom from anxiety. Her forehead +was puckered in little lines of perplexity, as if she were puzzling +out some problem; and there was a look of something very like fear +in her gentle eyes. + +"Wasn't Relzieres a great friend of your fiance at one time?" said +Jeanne. + +"A great friend? I should think he was," said Germaine. "Why, it was +through Relzieres that we got to know Jacques." + +"Where was that?" said Marie. + +"Here--in this very chateau," said Germaine. + +"Actually in his own house?" said Marie, in some surprise. + +"Yes; actually here. Isn't life funny?" said Germaine. "If, a few +months after his father's death, Jacques had not found himself hard- +up, and obliged to dispose of this chateau, to raise the money for +his expedition to the South Pole; and if papa and I had not wanted +an historic chateau; and lastly, if papa had not suffered from +rheumatism, I should not be calling myself in a month from now the +Duchess of Charmerace." + +"Now what on earth has your father's rheumatism got to do with your +being Duchess of Charmerace?" cried Jeanne. + +"Everything," said Germaine. "Papa was afraid that this chateau was +damp. To prove to papa that he had nothing to fear, Jacques, en +grand seigneur, offered him his hospitality, here, at Charmerace, +for three weeks." + +"That was truly ducal," said Marie. + +"But he is always like that," said Sonia. + +"Oh, he's all right in that way, little as he cares about society," +said Germaine. "Well, by a miracle my father got cured of his +rheumatism here. Jacques fell in love with me; papa made up his mind +to buy the chateau; and I demanded the hand of Jacques in marriage." + +"You did? But you were only sixteen then," said Marie, with some +surprise. + +"Yes; but even at sixteen a girl ought to know that a duke is a +duke. I did," said Germaine. "Then since Jacques was setting out for +the South Pole, and papa considered me much too young to get +married, I promised Jacques to wait for his return." + +"Why, it was everything that's romantic!" cried Marie. + +"Romantic? Oh, yes," said Germaine; and she pouted. "But between +ourselves, if I'd known that he was going to stay all that time at +the South Pole--" + +"That's true," broke in Marie. "To go away for three years and stay +away seven--at the end of the world." + +"All Germaine's beautiful youth," said Jeanne, with her malicious +smile. + +"Thanks!" said Germaine tartly. + +"Well, you ARE twenty-three. It's the flower of one's age," said +Jeanne. + +"Not quite twenty-three," said Germaine hastily. "And look at the +wretched luck I've had. The Duke falls ill and is treated at +Montevideo. As soon as he recovers, since he's the most obstinate +person in the world, he resolves to go on with the expedition. He +sets out; and for an age, without a word of warning, there's no more +news of him--no news of any kind. For six months, you know, we +believed him dead." + +"Dead? Oh, how unhappy you must have been!" said Sonia. + +"Oh, don't speak of it! For six months I daren't put on a light +frock," said Germaine, turning to her. + +"A lot she must have cared for him," whispered Jeanne to Marie. + +"Fortunately, one fine day, the letters began again. Three months +ago a telegram informed us that he was coming back; and at last the +Duke returned," said Germaine, with a theatrical air. + +"The Duke returned," cried Jeanne, mimicking her. + +"Never mind. Fancy waiting nearly seven years for one's fiance. That +was constancy," said Sonia. + +"Oh, you're a sentimentalist, Mlle. Kritchnoff," said Jeanne, in a +tone of mockery. "It was the influence of the castle." + +"What do you mean?" said Germaine. + +"Oh, to own the castle of Charmerace and call oneself Mlle. Gournay- +Martin--it's not worth doing. One MUST become a duchess," said +Jeanne. + +"Yes, yes; and for all this wonderful constancy, seven years of it, +Germaine was on the point of becoming engaged to another man," said +Marie, smiling. + +"And he a mere baron," said Jeanne, laughing. + +"What? Is that true?" said Sonia. + +"Didn't you know, Mlle. Kritchnoff? She nearly became engaged to the +Duke's cousin, the Baron de Relzieres. It was not nearly so grand." + +"Oh, it's all very well to laugh at me; but being the cousin and +heir of the Duke, Relzieres would have assumed the title, and I +should have been Duchess just the same," said Germaine triumphantly. + +"Evidently that was all that mattered," said Jeanne. "Well, dear, I +must be off. We've promised to run in to see the Comtesse de +Grosjean. You know the Comtesse de Grosjean?" + +She spoke with an air of careless pride, and rose to go. + +"Only by name. Papa used to know her husband on the Stock Exchange +when he was still called simply M. Grosjean. For his part, papa +preferred to keep his name intact," said Germaine, with quiet pride. + +"Intact? That's one way of looking at it. Well, then, I'll see you +in Paris. You still intend to start to-morrow?" said Jeanne. + +"Yes; to-morrow morning," said Germaine. + +Jeanne and Marie slipped on their dust-coats to the accompaniment of +chattering and kissing, and went out of the room. + +As she closed the door on them, Germaine turned to Sonia, and said: +"I do hate those two girls! They're such horrible snobs." + +"Oh, they're good-natured enough," said Sonia. + +"Good-natured? Why, you idiot, they're just bursting with envy of +me--bursting!" said Germaine. "Well, they've every reason to be," +she added confidently, surveying herself in a Venetian mirror with a +petted child's self-content. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE COMING OF THE CHAROLAIS + + +Sonia went back to her table, and once more began putting wedding- +cards in their envelopes and addressing them. Germaine moved +restlessly about the room, fidgeting with the bric-a-brac on the +cabinets, shifting the pieces about, interrupting Sonia to ask +whether she preferred this arrangement or that, throwing herself +into a chair to read a magazine, getting up in a couple of minutes +to straighten a picture on the wall, throwing out all the while idle +questions not worth answering. Ninety-nine human beings would have +been irritated to exasperation by her fidgeting; Sonia endured it +with a perfect patience. Five times Germaine asked her whether she +should wear her heliotrope or her pink gown at a forthcoming dinner +at Madame de Relzieres'. Five times Sonia said, without the +slightest variation in her tone, "I think you look better in the +pink." And all the while the pile of addressed envelopes rose +steadily. + +Presently the door opened, and Alfred stood on the threshold. + +"Two gentlemen have called to see you, miss," he said. + +"Ah, the two Du Buits," cried Germaine. + +"They didn't give their names, miss." + +"A gentleman in the prime of life and a younger one?" said Germaine. + +"Yes, miss." + +"I thought so. Show them in." + +"Yes, miss. And have you any orders for me to give Victoire when we +get to Paris?" said Alfred. + +"No. Are you starting soon?" + +"Yes, miss. We're all going by the seven o'clock train. It's a long +way from here to Paris; we shall only reach it at nine in the +morning. That will give us just time to get the house ready for you +by the time you get there to-morrow evening," said Alfred. + +"Is everything packed?" + +"Yes, miss--everything. The cart has already taken the heavy luggage +to the station. All you'll have to do is to see after your bags." + +"That's all right. Show M. du Buit and his brother in," said +Germaine. + +She moved to a chair near the window, and disposed herself in an +attitude of studied, and obviously studied, grace. + +As she leant her head at a charming angle back against the tall back +of the chair, her eyes fell on the window, and they opened wide. + +"Why, whatever's this?" she cried, pointing to it. + +"Whatever's what?" said Sonia, without raising her eyes from the +envelope she was addressing. + +"Why, the window. Look! one of the panes has been taken out. It +looks as if it had been cut." + +"So it has--just at the level of the fastening," said Sonia. And the +two girls stared at the gap. + +"Haven't you noticed it before?" said Germaine. + +"No; the broken glass must have fallen outside," said Sonia. + +The noise of the opening of the door drew their attention from the +window. Two figures were advancing towards them--a short, round, +tubby man of fifty-five, red-faced, bald, with bright grey eyes, +which seemed to be continually dancing away from meeting the eyes of +any other human being. Behind him came a slim young man, dark and +grave. For all the difference in their colouring, it was clear that +they were father and son: their eyes were set so close together. The +son seemed to have inherited, along with her black eyes, his +mother's nose, thin and aquiline; the nose of the father started +thin from the brow, but ended in a scarlet bulb eloquent of an +exhaustive acquaintance with the vintages of the world. + +Germaine rose, looking at them with an air of some surprise and +uncertainty: these were not her friends, the Du Buits. + +The elder man, advancing with a smiling bonhomie, bowed, and said in +an adenoid voice, ingratiating of tone: "I'm M. Charolais, young +ladies--M. Charolais--retired brewer--chevalier of the Legion of +Honour--landowner at Rennes. Let me introduce my son." The young man +bowed awkwardly. "We came from Rennes this morning, and we lunched +at Kerlor's farm." + +"Shall I order tea for them?" whispered Sonia. + +"Gracious, no!" said Germaine sharply under her breath; then, +louder, she said to M. Charolais, "And what is your object in +calling?" + +"We asked to see your father," said M. Charolais, smiling with broad +amiability, while his eyes danced across her face, avoiding any +meeting with hers. "The footman told us that M. Gournay-Martin was +out, but that his daughter was at home. And we were unable, quite +unable, to deny ourselves the pleasure of meeting you." With that he +sat down; and his son followed his example. + +Sonia and Germaine, taken aback, looked at one another in some +perplexity. + +"What a fine chateau, papa!" said the young man. + +"Yes, my boy; it's a very fine chateau," said M. Charolais, looking +round the hall with appreciative but greedy eyes. + +There was a pause. + +"It's a very fine chateau, young ladies," said M. Charolais. + +"Yes; but excuse me, what is it you have called about?" said +Germaine. + +M. Charolais crossed his legs, leant back in his chair, thrust his +thumbs into the arm-holes of his waistcoat, and said: "Well, we've +come about the advertisement we saw in the RENNES ADVERTISER, that +M. Gournay-Martin wanted to get rid of a motor-car; and my son is +always saying to me, 'I should like a motor-car which rushes the +hills, papa.' He means a sixty horse-power." + +"We've got a sixty horse-power; but it's not for sale. My father is +even using it himself to-day," said Germaine. + +"Perhaps it's the car we saw in the stable-yard," said M. Charolais. + +"No; that's a thirty to forty horse-power. It belongs to me. But if +your son really loves rushing hills, as you say, we have a hundred +horse-power car which my father wants to get rid of. Wait; where's +the photograph of it, Sonia? It ought to be here somewhere." + +The two girls rose, went to a table set against the wall beyond the +window, and began turning over the papers with which it was loaded +in the search for the photograph. They had barely turned their +backs, when the hand of young Charolais shot out as swiftly as the +tongue of a lizard catching a fly, closed round the silver statuette +on the top of the cabinet beside him, and flashed it into his jacket +pocket. + +Charolais was watching the two girls; one would have said that he +had eyes for nothing else, yet, without moving a muscle of his face, +set in its perpetual beaming smile, he hissed in an angry whisper, +"Drop it, you idiot! Put it back!" + +The young man scowled askance at him. + +"Curse you! Put it back!" hissed Charolais. + +The young man's arm shot out with the same quickness, and the +statuette stood in its place. + +There was just the faintest sigh of relief from Charolais, as +Germaine turned and came to him with the photograph in her hand. She +gave it to him. + +"Ah, here we are," he said, putting on a pair of gold-rimmed pince- +nez. "A hundred horse-power car. Well, well, this is something to +talk over. What's the least you'll take for it?" + +"_I_ have nothing to do with this kind of thing," cried Germaine. +"You must see my father. He will be back from Rennes soon. Then you +can settle the matter with him." + +M. Charolais rose, and said: "Very good. We will go now, and come +back presently. I'm sorry to have intruded on you, young ladies-- +taking up your time like this--" + +"Not at all--not at all," murmured Germaine politely. + +"Good-bye--good-bye," said M. Charolais; and he and his son went to +the door, and bowed themselves out. + +"What creatures!" said Germaine, going to the window, as the door +closed behind the two visitors. "All the same, if they do buy the +hundred horse-power, papa will be awfully pleased. It is odd about +that pane. I wonder how it happened. It's odd too that Jacques +hasn't come back yet. He told me that he would be here between half- +past four and five." + +"And the Du Buits have not come either," said Sonia. "But it's +hardly five yet." + +"Yes; that's so. The Du Buits have not come either. What on earth +are you wasting your time for?" she added sharply, raising her +voice. "Just finish addressing those letters while you're waiting." + +"They're nearly finished," said Sonia. + +"Nearly isn't quite. Get on with them, can't you!" snapped Germaine. + +Sonia went back to the writing-table; just the slightest deepening +of the faint pink roses in her cheeks marked her sense of Germaine's +rudeness. After three years as companion to Germaine Gournay-Martin, +she was well inured to millionaire manners; they had almost lost the +power to move her. + +Germaine dropped into a chair for twenty seconds; then flung out of +it. + +"Ten minutes to five!" she cried. "Jacques is late. It's the first +time I've ever known him late." + +She went to the window, and looked across the wide stretch of +meadow-land and woodland on which the chateau, set on the very crown +of the ridge, looked down. The road, running with the irritating +straightness of so many of the roads of France, was visible for a +full three miles. It was empty. + +"Perhaps the Duke went to the Chateau de Relzieres to see his +cousin--though I fancy that at bottom the Duke does not care very +much for the Baron de Relzieres. They always look as though they +detested one another," said Sonia, without raising her eyes from the +letter she was addressing. + +"You've noticed that, have you?" said Germaine. "Now, as far as +Jacques is concerned--he's--he's so indifferent. None the less, when +we were at the Relzieres on Thursday, I caught him quarrelling with +Paul de Relzieres." + +"Quarrelling?" said Sonia sharply, with a sudden uneasiness in air +and eyes and voice. + +"Yes; quarrelling. And they said good-bye to one another in the +oddest way." + +"But surely they shook hands?" said Sonia. + +"Not a bit of it. They bowed as if each of them had swallowed a +poker." + +"Why--then--then--" said Sonia, starting up with a frightened air; +and her voice stuck in her throat. + +"Then what?" said Germaine, a little startled by her panic-stricken +face. + +"The duel! Monsieur de Relzieres' duel!" cried Sonia. + +"What? You don't think it was with Jacques?" + +"I don't know--but this quarrel--the Duke's manner this morning--the +Du Buits' drive--" said Sonia. + +"Of course--of course! It's quite possible--in fact it's certain!" +cried Germaine. + +"It's horrible!" gasped Sonia. "Consider--just consider! Suppose +something happened to him. Suppose the Duke--" + +"It's me the Duke's fighting about!" cried Germaine proudly, with a +little skipping jump of triumphant joy. + +Sonia stared through her without seeing her. Her face was a dead +white--fear had chilled the lustre from her skin; her breath panted +through her parted lips; and her dilated eyes seemed to look on some +dreadful picture. + +Germaine pirouetted about the hall at the very height of triumph. To +have a Duke fighting a duel about her was far beyond the wildest +dreams of snobbishness. She chuckled again and again, and once she +clapped her hands and laughed aloud. + +"He's fighting a swordsman of the first class--an invincible +swordsman--you said so yourself," Sonia muttered in a tone of +anguish. "And there's nothing to be done--nothing." + +She pressed her hands to her eyes as if to shut out a hideous +vision. + +Germaine did not hear her; she was staring at herself in a mirror, +and bridling to her own image. + +Sonia tottered to the window and stared down at the road along which +must come the tidings of weal or irremediable woe. She kept passing +her hand over her eyes as if to clear their vision. + +Suddenly she started, and bent forward, rigid, all her being +concentrated in the effort to see. + +Then she cried: "Mademoiselle Germaine! Look! Look!" + +"What is it?" said Germaine, coming to her side. + +"A horseman! Look! There!" said Sonia, waving a hand towards the +road. + +"Yes; and isn't he galloping!" said Germaine. + +"It's he! It's the Duke!" cried Sonia. + +"Do you think so?" said Germaine doubtfully. + +"I'm sure of it--sure!" + +"Well, he gets here just in time for tea," said Germaine in a tone +of extreme satisfaction. "He knows that I hate to be kept waiting. +He said to me, 'I shall be back by five at the latest.' And here he +is." + +"It's impossible," said Sonia. "He has to go all the way round the +park. There's no direct road; the brook is between us." + +"All the same, he's coming in a straight line," said Germaine. + +It was true. The horseman had left the road and was galloping across +the meadows straight for the brook. In twenty seconds he reached its +treacherous bank, and as he set his horse at it, Sonia covered her +eyes. + +"He's over!" said Germaine. "My father gave three hundred guineas +for that horse." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +LUPIN'S WAY + + +Sonia, in a sudden revulsion of feeling, in a reaction from her +fears, slipped back and sat down at the tea-table, panting quickly, +struggling to keep back the tears of relief. She did not see the +Duke gallop up the slope, dismount, and hand over his horse to the +groom who came running to him. There was still a mist in her eyes to +blur his figure as he came through the window. + +"If it's for me, plenty of tea, very little cream, and three lumps +of sugar," he cried in a gay, ringing voice, and pulled out his +watch. "Five to the minute--that's all right." And he bent down, +took Germaine's hand, and kissed it with an air of gallant devotion. + +If he had indeed just fought a duel, there were no signs of it in +his bearing. His air, his voice, were entirely careless. He was a +man whose whole thought at the moment was fixed on his tea and his +punctuality. + +He drew a chair near the tea-table for Germaine; sat down himself; +and Sonia handed him a cup of tea with so shaky a hand that the +spoon clinked in the saucer. + +"You've been fighting a duel?" said Germaine. + +"What! You've heard already?" said the Duke in some surprise. + +"I've heard," said Germaine. "Why did you fight it?" + +"You're not wounded, your Grace?" said Sonia anxiously. + +"Not a scratch," said the Duke, smiling at her. + +"Will you be so good as to get on with those wedding-cards, Sonia," +said Germaine sharply; and Sonia went back to the writing-table. + +Turning to the Duke, Germaine said, "Did you fight on my account?" + +"Would you be pleased to know that I had fought on your account?" +said the Duke; and there was a faint mocking light in his eyes, far +too faint for the self-satisfied Germaine to perceive. + +"Yes. But it isn't true. You've been fighting about some woman," +said Germaine petulantly. + +"If I had been fighting about a woman, it could only be you," said +the Duke. + +"Yes, that is so. Of course. It could hardly be about Sonia, or my +maid," said Germaine. "But what was the reason of the duel?" + +"Oh, the reason of it was entirely childish," said the Duke. "I was +in a bad temper; and De Relzieres said something that annoyed me." + +"Then it wasn't about me; and if it wasn't about me, it wasn't +really worth while fighting," said Germaine in a tone of acute +disappointment. + +The mocking light deepened a little in the Duke's eyes. + +"Yes. But if I had been killed, everybody would have said, 'The Duke +of Charmerace has been killed in a duel about Mademoiselle Gournay- +Martin.' That would have sounded very fine indeed," said the Duke; +and a touch of mockery had crept into his voice. + +"Now, don't begin trying to annoy me again," said Germaine +pettishly. + +"The last thing I should dream of, my dear girl," said the Duke, +smiling. + +"And De Relzieres? Is he wounded?" said Germaine. + +"Poor dear De Relzieres: he won't be out of bed for the next six +months," said the Duke; and he laughed lightly and gaily. + +"Good gracious!" cried Germaine. + +"It will do poor dear De Relzieres a world of good. He has a touch +of enteritis; and for enteritis there is nothing like rest," said +the Duke. + +Sonia was not getting on very quickly with the wedding-cards. +Germaine was sitting with her back to her; and over her shoulder +Sonia could watch the face of the Duke--an extraordinarily mobile +face, changing with every passing mood. Sometimes his eyes met hers; +and hers fell before them. But as soon as they turned away from her +she was watching him again, almost greedily, as if she could not see +enough of his face in which strength of will and purpose was mingled +with a faint, ironic scepticism, and tempered by a fine air of race. + +He finished his tea; then he took a morocco case from his pocket, +and said to Germaine, "It must be quite three days since I gave you +anything." + +He opened the case, disclosed a pearl pendant, and handed it to her. + +"Oh, how nice!" she cried, taking it. + +She took it from the case, saying that it was a beauty. She showed +it to Sonia; then she put it on and stood before a mirror admiring +the effect. To tell the truth, the effect was not entirely +desirable. The pearls did not improve the look of her rather coarse +brown skin; and her skin added nothing to the beauty of the pearls. +Sonia saw this, and so did the Duke. He looked at Sonia's white +throat. She met his eyes and blushed. She knew that the same thought +was in both their minds; the pearls would have looked infinitely +better there. + +Germaine finished admiring herself; she was incapable even of +suspecting that so expensive a pendant could not suit her perfectly. + +The Duke said idly: "Goodness! Are all those invitations to the +wedding?" + +"That's only down to the letter V," said Germaine proudly. + +"And there are twenty-five letters in the alphabet! You must be +inviting the whole world. You'll have to have the Madeleine +enlarged. It won't hold them all. There isn't a church in Paris that +will," said the Duke. + +"Won't it be a splendid marriage!" said Germaine. "There'll be +something like a crush. There are sure to be accidents." + +"If I were you, I should have careful arrangements made," said the +Duke. + +"Oh, let people look after themselves. They'll remember it better if +they're crushed a little," said Germaine. + +There was a flicker of contemptuous wonder in the Duke's eyes. But +he only shrugged his shoulders, and turning to Sonia, said, "Will +you be an angel and play me a little Grieg, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff? +I heard you playing yesterday. No one plays Grieg like you." + +"Excuse me, Jacques, but Mademoiselle Kritchnoff has her work to +do," said Germaine tartly. + +"Five minutes' interval--just a morsel of Grieg, I beg," said the +Duke, with an irresistible smile. + +"All right," said Germaine grudgingly. "But I've something important +to talk to you about." + +"By Jove! So have I. I was forgetting. I've the last photograph I +took of you and Mademoiselle Sonia." Germaine frowned and shrugged +her shoulders. "With your light frocks in the open air, you look +like two big flowers," said the Duke. + +"You call that important!" cried Germaine. + +"It's very important--like all trifles," said the Duke, smiling. +"Look! isn't it nice?" And he took a photograph from his pocket, and +held it out to her. + +"Nice? It's shocking! We're making the most appalling faces," said +Germaine, looking at the photograph in his hand. + +"Well, perhaps you ARE making faces," said the Duke seriously, +considering the photograph with grave earnestness. "But they're not +appalling faces--not by any means. You shall be judge, Mademoiselle +Sonia. The faces--well, we won't talk about the faces--but the +outlines. Look at the movement of your scarf." And he handed the +photograph to Sonia. + +"Jacques!" said Germaine impatiently. + +"Oh, yes, you've something important to tell me. What is it?" said +the Duke, with an air of resignation; and he took the photograph +from Sonia and put it carefully back in his pocket. + +"Victoire has telephoned from Paris to say that we've had a paper- +knife and a Louis Seize inkstand given us," said Germaine. + +"Hurrah!" cried the Duke in a sudden shout that made them both jump. + +"And a pearl necklace," said Germaine. + +"Hurrah!" cried the Duke. + +"You're perfectly childish," said Germaine pettishly. "I tell you +we've been given a paper-knife, and you shout 'hurrah!' I say we've +been given a pearl necklace, and you shout 'hurrah!' You can't have +the slightest sense of values." + +"I beg your pardon. This pearl necklace is from one of your father's +friends, isn't it?" said the Duke. + +"Yes; why?" said Germaine. + +"But the inkstand and the paper-knife must be from the Faubourg +Saint-Germain, and well on the shabby side?" said the Duke. + +"Yes; well?" + +"Well then, my dear girl, what are you complaining about? They +balance; the equilibrium is restored. You can't have everything," +said the Duke; and he laughed mischievously. + +Germaine flushed, and bit her lip; her eyes sparkled. + +"You don't care a rap about me," she said stormily. + +"But I find you adorable," said the Duke. + +"You keep annoying me," said Germaine pettishly. "And you do it on +purpose. I think it's in very bad taste. I shall end by taking a +dislike to you--I know I shall." + +"Wait till we're married for that, my dear girl," said the Duke; and +he laughed again, with a blithe, boyish cheerfulness, which deepened +the angry flush in Germaine's cheeks. + +"Can't you be serious about anything?" she cried. + +"I am the most serious man in Europe," said the Duke. + +Germaine went to the window and stared out of it sulkily. + +The Duke walked up and down the hall, looking at the pictures of +some of his ancestors--somewhat grotesque persons--with humorous +appreciation. Between addressing the envelopes Sonia kept glancing +at him. Once he caught her eye, and smiled at her. Germaine's back +was eloquent of her displeasure. The Duke stopped at a gap in the +line of pictures in which there hung a strip of old tapestry. + +"I can never understand why you have left all these ancestors of +mine staring from the walls and have taken away the quite admirable +and interesting portrait of myself," he said carelessly. + +Germaine turned sharply from the window; Sonia stopped in the middle +of addressing an envelope; and both the girls stared at him in +astonishment. + +"There certainly was a portrait of me where that tapestry hangs. +What have you done with it?" said the Duke. + +"You're making fun of us again," said Germaine. + +"Surely your Grace knows what happened," said Sonia. + +"We wrote all the details to you and sent you all the papers three +years ago. Didn't you get them?" said Germaine. + +"Not a detail or a newspaper. Three years ago I was in the +neighbourhood of the South Pole, and lost at that," said the Duke. + +"But it was most dramatic, my dear Jacques. All Paris was talking of +it," said Germaine. "Your portrait was stolen." + +"Stolen? Who stole it?" said the Duke. + +Germaine crossed the hall quickly to the gap in the line of +pictures. + +"I'll show you," she said. + +She drew aside the piece of tapestry, and in the middle of the panel +over which the portrait of the Duke had hung he saw written in chalk +the words: + +ARSENE LUPIN + +"What do you think of that autograph?" said Germaine. + +"'Arsene Lupin?'" said the Duke in a tone of some bewilderment. + +"He left his signature. It seems that he always does so," said Sonia +in an explanatory tone. + +"But who is he?" said the Duke. + +"Arsene Lupin? Surely you know who Arsene Lupin is?" said Germaine +impatiently. + +"I haven't the slightest notion," said the Duke. + +"Oh, come! No one is as South-Pole as all that!" cried Germaine. +"You don't know who Lupin is? The most whimsical, the most +audacious, and the most genial thief in France. For the last ten +years he has kept the police at bay. He has baffled Ganimard, +Holmlock Shears, the great English detective, and even Guerchard, +whom everybody says is the greatest detective we've had in France +since Vidocq. In fact, he's our national robber. Do you mean to say +you don't know him?" + +"Not even enough to ask him to lunch at a restaurant," said the Duke +flippantly. "What's he like?" + +"Like? Nobody has the slightest idea. He has a thousand disguises. +He has dined two evenings running at the English Embassy." + +"But if nobody knows him, how did they learn that?" said the Duke, +with a puzzled air. + +"Because the second evening, about ten o'clock, they noticed that +one of the guests had disappeared, and with him all the jewels of +the ambassadress." + +"All of them?" said the Duke. + +"Yes; and Lupin left his card behind him with these words scribbled +on it:" + +"'This is not a robbery; it is a restitution. You took the Wallace +collection from us.'" + +"But it was a hoax, wasn't it?" said the Duke. + +"No, your Grace; and he has done better than that. You remember the +affair of the Daray Bank--the savings bank for poor people?" said +Sonia, her gentle face glowing with a sudden enthusiastic animation. + +"Let's see," said the Duke. "Wasn't that the financier who doubled +his fortune at the expense of a heap of poor wretches and ruined two +thousand people?" + +"Yes; that's the man," said Sonia. "And Lupin stripped Daray's house +and took from him everything he had in his strong-box. He didn't +leave him a sou of the money. And then, when he'd taken it from him, +he distributed it among all the poor wretches whom Daray had +ruined." + +"But this isn't a thief you're talking about--it's a +philanthropist," said the Duke. + +"A fine sort of philanthropist!" broke in Germaine in a peevish +tone. "There was a lot of philanthropy about his robbing papa, +wasn't there?" + +"Well," said the Duke, with an air of profound reflection, "if you +come to think of it, that robbery was not worthy of this national +hero. My portrait, if you except the charm and beauty of the face +itself, is not worth much." + +"If you think he was satisfied with your portrait, you're very much +mistaken. All my father's collections were robbed," said Germaine. + +"Your father's collections?" said the Duke. "But they're better +guarded than the Bank of France. Your father is as careful of them +as the apple of his eye." + +"That's exactly it--he was too careful of them. That's why Lupin +succeeded." + +"This is very interesting," said the Duke; and he sat down on a +couch before the gap in the pictures, to go into the matter more at +his ease. "I suppose he had accomplices in the house itself?" + +"Yes, one accomplice," said Germaine. + +"Who was that?" asked the Duke. + +"Papa!" said Germaine. + +"Oh, come! what on earth do you mean?" said the Duke. "You're +getting quite incomprehensible, my dear girl." + +"Well, I'll make it clear to you. One morning papa received a +letter--but wait. Sonia, get me the Lupin papers out of the bureau." + +Sonia rose from the writing-table, and went to a bureau, an +admirable example of the work of the great English maker, +Chippendale. It stood on the other side of the hall between an +Oriental cabinet and a sixteenth-century Italian cabinet--for all +the world as if it were standing in a crowded curiosity shop--with +the natural effect that the three pieces, by their mere incongruity, +took something each from the beauty of the other. Sonia raised the +flap of the bureau, and taking from one of the drawers a small +portfolio, turned over the papers in it and handed a letter to the +Duke. + +"This is the envelope," she said. "It's addressed to M. Gournay- +Martin, Collector, at the Chateau de Charmerace, Ile-et-Vilaine." + +The Duke opened the envelope and took out a letter. + +"It's an odd handwriting," he said. + +"Read it--carefully," said Germaine. + +It was an uncommon handwriting. The letters of it were small, but +perfectly formed. It looked the handwriting of a man who knew +exactly what he wanted to say, and liked to say it with extreme +precision. The letter ran: + + "DEAR SIR," + + "Please forgive my writing to you without our having + been introduced to one another; but I flatter myself + that you know me, at any rate, by name." + + "There is in the drawing-room next your hall a + Gainsborough of admirable quality which affords me + infinite pleasure. Your Goyas in the same drawing-room + are also to my liking, as well as your Van Dyck. In the + further drawing-room I note the Renaissance cabinets-- + a marvellous pair--the Flemish tapestry, the Fragonard, + the clock signed Boulle, and various other objects of + less importance. But above all I have set my heart on + that coronet which you bought at the sale of the + Marquise de Ferronaye, and which was formerly worn by + the unfortunate Princesse de Lamballe. I take the + greatest interest in this coronet: in the first place, + on account of the charming and tragic memories which it + calls up in the mind of a poet passionately fond of + history, and in the second place--though it is hardly + worth while talking about that kind of thing--on + account of its intrinsic value. I reckon indeed that + the stones in your coronet are, at the very lowest, + worth half a million francs." + + "I beg you, my dear sir, to have these different + objects properly packed up, and to forward them, + addressed to me, carriage paid, to the Batignolles + Station. Failing this, I shall Proceed to remove them + myself on the night of Thursday, August 7th." + + "Please pardon the slight trouble to which I am putting + you, and believe me," + + "Yours very sincerely," + + "ARSENE LUPIN." + + "P.S.--It occurs to me that the pictures have not glass + before them. It would be as well to repair this + omission before forwarding them to me, and I am sure + that you will take this extra trouble cheerfully. I am + aware, of course, that some of the best judges declare + that a picture loses some of its quality when seen + through glass. But it preserves them, and we should + always be ready and willing to sacrifice a portion of + our own pleasure for the benefit of posterity. France + demands it of us.--A. L." + + +The Duke laughed, and said, "Really, this is extraordinarily funny. +It must have made your father laugh." + +"Laugh?" said Germaine. "You should have seen his face. He took it +seriously enough, I can tell you." + +"Not to the point of forwarding the things to Batignolles, I hope," +said the Duke. + +"No, but to the point of being driven wild," said Germaine. "And +since the police had always been baffled by Lupin, he had the +brilliant idea of trying what soldiers could do. The Commandant at +Rennes is a great friend of papa's; and papa went to him, and told +him about Lupin's letter and what he feared. The colonel laughed at +him; but he offered him a corporal and six soldiers to guard his +collection, on the night of the seventh. It was arranged that they +should come from Rennes by the last train so that the burglars +should have no warning of their coming. Well, they came, seven +picked men--men who had seen service in Tonquin. We gave them +supper; and then the corporal posted them in the hall and the two +drawing-rooms where the pictures and things were. At eleven we all +went to bed, after promising the corporal that, in the event of any +fight with the burglars, we would not stir from our rooms. I can +tell you I felt awfully nervous. I couldn't get to sleep for ages +and ages. Then, when I did, I did not wake till morning. The night +had passed absolutely quietly. Nothing out of the common had +happened. There had not been the slightest noise. I awoke Sonia and +my father. We dressed as quickly as we could, and rushed down to the +drawing-room." + +She paused dramatically. + +"Well?" said the Duke. + +"Well, it was done." + +"What was done?" said the Duke. + +"Everything," said Germaine. "Pictures had gone, tapestries had +gone, cabinets had gone, and the clock had gone." + +"And the coronet too?" said the Duke. + +"Oh, no. That was at the Bank of France. And it was doubtless to +make up for not getting it that Lupin stole your portrait. At any +rate he didn't say that he was going to steal it in his letter." + +"But, come! this is incredible. Had he hypnotized the corporal and +the six soldiers? Or had he murdered them all?" said the Duke. + +"Corporal? There wasn't any corporal, and there weren't any +soldiers. The corporal was Lupin, and the soldiers were part of his +gang," said Germaine. + +"I don't understand," said the Duke. "The colonel promised your +father a corporal and six men. Didn't they come?" + +"They came to the railway station all right," said Germaine. "But +you know the little inn half-way between the railway station and the +chateau? They stopped to drink there, and at eleven o'clock next +morning one of the villagers found all seven of them, along with the +footman who was guiding them to the chateau, sleeping like logs in +the little wood half a mile from the inn. Of course the innkeeper +could not explain when their wine was drugged. He could only tell us +that a motorist, who had stopped at the inn to get some supper, had +called the soldiers in and insisted on standing them drinks. They +had seemed a little fuddled before they left the inn, and the +motorist had insisted on driving them to the chateau in his car. +When the drug took effect he simply carried them out of it one by +one, and laid them in the wood to sleep it off." + +"Lupin seems to have made a thorough job of it, anyhow," said the +Duke. + +"I should think so," said Germaine. "Guerchard was sent down from +Paris; but he could not find a single clue. It was not for want of +trying, for he hates Lupin. It's a regular fight between them, and +so far Lupin has scored every point." + +"He must be as clever as they make 'em," said the Duke. + +"He is," said Germaine. "And do you know, I shouldn't be at all +surprised if he's in the neighbourhood now." + +"What on earth do you mean?" said the Duke. + +"I'm not joking," said Germaine. "Odd things are happening. Some one +has been changing the place of things. That silver statuette now--it +was on the cabinet, and we found it moved to the piano. Yet nobody +had touched it. And look at this window. Some one has broken a pane +in it just at the height of the fastening." + +"The deuce they have!" said the Duke. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE DUKE INTERVENES + + +The Duke rose, came to the window, and looked at the broken pane. He +stepped out on to the terrace and looked at the turf; then he came +back into the room. + +"This looks serious," he said. "That pane has not been broken at +all. If it had been broken, the pieces of glass would be lying on +the turf. It has been cut out. We must warn your father to look to +his treasures." + +"I told you so," said Germaine. "I said that Arsene Lupin was in the +neighbourhood." + +"Arsene Lupin is a very capable man," said the Duke, smiling. "But +there's no reason to suppose that he's the only burglar in France or +even in Ile-et-Vilaine." + +"I'm sure that he's in the neighbourhood. I have a feeling that he +is," said Germaine stubbornly. + +The Duke shrugged his shoulders, and said a smile: "Far be it from +me to contradict you. A woman's intuition is always--well, it's +always a woman's intuition." + +He came back into the hall, and as he did so the door opened and a +shock-headed man in the dress of a gamekeeper stood on the +threshold. + +"There are visitors to see you, Mademoiselle Germaine," he said, in +a very deep bass voice. + +"What! Are you answering the door, Firmin?" said Germaine. + +"Yes, Mademoiselle Germaine: there's only me to do it. All the +servants have started for the station, and my wife and I are going +to see after the family to-night and to-morrow morning. Shall I show +these gentlemen in?" + +"Who are they?" said Germaine. + +"Two gentlemen who say they have an appointment." + +"What are their names?" said Germaine. + +"They are two gentlemen. I don't know what their names are. I've no +memory for names." + +"That's an advantage to any one who answers doors," said the Duke, +smiling at the stolid Firmin. + +"Well, it can't be the two Charolais again. It's not time for them +to come back. I told them papa would not be back yet," said +Germaine. + +"No, it can't be them, Mademoiselle Germaine," said Firmin, with +decision. + +"Very well; show them in," she said. + +Firmin went out, leaving the door open behind him; and they heard +his hob-nailed boots clatter and squeak on the stone floor of the +outer hall. + +"Charolais?" said the Duke idly. "I don't know the name. Who are +they?" + +"A little while ago Alfred announced two gentlemen. I thought they +were Georges and Andre du Buit, for they promised to come to tea. I +told Alfred to show them in, and to my surprise there appeared two +horrible provincials. I never--Oh!" + +She stopped short, for there, coming through the door, were the two +Charolais, father and son. + +M. Charolais pressed his motor-cap to his bosom, and bowed low. +"Once more I salute you, mademoiselle," he said. + +His son bowed, and revealed behind him another young man. + +"My second son. He has a chemist's shop," said M. Charolais, waving +a large red hand at the young man. + +The young man, also blessed with the family eyes, set close +together, entered the hall and bowed to the two girls. The Duke +raised his eyebrows ever so slightly. + +"I'm very sorry, gentlemen," said Germaine, "but my father has not +yet returned." + +"Please don't apologize. There is not the slightest need," said M. +Charolais; and he and his two sons settled themselves down on three +chairs, with the air of people who had come to make a considerable +stay. + +For a moment, Germaine, taken aback by their coolness, was +speechless; then she said hastily: "Very likely he won't be back for +another hour. I shouldn't like you to waste your time." + +"Oh, it doesn't matter," said M. Charolais, with an indulgent air; +and turning to the Duke, he added, "However, while we're waiting, if +you're a member of the family, sir, we might perhaps discuss the +least you will take for the motor-car." + +"I'm sorry," said the Duke, "but I have nothing to do with it." + +Before M. Charolais could reply the door opened, and Firmin's deep +voice said: + +"Will you please come in here, sir?" + +A third young man came into the hall. + +"What, you here, Bernard?" said M. Charolais. "I told you to wait at +the park gates." + +"I wanted to see the car too," said Bernard. + +"My third son. He is destined for the Bar," said M. Charolais, with +a great air of paternal pride. + +"But how many are there?" said Germaine faintly. + +Before M. Charolais could answer, Firmin once more appeared on the +threshold. + +"The master's just come back, miss," he said. + +"Thank goodness for that!" said Germaine; and turning to M. +Charolais, she added, "If you will come with me, gentlemen, I will +take you to my father, and you can discuss the price of the car at +once." + +As she spoke she moved towards the door. M. Charolais and his sons +rose and made way for her. The father and the two eldest sons made +haste to follow her out of the room. But Bernard lingered behind, +apparently to admire the bric-a-brac on the cabinets. With infinite +quickness he grabbed two objects off the nearest, and followed his +brothers. The Duke sprang across the hall in three strides, caught +him by the arm on the very threshold, jerked him back into the hall, +and shut the door. + +"No you don't, my young friend," he said sharply. + +"Don't what?" said Bernard, trying to shake off his grip. + +"You've taken a cigarette-case," said the Duke. + +"No, no, I haven't--nothing of the kind!" stammered Bernard. + +The Duke grasped the young man's left wrist, plunged his hand into +the motor-cap which he was carrying, drew out of it a silver +cigarette-case, and held it before his eyes. + +Bernard turned pale to the lips. His frightened eyes seemed about to +leap from their sockets. + +"It--it--was a m-m-m-mistake," he stammered. + +The Duke shifted his grip to his collar, and thrust his hand into +the breast-pocket of his coat. Bernard, helpless in his grip, and +utterly taken aback by his quickness, made no resistance. + +The Duke drew out a morocco case, and said: "Is this a mistake too?" + +"Heavens! The pendant!" cried Sonia, who was watching the scene with +parted lips and amazed eyes. + +Bernard dropped on his knees and clasped his hands. + +"Forgive me!" he cried, in a choking voice. "Forgive me! Don't tell +any one! For God's sake, don't tell any one!" + +And the tears came streaming from his eyes. + +"You young rogue!" said the Duke quietly. + +"I'll never do it again--never! Oh, have pity on me! If my father +knew! Oh, let me off!" cried Bernard. + +The Duke hesitated, and looked down on him, frowning and pulling at +his moustache. Then, more quickly than one would have expected from +so careless a trifler, his mind was made up. + +"All right," he said slowly. "Just for this once . . . be off with +you." And he jerked him to his feet and almost threw him into the +outer hall. + +"Thanks! . . . oh, thanks!" said Bernard. + +The Duke shut the door and looked at Sonia, breathing quickly. + +"Well? Did you ever see anything like that? That young fellow will +go a long way. The cheek of the thing! Right under our very eyes! +And this pendant, too: it would have been a pity to lose it. Upon my +word, I ought to have handed him over to the police." + +"No, no!" cried Sonia. "You did quite right to let him off--quite +right," + +The Duke set the pendant on the ledge of the bureau, and came down +the hall to Sonia. + +"What's the matter?" he said gently. "You're quite pale." + +"It has upset me . . . that unfortunate boy," said Sonia; and her +eyes were swimming with tears. + +"Do you pity the young rogue?" said the Duke. + +"Yes; it's dreadful. His eyes were so terrified, and so boyish. And, +to be caught like that . . . stealing . . . in the act. Oh, it's +hateful!" + +"Come, come, how sensitive you are!" said the Duke, in a soothing, +almost caressing tone. His eyes, resting on her charming, troubled +face, were glowing with a warm admiration. + +"Yes; it's silly," said Sonia; "but you noticed his eyes--the hunted +look in them? You pitied him, didn't you? For you are kind at +bottom." + +"Why at bottom?" said the Duke. + +"Oh, I said at bottom because you look sarcastic, and at first sight +you're so cold. But often that's only the mask of those who have +suffered the most. . . . They are the most indulgent," said Sonia +slowly, hesitating, picking her words. + +"Yes, I suppose they are," said the Duke thoughtfully. + +"It's because when one has suffered one understands. . . . Yes: one +understands," said Sonia. + +There was a pause. The Duke's eyes still rested on her face. The +admiration in them was mingled with compassion. + +"You're very unhappy here, aren't you?" he said gently. + +"Me? Why?" said Sonia quickly. + +"Your smile is so sad, and your eyes so timid," said the Duke +slowly. "You're just like a little child one longs to protect. Are +you quite alone in the world?" + +His eyes and tones were full of pity; and a faint flush mantled +Sonia's cheeks. + +"Yes, I'm alone," she said. + +"But have you no relations--no friends?" said the Duke. + +"No," said Sonia. + +"I don't mean here in France, but in your own country. . . . Surely +you have some in Russia?" + +"No, not a soul. You see, my father was a Revolutionist. He died in +Siberia when I was a baby. And my mother, she died too--in Paris. +She had fled from Russia. I was two years old when she died." + +"It must be hard to be alone like that," said the Duke. + +"No," said Sonia, with a faint smile, "I don't mind having no +relations. I grew used to that so young . . . so very young. But +what is hard--but you'll laugh at me--" + +"Heaven forbid!" said the Duke gravely. + +"Well, what is hard is, never to get a letter . . . an envelope that +one opens . . . from some one who thinks about one--" + +She paused, and then added gravely: "But I tell myself that it's +nonsense. I have a certain amount of philosophy." + +She smiled at him--an adorable child's smile. + +The Duke smiled too. "A certain amount of philosophy," he said +softly. "You look like a philosopher!" + +As they stood looking at one another with serious eyes, almost with +eyes that probed one another's souls, the drawing-room door flung +open, and Germaine's harsh voice broke on their ears. + +"You're getting quite impossible, Sonia!" she cried. "It's +absolutely useless telling you anything. I told you particularly to +pack my leather writing-case in my bag with your own hand. I happen +to open a drawer, and what do I see? My leather writing-case." + +"I'm sorry," said Sonia. "I was going--" + +"Oh, there's no need to bother about it. I'll see after it myself," +said Germaine. "But upon my word, you might be one of our guests, +seeing how easily you take things. You're negligence personified." + +"Come, Germaine . . . a mere oversight," said the Duke, in a coaxing +tone. + +"Now, excuse me, Jacques; but you've got an unfortunate habit of +interfering in household matters. You did it only the other day. I +can no longer say a word to a servant--" + +"Germaine!" said the Duke, in sharp protest. + +Germaine turned from him to Sonia, and pointed to a packet of +envelopes and some letters, which Bernard Charolais had knocked off +the table, and said, "Pick up those envelopes and letters, and bring +everything to my room, and be quick about it!" + +She flung out of the room, and slammed the door behind her. + +Sonia seemed entirely unmoved by the outburst: no flush of +mortification stained her cheeks, her lips did not quiver. She +stooped to pick up the fallen papers. + +"No, no; let me, I beg you," said the Duke, in a tone of distress. +And dropping on one knee, he began to gather together the fallen +papers. He set them on the table, and then he said: "You mustn't +mind what Germaine says. She's--she's--she's all right at heart. +It's her manner. She's always been happy, and had everything she +wanted. She's been spoiled, don't you know. Those kind of people +never have any consideration for any one else. You mustn't let her +outburst hurt you." + +"Oh, but I don't. I don't really," protested Sonia. + +"I'm glad of that," said the Duke. "It isn't really worth noticing." + +He drew the envelopes and unused cards into a packet, and handed +them to her. + +"There!" he said, with a smile. "That won't be too heavy for you." + +"Thank you," said Sonia, taking it from him. + +"Shall I carry them for you?" said the Duke. + +"No, thank you, your Grace," said Sonia. + +With a quick, careless, almost irresponsible movement, he caught her +hand, bent down, and kissed it. A great wave of rosy colour flowed +over her face, flooding its whiteness to her hair and throat. She +stood for a moment turned to stone; she put her hand to her heart. +Then on hasty, faltering feet she went to the door, opened it, +paused on the threshold, turned and looked back at him, and +vanished. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A LETTER FROM LUPIN + + +The Duke stood for a while staring thoughtfully at the door through +which Sonia had passed, a faint smile playing round his lips. He +crossed the hall to the Chippendale bureau, took a cigarette from a +box which stood on the ledge of it, beside the morocco case which +held the pendant, lighted it, and went slowly out on to the terrace. +He crossed it slowly, paused for a moment on the edge of it, and +looked across the stretch of country with musing eyes, which saw +nothing of its beauty. Then he turned to the right, went down a +flight of steps to the lower terrace, crossed the lawn, and took a +narrow path which led into the heart of a shrubbery of tall +deodoras. In the middle of it he came to one of those old stone +benches, moss-covered and weather-stained, which adorn the gardens +of so many French chateaux. It faced a marble basin from which rose +the slender column of a pattering fountain. The figure of a Cupid +danced joyously on a tall pedestal to the right of the basin. The +Duke sat down on the bench, and was still, with that rare stillness +which only comes of nerves in perfect harmony, his brow knitted in +careful thought. Now and again the frown cleared from his face, and +his intent features relaxed into a faint smile, a smile of pleasant +memory. Once he rose, walked round the fountains frowning, came back +to the bench, and sat down again. The early September dusk was upon +him when at last he rose and with quick steps took his way through +the shrubbery, with the air of a man whose mind, for good or ill, +was at last made up. + +When he came on to the upper terrace his eyes fell on a group which +stood at the further corner, near the entrance of the chateau, and +he sauntered slowly up to it. + +In the middle of it stood M. Gournay-Martin, a big, round, flabby +hulk of a man. He was nearly as red in the face as M. Charolais; and +he looked a great deal redder owing to the extreme whiteness of the +whiskers which stuck out on either side of his vast expanse of +cheek. As he came up, it struck the Duke as rather odd that he +should have the Charolais eyes, set close together; any one who did +not know that they were strangers to one another might have thought +it a family likeness. + +The millionaire was waving his hands and roaring after the manner of +a man who has cultivated the art of brow-beating those with whom he +does business; and as the Duke neared the group, he caught the +words: + +"No; that's the lowest I'll take. Take it or leave it. You can say +Yes, or you can say Good-bye; and I don't care a hang which." + +"It's very dear," said M. Charolais, in a mournful tone. + +"Dear!" roared M. Gournay-Martin. "I should like to see any one else +sell a hundred horse-power car for eight hundred pounds. Why, my +good sir, you're having me!" + +"No, no," protested M. Charolais feebly. + +"I tell you you're having me," roared M. Gournay-Martin. "I'm +letting you have a magnificent car for which I paid thirteen hundred +pounds for eight hundred! It's scandalous the way you've beaten me +down!" + +"No, no," protested M. Charolais. + +He seemed frightened out of his life by the vehemence of the big +man. + +"You wait till you've seen how it goes," said M. Gournay-Martin. + +"Eight hundred is very dear," said M. Charolais. + +"Come, come! You're too sharp, that's what you are. But don't say +any more till you've tried the car." + +He turned to his chauffeur, who stood by watching the struggle with +an appreciative grin on his brown face, and said: "Now, Jean, take +these gentlemen to the garage, and run them down to the station. +Show them what the car can do. Do whatever they ask you-- +everything." + +He winked at Jean, turned again to M. Charolais, and said: "You +know, M. Charolais, you're too good a man of business for me. You're +hot stuff, that's what you are--hot stuff. You go along and try the +car. Good-bye--good-bye." + +The four Charolais murmured good-bye in deep depression, and went +off with Jean, wearing something of the air of whipped dogs. When +they had gone round the corner the millionaire turned to the Duke +and said, with a chuckle: "He'll buy the car all right--had him +fine!" + +"No business success of yours could surprise me," said the Duke +blandly, with a faint, ironical smile. + +M. Gournay-Martin's little pig's eyes danced and sparkled; and the +smiles flowed over the distended skin of his face like little +ripples over a stagnant pool, reluctantly. It seemed to be too +tightly stretched for smiles. + +"The car's four years old," he said joyfully. "He'll give me eight +hundred for it, and it's not worth a pipe of tobacco. And eight +hundred pounds is just the price of a little Watteau I've had my eye +on for some time--a first-class investment." + +They strolled down the terrace, and through one of the windows into +the hall. Firmin had lighted the lamps, two of them. They made but a +small oasis of light in a desert of dim hall. The millionaire let +himself down very gingerly into an Empire chair, as if he feared, +with excellent reason, that it might collapse under his weight. + +"Well, my dear Duke," he said, "you don't ask me the result of my +official lunch or what the minister said." + +"Is there any news?" said the Duke carelessly. + +"Yes. The decree will be signed to-morrow. You can consider yourself +decorated. I hope you feel a happy man," said the millionaire, +rubbing his fat hands together with prodigious satisfaction. + +"Oh, charmed--charmed," said the Duke, with entire indifference. + +"As for me, I'm delighted--delighted," said the millionaire. "I was +extremely keen on your being decorated. After that, and after a +volume or two of travels, and after you've published your +grandfather's letters with a good introduction, you can begin to +think of the Academy." + +"The Academy!" said the Duke, startled from his usual coolness. "But +I've no title to become an Academician." + +"How, no title?" said the millionaire solemnly; and his little eyes +opened wide. "You're a duke." + +"There's no doubt about that," said the Duke, watching him with +admiring curiosity. + +"I mean to marry my daughter to a worker--a worker, my dear Duke," +said the millionaire, slapping his big left hand with his bigger +right. "I've no prejudices--not I. I wish to have for son-in-law a +duke who wears the Order of the Legion of Honour, and belongs to the +Academic Francaise, because that is personal merit. I'm no snob." + +A gentle, irrepressible laugh broke from the Duke. + +"What are you laughing at?" said the millionaire, and a sudden +lowering gloom overspread his beaming face. + +"Nothing--nothing," said the Duke quietly. "Only you're so full of +surprises." + +"I've startled you, have I? I thought I should. It's true that I'm +full of surprises. It's my knowledge. I understand so much. I +understand business, and I love art, pictures, a good bargain, bric- +a-brac, fine tapestry. They're first-class investments. Yes, +certainly I do love the beautiful. And I don't want to boast, but I +understand it. I have taste, and I've something better than taste; I +have a flair, the dealer's flair." + +"Yes, your collections, especially your collection in Paris, prove +it," said the Duke, stifling a yawn. + +"And yet you haven't seen the finest thing I have--the coronet of +the Princesse de Lamballe. It's worth half a million francs." + +"So I've heard," said the Duke, a little wearily. "I don't wonder +that Arsene Lupin envied you it." + +The Empire chair creaked as the millionaire jumped. + +"Don't speak of the swine!" he roared. "Don't mention his name +before me." + +"Germaine showed me his letter," said the Duke. "It is amusing." + +"His letter! The blackguard! I just missed a fit of apoplexy from +it," roared the millionaire. "I was in this very hall where we are +now, chatting quietly, when all at once in comes Firmin, and hands +me a letter." + +He was interrupted by the opening of the door. Firmin came clumping +down the room, and said in his deep voice, "A letter for you, sir." + +"Thank you," said the millionaire, taking the letter, and, as he +fitted his eye-glass into his eye, he went on, "Yes, Firmin brought +me a letter of which the handwriting,"--he raised the envelope he +was holding to his eyes, and bellowed, "Good heavens!" + +"What's the matter?" said the Duke, jumping in his chair at the +sudden, startling burst of sound. + +"The handwriting!--the handwriting!--it's THE SAME HANDWRITING!" +gasped the millionaire. And he let himself fall heavily backwards +against the back of his chair. + +There was a crash. The Duke had a vision of huge arms and legs +waving in the air as the chair-back gave. There was another crash. +The chair collapsed. The huge bulk banged to the floor. + +The laughter of the Duke rang out uncontrollably. He caught one of +the waving arms, and jerked the flabby giant to his feet with an +ease which seemed to show that his muscles were of steel. + +"Come," he said, laughing still. "This is nonsense! What do you mean +by the same handwriting? It can't be." + +"It is the same handwriting. Am I likely to make a mistake about +it?" spluttered the millionaire. And he tore open the envelope with +an air of frenzy. + +He ran his eyes over it, and they grew larger and larger--they grew +almost of an average size. + +"Listen," he said "listen:" + +"DEAR SIR," + +"My collection of pictures, which I had the pleasure of +starting three years ago with some of your own, only +contains, as far as Old Masters go, one Velasquez, one +Rembrandt, and three paltry Rubens. You have a great +many more. Since it is a shame such masterpieces should +be in your hands, I propose to appropriate them; and I +shall set about a respectful acquisition of them in +your Paris house tomorrow morning." + +"Yours very sincerely," + +"ARSENE LUPIN." + +"He's humbugging," said the Duke. + +"Wait! wait!" gasped the millionaire. "There's a postscript. +Listen:" + +"P.S.--You must understand that since you have been +keeping the coronet of the Princesse de Lamballe during +these three years, I shall avail myself of the same +occasion to compel you to restore that piece of +jewellery to me.--A. L." + +"The thief! The scoundrel! I'm choking!" gasped the millionaire, +clutching at his collar. + +To judge from the blackness of his face, and the way he staggered +and dropped on to a couch, which was fortunately stronger than the +chair, he was speaking the truth. + +"Firmin! Firmin!" shouted the Duke. "A glass of water! Quick! Your +master's ill." + +He rushed to the side of the millionaire, who gasped: "Telephone! +Telephone to the Prefecture of Police! Be quick!" + +The Duke loosened his collar with deft fingers; tore a Van Loo fan +from its case hanging on the wall, and fanned him furiously. Firmin +came clumping into the room with a glass of water in his hand. + +The drawing-room door opened, and Germaine and Sonia, alarmed by the +Duke's shout, hurried in. + +"Quick! Your smelling-salts!" said the Duke. + +Sonia ran across the hall, opened one of the drawers in the Oriental +cabinet, and ran to the millionaire with a large bottle of smelling- +salts in her hand. The Duke took it from her, and applied it to the +millionaire's nose. The millionaire sneezed thrice with terrific +violence. The Duke snatched the glass from Firmin and dashed the +water into his host's purple face. The millionaire gasped and +spluttered. + +Germaine stood staring helplessly at her gasping sire. + +"Whatever's the matter?" she said. + +"It's this letter," said the Duke. "A letter from Lupin." + +"I told you so--I said that Lupin was in the neighbourhood," cried +Germaine triumphantly. + +"Firmin--where's Firmin?" said the millionaire, dragging himself +upright. He seemed to have recovered a great deal of his voice. "Oh, +there you are!" + +He jumped up, caught the gamekeeper by the shoulder, and shook him +furiously. + +"This letter. Where did it come from? Who brought it?" he roared. + +"It was in the letter-box--the letter-box of the lodge at the bottom +of the park. My wife found it there," said Firmin, and he twisted +out of the millionaire's grasp. + +"Just as it was three years ago," roared the millionaire, with an +air of desperation. "It's exactly the same coup. Oh, what a +catastrophe! What a catastrophe!" + +He made as if to tear out his hair; then, remembering its +scantiness, refrained. + +"Now, come, it's no use losing your head," said the Duke, with quiet +firmness. "If this letter isn't a hoax--" + +"Hoax?" bellowed the millionaire. "Was it a hoax three years ago?" + +"Very good," said the Duke. "But if this robbery with which you're +threatened is genuine, it's just childish." + +"How?" said the millionaire. + +"Look at the date of the letter--Sunday, September the third. This +letter was written to-day." + +"Yes. Well, what of it?" said the millionaire. + +"Look at the letter: 'I shall set about a respectful acquisition of +them in your Paris house to-morrow morning '--to-morrow morning." + +"Yes, yes; 'to-morrow morning'--what of it?" said the millionaire. + +"One of two things," said the Duke. "Either it's a hoax, and we +needn't bother about it; or the threat is genuine, and we have the +time to stop the robbery." "Of course we have. Whatever was I +thinking of?" said the millionaire. And his anguish cleared from his +face. + +"For once in a way our dear Lupin's fondness for warning people will +have given him a painful jar," said the Duke. + +"Come on! let me get at the telephone," cried the millionaire. + +"But the telephone's no good," said Sonia quickly. + +"No good! Why?" roared the millionaire, dashing heavily across the +room to it. + +"Look at the time," said Sonia; "the telephone doesn't work as late +as this. It's Sunday." + +The millionaire stopped dead. + +"It's true. It's appalling," he groaned. + +"But that doesn't matter. You can always telegraph," said Germaine. + +"But you can't. It's impossible," said Sonia. "You can't get a +message through. It's Sunday; and the telegraph offices shut at +twelve o'clock." + +"Oh, what a Government!" groaned the millionaire. And he sank down +gently on a chair beside the telephone, and mopped the beads of +anguish from his brow. They looked at him, and they looked at one +another, cudgelling their brains for yet another way of +communicating with the Paris police. + +"Hang it all!" said the Duke. "There must be some way out of the +difficulty." + +"What way?" said the millionaire. + +The Duke did not answer. He put his hands in his pockets and walked +impatiently up and down the hall. Germaine sat down on a chair. +Sonia put her hands on the back of a couch, and leaned forward, +watching him. Firmin stood by the door, whither he had retired to be +out of the reach of his excited master, with a look of perplexity on +his stolid face. They all watched the Duke with the air of people +waiting for an oracle to deliver its message. The millionaire kept +mopping the beads of anguish from his brow. The more he thought of +his impending loss, the more freely he perspired. Germaine's maid, +Irma, came to the door leading into the outer hall, which Firmin, +according to his usual custom, had left open, and peered in wonder +at the silent group. + +"I have it!" cried the Duke at last. "There is a way out." + +"What is it?" said the millionaire, rising and coming to the middle +of the hall. + +"What time is it?" said the Duke, pulling out his watch. + +The millionaire pulled out his watch. Germaine pulled out hers. +Firmin, after a struggle, produced from some pocket difficult of +access an object not unlike a silver turnip. There was a brisk +dispute between Germaine and the millionaire about which of their +watches was right. Firmin, whose watch apparently did not agree with +the watch of either of them, made his deep voice heard above theirs. +The Duke came to the conclusion that it must be a few minutes past +seven. + +"It's seven or a few minutes past," he said sharply. "Well, I'm +going to take a car and hurry off to Paris. I ought to get there, +bar accidents, between two and three in the morning, just in time to +inform the police and catch the burglars in the very midst of their +burglary. I'll just get a few things together." + +So saying, he rushed out of the hall. + +"Excellent! excellent!" said the millionaire. "Your young man is a +man of resource, Germaine. It seems almost a pity that he's a duke. +He'd do wonders in the building trade. But I'm going to Paris too, +and you're coming with me. I couldn't wait idly here, to save my +life. And I can't leave you here, either. This scoundrel may be +going to make a simultaneous attempt on the chateau--not that +there's much here that I really value. There's that statuette that +moved, and the pane cut out of the window. I can't leave you two +girls with burglars in the house. After all, there's the sixty +horse-power and the thirty horse-power car--there'll be lots of room +for all of us." + +"Oh, but it's nonsense, papa; we shall get there before the +servants," said Germaine pettishly. "Think of arriving at an empty +house in the dead of night." + +"Nonsense!" said the millionaire. "Hurry off and get ready. Your bag +ought to be packed. Where are my keys? Sonia, where are my keys--the +keys of the Paris house?" + +"They're in the bureau," said Sonia. + +"Well, see that I don't go without them. Now hurry up. Firmin, go +and tell Jean that we shall want both cars. I will drive one, the +Duke the other. Jean must stay with you and help guard the chateau." + +So saying he bustled out of the hall, driving the two girls before +him. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +AGAIN THE CHAROLAIS + + +Hardly had the door closed behind the millionaire when the head of +M. Charolais appeared at one of the windows opening on to the +terrace. He looked round the empty hall, whistled softly, and +stepped inside. Inside of ten seconds his three sons came in through +the windows, and with them came Jean, the millionaire's chauffeur. + +"Take the door into the outer hall, Jean," said M. Charolais, in a +low voice. "Bernard, take that door into the drawing-room. Pierre +and Louis, help me go through the drawers. The whole family is going +to Paris, and if we're not quick we shan't get the cars." + +"That comes of this silly fondness for warning people of a coup," +growled Jean, as he hurried to the door of the outer hall. "It would +have been so simple to rob the Paris house without sending that +infernal letter. It was sure to knock them all silly." + +"What harm can the letter do, you fool?" said M. Charolais. "It's +Sunday. We want them knocked silly for to-morrow, to get hold of the +coronet. Oh, to get hold of that coronet! It must be in Paris. I've +been ransacking this chateau for hours." + +Jean opened the door of the outer hall half an inch, and glued his +eyes to it. Bernard had done the same with the door opening into the +drawing-room. M. Charolais, Pierre, and Louis were opening drawers, +ransacking them, and shutting them with infinite quickness and +noiselessly. + +"Bureau! Which is the bureau? The place is stuffed with bureaux!" +growled M. Charolais. "I must have those keys." + +"That plain thing with the brass handles in the middle on the left-- +that's a bureau," said Bernard softly. + +"Why didn't you say so?" growled M. Charolais. + +He dashed to it, and tried it. It was locked. + +"Locked, of course! Just my luck! Come and get it open, Pierre. Be +smart!" + +The son he had described as an engineer came quickly to the bureau, +fitting together as he came the two halves of a small jemmy. He +fitted it into the top of the flap. There was a crunch, and the old +lock gave. He opened the flap, and he and M. Charolais pulled open +drawer after drawer. + +"Quick! Here's that fat old fool!" said Jean, in a hoarse, hissing +whisper. + +He moved down the hall, blowing out one of the lamps as he passed +it. In the seventh drawer lay a bunch of keys. M. Charolais snatched +it up, glanced at it, took a bunch of keys from his own pocket, put +it in the drawer, closed it, closed the flap, and rushed to the +window. Jean and his sons were already out on the terrace. + +M. Charolais was still a yard from the window when the door into the +outer hall opened and in came M. Gournay-Martin. + +He caught a glimpse of a back vanishing through the window, and +bellowed: "Hi! A man! A burglar! Firmin! Firmin!" + +He ran blundering down the hall, tangled his feet in the fragments +of the broken chair, and came sprawling a thundering cropper, which +knocked every breath of wind out of his capacious body. He lay flat +on his face for a couple of minutes, his broad back wriggling +convulsively--a pathetic sight!--in the painful effort to get his +breath back. Then he sat up, and with perfect frankness burst into +tears. He sobbed and blubbered, like a small child that has hurt +itself, for three or four minutes. Then, having recovered his +magnificent voice, he bellowed furiously: "Firmin! Firmin! +Charmerace! Charmerace!" + +Then he rose painfully to his feet, and stood staring at the open +windows. + +Presently he roared again: "Firmin! Firmin! Charmerace! Charmerace!" + +He kept looking at the window with terrified eyes, as though he +expected somebody to step in and cut his throat from ear to ear. + +"Firmin! Firmin! Charmerace! Charmerace!" he bellowed again. + +The Duke came quietly into the hall, dressed in a heavy motor-coat, +his motor-cap on his head, and carrying a kit-bag in his hand. + +"Did I hear you call?" he said. + +"Call?" said the millionaire. "I shouted. The burglars are here +already. I've just seen one of them. He was bolting through the +middle window." + +The Duke raised his eyebrows. + +"Nerves," he said gently--"nerves." + +"Nerves be hanged!" said the millionaire. "I tell you I saw him as +plainly as I see you." + +"Well, you can't see me at all, seeing that you're lighting an acre +and a half of hall with a single lamp," said the Duke, still in a +tone of utter incredulity. + +"It's that fool Firmin! He ought to have lighted six. Firmin! +Firmin!" bellowed the millionaire. + +They listened for the sonorous clumping of the promoted gamekeeper's +boots, but they did not hear it. Evidently Firmin was still giving +his master's instructions about the cars to Jean. + +"Well, we may as well shut the windows, anyhow," said the Duke, +proceeding to do so. "If you think Firmin would be any good, you +might post him in this hall with a gun to-night. There could be no +harm in putting a charge of small shot into the legs of these +ruffians. He has only to get one of them, and the others will go for +their lives. Yet I don't like leaving you and Germaine in this big +house with only Firmin to look after you." + +"I shouldn't like it myself, and I'm not going to chance it," +growled the millionaire. "We're going to motor to Paris along with +you, and leave Jean to help Firmin fight these burglars. Firmin's +all right--he's an old soldier. He fought in '70. Not that I've much +belief in soldiers against this cursed Lupin, after the way he dealt +with that corporal and his men three years ago." + +"I'm glad you're coming to Paris," said the Duke. "It'll be a weight +off my mind. I'd better drive the limousine, and you take the +landaulet." + +"That won't do," said the millionaire. "Germaine won't go in the +limousine. You know she has taken a dislike to it." + +"Nevertheless, I'd better bucket on to Paris, and let you follow +slowly with Germaine. The sooner I get to Paris the better for your +collection. I'll take Mademoiselle Kritchnoff with me, and, if you +like, Irma, though the lighter I travel the sooner I shall get +there." + +"No, I'll take Irma and Germaine," said the millionaire. "Germaine +would prefer to have Irma with her, in case you had an accident. She +wouldn't like to get to Paris and have to find a fresh maid." + +The drawing-room door opened, and in came Germaine, followed by +Sonia and Irma. They wore motor-cloaks and hoods and veils. Sonia +and Irma were carrying hand-bags. + +"I think it's extremely tiresome your dragging us off to Paris like +this in the middle of the night," said Germaine pettishly. + +"Do you?" said the millionaire. "Well, then, you'll be interested to +hear that I've just seen a burglar here in this very room. I +frightened him, and he bolted through the window on to the terrace." + +"He was greenish-pink, slightly tinged with yellow," said the Duke +softly. + +"Greenish-pink? Oh, do stop your jesting, Jacques! Is this a time +for idiocy?" cried Germaine, in a tone of acute exasperation. + +"It was the dim light which made your father see him in those +colours. In a bright light, I think he would have been an Alsatian +blue," said the Duke suavely. + +"You'll have to break yourself of this silly habit of trifling, my +dear Duke, if ever you expect to be a member of the Academie +Francaise," said the millionaire with some acrimony. "I tell you I +did see a burglar." + +"Yes, yes. I admitted it frankly. It was his colour I was talking +about," said the Duke, with an ironical smile. + +"Oh, stop your idiotic jokes! We're all sick to death of them!" said +Germaine, with something of the fine fury which so often +distinguished her father. + +"There are times for all things," said the millionaire solemnly. +"And I must say that, with the fate of my collection and of the +coronet trembling in the balance, this does not seem to me a season +for idle jests." + +"I stand reproved," said the Duke; and he smiled at Sonia. + +"My keys, Sonia--the keys of the Paris house," said the millionaire. + +Sonia took her own keys from her pocket and went to the bureau. She +slipped a key into the lock and tried to turn it. It would not turn; +and she bent down to look at it. + +"Why--why, some one's been tampering with the lock! It's broken!" +she cried. + +"I told you I'd seen a burglar!" cried the millionaire triumphantly. +"He was after the keys." + +Sonia drew back the flap of the bureau and hastily pulled open the +drawer in which the keys had been. + +"They're here!" she cried, taking them out of the drawer and holding +them up. + +"Then I was just in time," said the millionaire. "I startled him in +the very act of stealing the keys." + +"I withdraw! I withdraw!" said the Duke. "You did see a burglar, +evidently. But still I believe he was greenish-pink. They often are. +However, you'd better give me those keys, Mademoiselle Sonia, since +I'm to get to Paris first. I should look rather silly if, when I got +there, I had to break into the house to catch the burglars." + +Sonia handed the keys to the Duke. He contrived to take her little +hand, keys and all, into his own, as he received them, and squeezed +it. The light was too dim for the others to see the flush which +flamed in her face. She went back and stood beside the bureau. + +"Now, papa, are you going to motor to Paris in a thin coat and linen +waistcoat? If we're going, we'd better go. You always do keep us +waiting half an hour whenever we start to go anywhere," said +Germaine firmly. + +The millionaire bustled out of the room. With a gesture of +impatience Germaine dropped into a chair. Irma stood waiting by the +drawing-room door. Sonia sat down by the bureau. + +There came a sharp patter of rain against the windows. + +"Rain! It only wanted that! It's going to be perfectly beastly!" +cried Germaine. + +"Oh, well, you must make the best of it. At any rate you're well +wrapped up, and the night is warm enough, though it is raining," +said the Duke. "Still, I could have wished that Lupin confined his +operations to fine weather." He paused, and added cheerfully, "But, +after all, it will lay the dust." + +They sat for three or four minutes in a dull silence, listening to +the pattering of the rain against the panes. The Duke took his +cigarette-case from his pocket and lighted a cigarette. + +Suddenly he lost his bored air; his face lighted up; and he said +joyfully: "Of course, why didn't I think of it? Why should we start +from a pit of gloom like this? Let us have the proper illumination +which our enterprise deserves." + +With that he set about lighting all the lamps in the hall. There +were lamps on stands, lamps on brackets, lamps on tables, and lamps +which hung from the roof--old-fashioned lamps with new reservoirs, +new lamps of what is called chaste design, brass lamps, silver +lamps, and lamps in porcelain. The Duke lighted them one after +another, patiently, missing none, with a cold perseverance. The +operation was punctuated by exclamations from Germaine. They were +all to the effect that she could not understand how he could be such +a fool. The Duke paid no attention whatever to her. His face +illumined with boyish glee, he lighted lamp after lamp. + +Sonia watched him with a smiling admiration of the childlike +enthusiasm with which he performed the task. Even the stolid face of +the ox-eyed Irma relaxed into grins, which she smoothed quickly out +with a respectful hand. + +The Duke had just lighted the twenty-second lamp when in bustled the +millionaire. + +"What's this? What's this?" he cried, stopping short, blinking. + +"Just some more of Jacques' foolery!" cried Germaine in tones of the +last exasperation. + +"But, my dear Duke!--my dear Duke! The oil!--the oil!" cried the +millionaire, in a tone of bitter distress. "Do you think it's my +object in life to swell the Rockefeller millions? We never have more +than six lamps burning unless we are holding a reception." + +"I think it looks so cheerful," said the Duke, looking round on his +handiwork with a beaming smile of satisfaction. "But where are the +cars? Jean seems a deuce of a time bringing them round. Does he +expect us to go to the garage through this rain? We'd better hurry +him up. Come on; you've got a good carrying voice." + +He caught the millionaire by the arm, hurried him through the outer +hall, opened the big door of the chateau, and said: "Now shout!" + +The millionaire looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and said: +"You don't beat about the bush when you want anything." + +"Why should I?" said the Duke simply. "Shout, my good chap--shout!" + +The millionaire raised his voice in a terrific bellow of "Jean! +Jean! Firmin! Firmin!" + +There was no answer. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE THEFT OF THE MOTOR-CABS + + +The night was very black; the rain pattered in their faces. + +Again the millionaire bellowed: "Jean! Firmin! Firmin! Jean!" + +No answer came out of the darkness, though his bellow echoed and re- +echoed among the out-buildings and stables away on the left. + +He turned and looked at the Duke and said uneasily, "What on earth +can they be doing?" + +"I can't conceive," said the Duke. "I suppose we must go and hunt +them out." + +"What! in this darkness, with these burglars about?" said the +millionaire, starting back. + +"If we don't, nobody else will," said the Duke. "And all the time +that rascal Lupin is stealing nearer and nearer your pictures. So +buck up, and come along!" + +He seized the reluctant millionaire by the arm and drew him down the +steps. They took their way to the stables. A dim light shone from +the open door of the motor-house. The Duke went into it first, and +stopped short. + +"Well, I'll be hanged!" he cried, + +Instead of three cars the motor-house held but one--the hundred +horse-power Mercrac. It was a racing car, with only two seats. On +them sat two figures, Jean and Firmin. + +"What are you sitting there for? You idle dogs!" bellowed the +millionaire. + +Neither of the men answered, nor did they stir. The light from the +lamp gleamed on their fixed eyes, which stared at their infuriated +master. + +"What on earth is this?" said the Duke; and seizing the lamp which +stood beside the car, he raised it so that its light fell on the two +figures. Then it was clear what had happened: they were trussed like +two fowls, and gagged. + +The Duke pulled a penknife from his pocket, opened the blade, +stepped into the car and set Firmin free. Firmin coughed and spat +and swore. The Duke cut the bonds of Jean. + +"Well," said the Duke, in a tone of cutting irony, "what new game is +this? What have you been playing at?" + +"It was those Charolais--those cursed Charolais!" growled Firmin. + +"They came on us unawares from behind," said Jean. + +"They tied us up, and gagged us--the swine!" said Firmin. + +"And then--they went off in the two cars," said Jean. + +"Went off in the two cars?" cried the millionaire, in blank +stupefaction. + +The Duke burst into a shout of laughter. + +"Well, your dear friend Lupin doesn't do things by halves," he +cried. "This is the funniest thing I ever heard of." + +"Funny!" howled the millionaire. "Funny! Where does the fun come in? +What about my pictures and the coronet?" + +The Duke laughed his laugh out; then changed on the instant to a man +of action. + +"Well, this means a change in our plans," he said. "I must get to +Paris in this car here." + +"It's such a rotten old thing," said the millionaire. "You'll never +do it." + +"Never mind," said the Duke. "I've got to do it somehow. I daresay +it's better than you think. And after all, it's only a matter of two +hundred miles." He paused, and then said in an anxious tone: "All +the same I don't like leaving you and Germaine in the chateau.-- +these rogues have probably only taken the cars out of reach just to +prevent your getting to Paris. They'll leave them in some field and +come back." + +"You're not going to leave us behind. I wouldn't spend the night in +the chateau for a million francs. There's always the train," said +the millionaire. + +"The train! Twelve hours in the train--with all those changes! You +don't mean that you will actually go to Paris by train?" said the +Duke. + +"I do," said the millionaire. "Come along--I must go and tell +Germaine; there's no time to waste," and he hurried off to the +chateau. + +"Get the lamps lighted, Jean, and make sure that the tank's full. As +for the engine, I must humour it and trust to luck. I'll get her to +Paris somehow," said the Duke. + +He went back to the chateau, and Firmin followed him. + +When the Duke came into the great hall he found Germaine and her +father indulging in recriminations. She was declaring that nothing +would induce her to make the journey by train; her father was +declaring that she should. He bore down her opposition by the mere +force of his magnificent voice. + +When at last there came a silence, Sonia said quietly: "But is there +a train? I know there's a train at midnight; but is there one +before?" + +"A time-table--where's a time-table?" said the millionaire. + +"Now, where did I see a time-table?" said the Duke. "Oh, I know; +there's one in the drawer of that Oriental cabinet." Crossing to the +cabinet, he opened the drawer, took out the time-table, and handed +it to M. Gournay-Martin. + +The millionaire took it and turned over the leaves quickly, ran his +eye down a page, and said, "Yes, thank goodness, there is a train. +There's one at a quarter to nine." + +"And what good is it to us? How are we to get to the station?" said +Germaine. + +They looked at one another blankly. Firmin, who had followed the +Duke into the hall, came to the rescue. + +"There's the luggage-cart," he said. + +"The luggage-cart!" cried Germaine contemptuously. + +"The very thing!" said the millionaire. "I'll drive it myself. Off +you go, Firmin; harness a horse to it." + +Firmin went clumping out of the hall. + +It was perhaps as well that he went, for the Duke asked what time it +was; and since the watches of Germaine and her father differed +still, there ensued an altercation in which, had Firmin been there, +he would doubtless have taken part. + +The Duke cut it short by saying: "Well, I don't think I'll wait to +see you start for the station. It won't take you more than half an +hour. The cart is light. You needn't start yet. I'd better get off +as soon as the car is ready. It isn't as though I could trust it." + +"One moment," said Germaine. "Is there a dining-car on the train? +I'm not going to be starved as well as have my night's rest cut to +pieces." + +"Of course there isn't a dining-car," snapped her father. "We must +eat something now, and take something with us." + +"Sonia, Irma, quick! Be off to the larder and see what you can find. +Tell Mother Firmin to make an omelette. Be quick!" + +Sonia went towards the door of the hall, followed by Irma. + +"Good-night, and bon voyage, Mademoiselle Sonia," said the Duke. + +"Good-night, and bon voyage, your Grace," said Sonia. + +The Duke opened the door of the hall for her; and as she went out, +she said anxiously, in a low voice: "Oh, do--do be careful. I hate +to think of your hurrying to Paris on a night like this. Please be +careful." + +"I will be careful," said the Duke. + +The honk of the motor-horn told him that Jean had brought the car to +the door of the chateau. He came down the room, kissed Germaine's +hands, shook hands with the millionaire, and bade them good-night. +Then he went out to the car. They heard it start; the rattle of it +grew fainter and fainter down the long avenue and died away. + +M. Gournay-Martin arose, and began putting out lamps. As he did so, +he kept casting fearful glances at the window, as if he feared lest, +now that the Duke had gone, the burglars should dash in upon him. + +There came a knock at the door, and Jean appeared on the threshold. + +"His Grace told me that I was to come into the house, and help +Firmin look after it," he said. + +The millionaire gave him instructions about the guarding of the +house. Firmin, since he was an old soldier, was to occupy the post +of honour, and guard the hall, armed with his gun. Jean was to guard +the two drawing-rooms, as being less likely points of attack. He +also was to have a gun; and the millionaire went with him to the +gun-room and gave him one and a dozen cartridges. When they came +back to the hall, Sonia called them into the dining-room; and there, +to the accompaniment of an unsubdued grumbling from Germaine at +having to eat cold food at eight at night, they made a hasty but +excellent meal, since the chef had left an elaborate cold supper +ready to be served. + +They had nearly finished it when Jean came in, his gun on his arm, +to say that Firmin had harnessed the horse to the luggage-cart, and +it was awaiting them at the door of the chateau. + +"Send him in to me, and stand by the horse till we come out," said +the millionaire. + +Firmin came clumping in. + +The millionaire gazed at him solemnly, and said: "Firmin, I am +relying on you. I am leaving you in a position of honour and danger- +-a position which an old soldier of France loves." + +Firmin did his best to look like an old soldier of France. He pulled +himself up out of the slouch which long years of loafing through +woods with a gun on his arm had given him. He lacked also the old +soldier of France's fiery gaze. His eyes were lack-lustre. + +"I look for anything, Firmin--burglary, violence, an armed assault," +said the millionaire. + +"Don't be afraid, sir. I saw the war of '70," said Firmin boldly, +rising to the occasion. + +"Good!" said the millionaire. "I confide the chateau to you. I trust +you with my treasures." + +He rose, and saying "Come along, we must be getting to the station," +he led the way to the door of the chateau. + +The luggage-cart stood rather high, and they had to bring a chair +out of the hall to enable the girls to climb into it. Germaine did +not forget to give her real opinion of the advantages of a seat +formed by a plank resting on the sides of the cart. The millionaire +climbed heavily up in front, and took the reins. + +"Never again will I trust only to motor-cars. The first thing I'll +do after I've made sure that my collections are safe will be to buy +carriages--something roomy," he said gloomily, as he realized the +discomfort of his seat. + +He turned to Jean and Firmin, who stood on the steps of the chateau +watching the departure of their master, and said: "Sons of France, +be brave--be brave!" + +The cart bumped off into the damp, dark night. + +Jean and Firmin watched it disappear into the darkness. Then they +came into the chateau and shut the door. + +Firmin looked at Jean, and said gloomily: "I don't like this. These +burglars stick at nothing. They'd as soon cut your throat as look at +you." + +"It can't be helped," said Jean. "Besides, you've got the post of +honour. You guard the hall. I'm to look after the drawing-rooms. +They're not likely to break in through the drawing-rooms. And I +shall lock the door between them and the hall." + +"No, no; you won't lock that door!" cried Firmin. + +"But I certainly will," said Jean. "You'd better come and get a +gun." + +They went to the gun-room, Firmin still protesting against the +locking of the door between the drawing-rooms and the hall. He chose +his gun; and they went into the kitchen. Jean took two bottles of +wine, a rich-looking pie, a sweet, and carried them to the drawing- +room. He came back into the hall, gathered together an armful of +papers and magazines, and went back to the drawing-room. Firmin kept +trotting after him, like a little dog with a somewhat heavy +footfall. + +On the threshold of the drawing-room Jean paused and said: "The +important thing with burglars is to fire first, old cock. Good- +night. Pleasant dreams." + +He shut the door and turned the key. Firmin stared at the decorated +panels blankly. The beauty of the scheme of decoration did not, at +the moment, move him to admiration. + +He looked fearfully round the empty hall and at the windows, black +against the night. Under the patter of the rain he heard footsteps-- +distinctly. He went hastily clumping down the hall, and along the +passage to the kitchen. + +His wife was setting his supper on the table. + +"My God!" he said. "I haven't been so frightened since '70." And he +mopped his glistening forehead with a dish-cloth. It was not a clean +dish-cloth; but he did not care. + +"Frightened? What of?" said his wife. + +"Burglars! Cut-throats!" said Firmin. + +He told her of the fears of M. Gournay-Martin, and of his own +appointment to the honourable and dangerous post of guard of the +chateau. + +"God save us!" said his wife. "You lock the door of that beastly +hall, and come into the kitchen. Burglars won't bother about the +kitchen." + +"But the master's treasures!" protested Firmin. "He confided them to +me. He said so distinctly." + +"Let the master look after his treasures himself," said Madame +Firmin, with decision. "You've only one throat; and I'm not going to +have it cut. You sit down and eat your supper. Go and lock that door +first, though." + +Firmin locked the door of the hall; then he locked the door of the +kitchen; then he sat down, and began to eat his supper. His appetite +was hearty, but none the less he derived little pleasure from the +meal. He kept stopping with the food poised on his fork, midway +between the plate and his mouth, for several seconds at a time, +while he listened with straining ears for the sound of burglars +breaking in the windows of the hall. He was much too far from those +windows to hear anything that happened to them, but that did not +prevent him from straining his ears. Madame Firmin ate her supper +with an air of perfect ease. She felt sure that burglars would not +bother with the kitchen. + +Firmin's anxiety made him terribly thirsty. Tumbler after tumbler of +wine flowed down the throat for which he feared. When he had +finished his supper he went on satisfying his thirst. Madame Firmin +lighted his pipe for him, and went and washed up the supper-dishes +in the scullery. Then she came back, and sat down on the other side +of the hearth, facing him. About the middle of his third bottle of +wine, Firmin's cold, relentless courage was suddenly restored to +him. He began to talk firmly about his duty to his master, his +resolve to die, if need were, in defence of his interests, of his +utter contempt for burglars--probably Parisians. But he did not go +into the hall. Doubtless the pleasant warmth of the kitchen fire +held him in his chair. + +He had described to his wife, with some ferocity, the cruel manner +in which he would annihilate the first three burglars who entered +the hall, and was proceeding to describe his method of dealing with +the fourth, when there came a loud knocking on the front door of the +chateau. + +Stricken silent, turned to stone, Firmin sat with his mouth open, in +the midst of an unfinished word. Madame Firmin scuttled to the +kitchen door she had left unlocked on her return from the scullery, +and locked it. She turned, and they stared at one another. + +The heavy knocker fell again and again and again. Between the +knocking there was a sound like the roaring of lions. Husband and +wife stared at one another with white faces. Firmin picked up his +gun with trembling hands, and the movement seemed to set his teeth +chattering. They chattered like castanets. + +The knocking still went on, and so did the roaring. + +It had gone on at least for five minutes, when a slow gleam of +comprehension lightened Madame Firmin's face. + +"I believe it's the master's voice," she said. + +"The master's voice!" said Firmin, in a hoarse, terrified whisper. + +"Yes," said Madame Firmin. And she unlocked the thick door and +opened it a few inches. + +The barrier removed, the well-known bellow of the millionaire came +distinctly to their ears. Firmin's courage rushed upon him in full +flood. He clumped across the room, brushed his wife aside, and +trotted to the door of the chateau. He unlocked it, drew the bolts, +and threw it open. On the steps stood the millionaire, Germaine, and +Sonia. Irma stood at the horse's head. + +"What the devil have you been doing?" bellowed the millionaire. +"What do you keep me standing in the rain for? Why didn't you let me +in?" + +"B-b-b-burglars--I thought you were b-b-b-burglars," stammered +Firmin. + +"Burglars!" howled the millionaire. "Do I sound like a burglar?" + +At the moment he did not; he sounded more like a bull of Bashan. He +bustled past Firmin to the door of the hall, + +"Here! What's this locked for?" he bellowed. + +"I--I--locked it in case burglars should get in while I was opening +the front door," stammered Firmin. + +The millionaire turned the key, opened the door, and went into the +hall. Germaine followed him. She threw off her dripping coat, and +said with some heat: "I can't conceive why you didn't make sure that +there was a train at a quarter to nine. I will not go to Paris to- +night. Nothing shall induce me to take that midnight train!" + +"Nonsense!" said the millionaire. "Nonsense--you'll have to go! +Where's that infernal time-table?" He rushed to the table on to +which he had thrown the time-table after looking up the train, +snatched it up. and looked at the cover. "Why, hang it!" he cried. +"It's for June--June, 1903!" + +"Oh!" cried Germaine, almost in a scream. "It's incredible! It's one +of Jacques' jokes!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE DUKE ARRIVES + + +The morning was gloomy, and the police-station with its bare, white- +washed walls--their white expanse was only broken by notice-boards +to which were pinned portraits of criminals with details of their +appearance, their crime, and the reward offered for their +apprehension--with its shabby furniture, and its dingy fireplace, +presented a dismal and sordid appearance entirely in keeping with +the September grey. The inspector sat at his desk, yawning after a +night which had passed without an arrest. He was waiting to be +relieved. The policeman at the door and the two policemen sitting on +a bench by the wall yawned in sympathy. + +The silence of the street was broken by the rattle of an uncommonly +noisy motor-car. It stopped before the door of the police-station, +and the eyes of the inspector and his men turned, idly expectant, to +the door of the office. + +It opened, and a young man in motor-coat and cap stood on the +threshold. + +He looked round the office with alert eyes, which took in +everything, and said, in a brisk, incisive voice: "I am the Duke of +Charmerace. I am here on behalf of M. Gournay-Martin. Last evening +he received a letter from Arsene Lupin saying he was going to break +into his Paris house this very morning." + +At the name of Arsene Lupin the inspector sprang from his chair, the +policemen from their bench. On the instant they were wide awake, +attentive, full of zeal. + +"The letter, your Grace!" said the inspector briskly. + +The Duke pulled off his glove, drew the letter from the breast- +pocket of his under-coat, and handed it to the inspector. + +The inspector glanced through it, and said. "Yes, I know the +handwriting well." Then he read it carefully, and added, "Yes, yes: +it's his usual letter." + +"There's no time to be lost," said the Duke quickly. "I ought to +have been here hours ago-hours. I had a break-down. I'm afraid I'm +too late as it is." + +"Come along, your Grace-come along, you" said the inspector briskly. + +The four of them hurried out of the office and down the steps of the +police-station. In the roadway stood a long grey racing-car, caked +with muds--grey mud, brown mud, red mud--from end to end. It looked +as if it had brought samples of the soil of France from many +districts. + +"Come along; I'll take you in the car. Your men can trot along +beside us," said the Duke to the inspector. + +He slipped into the car, the inspector jumped in and took the seat +beside him, and they started. They went slowly, to allow the two +policemen to keep up with them. Indeed, the car could not have made +any great pace, for the tyre of the off hind-wheel was punctured and +deflated. + +In three minutes they came to the Gournay-Martin house, a wide- +fronted mass of undistinguished masonry, in an undistinguished row +of exactly the same pattern. There were no signs that any one was +living in it. Blinds were drawn, shutters were up over all the +windows, upper and lower. No smoke came from any of its chimneys, +though indeed it was full early for that. + +Pulling a bunch of keys from his pocket, the Duke ran up the steps. +The inspector followed him. The Duke looked at the bunch, picked out +the latch-key, and fitted it into the lock. It did not open it. He +drew it out and tried another key and another. The door remained +locked. + +"Let me, your Grace," said the inspector. "I'm more used to it. I +shall be quicker." + +The Duke handed the keys to him, and, one after another, the +inspector fitted them into the lock. It was useless. None of them +opened the door. + +"They've given me the wrong keys," said the Duke, with some +vexation. "Or no--stay--I see what's happened. The keys have been +changed." + +"Changed?" said the inspector. "When? Where?" + +"Last night at Charmerace," said the Duke. "M. Gournay-Martin +declared that he saw a burglar slip out of one of the windows of the +hall of the chateau, and we found the lock of the bureau in which +the keys were kept broken." + +The inspector seized the knocker, and hammered on the door. + +"Try that door there," he cried to his men, pointing to a side-door +on the right, the tradesmen's entrance, giving access to the back of +the house. It was locked. There came no sound of movement in the +house in answer to the inspector's knocking. + +"Where's the concierge?" he said. + +The Duke shrugged his shoulders. "There's a housekeeper, too--a +woman named Victoire," he said. "Let's hope we don't find them with +their throats cut." + +"That isn't Lupin's way," said the inspector. "They won't have come +to much harm." + +"It's not very likely that they'll be in a position to open doors," +said the Duke drily. + +"Hadn't we better have it broken open and be done with it?" + +The inspector hesitated. + +"People don't like their doors broken open," he said. "And M. +Gournay-Martin--" + +"Oh, I'll take the responsibility of that," said the Duke. + +"Oh, if you say so, your Grace," said the inspector, with a brisk +relief. "Henri, go to Ragoneau, the locksmith in the Rue Theobald. +Bring him here as quickly as ever you can get him." + +"Tell him it's a couple of louis if he's here inside of ten +minutes," said the Duke. + +The policeman hurried off. The inspector bent down and searched the +steps carefully. He searched the roadway. The Duke lighted a +cigarette and watched him. The house of the millionaire stood next +but one to the corner of a street which ran at right angles to the +one in which it stood, and the corner house was empty. The inspector +searched the road, then he went round the corner. The other +policeman went along the road, searching in the opposite direction. +The Duke leant against the door and smoked on patiently. He showed +none of the weariness of a man who has spent the night in a long and +anxious drive in a rickety motor-car. His eyes were bright and +clear; he looked as fresh as if he had come from his bed after a +long night's rest. If he had not found the South Pole, he had at any +rate brought back fine powers of endurance from his expedition in +search of it. + +The inspector came back, wearing a disappointed air. + +"Have you found anything?" said the Duke. + +"Nothing," said the inspector. + +He came up the steps and hammered again on the door. No one answered +his knock. There was a clatter of footsteps, and Henri and the +locksmith, a burly, bearded man, his bag of tools slung over his +shoulder, came hurrying up. He was not long getting to work, but it +was net an easy job. The lock was strong. At the end of five minutes +he said that he might spend an hour struggling with the lock itself; +should he cut away a piece of the door round it? + +"Cut away," said the Duke. + +The locksmith changed his tools, and in less than three minutes he +had cut away a square piece from the door, a square in which the +lock was fixed, and taken it bodily away. + +The door opened. The inspector drew his revolver, and entered the +house. The Duke followed him. The policemen drew their revolvers, +and followed the Duke. The big hall was but dimly lighted. One of +the policemen quickly threw back the shutters of the windows and let +in the light. The hall was empty, the furniture in perfect order; +there were no signs of burglary there. + +"The concierge?" said the inspector, and his men hurried through the +little door on the right which opened into the concierge's rooms. In +half a minute one of them came out and said: "Gagged and bound, and +his wife too." + +"But the rooms which were to be plundered are upstairs," said the +Duke--"the big drawing-rooms on the first floor. Come on; we may be +just in time. The scoundrels may not yet have got away." + +He ran quickly up the stairs, followed by the inspector, and hurried +along the corridor to the door of the big drawing-room. He threw it +open, and stopped dead on the threshold. He had arrived too late. + +The room was in disorder. Chairs were overturned, there were empty +spaces on the wall where the finest pictures of the millionaire had +been hung. The window facing the door was wide open. The shutters +were broken; one of them was hanging crookedly from only its bottom +hinge. The top of a ladder rose above the window-sill, and beside +it, astraddle the sill, was an Empire card-table, half inside the +room, half out. On the hearth-rug, before a large tapestry fire- +screen, which masked the wide fireplace, built in imitation of the +big, wide fireplaces of our ancestors, and rose to the level of the +chimney-piece-a magnificent chimney-piece in carved oak-were some +chairs tied together ready to be removed. + +The Duke and the inspector ran to the window, and looked down into +the garden. It was empty. At the further end of it, on the other +side of its wall, rose the scaffolding of a house a-building. The +burglars had found every convenience to their hand-a strong ladder, +an egress through the door in the garden wall, and then through the +gap formed by the house in Process of erection, which had rendered +them independent of the narrow passage between the Walls of the +gardens, which debouched into a side-street on the right. + +The Duke turned from the window, glanced at the wall opposite, then, +as if something had caught his eye, went quickly to it. + +"Look here," he said, and he pointed to the middle of one of the +empty spaces in which a picture had hung. + +There, written neatly in blue chalk, were the words: + +ARSENE LUPIN + +"This is a job for Guerchard," said the inspector. "But I had better +get an examining magistrate to take the matter in hand first." And +he ran to the telephone. + +The Duke opened the folding doors which led into the second drawing- +room. The shutters of the windows were open, and it was plain that +Arsene Lupin had plundered it also of everything that had struck his +fancy. In the gaps between the pictures on the walls was again the +signature "Arsene Lupin." + +The inspector was shouting impatiently into the telephone, bidding a +servant wake her master instantly. He did not leave the telephone +till he was sure that she had done so, that her master was actually +awake, and had been informed of the crime. The Duke sat down in an +easy chair and waited for him. + +When he had finished telephoning, the inspector began to search the +two rooms for traces of the burglars. He found nothing, not even a +finger-mark. + +When he had gone through the two rooms he said, "The next thing to +do is to find the house-keeper. She may be sleeping still--she may +not even have heard the noise of the burglars." + +"I find all this extremely interesting," said the Duke; and he +followed the inspector out of the room. + +The inspector called up the two policemen, who had been freeing the +concierge and going through the rooms on the ground-floor. They did +not then examine any more of the rooms on the first floor to +discover if they also had been plundered. They went straight up to +the top of the house, the servants' quarters. + +The inspector called, "Victoire! Victoire!" two or three times; but +there was no answer. + +They opened the door of room after room and looked in, the inspector +taking the rooms on the right, the policemen the rooms on the left. + +"Here we are," said one of the policemen." This room's been recently +occupied." They looked in, and saw that the bed was unmade. Plainly +Victoire had slept in it. + +"Where can she be?" said the Duke. + +"Be?" said the inspector. "I expect she's with the burglars--an +accomplice." + +"I gather that M. Gournay-Martin had the greatest confidence in +her," said the Duke. + +"He'll have less now," said the inspector drily. "It's generally the +confidential ones who let their masters down." + +The inspector and his men set about a thorough search of the house. +They found the other rooms undisturbed. In half an hour they had +established the fact that the burglars had confined their attention +to the two drawing-rooms. They found no traces of them; and they did +not find Victoire. The concierge could throw no light on her +disappearance. He and his wife had been taken by surprise in their +sleep and in the dark. + +They had been gagged and bound, they declared, without so much as +having set eyes on their assailants. The Duke and the inspector came +back to the plundered drawing-room. + +The inspector looked at his watch and went to the telephone. + +"I must let the Prefecture know," he said. + +"Be sure you ask them to send Guerchard," said the Duke. + +"Guerchard?" said the inspector doubtfully. + +"M. Formery, the examining magistrate, does not get on very well +with Guerchard." + +"What sort of a man is M. Formery? Is he capable?" said the Duke. + +"Oh, yes--yes. He's very capable," said the inspector quickly. "But +he doesn't have very good luck." + +"M. Gournay-Martin particularly asked me to send for Guerchard if I +arrived too late, and found the burglary already committed," said +the Duke. "It seems that there is war to the knife between Guerchard +and this Arsene Lupin. In that case Guerchard will leave no stone +unturned to catch the rascal and recover the stolen treasures. M. +Gournay-Martin felt that Guerchard was the man for this piece of +work very strongly indeed." + +"Very good, your Grace," said the inspector. And he rang up the +Prefecture of Police. + +The Duke heard him report the crime and ask that Guerchard should be +sent. The official in charge at the moment seemed to make some +demur. + +The Duke sprang to his feet, and said in an anxious tone, "Perhaps +I'd better speak to him myself," + +He took his place at the telephone and said, "I am the Duke of +Charmerace. M. Gournay-Martin begged me to secure the services of M. +Guerchard. He laid the greatest stress on my securing them, if on +reaching Paris I found that the crime had already been committed." + +The official at the other end of the line hesitated. He did not +refuse on the instant as he had refused the inspector. It may be +that he reflected that M. Gournay-Martin was a millionaire and a man +of influence; that the Duke of Charmerace was a Duke; that he, at +any rate, had nothing whatever to gain by running counter to their +wishes. He said that Chief-Inspector Guerchard was not at the +Prefecture, that he was off duty; that he would send down two +detectives, who were on duty, at once, and summon Chief-Inspector +Guerchard with all speed. The Duke thanked him and rang off. + +"That's all right," he said cheerfully, turning to the inspector. +"What time will M. Formery be here?" + +"Well, I don't expect him for another hour," said the inspector. "He +won't come till he's had his breakfast. He always makes a good +breakfast before setting out to start an inquiry, lest he shouldn't +find time to make one after he's begun it." + +"Breakfast--breakfast--that's a great idea," said the Duke. "Now you +come to remind me, I'm absolutely famished. I got some supper on my +way late last night; but I've had nothing since. I suppose nothing +interesting will happen till M. Formery comes; and I may as well get +some food. But I don't want to leave the house. I think I'll see +what the concierge can do for me." + +So saying, he went downstairs and interviewed the concierge. The +concierge seemed to be still doubtful whether he was standing on his +head or his heels, but he undertook to supply the needs of the Duke. +The Duke gave him a louis, and he hurried off to get food from a +restaurant. + +The Duke went upstairs to the bathroom and refreshed himself with a +cold bath. By the time he had bathed and dressed the concierge had a +meal ready for him in the dining-room. He ate it with the heartiest +appetite. Then he sent out for a barber and was shaved. + +He then repaired to the pillaged drawing-room, disposed himself in +the most restful attitude on a sofa, and lighted an excellent cigar. +In the middle of it the inspector came to him. He was not wearing a +very cheerful air; and he told the Duke that he had found no clue to +the perpetrators of the crime, though M. Dieusy and M. Bonavent, the +detectives from the Prefecture of Police, had joined him in the +search. + +The Duke was condoling with him on this failure when they heard a +knocking at the front door, and then voices on the stairs. + +"Ah! Here is M. Formery!" said the inspector cheerfully. "Now we can +get on." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +M. FORMERY OPENS THE INQUIRY + + +The examining magistrate came into the room. He was a plump and pink +little man, with very bright eyes. His bristly hair stood up +straight all over his head, giving it the appearance of a broad, +dapple-grey clothes-brush. He appeared to be of the opinion that +Nature had given the world the toothbrush as a model of what a +moustache should be; and his own was clipped to that pattern. + +"The Duke of Charmerace, M. Formery," said the inspector. + +The little man bowed and said, "Charmed, charmed to make your +acquaintance, your Grace--though the occasion--the occasion is +somewhat painful. The treasures of M. Gournay-Martin are known to +all the world. France will deplore his losses." He paused, and added +hastily, "But we shall recover them--we shall recover them." + +The Duke rose, bowed, and protested his pleasure at making the +acquaintance of M. Formery. + +"Is this the scene of the robbery, inspector?" said M. Formery; and +he rubbed his hands together with a very cheerful air. + +"Yes, sir," said the inspector. "These two rooms seem to be the only +ones touched, though of course we can't tell till M. Gournay-Martin +arrives. Jewels may have been stolen from the bedrooms." + +"I fear that M. Gournay-Martin won't be of much help for some days," +said the Duke. "When I left him he was nearly distracted; and he +won't be any better after a night journey to Paris from Charmerace. +But probably these are the only two rooms touched, for in them M. +Gournay-Martin had gathered together the gems of his collection. +Over the doors hung some pieces of Flemish tapestry--marvels--the +composition admirable--the colouring delightful." + +"It is easy to see that your Grace was very fond of them," said M. +Formery. + +"I should think so," said the Duke. "I looked on them as already +belonging to me, for my father-in-law was going to give them to me +as a wedding present." + +"A great loss--a great loss. But we will recover them, sooner or +later, you can rest assured of it. I hope you have touched nothing +in this room. If anything has been moved it may put me off the scent +altogether. Let me have the details, inspector." + +The inspector reported the arrival of the Duke at the police-station +with Arsene Lupin's letter to M. Gournay-Martin; the discovery that +the keys had been changed and would not open the door of the house; +the opening of it by the locksmith; the discovery of the concierge +and his wife gagged and bound. + +"Probably accomplices," said M. Formery. + +"Does Lupin always work with accomplices?" said the Duke. "Pardon my +ignorance--but I've been out of France for so long--before he +attained to this height of notoriety." + +"Lupin--why Lupin?" said M. Formery sharply. + +"Why, there is the letter from Lupin which my future father-in-law +received last night; its arrival was followed by the theft of his +two swiftest motor-cars; and then, these signatures on the wall +here," said the Duke in some surprise at the question. + +"Lupin! Lupin! Everybody has Lupin on the brain!" said M. Formery +impatiently. "I'm sick of hearing his name. This letter and these +signatures are just as likely to be forgeries as not." + +"I wonder if Guerchard will take that view," said the Duke. + +"Guerchard? Surely we're not going to be cluttered up with +Guerchard. He has Lupin on the brain worse than any one else." + +"But M. Gournay-Martin particularly asked me to send for Guerchard +if I arrived too late to prevent the burglary. He would never +forgive me if I had neglected his request: so I telephoned for him-- +to the Prefecture of Police," said the Duke. + +"Oh, well, if you've already telephoned for him. But it was +unnecessary--absolutely unnecessary," said M. Formery sharply. + +"I didn't know," said the Duke politely. + +"Oh, there was no harm in it--it doesn't matter," said M. Formery in +a discontented tone with a discontented air. + +He walked slowly round the room, paused by the windows, looked at +the ladder, and scanned the garden: + +"Arsene Lupin," he said scornfully. "Arsene Lupin doesn't leave +traces all over the place. There's nothing but traces. Are we going +to have that silly Lupin joke all over again?" + +"I think, sir, that this time joke is the word, for this is a +burglary pure and simple," said the inspector. + +"Yes, it's plain as daylight," said M. Formery "The burglars came in +by this window, and they went out by it." + +He crossed the room to a tall safe which stood before the unused +door. The safe was covered with velvet, and velvet curtains hung +before its door. He drew the curtains, and tried the handle of the +door of the safe. It did not turn; the safe was locked. + +"As far as I can see, they haven't touched this," said M. Formery. + +"Thank goodness for that," said the Duke. "I believe, or at least my +fiancee does, that M. Gournay-Martin keeps the most precious thing +in his collection in that safe--the coronet." + +"What! the famous coronet of the Princesse de Lamballe?" said M. +Formery. + +"Yes," said the Duke. + +"But according to your report, inspector, the letter signed 'Lupin' +announced that he was going to steal the coronet also." + +"It did--in so many words," said the Duke. + +"Well, here is a further proof that we're not dealing with Lupin. +That rascal would certainly have put his threat into execution, M. +Formery," said the inspector. + +"Who's in charge of the house?" said M. Formery. + +"The concierge, his wife, and a housekeeper--a woman named +Victoire," said the inspector. + +"I'll see to the concierge and his wife presently. I've sent one of +your men round for their dossier. When I get it I'll question them. +You found them gagged and bound in their bedroom?" + +"Yes, M. Formery; and always this imitation of Lupin--a yellow gag, +blue cords, and the motto, 'I take, therefore I am,' on a scrap of +cardboard--his usual bag of tricks." + +"Then once again they're going to touch us up in the papers. It's +any odds on it," said M. Formery gloomily. "Where's the housekeeper? +I should like to see her." + +"The fact is, we don't know where she is," said the inspector. + +"You don't know where she is?" said M. Formery. + +"We can't find her anywhere," said the inspector. + +"That's excellent, excellent. We've found the accomplice," said M. +Formery with lively delight; and he rubbed his hands together. "At +least, we haven't found her, but we know her." + +"I don't think that's the case," said the Duke. "At least, my future +father-in-law and my fiancee had both of them the greatest +confidence in her. Yesterday she telephoned to us at the Chateau de +Charmerace. All the jewels were left in her charge, and the wedding +presents as they were sent in." + +"And these jewels and wedding presents--have they been stolen too?" +said M. Formery. + +"They don't seem to have been touched," said the Duke, "though of +course we can't tell till M. Gournay-Martin arrives. As far as I can +see, the burglars have only touched these two drawing-rooms." + +"That's very annoying," said M. Formery. + +"I don't find it so," said the Duke, smiling. + +"I was looking at it from the professional point of view," said M. +Formery. He turned to the inspector and added, "You can't have +searched thoroughly. This housekeeper must be somewhere about--if +she's really trustworthy. Have you looked in every room in the +house?" + +"In every room--under every bed--in every corner and every +cupboard," said the inspector. + +"Bother!" said M. Formery. "Are there no scraps of torn clothes, no +blood-stains, no traces of murder, nothing of interest?" + +"Nothing!" said the inspector. + +"But this is very regrettable," said M. Formery. "Where did she +sleep? Was her bed unmade?" + +"Her room is at the top of the house," said the inspector. "The bed +had been slept in, but she does not appear to have taken away any of +her clothes." + +"Extraordinary! This is beginning to look a very complicated +business," said M. Formery gravely. + +"Perhaps Guerchard will be able to throw a little more light on it," +said the Duke. + +M. Formery frowned and said, "Yes, yes. Guerchard is a good +assistant in a business like this. A little visionary, a little +fanciful--wrong-headed, in fact; but, after all, he IS Guerchard. +Only, since Lupin is his bugbear, he's bound to find some means of +muddling us up with that wretched animal. You're going to see Lupin +mixed up with all this to a dead certainty, your Grace." + +The Duke looked at the signatures on the wall. "It seems to me that +he is pretty well mixed up with it already," he said quietly. + +"Believe me, your Grace, in a criminal affair it is, above all +things, necessary to distrust appearances. I am growing more and +more confident that some ordinary burglars have committed this crime +and are trying to put us off the scent by diverting our attention to +Lupin." + +The Duke stooped down carelessly and picked up a book which had +fallen from a table. + +"Excuse me, but please--please--do not touch anything," said M. +Formery quickly. + +"Why, this is odd," said the Duke, staring at the floor. + +"What is odd?" said M. Formery. + +"Well, this book looks as if it had been knocked off the table by +one of the burglars. And look here; here's a footprint under it--a +footprint on the carpet," said the Duke. + +M. Formery and the inspector came quickly to the spot. There, where +the book had fallen, plainly imprinted on the carpet, was a white +footprint. M. Formery and the inspector stared at it. + +"It looks like plaster. How did plaster get here?" said M. Formery, +frowning at it. + +"Well, suppose the robbers came from the garden," said the Duke. + +"Of course they came from the garden, your Grace. Where else should +they come from?" said M. Formery, with a touch of impatience in his +tone. + +"Well, at the end of the garden they're building a house," said the +Duke. + +"Of course, of course," said M. Formery, taking him up quickly. "The +burglars came here with their boots covered with plaster. They've +swept away all the other marks of their feet from the carpet; but +whoever did the sweeping was too slack to lift up that book and +sweep under it. This footprint, however, is not of great importance, +though it is corroborative of all the other evidence we have that +they came and went by the garden. There's the ladder, and that table +half out of the window. Still, this footprint may turn out useful, +after all. You had better take the measurements of it, inspector. +Here's a foot-rule for you. I make a point of carrying this foot- +rule about with me, your Grace. You would be surprised to learn how +often it has come in useful." + +He took a little ivory foot-rule from his waist-coat pocket, and +gave it to the inspector, who fell on his knees and measured the +footprint with the greatest care. + +"I must take a careful look at that house they're building. I shall +find a good many traces there, to a dead certainty," said M. +Formery. + +The inspector entered the measurements of the footprint in his note- +book. There came the sound of a knocking at the front door. + +"I shall find footprints of exactly the same dimensions as this one +at the foot of some heap of plaster beside that house," said M. +Former; with an air of profound conviction, pointing through the +window to the house building beyond the garden. + +A policeman opened the door of the drawing-room and saluted. + +"If you please, sir, the servants have arrived from Charmerace," he +said. + +"Let them wait in the kitchen and the servants' offices," said M. +Formery. He stood silent, buried in profound meditation, for a +couple of minutes. Then he turned to the Duke and said, "What was +that you said about a theft of motor-cars at Charmerace?" + +"When he received the letter from Arsene Lupin, M. Gournay-Martin +decided to start for Paris at once," said the Duke. "But when we +sent for the cars we found that they had just been stolen. M. +Gournay-Martin's chauffeur and another servant were in the garage +gagged and bound. Only an old car, a hundred horse-power Mercrac, +was left. I drove it to Paris, leaving M. Gournay-Martin and his +family to come on by train." + +"Very important--very important indeed," said M. Formery. He thought +for a moment, and then added. "Were the motor-cars the only things +stolen? Were there no other thefts?" + +"Well, as a matter of fact, there was another theft, or rather an +attempt at theft," said the Duke with some hesitation. "The rogues +who stole the motor-cars presented themselves at the chateau under +the name of Charolais--a father and three sons--on the pretext of +buying the hundred-horse-power Mercrac. M. Gournay-Martin had +advertised it for sale in the Rennes Advertiser. They were waiting +in the big hall of the chateau, which the family uses as the chief +living-room, for the return of M. Gournay-Martin. He came; and as +they left the hall one of them attempted to steal a pendant set with +pearls which I had given to Mademoiselle Gournay-Martin half an hour +before. I caught him in the act and saved the pendant." + +"Good! good! Wait--we have one of the gang--wait till I question +him," said M. Formery, rubbing his hands; and his eyes sparkled with +joy. + +"Well, no; I'm afraid we haven't," said the Duke in an apologetic +tone, + +"What! We haven't? Has he escaped from the police? Oh, those country +police!" cried M. Formery. + +"No; I didn't charge him with the theft," said the Duke. + +"You didn't charge him with the theft?" cried M. Formery, astounded. + +"No; he was very young and he begged so hard. I had the pendant. I +let him go," said the Duke. + +"Oh, your Grace, your Grace! Your duty to society!" cried M. +Formery. + +"Yes, it does seem to have been rather weak," said the Duke; "but +there you are. It's no good crying over spilt milk." + +M. Formery folded his arms and walked, frowning, backwards and +forwards across the room. + +He stopped, raised his hand with a gesture commanding attention, and +said, "I have no hesitation in saying that there is a connection--an +intimate connection--between the thefts at Charmerace and this +burglary!" + +The Duke and the inspector gazed at him with respectful eyes--at +least, the eyes of the inspector were respectful; the Duke's eyes +twinkled. + +"I am gathering up the threads," said M. Formery. "Inspector, bring +up the concierge and his wife. I will question them on the scene of +the crime. Their dossier should be here. If it is, bring it up with +them; if not, no matter; bring them up without it." + +The inspector left the drawing-room. M. Formery plunged at once into +frowning meditation. + +"I find all this extremely interesting," said the Duke. + +"Charmed! Charmed!" said M. Formery, waving his hand with an absent- +minded air. + +The inspector entered the drawing-room followed by the concierge and +his wife. He handed a paper to M. Formery. The concierge, a bearded +man of about sixty, and his wife, a somewhat bearded woman of about +fifty-five, stared at M. Formery with fascinated, terrified eyes. He +sat down in a chair, crossed his legs, read the paper through, and +then scrutinized them keenly. + +"Well, have you recovered from your adventure?" he said. + +"Oh, yes, sir," said the concierge. "They hustled us a bit, but they +did not really hurt us." + +"Nothing to speak of, that is," said his wife. "But all the same, +it's a disgraceful thing that an honest woman can't sleep in peace +in her bed of a night without being disturbed by rascals like that. +And if the police did their duty things like this wouldn't happen. +And I don't care who hears me say it." + +"You say that you were taken by surprise in your sleep?" said M. +Formery. "You say you saw nothing, and heard nothing?" + +"There was no time to see anything or hear anything. They trussed us +up like greased lightning," said the concierge. + +"But the gag was the worst," said the wife. "To lie there and not be +able to tell the rascals what I thought about them!" + +"Didn't you hear the noise of footsteps in the garden?" said M. +Formery. + +"One can't hear anything that happens in the garden from our +bedroom," said the concierge. + +"Even the night when Mlle. Germaine's great Dane barked from twelve +o'clock till seven in the morning, all the household was kept awake +except us; but bless you, sir, we slept like tops," said his wife +proudly. + +"If they sleep like that it seems rather a waste of time to have +gagged them," whispered the Duke to the inspector. + +The inspector grinned, and whispered scornfully, "Oh, them common +folks; they do sleep like that, your Grace." + +"Didn't you hear any noise at the front door?" said M. Formery. + +"No, we heard no noise at the door," said the concierge. + +"Then you heard no noise at all the whole night?" said M. Formery. + +"Oh, yes, sir, we heard noise enough after we'd been gagged," said +the concierge. + +"Now, this is important," said M. Formery. "What kind of a noise was +it?" + +"Well, it was a bumping kind of noise," said the concierge. "And +there was a noise of footsteps, walking about the room." + +"What room? Where did these noises come from?" said M. Formery. + +"From the room over our heads--the big drawing-room," said the +concierge. + +"Didn't you hear any noise of a struggle, as if somebody was being +dragged about--no screaming or crying?" said M. Formery. + +The concierge and his wife looked at one another with inquiring +eyes. + +"No, I didn't," said the concierge. + +"Neither did I," said his wife. + +M. Formery paused. Then he said, "How long have you been in the +service of M. Gournay-Martin?" + +"A little more than a year," said the concierge. + +M. Formery looked at the paper in his hand, frowned, and said +severely, "I see you've been convicted twice, my man." + +"Yes, sir, but--" + +"My husband's an honest man, sir--perfectly honest," broke in his +wife. "You've only to ask M. Gournay-Martin; he'll--" + +"Be so good as to keep quiet, my good woman," said M. Formery; and, +turning to her husband, he went on: "At your first conviction you +were sentenced to a day's imprisonment with costs; at your second +conviction you got three days' imprisonment." + +"I'm not going to deny it, sir," said the concierge; "but it was an +honourable imprisonment." + +"Honourable?" said M. Formery. + +"The first time, I was a gentleman's servant, and I got a day's +imprisonment for crying, 'Hurrah for the General Strike!'--on the +first of May." + +"You were a valet? In whose service?" said M. Formery. + +"In the service of M. Genlis, the Socialist leader." + +"And your second conviction?" said M. Formery. + +"It was for having cried in the porch of Ste. Clotilde, 'Down with +the cows!'--meaning the police, sir," said the concierge. + +"And were you in the service of M. Genlis then?" said M. Formery. + +"No, sir; I was in the service of M. Bussy-Rabutin, the Royalist +deputy." + +"You don't seem to have very well-defined political convictions," +said M. Formery. + +"Oh, yes, sir, I have," the concierge protested. "I'm always devoted +to my masters; and I have the same opinions that they have--always." + +"Very good; you can go," said M. Formery. + +The concierge and his wife left the room, looking as if they did not +quite know whether to feel relieved or not. + +"Those two fools are telling the exact truth, unless I'm very much +mistaken," said M. Formery. + +"They look honest enough people," said the Duke. + +"Well, now to examine the rest of the house," said M. Formery. + +"I'll come with you, if I may," said the Duke. + +"By all means, by all means," said M. Formery. + +"I find it all so interesting," said the Duke, + + + + +CHAPTER X + +GUERCHARD ASSISTS + + +Leaving a policeman on guard at the door of the drawing-room M. +Formery, the Duke, and the inspector set out on their tour of +inspection. It was a long business, for M. Formery examined every +room with the most scrupulous care--with more care, indeed, than he +had displayed in his examination of the drawing-rooms. In particular +he lingered long in the bedroom of Victoire, discussing the +possibilities of her having been murdered and carried away by the +burglars along with their booty. He seemed, if anything, +disappointed at finding no blood-stains, but to find real +consolation in the thought that she might have been strangled. He +found the inspector in entire agreement with every theory he +enunciated, and he grew more and more disposed to regard him as a +zealous and trustworthy officer. Also he was not at all displeased +at enjoying this opportunity of impressing the Duke with his powers +of analysis and synthesis. He was unaware that, as a rule, the +Duke's eyes did not usually twinkle as they twinkled during this +solemn and deliberate progress through the house of M. Gournay- +Martin. M. Formery had so exactly the air of a sleuthhound; and he +was even noisier. + +Having made this thorough examination of the house, M. Formery went +out into the garden and set about examining that. There were +footprints on the turf about the foot of the ladder, for the grass +was close-clipped, and the rain had penetrated and softened the +soil; but there were hardly as many footprints as might have been +expected, seeing that the burglars must have made many journeys in +the course of robbing the drawing-rooms of so many objects of art, +some of them of considerable weight. The footprints led to a path of +hard gravel; and M. Formery led the way down it, out of the door in +the wall at the bottom of the garden, and into the space round the +house which was being built. + +As M. Formery had divined, there was a heap, or, to be exact, there +were several heaps of plaster about the bottom of the scaffolding. +Unfortunately, there were also hundreds of footprints. M. Formery +looked at them with longing eyes; but he did not suggest that the +inspector should hunt about for a set of footprints of the size of +the one he had so carefully measured on the drawing-room carpet. + +While they were examining the ground round the half-built house a +man came briskly down the stairs from the second floor of the house +of M. Gournay-Martin. He was an ordinary-looking man, almost +insignificant, of between forty and fifty, and of rather more than +middle height. He had an ordinary, rather shapeless mouth, an +ordinary nose, an ordinary chin, an ordinary forehead, rather low, +and ordinary ears. He was wearing an ordinary top-hat, by no means +new. His clothes were the ordinary clothes of a fairly well-to-do +citizen; and his boots had been chosen less to set off any +slenderness his feet might possess than for their comfortable +roominess. Only his eyes relieved his face from insignificance. They +were extraordinarily alert eyes, producing in those on whom they +rested the somewhat uncomfortable impression that the depths of +their souls were being penetrated. He was the famous Chief-Inspector +Guerchard, head of the Detective Department of the Prefecture of +Police, and sworn foe of Arsene Lupin. + +The policeman at the door of the drawing-room saluted him briskly. +He was a fine, upstanding, red-faced young fellow, adorned by a rich +black moustache of extraordinary fierceness. + +"Shall I go and inform M. Formery that you have come, M. Guerchard?" +he said. + +"No, no; there's no need to take the trouble," said Guerchard in a +gentle, rather husky voice. "Don't bother any one about me--I'm of +no importance." + +"Oh, come, M. Guerchard," protested the policeman. + +"Of no importance," said M. Guerchard decisively. "For the present, +M. Formery is everything. I'm only an assistant." + +He stepped into the drawing-room and stood looking about it, +curiously still. It was almost as if the whole of his being was +concentrated in the act of seeing--as if all the other functions of +his mind and body were in suspension. + +"M. Formery and the inspector have just been up to examine the +housekeeper's room. It's right at the top of the house--on the +second floor. You take the servants' staircase. Then it's right at +the end of the passage on the left. Would you like me to take you up +to it, sir?" said the policeman eagerly. His heart was in his work. + +"Thank you, I know where it is--I've just come from it," said +Guerchard gently. + +A grin of admiration widened the already wide mouth of the +policeman, and showed a row of very white, able-looking teeth. + +"Ah, M. Guerchard!" he said, "you're cleverer than all the examining +magistrates in Paris put together!" + +"You ought not to say that, my good fellow. I can't prevent you +thinking it, of course; but you ought not to say it," said Guerchard +with husky gentleness; and the faintest smile played round the +corners of his mouth. + +He walked slowly to the window, and the policeman walked with him. + +"Have you noticed this, sir?" said the policeman, taking hold of the +top of the ladder with a powerful hand. "It's probable that the +burglars came in and went away by this ladder." + +"Thank you," said Guerchard. + +"They have even left this card-table on the window-sill," said the +policeman; and he patted the card-table with his other powerful +hand. + +"Thank you, thank you," said Guerchard. + +"They don't think it's Lupin's work at all," said the policeman. +"They think that Lupin's letter announcing the burglary and these +signatures on the walls are only a ruse." + +"Is that so?" said Guerchard. + +"Is there any way I can help you, sir?" said policeman. + +"Yes," said Guerchard. "Take up your post outside that door and +admit no one but M. Formery, the inspector, Bonavent, or Dieusy, +without consulting me." And he pointed to the drawing-room door. + +"Shan't I admit the Duke of Charmerace? He's taking a great interest +in this affair," said the policeman. + +"The Duke of Charmerace? Oh, yes--admit the Duke of Charmerace," +said Guerchard. + +The policeman went to his post of responsibility, a proud man. + +Hardly had the door closed behind him when Guerchard was all +activity--activity and eyes. He examined the ladder, the gaps on the +wall from which the pictures had been taken, the signatures of +Arsene Lupin. The very next thing he did was to pick up the book +which the Duke had set on the top of the footprint again, to +preserve it; and he measured, pacing it, the distance between the +footprint and the window. + +The result of this measuring did not appear to cause him any +satisfaction, for he frowned, measured the distance again, and then +stared out of the window with a perplexed air, thinking hard. It was +curious that, when he concentrated himself on a process of +reasoning, his eves seemed to lose something of their sharp +brightness and grew a little dim. + +At last he seemed to come to some conclusion. He turned away from +the window, drew a small magnifying-glass from his pocket, dropped +on his hands and knees, and began to examine the surface of the +carpet with the most minute care. + +He examined a space of it nearly six feet square, stopped, and gazed +round the room. His eyes rested on the fireplace, which he could see +under the bottom of the big tapestried fire-screen which was raised +on legs about a foot high, fitted with big casters. His eyes filled +with interest; without rising, he crawled quickly across the room, +peeped round the edge of the screen and rose, smiling. + +He went on to the further drawing-room and made the same careful +examination of it, again examining a part of the surface of the +carpet with his magnifying-glass. He came back to the window to +which the ladder had been raised and examined very carefully the +broken shutter. He whistled softly to himself, lighted a cigarette, +and leant against the side of the window. He looked out of it, with +dull eyes which saw nothing, the while his mind worked upon the +facts he had discovered. + +He had stood there plunged in reflection for perhaps ten minutes, +when there came a sound of voices and footsteps on the stairs. He +awoke from his absorption, seemed to prick his ears, then slipped a +leg over the window-ledge, and disappeared from sight down the +ladder. + +The door opened, and in came M. Formery, the Duke, and the +inspector. M. Formery looked round the room with eyes which seemed +to expect to meet a familiar sight, then walked to the other +drawing-room and looked round that. He turned to the policeman, who +had stepped inside the drawing-room, and said sharply, "M. Guerchard +is not here." + +"I left him here," said the policeman. "He must have disappeared. +He's a wonder." + +"Of course," said M. Formery. "He has gone down the ladder to +examine that house they're building. He's just following in our +tracks and doing all over again the work we've already done. He +might have saved himself the trouble. We could have told him all he +wants to know. But there! He very likely would not be satisfied till +he had seen everything for himself." + +"He may see something which we have missed," said the Duke. + +M. Formery frowned, and said sharply "That's hardly likely. I don't +think that your Grace realizes to what a perfection constant +practice brings one's power of observation. The inspector and I will +cheerfully eat anything we've missed--won't we, inspector?" And he +laughed heartily at his joke. + +"It might always prove a large mouthful," said the Duke with an +ironical smile. + +M. Formery assumed his air of profound reflection, and walked a few +steps up and down the room, frowning: + +"The more I think about it," he said, "the clearer it grows that we +have disposed of the Lupin theory. This is the work of far less +expert rogues than Lupin. What do you think, inspector?" + +"Yes; I think you have disposed of that theory, sir," said the +inspector with ready acquiescence. + +"All the same, I'd wager anything that we haven't disposed of it to +the satisfaction of Guerchard," said M. Formery. + +"Then he must be very hard to satisfy," said the Duke. + +"Oh, in any other matter he's open to reason," said M. Formery; "but +Lupin is his fixed idea; it's an obsession--almost a mania." + +"But yet he never catches him," said the Duke. + +"No; and he never will. His very obsession by Lupin hampers him. It +cramps his mind and hinders its working," said M. Formery. + +He resumed his meditative pacing, stopped again, and said: + +"But considering everything, especially the absence of any traces of +violence, combined with her entire disappearance, I have come to +another conclusion. Victoire is the key to the mystery. She is the +accomplice. She never slept in her bed. She unmade it to put us off +the scent. That, at any rate, is something gained, to have found the +accomplice. We shall have this good news, at least, to tell M, +Gournay-Martin on his arrival." + +"Do you really think that she's the accomplice?" said the Duke. + +"I'm dead sure of it," said M. Formery. "We will go up to her room +and make another thorough examination of it." + +Guerchard's head popped up above the window-sill: + +"My dear M. Formery," he said, "I beg that you will not take the +trouble." + +M. Formery's mouth opened: "What! You, Guerchard?" he stammered. + +"Myself," said Guerchard; and he came to the top of the ladder and +slipped lightly over the window-sill into the room. + +He shook hands with M. Formery and nodded to the inspector. Then he +looked at the Duke with an air of inquiry. + +"Let me introduce you," said M. Formery. "Chief-Inspector Guerchard, +head of the Detective Department--the Duke of Charmerace." + +The Duke shook hands with Guerchard, saying, "I'm delighted to make +your acquaintance, M. Guerchard. I've been expecting your coming +with the greatest interest. Indeed it was I who begged the officials +at the Prefecture of Police to put this case in your hands. I +insisted on it." + +"What were you doing on that ladder?" said M. Formery, giving +Guerchard no time to reply to the Duke. + +"I was listening," said Guerchard simply--"listening. I like to hear +people talk when I'm engaged on a case. It's a distraction--and it +helps. I really must congratulate you, my dear M. Formery, on the +admirable manner in which you have conducted this inquiry." + +M. Formery bowed, and regarded him with a touch of suspicion. + +"There are one or two minor points on which we do not agree, but on +the whole your method has been admirable," said Guerchard. + +"Well, about Victoire," said M. Formery. "You're quite sure that an +examination, a more thorough examination, of her room, is +unnecessary?" + +"Yes, I think so," said Guerchard. "I have just looked at it +myself." + +The door opened, and in came Bonavent, one of the detectives who had +come earlier from the Prefecture. In his hand he carried a scrap of +cloth. + +He saluted Guerchard, and said to M. Formery, "I have just found +this scrap of cloth on the edge of the well at the bottom of the +garden. The concierge's wife tells me that it has been torn from +Victoire's dress." + +"I feared it," said M. Formery, taking the scrap of cloth from Mm. +"I feared foul play. We must go to the well at once, send some one +down it, or have it dragged." + +He was moving hastily to the door, when Guerchard said, in his +husky, gentle voice, "I don't think there is any need to look for +Victoire in the well." + +"But this scrap of cloth," said M. Formery, holding it out to him. + +"Yes, yes, that scrap of cloth," said Guerchard. And, turning to the +Duke, he added, "Do you know if there's a dog or cat in the house, +your Grace? I suppose that, as the fiance of Mademoiselle Gournay- +Martin, you are familiar with the house?" + +"What on earth--" said M. Formery. + +"Excuse me," interrupted Guerchard. "But this is important--very +important." + +"Yes, there is a cat," said the Duke. "I've seen a cat at the door +of the concierge's rooms." + +"It must have been that cat which took this scrap of cloth to the +edge of the well," said Guerchard gravely. + +"This is ridiculous--preposterous!" cried M. Formery, beginning to +flush. "Here we're dealing with a most serious crime--a murder--the +murder of Victoire--and you talk about cats!" + +"Victoire has not been murdered," said Guerchard; and his husky +voice was gentler than ever, only just audible. + +"But we don't know that--we know nothing of the kind," said M. +Formery. + +"I do," said Guerchard. + +"You?" said M. Formery. + +"Yes," said Guerchard. + +"Then how do you explain her disappearance?" + +"If she had disappeared I shouldn't explain it," said Guerchard. + +"But since she has disappeared?" cried M. Formery, in a tone of +exasperation. + +"She hasn't," said Guerchard. + +"You know nothing about it!" cried M. Formery, losing his temper. + +"Yes, I do," said Guerchard, with the same gentleness. + +"Come, do you mean to say that you know where she is?" cried M. +Formery. + +"Certainly," said Guerchard. + +"Do you mean to tell us straight out that you've seen her?" cried M. +Formery. + +"Oh, yes; I've seen her," said Guerchard. + +"You've seen her--when?" cried M. Formery. + +Guerchard paused to consider. Then he said gently: + +"It must have been between four and five minutes ago." + +"But hang it all, you haven't been out of this room!" cried M. +Formery. + +"No, I haven't," said Guerchard. + +"And you've seen her?" cried M. Formery. + +"Yes," said Guerchard, raising his voice a little. + +"Well, why the devil don't you tell us where she is? Tell us!" cried +M. Formery, purple with exasperation. + +"But you won't let me get a word out of my mouth," protested +Guerchard with aggravating gentleness. + +"Well, speak!" cried M. Formery; and he sank gasping on to a chair. + +"Ah, well, she's here," said Guerchard. + +"Here! How did she GET here?" said M. Formery. + +"On a mattress," said Guerchard. + +M. Formery sat upright, almost beside himself, glaring furiously at +Guerchard: + +"What do you stand there pulling all our legs for?" he almost +howled. + +"Look here," said Guerchard. + +He walked across the room to the fireplace, pushed the chairs which +stood bound together on the hearth-rug to one side of the fireplace, +and ran the heavy fire-screen on its casters to the other side of +it, revealing to their gaze the wide, old-fashioned fireplace +itself. The iron brazier which held the coals had been moved into +the corner, and a mattress lay on the floor of the fireplace. On the +mattress lay the figure of a big, middle-aged woman, half-dressed. +There was a yellow gag in her mouth; and her hands and feet were +bound together with blue cords. + +"She is sleeping soundly," said Guerchard. He stooped and picked up +a handkerchief, and smelt it. "There's the handkerchief they +chloroformed her with. It still smells of chloroform." + +They stared at him and the sleeping woman. + +"Lend a hand, inspector," he said. "And you too, Bonavent. She looks +a good weight." + +The three of them raised the mattress, and carried it and the +sleeping woman to a broad couch, and laid them on it. They staggered +under their burden, for truly Victoire was a good weight. + +M. Formery rose, with recovered breath, but with his face an even +richer purple. His eyes were rolling in his head, as if they were +not under proper control. + +He turned on the inspector and cried savagely, "You never examined +the fireplace, inspector!" + +"No, sir," said the downcast inspector. + +"It was unpardonable--absolutely unpardonable!" cried M. Formery. +"How is one to work with subordinates like this?" + +"It was an oversight," said Guerchard. + +M. Formery turned to him and said, "You must admit that it was +materially impossible for me to see her." + +"It was possible if you went down on all fours," said Guerchard. + +"On all fours?" said M. Formery. + +"Yes; on all fours you could see her heels sticking out beyond the +mattress," said Guerchard simply. + +M. Formery shrugged his shoulders: "That screen looked as if it had +stood there since the beginning of the summer," he said. + +"The first thing, when you're dealing with Lupin, is to distrust +appearances," said Guerchard. + +"Lupin!" cried M. Formery hotly. Then he bit his lip and was silent. + +He walked to the side of the couch and looked down on the sleeping +Victoire, frowning: "This upsets everything," he said. "With these +new conditions, I've got to begin all over again, to find a new +explanation of the affair. For the moment--for the moment, I'm +thrown completely off the track. And you, Guerchard?" + +"Oh, well," said Guerchard, "I have an idea or two about the matter +still." + +"Do you really mean to say that it hasn't thrown you off the track +too?" said M. Formery, with a touch of incredulity in his tone. + +"Well, no--not exactly," said Guerchard. "I wasn't on that track, +you see." + +"No, of course not--of course not. You were on the track of Lupin," +said M. Formery; and his contemptuous smile was tinged with malice. + +The Duke looked from one to the other of them with curious, +searching eyes: "I find all this so interesting," he said. + +"We do not take much notice of these checks; they do not depress us +for a moment," said M. Formery, with some return of his old +grandiloquence. "We pause hardly for an instant; then we begin to +reconstruct--to reconstruct." + +"It's perfectly splendid of you," said the Duke, and his limpid eyes +rested on M. Formery's self-satisfied face in a really affectionate +gaze; they might almost be said to caress it. + +Guerchard looked out of the window at a man who was carrying a hod- +full of bricks up one of the ladders set against the scaffolding of +the building house. Something in this honest workman's simple task +seemed to amuse him, for he smiled. + +Only the inspector, thinking of the unexamined fireplace, looked +really depressed. + +"We shan't get anything out of this woman till she wakes," said M. +Formery, "When she does, I shall question her closely and fully. In +the meantime, she may as well be carried up to her bedroom to sleep +off the effects of the chloroform." + +Guerchard turned quickly: "Not her own bedroom, I think," he said +gently. + +"Certainly not--of course, not her own bedroom," said M. Formery +quickly. + +"And I think an officer at the door of whatever bedroom she does +sleep in," said Guerchard. + +"Undoubtedly--most necessary," said M. Formery gravely. "See to it, +inspector. You can take her away." + +The inspector called in a couple of policemen, and with their aid he +and Bonavent raised the sleeping woman, a man at each corner of the +mattress, and bore her from the room. + +"And now to reconstruct," said M. Formery; and he folded his arms +and plunged into profound reflection. + +The Duke and Guerchard watched him in silence. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE FAMILY ARRIVES + + +In carrying out Victoire, the inspector had left the door of the +drawing-room open. After he had watched M. Formery reflect for two +minutes, Guerchard faded--to use an expressive Americanism--through +it. The Duke felt in the breast-pocket of his coat, murmured softly, +"My cigarettes," and followed him. + +He caught up Guerchard on the stairs and said, "I will come with +you, if I may, M. Guerchard. I find all these investigations +extraordinarily interesting. I have been observing M. Formery's +methods--I should like to watch yours, for a change." + +"By all means," said Guerchard. "And there are several things I want +to hear about from your Grace. Of course it might be an advantage to +discuss them together with M. Formery, but--" and he hesitated. + +"It would be a pity to disturb M. Formery in the middle of the +process of reconstruction," said the Duke; and a faint, ironical +smile played round the corners of his sensitive lips. + +Guerchard looked at him quickly: "Perhaps it would," he said. + +They went through the house, out of the back door, and into the +garden. Guerchard moved about twenty yards from the house, then he +stopped and questioned the Duke at great length. He questioned him +first about the Charolais, their appearance, their actions, +especially about Bernard's attempt to steal the pendant, and the +theft of the motor-cars. + +"I have been wondering whether M. Charolais might not have been +Arsene Lupin himself," said the Duke. + +"It's quite possible," said Guerchard. "There seem to be no limits +whatever to Lupin's powers of disguising himself. My colleague, +Ganimard, has come across him at least three times that he knows of, +as a different person. And no single time could he be sure that it +was the same man. Of course, he had a feeling that he was in contact +with some one he had met before, but that was all. He had no +certainty. He may have met him half a dozen times besides without +knowing him. And the photographs of him--they're all different. +Ganimard declares that Lupin is so extraordinarily successful in his +disguises because he is a great actor. He actually becomes for the +time being the person he pretends to be. He thinks and feels +absolutely like that person. Do you follow me?" + +"Oh, yes; but he must be rather fluid, this Lupin," said the Duke; +and then he added thoughtfully, "It must be awfully risky to come so +often into actual contact with men like Ganimard and you." + +"Lupin has never let any consideration of danger prevent him doing +anything that caught his fancy. He has odd fancies, too. He's a +humourist of the most varied kind--grim, ironic, farcical, as the +mood takes him. He must be awfully trying to live with," said +Guerchard. + +"Do you think humourists are trying to live with?" said the Duke, in +a meditative tone. "I think they brighten life a good deal; but of +course there are people who do not like them--the middle-classes." + +"Yes, yes, they're all very well in their place; but to live with +they must be trying," said Guerchard quickly. + +He went on to question the Duke closely and at length about the +household of M. Gournay-Martin, saying that Arsene Lupin worked with +the largest gang a burglar had ever captained, and it was any odds +that he had introduced one, if not more, of that gang into it. +Moreover, in the case of a big affair like this, Lupin himself often +played two or three parts under as many disguises. + +"If he was Charolais, I don't see how he could be one of M. Gournay- +Martin's household, too," said the Duke in some perplexity. + +"I don't say that he WAS Charolais," said Guerchard. "It is quite a +moot point. On the whole, I'm inclined to think that he was not. The +theft of the motor-cars was a job for a subordinate. He would hardly +bother himself with it." + +The Duke told him all that he could remember about the millionaire's +servants--and, under the clever questioning of the detective, he was +surprised to find how much he did remember--all kinds of odd details +about them which he had scarcely been aware of observing. + +The two of them, as they talked, afforded an interesting contrast: +the Duke, with his air of distinction and race, his ironic +expression, his mobile features, his clear enunciation and well- +modulated voice, his easy carriage of an accomplished fencer--a +fencer with muscles of steel--seemed to be a man of another kind +from the slow-moving detective, with his husky voice, his common, +slurring enunciation, his clumsily moulded features, so ill adapted +to the expression of emotion and intelligence. It was a contrast +almost between the hawk and the mole, the warrior and the workman. +Only in their eyes were they alike; both of them had the keen, alert +eyes of observers. Perhaps the most curious thing of all was that, +in spite of the fact that he had for so much of his life been an +idler, trifling away his time in the pursuit of pleasure, except +when he had made his expedition to the South Pole, the Duke gave one +the impression of being a cleverer man, of a far finer brain, than +the detective who had spent so much of his life sharpening his wits +on the more intricate problems of crime. + +When Guerchard came to the end of his questions, the Duke said: "You +have given me a very strong feeling that it is going to be a deuce +of a job to catch Lupin. I don't wonder that, so far, you have none +of you laid hands on him." + +"But we have!" cried Guerchard quickly. "Twice Ganimard has caught +him. Once he had him in prison, and actually brought him to trial. +Lupin became another man, and was let go from the very dock." + +"Really? It sounds absolutely amazing," said the Duke. + +"And then, in the affair of the Blue Diamond, Ganimard caught him +again. He has his weakness, Lupin--it's women. It's a very common +weakness in these masters of crime. Ganimard and Holmlock Shears, in +that affair, got the better of him by using his love for a woman-- +'the fair-haired lady,' she was called--to nab him." + +"A shabby trick," said the Duke. + +"Shabby?" said Guerchard in a tone of utter wonder. "How can +anything be shabby in the case of a rogue like this?" + +"Perhaps not--perhaps not--still--" said the Duke, and stopped. + +The expression of wonder faded from Guerchard's face, and he went +on, "Well, Holmlock Shears recovered the Blue Diamond, and Ganimard +nabbed Lupin. He held him for ten minutes, then Lupin escaped." + +"What became of the fair-haired lady?" said the Duke. + +"I don't know. I have heard that she is dead," said Guerchard. "Now +I come to think of it, I heard quite definitely that she died." + +"It must be awful for a woman to love a man like Lupin--the +constant, wearing anxiety," said the Duke thoughtfully. + +"I dare say. Yet he can have his pick of sweethearts. I've been +offered thousands of francs by women--women of your Grace's world +and wealthy Viennese--to make them acquainted with Lupin," said +Guerchard. + +"You don't surprise me," said the Duke with his ironic smile. "Women +never do stop to think--where one of their heroes is concerned. And +did you do it?" + +"How could I? If I only could! If I could find Lupin entangled with +a woman like Ganimard did--well--" said Guerchard between his teeth. + +"He'd never get out of YOUR clutches," said the Duke with +conviction. + +"I think not--I think not," said Guerchard grimly. "But come, I may +as well get on." + +He walked across the turf to the foot of the ladder and looked at +the footprints round it. He made but a cursory examination of them, +and took his way down the garden-path, out of the door in the wall +into the space about the house that was building. He was not long +examining it, and he went right through it out into the street on +which the house would face when it was finished. He looked up and +down it, and began to retrace his footsteps. + +"I've seen all I want to see out here. We may as well go back to the +house," he said to the Duke. + +"I hope you've seen what you expected to see," said the Duke. + +"Exactly what I expected to see--exactly," said Guerchard. + +"That's as it should be," said the Duke. + +They went back to the house and found M. Formery in the drawing- +room, still engaged in the process of reconstruction. + +"The thing to do now is to hunt the neighbourhood for witnesses of +the departure of the burglars with their booty. Loaded as they were +with such bulky objects, they must have had a big conveyance. +Somebody must have noticed it. They must have wondered why it was +standing in front of a half-built house. Somebody may have actually +seen the burglars loading it, though it was so early in the morning. +Bonavent had better inquire at every house in the street on which +that half-built house faces. Did you happen to notice the name of +it?" said M. Formery. + +"It's Sureau Street," said Guerchard. "But Dieusy has been hunting +the neighbourhood for some one who saw the burglars loading their +conveyance, or saw it waiting to be loaded, for the last hour." + +"Good," said M. Formery. "We are getting on." + +M. Formery was silent. Guerchard and the Duke sat down and lighted +cigarettes. + +"You found plenty of traces," said M. Formery, waving his hand +towards the window. + +"Yes; I've found plenty of traces," said Guerchard. + +"Of Lupin?" said M. Formery, with a faint sneer. + +"No; not of Lupin," said Guerchard. + +A smile of warm satisfaction illumined M. Formery's face: + +"What did I tell you?" he said. "I'm glad that you've changed your +mind about that." + +"I have hardly changed my mind," said Guerchard, in his husky, +gentle voice. + +There came a loud knocking on the front door, the sound of excited +voices on the stairs. The door opened, and in burst M. Gournay- +Martin. He took one glance round the devastated room, raised his +clenched hands towards the ceiling, and bellowed, "The scoundrels! +the dirty scoundrels!" And his voice stuck in his throat. He +tottered across the room to a couch, dropped heavily to it, gazed +round the scene of desolation, and burst into tears. + +Germaine and Sonia came into the room. The Duke stepped forward to +greet them. + +"Do stop crying, papa. You're as hoarse as a crow as it is," said +Germaine impatiently. Then, turning on the Duke with a frown, she +said: "I think that joke of yours about the train was simply +disgraceful, Jacques. A joke's a joke, but to send us out to the +station on a night like last night, through all that heavy rain, +when you knew all the time that there was no quarter-to-nine train-- +it was simply disgraceful." + +"I really don't know what you're talking about," said the Duke +quietly. "Wasn't there a quarter-to-nine train?" + +"Of course there wasn't," said Germaine. "The time-table was years +old. I think it was the most senseless attempt at a joke I ever +heard of." + +"It doesn't seem to me to be a joke at all," said the Duke quietly. +"At any rate, it isn't the kind of a joke I make--it would be +detestable. I never thought to look at the date of the time-table. I +keep a box of cigarettes in that drawer, and I have noticed the +time-table there. Of course, it may have been lying there for years. +It was stupid of me not to look at the date." + +"I said it was a mistake. I was sure that his Grace would not do +anything so unkind as that," said Sonia. + +The Duke smiled at her. + +"Well, all I can say is, it was very stupid of you not to look at +the date," said Germaine. + +M. Gournay-Martin rose to his feet and wailed, in the most +heartrending fashion: "My pictures! My wonderful pictures! Such +investments! And my cabinets! My Renaissance cabinets! They can't be +replaced! They were unique! They were worth a hundred and fifty +thousand francs." + +M. Formery stepped forward with an air and said, "I am distressed, +M. Gournay-Martin--truly distressed by your loss. I am M. Formery, +examining magistrate." + +"It is a tragedy, M. Formery--a tragedy!" groaned the millionaire. + +"Do not let it upset you too much. We shall find your masterpieces-- +we shall find them. Only give us time," said M. Formery in a tone of +warm encouragement. + +The face of the millionaire brightened a little. + +"And, after all, you have the consolation, that the burglars did not +get hold of the gem of your collection. They have not stolen the +coronet of the Princesse de Lambalie," said M. Formery. + +"No," said the Duke. "They have not touched this safe. It is +unopened." + +"What has that got to do with it?" growled the millionaire quickly. +"That safe is empty." + +"Empty . . . but your coronet?" cried the Duke. + +"Good heavens! Then they HAVE stolen it," cried the millionaire +hoarsely, in a panic-stricken voice. + +"But they can't have--this safe hasn't been touched," said the Duke. + +"But the coronet never was in that safe. It was--have they entered +my bedroom?" said the millionaire. + +"No," said M. Formery. + +"They don't seem to have gone through any of the rooms except these +two," said the Duke. + +"Ah, then my mind is at rest about that. The safe in my bedroom has +only two keys. Here is one." He took a key from his waistcoat pocket +and held it out to them. "And the other is in this safe." + +The face of M. Formery was lighted up with a splendid satisfaction. +He might have rescued the coronet with his own hands. He cried +triumphantly, "There, you see!" + +"See? See?" cried the millionaire in a sudden bellow. "I see that +they have robbed me--plundered me. Oh, my pictures! My wonderful +pictures! Such investments!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE THEFT OF THE PENDANT + + +They stood round the millionaire observing his anguish, with eyes in +which shone various degrees of sympathy. As if no longer able to +bear the sight of such woe, Sonia slipped out of the room. + +The millionaire lamented his loss and abused the thieves by turns, +but always at the top of his magnificent voice. + +Suddenly a fresh idea struck him. He clapped his hand to his brow +and cried: "That eight hundred pounds! Charolais will never buy the +Mercrac now! He was not a bona fide purchaser!" + +The Duke's lips parted slightly and his eyes opened a trifle wider +than their wont. He turned sharply on his heel, and almost sprang +into the other drawing-room. There he laughed at his ease. + +M. Formery kept saying to the millionaire: "Be calm, M. Gournay- +Martin. Be calm! We shall recover your masterpieces. I pledge you my +word. All we need is time. Have patience. Be calm!" + +His soothing remonstrances at last had their effect. The millionaire +grew calm: + +"Guerchard?" he said. "Where is Guerchard?" + +M. Formery presented Guerchard to him. + +"Are you on their track? Have you a clue?" said the millionaire. + +"I think," said M. Formery in an impressive tone, "that we may now +proceed with the inquiry in the ordinary way." + +He was a little piqued by the millionaire's so readily turning from +him to the detective. He went to a writing-table, set some sheets of +paper before him, and prepared to make notes on the answers to his +questions. The Duke came back into the drawing-room; the inspector +was summoned. M. Gournay-Martin sat down on a couch with his hands +on his knees and gazed gloomily at M. Formery. Germaine, who was +sitting on a couch near the door, waiting with an air of resignation +for her father to cease his lamentations, rose and moved to a chair +nearer the writing-table. Guerchard kept moving restlessly about the +room, but noiselessly. At last he came to a standstill, leaning +against the wall behind M. Formery. + +M. Formery went over all the matters about which he had already +questioned the Duke. He questioned the millionaire and his daughter +about the Charolais, the theft of the motor-cars, and the attempted +theft of the pendant. He questioned them at less length about the +composition of their household--the servants and their characters. +He elicited no new fact. + +He paused, and then he said, carelessly as a mere matter of routine: +"I should like to know, M. Gournay-Martin, if there has ever been +any other robbery committed at your house?" + +"Three years ago this scoundrel Lupin--" the millionaire began +violently. + +"Yes, yes; I know all about that earlier burglary. But have you been +robbed since?" said M. Formery, interrupting him. + +"No, I haven't been robbed since that burglary; but my daughter +has," said the millionaire. + +"Your daughter?" said M. Formery. + +"Yes; I have been robbed two or three times during the last three +years," said Germaine. + +"Dear me! But you ought to have told us about this before. This is +extremely interesting, and most important," said M. Formery, rubbing +his hands, "I suppose you suspect Victoire?" + +"No, I don't," said Germaine quickly. "It couldn't have been +Victoire. The last two thefts were committed at the chateau when +Victoire was in Paris in charge of this house." + +M. Formery seemed taken aback, and he hesitated, consulting his +notes. Then he said: "Good--good. That confirms my hypothesis." + +"What hypothesis?" said M. Gournay-Martin quickly. + +"Never mind--never mind," said M. Formery solemnly. And, turning to +Germaine, he went on: "You say, Mademoiselle, that these thefts +began about three years ago?" + +"Yes, I think they began about three years ago in August." + +"Let me see. It was in the month of August, three years ago, that +your father, after receiving a threatening letter like the one he +received last night, was the victim of a burglary?" said M. Formery. + +"Yes, it was--the scoundrels!" cried the millionaire fiercely. + +"Well, it would be interesting to know which of your servants +entered your service three years ago," said M. Formery. + +"Victoire has only been with us a year at the outside," said +Germaine. + +"Only a year?" said M. Formery quickly, with an air of some +vexation. He paused and added, "Exactly--exactly. And what was the +nature of the last theft of which you were the victim?" + +"It was a pearl brooch--not unlike the pendant which his Grace gave +me yesterday," said Germaine. + +"Would you mind showing me that pendant? I should like to see it," +said M. Formery. + +"Certainly--show it to him, Jacques. You have it, haven't you?" said +Germaine, turning to the Duke. + +"Me? No. How should I have it?" said the Duke in some surprise. +"Haven't you got it?" + +"I've only got the case--the empty case," said Germaine, with a +startled air. + +"The empty case?" said the Duke, with growing surprise. + +"Yes," said Germaine. "It was after we came back from our useless +journey to the station. I remembered suddenly that I had started +without the pendant. I went to the bureau and picked up the case; +and it was empty." + +"One moment--one moment," said M. Formery. "Didn't you catch this +young Bernard Charolais with this case in his hands, your Grace?" + +"Yes," said the Duke. "I caught him with it in his pocket." + +"Then you may depend upon it that the young rascal had slipped the +pendant out of its case and you only recovered the empty case from +him," said M. Formery triumphantly. + +"No," said the Duke. "That is not so. Nor could the thief have been +the burglar who broke open the bureau to get at the keys. For long +after both of them were out of the house I took a cigarette from the +box which stood on the bureau beside the case which held the +pendant. And it occurred to me that the young rascal might have +played that very trick on me. I opened the case and the pendant was +there." + +"It has been stolen!" cried the millionaire; "of course it has been +stolen." + +"Oh, no, no," said the Duke. "It hasn't been stolen. Irma, or +perhaps Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, has brought it to Paris for +Germaine." + +"Sonia certainly hasn't brought it. It was she who suggested to me +that you had seen it lying on the bureau, and slipped it into your +pocket," said Germaine quickly. + +"Then it must be Irma," said the Duke. + +"We had better send for her and make sure," said M. Formery. +"Inspector, go and fetch her." + +The inspector went out of the room and the Duke questioned Germaine +and her father about the journey, whether it had been very +uncomfortable, and if they were very tired by it. He learned that +they had been so fortunate as to find sleeping compartments on the +train, so that they had suffered as little as might be from their +night of travel. + +M. Formery looked through his notes; Guerchard seemed to be going to +sleep where he stood against the wall. + +The inspector came back with Irma. She wore the frightened, half- +defensive, half-defiant air which people of her class wear when +confronted by the authorities. Her big, cow's eyes rolled uneasily. + +"Oh, Irma--" Germaine began. + +M. Formery cut her short, somewhat brusquely. "Excuse me, excuse me. +I am conducting this inquiry," he said. And then, turning to Irma, +he added, "Now, don't be frightened, Mademoiselle Irma; I want to +ask you a question or two. Have you brought up to Paris the pendant +which the Duke of Charmerace gave your mistress yesterday?" + +"Me, sir? No, sir. I haven't brought the pendant," said Irma. + +"You're quite sure?" said M. Formery. + +"Yes, sir; I haven't seen the pendant. Didn't Mademoiselle Germaine +leave it on the bureau?" said Irma. + +"How do you know that?" said M. Formery. + +"I heard Mademoiselle Germaine say that it had been on the bureau. I +thought that perhaps Mademoiselle Kritchnoff had put it in her bag." + +"Why should Mademoiselle Kritchnoff put it in her bag?" said the +Duke quickly. + +"To bring it up to Paris for Mademoiselle Germaine," said Irma. + +"But what made you think that?" said Guerchard, suddenly +intervening. + +"Oh, I thought Mademoiselle Kritchnoff might have put it in her bag +because I saw her standing by the bureau," said Irma. + +"Ah, and the pendant was on the bureau?" said M. Formery. + +"Yes, sir," said Irma. + +There was a silence. Suddenly the atmosphere of the room seemed to +have become charged with an oppression--a vague menace. Guerchard +seemed to have become wide awake again. Germaine and the Duke looked +at one another uneasily. + +"Have you been long in the service of Mademoiselle Gournay-Martin?" +said M. Formery. + +"Six months, sir," said Irma. + +"Very good, thank you. You can go," said M. Formery. "I may want you +again presently." + +Irma went quickly out of the room with an air of relief. + +M. Formery scribbled a few words on the paper before him and then +said: "Well, I will proceed to question Mademoiselle Kritchnoff." + +"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff is quite above suspicion," said the Duke +quickly. + +"Oh, yes, quite," said Germaine. + +"How long has Mademoiselle Kritchnoff been in your service, +Mademoiselle?" said Guerchard. + +"Let me think," said Germaine, knitting her brow. + +"Can't you remember?" said M. Formery. + +"Just about three years," said Germaine. + +"That's exactly the time at which the thefts began," said M. +Formery. + +"Yes," said Germaine, reluctantly. + +"Ask Mademoiselle Kritchnoff to come here, inspector," said M. +Formery. + +"Yes, sir," said the inspector. + +"I'll go and fetch her--I know where to find her," said the Duke +quickly, moving toward the door. + +"Please, please, your Grace," protested Guerchard. "The inspector +will fetch her." + +The Duke turned sharply and looked at him: "I beg your pardon, but +do you--" he said. + +"Please don't be annoyed, your Grace," Guerchard interrupted. "But +M. Formery agrees with me--it would be quite irregular." + +"Yes, yes, your Grace," said M. Formery. "We have our method of +procedure. It is best to adhere to it--much the best. It is the +result of years of experience of the best way of getting the truth." + +"Just as you please," said the Duke, shrugging his shoulders. + +The inspector came into the room: "Mademoiselle Kritchnoff will be +here in a moment. She was just going out." + +"She was going out?" said M. Formery. "You don't mean to say you're +letting members of the household go out?" + +"No, sir," said the inspector. "I mean that she was just asking if +she might go out." + +M. Formery beckoned the inspector to him, and said to him in a voice +too low for the others to hear: + +"Just slip up to her room and search her trunks." + +"There is no need to take the trouble," said Guerchard, in the same +low voice, but with sufficient emphasis. + +"No, of course not. There's no need to take the trouble," M. Formery +repeated after him. + +The door opened, and Sonia came in. She was still wearing her +travelling costume, and she carried her cloak on her arm. She stood +looking round her with an air of some surprise; perhaps there was +even a touch of fear in it. The long journey of the night before did +not seem to have dimmed at all her delicate beauty. The Duke's eyes +rested on her in an inquiring, wondering, even searching gaze. She +looked at him, and her own eyes fell. + +"Will you come a little nearer. Mademoiselle?" said M. Formery. +"There are one or two questions--" + +"Will you allow me?" said Guerchard, in a tone of such deference +that it left M. Formery no grounds for refusal. + +M. Formery flushed and ground his teeth. "Have it your own way!" he +said ungraciously. + +"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff," said Guerchard, in a tone of the most +good-natured courtesy, "there is a matter on which M. Formery needs +some information. The pendant which the Duke of Charmerace gave +Mademoiselle Gournay-Martin yesterday has been stolen." + +"Stolen? Are you sure?" said Sonia in a tone of mingled surprise and +anxiety. + +"Quite sure," said Guerchard. "We have exactly determined the +conditions under which the theft was committed. But we have every +reason to believe that the culprit, to avoid detection, has hidden +the pendant in the travelling-bag or trunk of somebody else in order +to--" + +"My bag is upstairs in my bedroom, sir," Sonia interrupted quickly. +"Here is the key of it." + +In order to free her hands to take the key from her wrist-bag, she +set her cloak on the back of a couch. It slipped off it, and fell to +the ground at the feet of the Duke, who had not returned to his +place beside Germaine. While she was groping in her bag for the key, +and all eyes were on her, the Duke, who had watched her with a +curious intentness ever since her entry into the room, stooped +quietly down and picked up the cloak. His hand slipped into the +pocket of it; his fingers touched a hard object wrapped in tissue- +paper. They closed round it, drew it from the pocket, and, sheltered +by the cloak, transferred it to his own. He set the cloak on the +back of the sofa, and very softly moved back to his place by +Germaine's side. No one in the room observed the movement, not even +Guerchard: he was watching Sonia too intently. + +Sonia found the key, and held it out to Guerchard. + +He shook his head and said: "There is no reason to search your bag-- +none whatever. Have you any other luggage?" + +She shrank back a little from his piercing eyes, almost as if their +gaze scared her. + +"Yes, my trunk . . . it's upstairs in my bedroom too . . . open." + +She spoke in a faltering voice, and her troubled eyes could not meet +those of the detective. + +"You were going out, I think," said Guerchard gently. + +"I was asking leave to go out. There is some shopping that must be +done," said Sonia. + +"You do not see any reason why Mademoiselle Kritchnoff should not go +out, M. Formery, do you?" said Guerchard. + +"Oh, no, none whatever; of course she can go out," said M. Formery. + +Sonia turned round to go. + +"One moment," said Guerchard, coming for-ward. "You've only got that +wrist-bag with you?" + +"Yes," said Sonia. "I have my money and my handkerchief in it." And +she held it out to him. + +Guerchard's keen eyes darted into it; and he muttered, "No point in +looking in that. I don't suppose any one would have had the +audacity--" and he stopped. + +Sonia made a couple of steps toward the door, turned, hesitated, +came back to the couch, and picked up her cloak. + +There was a sudden gleam in Guerchard's eyes--a gleam of +understanding, expectation, and triumph. He stepped forward, and +holding out his hands, said: "Allow me." + +"No, thank you," said Sonia. "I'm not going to put it on." + +"No . . . but it's possible . . . some one may have . . . have you +felt in the pockets of it? That one, now? It seems as if that one--" + +He pointed to the pocket which had held the packet. + +Sonia started back with an air of utter dismay; her eyes glanced +wildly round the room as if seeking an avenue of escape; her fingers +closed convulsively on the pocket. + +"But this is abominable!" she cried. "You look as if--" + +"I beg you, mademoiselle," interrupted Guerchard. "We are sometimes +obliged--" + +"Really, Mademoiselle Sonia," broke in the Duke, in a singularly +clear and piercing tone, "I cannot see why you should object to this +mere formality." + +"Oh, but--but--" gasped Sonia, raising her terror-stricken eyes to +his. + +The Duke seemed to hold them with his own; and he said in the same +clear, piercing voice, "There isn't the slightest reason for you to +be frightened." + +Sonia let go of the cloak, and Guerchard, his face all alight with +triumph, plunged his hand into the pocket. He drew it out empty, and +stared at it, while his face fell to an utter, amazed blankness. + +"Nothing? nothing?" he muttered under his breath. And he stared at +his empty hand as if he could not believe his eyes. + +By a violent effort he forced an apologetic smile on his face, and +said to Sonia: "A thousand apologies, mademoiselle." + +He handed the cloak to her. Sonia took it and turned to go. She took +a step towards the door, and tottered. + +The Duke sprang forward and caught her as she was falling. + +"Do you feel faint?" he said in an anxious voice. + +"Thank you, you just saved me in time," muttered Sonia. + +"I'm really very sorry," said Guerchard. + +"Thank you, it was nothing. I'm all right now," said Sonia, +releasing herself from the Duke's supporting arm. + +She drew herself up, and walked quietly out of the room. + +Guerchard went back to M. Formery at the writing-table. + +"You made a clumsy mistake there, Guerchard," said M. Formery, with +a touch of gratified malice in his tone. + +Guerchard took no notice of it: "I want you to give orders that +nobody leaves the house without my permission," he said, in a low +voice. + +"No one except Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, I suppose," said M. Formery, +smiling. + +"She less than any one," said Guerchard quickly. + +"I don't understand what you're driving at a bit," said M. Formery. +"Unless you suppose that Mademoiselle Kritchnoff is Lupin in +disguise." + +Guerchard laughed softly: "You will have your joke, M. Formery," he +said. + +"Well, well, I'll give the order," said M. Formery, somewhat +mollified by the tribute to his humour. + +He called the inspector to him and whispered a word in his ear. Then +he rose and said: "I think, gentlemen, we ought to go and examine +the bedrooms, and, above all, make sure that the safe in M. Gournay- +Martin's bedroom has not been tampered with." + +"I was wondering how much longer we were going to waste time here +talking about that stupid pendant," grumbled the millionaire; and he +rose and led the way. + +"There may also be some jewel-cases in the bedrooms," said M. +Formery. "There are all the wedding presents. They were in charge of +Victoire." said Germaine quickly. "It would be dreadful if they had +been stolen. Some of them are from the first families in France." + +"They would replace them . . . those paper-knives," said the Duke, +smiling. + +Germaine and her father led the way. M. Formery, Guerchard, and the +inspector followed them. At the door the Duke paused, stopped, +closed it on them softly. He came back to the window, put his hand +in his pocket, and drew out the packet wrapped in tissue-paper. + +He unfolded the paper with slow, reluctant fingers, and revealed the +pendant. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +LUPIN WIRES + + +The Duke stared at the pendant, his eyes full of wonder and pity. + +"Poor little girl!" he said softly under his breath. + +He put the pendant carefully away in his waistcoat-pocket and stood +staring thoughtfully out of the window. + +The door opened softly, and Sonia came quickly into the room, closed +the door, and leaned back against it. Her face was a dead white; her +skin had lost its lustre of fine porcelain, and she stared at him +with eyes dim with anguish. + +In a hoarse, broken voice, she muttered: "Forgive me! Oh, forgive +me!" + +"A thief--you?" said the Duke, in a tone of pitying wonder. + +Sonia groaned. + +"You mustn't stop here," said the Duke in an uneasy tone, and he +looked uneasily at the door. + +"Ah, you don't want to speak to me any more," said Sonia, in a +heartrending tone, wringing her hands. + +"Guerchard is suspicious of everything. It is dangerous for us to be +talking here. I assure you that it's dangerous," said the Duke. + +"What an opinion must you have of me! It's dreadful--cruel!" wailed +Sonia. + +"For goodness' sake don't speak so loud," said the Duke, with even +greater uneasiness. "You MUST think of Guerchard." + +"What do I care?" cried Sonia. "I've lost the liking of the only +creature whose liking I wanted. What does anything else matter? What +DOES it matter?" + +"We'll talk somewhere else presently. That'll be far safer," said +the Duke. + +"No, no, we must talk now!" cried Sonia. "You must know. . . . +I must tell . . . Oh, dear! . . . Oh, dear! . . . I don't know how +to tell you. . . . And then it is so unfair. . . . she . . . +Germaine . . . she has everything," she panted. "Yesterday, before +me, you gave her that pendant, . . . she smiled . . . she was proud +of it. . . . I saw her pleasure. . . . Then I took it--I took it--I +took it! And if I could, I'd take her fortune, too. . . . I hate +her! Oh, how I hate her!" + +"What!" said the Duke. + +"Yes, I do . . . I hate her!" said Sonia; and her eyes, no longer +gentle, glowed with the sombre resentment, the dull rage of the weak +who turn on Fortune. Her gentle voice was harsh with rebellious +wrath. + +"You hate her?" said the Duke quickly. + +"I should never have told you that. . . . But now I dare. . . . I +dare speak out. . . . It's you! . . . It's you--" The avowal died on +her lips. A burning flush crimsoned her cheeks and faded as quickly +as it came: "I hate her!" she muttered. + +"Sonia--" said the Duke gently. + +"Oh! I know that it's no excuse. . . . I know that you're +thinking 'This is a very pretty story, but it's not her first +theft'; . . . and it's true--it's the tenth, . . . perhaps it's the +twentieth. . . . It's true--I am a thief." She paused, and the glow +deepened in her eyes. "But there's one thing you must believe--you +shall believe; since you came, since I've known you, since the first +day you set eyes on me, I have stolen no more . . . till yesterday +when you gave her the pendant before me. I could not bear it . . . I +could not." She paused and looked at him with eyes that demanded an +assent. + +"I believe you," said the Duke gravely. + +She heaved a deep sigh of relief, and went on more quietly--some of +its golden tone had returned to her voice: "And then, if you knew +how it began . . . the horror of it," she said. + +"Poor child!" said the Duke softly. + +"Yes, you pity me, but you despise me--you despise me beyond words. +You shall not! I will not have it!" she cried fiercely. + +"Believe me, no," said the Duke, in a soothing tone. + +"Listen," said Sonia. "Have you ever been alone--alone in the world? +. . . Have you ever been hungry? Think of it . . . in this big city +where I was starving in sight of bread . . . bread in the shops . . +. .One only had to stretch out one's hand to touch it . . . a penny +loaf. Oh, it's commonplace!" she broke off: "quite commonplace!" + +"Go on: tell me," said the Duke curtly. + +"There was one way I could make money and I would not do it: no, I +would not," she went on. "But that day I was dying . . . understand, +I was dying . . . .I went to the rooms of a man I knew a little. It +was my last resource. At first I was glad . . . he gave me food and +wine . . . and then, he talked to me . . . he offered me money." + +"What!" cried the Duke; and a sudden flame of anger flared up in his +eyes. + +"No; I could not . . . and then I robbed him. . . . I preferred +to . . . it was more decent. Ah, I had excuses then. I began to +steal to remain an honest woman . . . and I've gone on stealing to +keep up appearances. You see . . . I joke about it." And she +laughed, the faint, dreadful, mocking laugh of a damned soul. "Oh, +dear! Oh, dear!" she cried; and, burying her face in her hands, she +burst into a storm of weeping. + +"Poor child," said the Duke softly. And he stared gloomily on the +ground, overcome by this revelation of the tortures of the feeble in +the underworld beneath the Paris he knew. + +"Oh, you do pity me . . . you do understand . . . and feel," said +Sonia, between her sobs. + +The Duke raised his head and gazed at her with eyes full of an +infinite sympathy and compassion. + +"Poor little Sonia," he said gently. "I understand." + +She gazed at him with incredulous eyes, in which joy and despair +mingled, struggling. + +He came slowly towards her, and stopped short. His quick ear had +caught the sound of a footstep outside the door. + +"Quick! Dry your eyes! You must look composed. The other room!" he +cried, in an imperative tone. + +He caught her hand and drew her swiftly into the further drawing- +room. + +With the quickness which came of long practice in hiding her +feelings Sonia composed her face to something of its usual gentle +calm. There was even a faint tinge of colour in her cheeks; they had +lost their dead whiteness. A faint light shone in her eyes; the +anguish had cleared from them. They rested on the Duke with a look +of ineffable gratitude. She sat down on a couch. The Duke went to +the window and lighted a cigarette. They heard the door of the outer +drawing-room open, and there was a pause. Quick footsteps crossed +the room, and Guerchard stood in the doorway. He looked from one to +the other with keen and eager eyes. Sonia sat staring rather +listlessly at the carpet. The Duke turned, and smiled at him. + +"Well, M. Guerchard," he said. "I hope the burglars have not stolen +the coronet." + +"The coronet is safe, your Grace," said Guerchard. + +"And the paper-knives?" said the Duke. + +"The paper-knives?" said Guerchard with an inquiring air. + +"The wedding presents," said the Duke. + +"Yes, your Grace, the wedding presents are safe," said Guerchard. + +"I breathe again," said the Duke languidly. + +Guerchard turned to Sonia and said, "I was looking for you, +Mademoiselle, to tell you that M. Formery has changed his mind. It +is impossible for you to go out. No one will be allowed to go out." + +"Yes?" said Sonia, in an indifferent tone. + +"We should be very much obliged if you would go to your room," said +Guerchard. "Your meals will be sent up to you." + +"What?" said Sonia, rising quickly; and she looked from Guerchard to +the Duke. The Duke gave her the faintest nod. + +"Very well, I will go to my room," she said coldly. + +They accompanied her to the door of the outer drawing-room. +Guerchard opened it for her and closed it after her. + +"Really, M. Guerchard," said the Duke, shrugging his shoulders. +"This last measure--a child like that!" + +"Really, I'm very sorry, your Grace; but it's my trade, or, if you +prefer it, my duty. As long as things are taking place here which I +am still the only one to perceive, and which are not yet clear to +me, I must neglect no precaution." + +"Of course, you know best," said the Duke. "But still, a child like +that--you're frightening her out of her life." + +Guerchard shrugged his shoulders, and went quietly out of the room. + +The Duke sat down in an easy chair, frowning and thoughtful. +Suddenly there struck on his ears the sound of a loud roaring and +heavy bumping on the stairs, the door flew open, and M. Gournay- +Martin stood on the threshold waving a telegram in his hand. + +M. Formery and the inspector came hurrying down the stairs behind +him, and watched his emotion with astonished and wondering eyes. + +"Here!" bellowed the millionaire. "A telegram! A telegram from the +scoundrel himself! Listen! Just listen:" + + "A thousand apologies for not having been + able to keep my promise about the coronet. + Had an appointment at the Acacias. Please + have coronet ready in your room to-night. Will + come without fail to fetch it, between a quarter + to twelve and twelve o'clock." + + "Yours affectionately," + + "ARSENE LUPIN." + +"There! What do you think of that?" + +"If you ask me, I think he's humbug," said the Duke with conviction. + +"Humbug! You always think it's humbug! You thought the letter was +humbug; and look what has happened!" cried the millionaire. + +"Give me the telegram, please," said M. Formery quickly. + +The millionaire gave it to him; and he read it through. + +"Find out who brought it, inspector," he said. + +The inspector hurried to the top of the staircase and called to the +policeman in charge of the front door. He came back to the drawing- +room and said: "It was brought by an ordinary post-office messenger, +sir." + +"Where is he?" said M. Formery. "Why did you let him go?" + +"Shall I send for him, sir?" said the inspector. + +"No, no, it doesn't matter," said M. Formery; and, turning to M. +Gournay-Martin and the Duke, he said, "Now we're really going to +have trouble with Guerchard. He is going to muddle up everything. +This telegram will be the last straw. Nothing will persuade him now +that this is not Lupin's work. And just consider, gentlemen: if +Lupin had come last night, and if he had really set his heart on the +coronet, he would have stolen it then, or at any rate he would have +tried to open the safe in M. Gournay-Martin's bedroom, in which the +coronet actually is, or this safe here"--he went to the safe and +rapped on the door of it--"in which is the second key." + +"That's quite clear," said the inspector. + +"If, then, he did not make the attempt last night, when he had a +clear field--when the house was empty--he certainly will not make +the attempt now when we are warned, when the police are on the spot, +and the house is surrounded. The idea is childish, gentlemen"--he +leaned against the door of the safe--"absolutely childish, but +Guerchard is mad on this point; and I foresee that his madness is +going to hamper us in the most idiotic way." + +He suddenly pitched forward into the middle of the room, as the door +of the safe opened with a jerk, and Guerchard shot out of it. + +"What the devil!" cried M. Formery, gaping at him. + +"You'd be surprised how clearly you hear everything in these safes-- +you'd think they were too thick," said Guerchard, in his gentle, +husky voice. + +"How on earth did you get into it?" cried M. Formery. + +"Getting in was easy enough. It's the getting out that was awkward. +These jokers had fixed up some kind of a spring so that I nearly +shot out with the door," said Guerchard, rubbing his elbow. + +"But how did you get into it? How the deuce DID you get into it?" +cried M. Formery. + +"Through the little cabinet into which that door behind the safe +opens. There's no longer any back to the safe; they've cut it clean +out of it--a very neat piece of work. Safes like this should always +be fixed against a wall, not stuck in front of a door. The backs of +them are always the weak point." + +"And the key? The key of the safe upstairs, in my bedroom, where the +coronet is--is the key there?" cried M. Gournay-Martin. + +Guerchard went back into the empty safe, and groped about in it. He +came out smiling. + +"Well, have you found the key?" cried the millionaire. + +"No. I haven't; but I've found something better," said Guerchard. + +"What is it?" said M. Formery sharply. + +"I'll give you a hundred guesses," said Guerchard with a tantalizing +smile. + +"What is it?" said M. Formery. + +"A little present for you," said Guerchard. + +"What do you mean?" cried M. Formery angrily. + +Guerchard held up a card between his thumb and forefinger and said +quietly: + +"The card of Arsene Lupin." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +GUERCHARD PICKS UP THE TRUE SCENT + + +The millionaire gazed at the card with stupefied eyes, the inspector +gazed at it with extreme intelligence, the Duke gazed at it with +interest, and M. Formery gazed at it with extreme disgust. + +"It's part of the same ruse--it was put there to throw us off the +scent. It proves nothing--absolutely nothing," he said scornfully. + +"No; it proves nothing at all," said Guerchard quietly. + +"The telegram is the important thing--this telegram," said M. +Gournay-Martin feverishly. "It concerns the coronet. Is it going to +be disregarded?" + +"Oh, no, no," said M. Formery in a soothing tone. "It will be taken +into account. It will certainly be taken into account." + +M. Gournay-Martin's butler appeared in the doorway of the drawing- +room: "If you please, sir, lunch is served," he said. + +At the tidings some of his weight of woe appeared to be lifted from +the head of the millionaire. "Good!" he said, "good! Gentlemen, you +will lunch with me, I hope." + +"Thank you," said M. Formery. "There is nothing else for us to do, +at any rate at present, and in the house. I am not quite satisfied +about Mademoiselle Kritchnoff--at least Guerchard is not. I propose +to question her again--about those earlier thefts." + +"I'm sure there's nothing in that," said the Duke quickly. + +"No, no; I don't think there is," said M. Formery. "But still one +never knows from what quarter light may come in an affair like this. +Accident often gives us our best clues." + +"It seems rather a shame to frighten her--she's such a child," said +the Duke. + +"Oh, I shall be gentle, your Grace--as gentle as possible, that is. +But I look to get more from the examination of Victoire. She was on +the scene. She has actually seen the rogues at work; but till she +recovers there is nothing more to be done, except to wait the +discoveries of the detectives who are working outside; and they will +report here. So in the meantime we shall be charmed to lunch with +you, M. Gournay-Martin." + +They went downstairs to the dining-room and found an elaborate and +luxurious lunch, worthy of the hospitality of a millionaire, +awaiting them. The skill of the cook seemed to have been quite +unaffected by the losses of his master. M. Formery, an ardent lover +of good things, enjoyed himself immensely. He was in the highest +spirits. Germaine, a little upset by the night-journey, was rather +querulous. Her father was plunged in a gloom which lifted for but a +brief space at the appearance of a fresh delicacy. Guerchard ate and +drank seriously, answering the questions of the Duke in a somewhat +absent-minded fashion. The Duke himself seemed to have lost his +usual flow of good spirits, and at times his brow was knitted in an +anxious frown. His questions to Guerchard showed a far less keen +interest in the affair. + +To him the lunch seemed very long and very tedious; but at last it +came to an end. M. Gournay-Martin seemed to have been much cheered +by the wine he had drunk. He was almost hopeful. M. Formery, who had +not by any means trifled with the champagne, was raised to the very +height of sanguine certainty. Their coffee and liqueurs were served +in the smoking-room. Guerchard lighted a cigar, refused a liqueur, +drank his coffee quickly, and slipped out of the room. + +The Duke followed him, and in the hall said: "I will continue to +watch you unravel the threads of this mystery, if I may, M. +Guerchard." + +Good Republican as Guerchard was, he could not help feeling +flattered by the interest of a Duke; and the excellent lunch he had +eaten disposed him to feel the honour even more deeply. + +"I shall be charmed," he said. "To tell the truth, I find the +company of your Grace really quite stimulating." + +"It must be because I find it all so extremely interesting," said +the Duke. + +They went up to the drawing-room and found the red-faced young +policeman seated on a chair by the door eating a lunch, which had +been sent up to him from the millionaire's kitchen, with a very +hearty appetite. + +They went into the drawing-room. Guerchard shut the door and turned +the key: "Now," he said, "I think that M. Formery will give me half +an hour to myself. His cigar ought to last him at least half an +hour. In that time I shall know what the burglars really did with +their plunder--at least I shall know for certain how they got it out +of the house." + +"Please explain," said the Duke. "I thought we knew how they got it +out of the house." And he waved his hand towards the window. + +"Oh, that!--that's childish," said Guerchard contemptuously. "Those +are traces for an examining magistrate. The ladder, the table on the +window-sill, they lead nowhere. The only people who came up that +ladder were the two men who brought it from the scaffolding. You can +see their footsteps. Nobody went down it at all. It was mere waste +of time to bother with those traces." + +"But the footprint under the book?" said the Duke. + +"Oh, that," said Guerchard. "One of the burglars sat on the couch +there, rubbed plaster on the sole of his boot, and set his foot down +on the carpet. Then he dusted the rest of the plaster off his boot +and put the book on the top of the footprint." + +"Now, how do you know that?" said the astonished Duke. + +"It's as plain as a pike-staff," said Guerchard. "There must have +been several burglars to move such pieces of furniture. If the soles +of all of them had been covered with plaster, all the sweeping in +the world would not have cleared the carpet of the tiny fragments of +it. I've been over the carpet between the footprint and the window +with a magnifying glass. There are no fragments of plaster on it. We +dismiss the footprint. It is a mere blind, and a very fair blind +too--for an examining magistrate." + +"I understand," said the Duke. + +"That narrows the problem, the quite simple problem, how was the +furniture taken out of the room. It did not go through that window +down the ladder. Again, it was not taken down the stairs, and out of +the front door, or the back. If it had been, the concierge and his +wife would have heard the noise. Besides that, it would have been +carried down into a main street, in which there are people at all +hours. Somebody would have been sure to tell a policeman that this +house was being emptied. Moreover, the police were continually +patrolling the main streets, and, quickly as a man like Lupin would +do the job, he could not do it so quickly that a policeman would not +have seen it. No; the furniture was not taken down the stairs or out +of the front door. That narrows the problem still more. In fact, +there is only one mode of egress left." + +"The chimney!" cried the Duke. + +"You've hit it," said Guerchard, with a husky laugh. "By that well- +known logical process, the process of elimination, we've excluded +all methods of egress except the chimney." + +He paused, frowning, in some perplexity; and then he said uneasily: +"What I don't like about it is that Victoire was set in the +fireplace. I asked myself at once what was she doing there. It was +unnecessary that she should be drugged and set in the fireplace-- +quite unnecessary." + +"It might have been to put off an examining magistrate," said the +Duke. "Having found Victoire in the fireplace, M. Formery did not +look for anything else." + +"Yes, it might have been that," said Guerchard slowly. "On the other +hand, she might have been put there to make sure that I did not miss +the road the burglars took. That's the worst of having to do with +Lupin. He knows me to the bottom of my mind. He has something up his +sleeve--some surprise for me. Even now, I'm nowhere near the bottom +of the mystery. But come along, we'll take the road the burglars +took. The inspector has put my lantern ready for me." + +As he spoke he went to the fireplace, picked up a lantern which had +been set on the top of the iron fire-basket, and lighted it. The +Duke stepped into the great fireplace beside him. It was four feet +deep, and between eight and nine feet broad. Guerchard threw the +light from the lantern on to the back wall of it. Six feet from the +floor the soot from the fire stopped abruptly, and there was a +dappled patch of bricks, half of them clean and red, half of them +blackened by soot, five feet broad, and four feet high. + +"The opening is higher up than I thought," said Guerchard. "I must +get a pair of steps." + +He went to the door of the drawing-room and bade the young policeman +fetch him a pair of steps. They were brought quickly. He took them +from the policeman, shut the door, and locked it again. He set the +steps in the fireplace and mounted them. + +"Be careful," he said to the Duke, who had followed him into the +fireplace, and stood at the foot of the steps. "Some of these bricks +may drop inside, and they'll sting you up if they fall on your +toes." + +The Duke stepped back out of reach of any bricks that might fall. + +Guerchard set his left hand against the wall of the chimney-piece +between him and the drawing-room, and pressed hard with his right +against the top of the dappled patch of bricks. At the first push, +half a dozen of them fell with a hang on to the floor of the next +house. The light came flooding in through the hole, and shone on +Guerchard's face and its smile of satisfaction. Quickly he pushed +row after row of bricks into the next house until he had cleared an +opening four feet square. + +"Come along," he said to the Duke, and disappeared feet foremost +through the opening. + +The Duke mounted the steps, and found himself looking into a large +empty room of the exact size and shape of the drawing-room of M. +Gournay-Martin, save that it had an ordinary modern fireplace +instead of one of the antique pattern of that in which he stood. Its +chimney-piece was a few inches below the opening. He stepped out on +to the chimney-piece and dropped lightly to the floor. + +"Well," he said, looking back at the opening through which he had +come. "That's an ingenious dodge." + +"Oh, it's common enough," said Guerchard. "Robberies at the big +jewellers' are sometimes Worked by these means. But what is uncommon +about it, and what at first sight put me off the track, is that +these burglars had the cheek to Pierce the wall with an opening +large enough to enable them to remove the furniture of a house." + +"It's true," said the Duke. "The opening's as large as a good-sized +window. Those burglars seem capable of everything--even of a first- +class piece of mason's work." + +"Oh, this has all been prepared a long while ago. But now I'm really +on their track. And after all, I haven't really lost any time. +Dieusy wasted no time in making inquiries in Sureau Street; he's +been working all this side of the house." + +Guerchard drew up the blinds, opened the shutters, and let the +daylight flood the dim room. He came back to the fireplace and +looked down at the heap of bricks, frowning: + +"I made a mistake there," he said. "I ought to have taken those +bricks down carefully, one by one." + +Quickly he took brick after brick from the pile, and began to range +them neatly against the wall on the left. The Duke watched him for +two or three minutes, then began to help him. It did not take them +long, and under one of the last few bricks Guerchard found a +fragment of a gilded picture-frame. + +"Here's where they ought to have done their sweeping," he said, +holding it up to the Duke. + +"I tell you what," said the Duke, "I shouldn't wonder if we found +the furniture in this house still." + +"Oh, no, no!" said Guerchard. "I tell you that Lupin would allow for +myself or Ganimard being put in charge of the case; and he would +know that we should find the opening in the chimney. The furniture +was taken straight out into the side-street on to which this house +opens." He led the way out of the room on to the landing and went +down the dark staircase into the hall. He opened the shutters of the +hall windows, and let in the light. Then he examined the hall. The +dust lay thick on the tiled floor. Down the middle of it was a lane +formed by many feet. The footprints were faint, but still plain in +the layer of dust. Guerchard came back to the stairs and began to +examine them. Half-way up the flight he stooped, and picked up a +little spray of flowers: "Fresh!" he said. "These have not been long +plucked." + +"Salvias," said the Duke. + +"Salvias they are," said Guerchard. "Pink salvias; and there is only +one gardener in France who has ever succeeded in getting this shade- +-M. Gournay-Martin's gardener at Charmerace. I'm a gardener myself." + +"Well, then, last night's burglars came from Charmerace. They must +have," said the Duke. + +"It looks like it," said Guerchard. + +"The Charolais," said the Duke. + +"It looks like it," said Guerchard. + +"It must be," said the Duke. "This IS interesting--if only we could +get an absolute proof." + +"We shall get one presently," said Guerchard confidently. + +"It is interesting," said the Duke in a tone of lively enthusiasm. +"These clues--these tracks which cross one another--each fact by +degrees falling into its proper place--extraordinarily interesting." +He paused and took out his cigarette-case: "Will you have a +cigarette?" he said. + +"Are they caporal?" said Guerchard. + +"No, Egyptians--Mercedes." + +"Thank you," said Guerchard; and he took one. + +The Duke struck a match, lighted Guerchard's cigarette, and then his +own: + +"Yes, it's very interesting," he said. "In the last quarter of an +hour you've practically discovered that the burglars came from +Charmerace--that they were the Charolais--that they came in by the +front door of this house, and carried the furniture out of it." + +"I don't know about their coming in by it," said Guerchard. "Unless +I'm very much mistaken, they came in by the front door of M. +Gournay-Martin's house." + +"Of course," said the Duke. "I was forgetting. They brought the keys +from Charmerace." + +"Yes, but who drew the bolts for them?" said Guerchard. "The +concierge bolted them before he went to bed. He told me so. He was +telling the truth--I know when that kind of man is telling the +truth." + +"By Jove!" said the Duke softly. "You mean that they had an +accomplice?" + +"I think we shall find that they had an accomplice. But your Grace +is beginning to draw inferences with uncommon quickness. I believe +that you would make a first-class detective yourself--with practice, +of course--with practice." + +"Can I have missed my true career?" said the Duke, smiling. "It's +certainly a very interesting game." + +"Well, I'm not going to search this barracks myself," said +Guerchard. "I'll send in a couple of men to do it; but I'll just +take a look at the steps myself." + +So saying, he opened the front door and went out and examined the +steps carefully. + +"We shall have to go back the way we came," he said, when he had +finished his examination. "The drawing-room door is locked. We ought +to find M. Formery hammering on it." And he smiled as if he found +the thought pleasing. + +They went back up the stairs, through the opening, into the drawing- +room of M. Gournay-Martin's house. Sure enough, from the other side +of the locked door came the excited voice of M. Formery, crying: + +"Guerchard! Guerchard! What are you doing? Let me in! Why don't you +let me in?" + +Guerchard unlocked the door; and in bounced M. Formery, very +excited, very red in the face. + +"Hang it all, Guerchard! What on earth have you been doing?" he +cried. "Why didn't you open the door when I knocked?" + +"I didn't hear you," said Guerchard. "I wasn't in the room." + +"Then where on earth have you been?" cried M. Formery. + +Guerchard looked at him with a faint, ironical smile, and said in +his gentle voice, "I was following the real track of the burglars." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE EXAMINATION OF SONIA + + +M. Formery gasped: "The real track?" he muttered. + +"Let me show you," said Guerchard. And he led him to the fireplace, +and showed him the opening between the two houses. + +"I must go into this myself!" cried M. Formery in wild excitement. + +Without more ado he began to mount the steps. Guerchard followed +him. The Duke saw their heels disappear up the steps. Then he came +out of the drawing-room and inquired for M. Gournay-Martin. He was +told that the millionaire was up in his bedroom; and he went +upstairs, and knocked at the door of it. + +M. Gournay-Martin bade him enter in a very faint voice, and the Duke +found him lying on the bed. He was looking depressed, even +exhausted, the shadow of the blusterous Gournay-Martin of the day +before. The rich rosiness of his cheeks had faded to a moderate +rose-pink. + +"That telegram," moaned the millionaire. "It was the last straw. It +has overwhelmed me. The coronet is lost." + +"What, already?" said the Duke, in a tone of the liveliest surprise. + +"No, no; it's still in the safe," said the millionaire. "But it's as +good as lost--before midnight it will be lost. That fiend will get +it." + +"If it's in this safe now, it won't be lost before midnight," said +the Duke. "But are you sure it's there now?" + +"Look for yourself," said the millionaire, taking the key of the +safe from his waistcoat pocket, and handing it to the Duke. + +The Duke opened the safe. The morocco case which held the coronet +lay on the middle shell in front of him. He glanced at the +millionaire, and saw that he had closed his eyes in the exhaustion +of despair. Whistling softly, the Duke opened the case, took out the +diadem, and examined it carefully, admiring its admirable +workmanship. He put it back in the case, turned to the millionaire, +and said thoughtfully: + +"I can never make up my mind, in the case of one of these old +diadems, whether one ought not to take out the stones and have them +re-cut. Look at this emerald now. It's a very fine stone, but this +old-fashioned cutting does not really do it justice." + +"Oh, no, no: you should never interfere with an antique, historic +piece of jewellery. Any alteration decreases its value--its value as +an historic relic," cried the millionaire, in a shocked tone. + +"I know that," said the Duke, "but the question for me is, whether +one ought not to sacrifice some of its value to increasing its +beauty." + +"You do have such mad ideas," said the millionaire, in a tone of +peevish exasperation. + +"Ah, well, it's a nice question," said the Duke. + +He snapped the case briskly, put it back on the shelf, locked the +safe, and handed the key to the millionaire. Then he strolled across +the room and looked down into the street, whistling softly. + +"I think--I think--I'll go home and get out of these motoring +clothes. And I should like to have on a pair of boots that were a +trifle less muddy," he said slowly. + +M. Gournay-Martin sat up with a jerk and cried, "For Heaven's sake, +don't you go and desert me, my dear chap! You don't know what my +nerves are like!" + +"Oh, you've got that sleuth-hound, Guerchard, and the splendid +Formery, and four other detectives, and half a dozen ordinary +policemen guarding you. You can do without my feeble arm. Besides, I +shan't be gone more than half an hour--three-quarters at the +outside. I'll bring back my evening clothes with me, and dress for +dinner here. I don't suppose that anything fresh will happen between +now and midnight; but I want to be on the spot, and hear the +information as it comes in fresh. Besides, there's Guerchard. I +positively cling to Guerchard. It's an education, though perhaps not +a liberal education, to go about with him," said the Duke; and there +was a sub-acid irony in his voice. + +"Well, if you must, you must," said M. Gournay-Martin grumpily. + +"Good-bye for the present, then," said the Duke. And he went out of +the room and down the stairs. He took his motor-cap from the hall- +table, and had his hand on the latch of the door, when the policeman +in charge of it said, "I beg your pardon, sir, but have you M. +Guerchard's permission to leave the house?" + +"M. Guerchard's permission?" said the Duke haughtily. "What has M. +Guerchard to do with me? I am the Duke of Charmerace." And he opened +the door. + +"It was M. Formery's orders, your Grace," stammered the policeman +doubtfully. + +"M. Formery's orders?" said the Duke, standing on the top step. +"Call me a taxi-cab, please." + +The concierge, who stood beside the policeman, ran down the steps +and blew his whistle. The policeman gazed uneasily at the Duke, +shifting his weight from one foot to the other; but he said no more. + +A taxi-cab came up to the door, the Duke went down the steps, +stepped into it, and drove away. + +Three-quarters of an hour later he came back, having changed into +clothes more suited to a Paris drawing-room. He went up to the +drawing-room, and there he found Guerchard, M. Formery, and the +inspector, who had just completed their tour of inspection of the +house next door and had satisfied themselves that the stolen +treasures were not in it. The inspector and his men had searched it +thoroughly just to make sure; but, as Guerchard had foretold, the +burglars had not taken the chance of the failure of the police to +discover the opening between the two houses. M. Formery told the +Duke about their tour of inspection at length. Guerchard went to the +telephone and told the exchange to put him through to Charmerace. He +was informed that the trunk line was very busy and that he might +have to wait half an hour. + +The Duke inquired if any trace of the burglars, after they had left +with their booty, had yet been found. M. Formery told him that, so +far, the detectives had failed to find a single trace. Guerchard +said that he had three men at work on the search, and that he was +hopeful of getting some news before long. + +"The layman is impatient in these matters," said M. Formery, with an +indulgent smile. "But we have learnt to be patient, after long +experience." + +He proceeded to discuss with Guerchard the new theories with which +the discovery of the afternoon had filled his mind. None of them +struck the Duke as being of great value, and he listened to them +with a somewhat absent-minded air. The coming examination of Sonia +weighed heavily on his spirit. Guerchard answered only in +monosyllables to the questions and suggestions thrown out by M. +Formery. It seemed to the Duke that he paid very little attention to +him, that his mind was still working hard on the solution of the +mystery, seeking the missing facts which would bring him to the +bottom of it. In the middle of one of M. Formery's more elaborate +dissertations the telephone bell rang. + +Guerchard rose hastily and went to it. They heard him say: "Is +that Charmerace? . . . I want the gardener. . . . Out? When will he +be back? . . . Tell him to ring me up at M. Gournay-Martin's house +in Paris the moment he gets back. . . . Detective-Inspector +Guerchard . . . Guerchard . . . Detective-Inspector." + +He turned to them with a frown, and said, "Of course, since I want +him, the confounded gardener has gone out for the day. Still, it's +of very little importance--a mere corroboration I wanted." And he +went back to his seat and lighted another cigarette. + +M. Formery continued his dissertation. Presently Guerchard said, +"You might go and see how Victoire is, inspector--whether she shows +any signs of waking. What did the doctor say?" + +"The doctor said that she would not really be sensible and have her +full wits about her much before ten o'clock to-night," said the +inspector; but he went to examine her present condition. + +M. Formery proceeded to discuss the effects of different +anesthetics. The others heard him with very little attention. + +The inspector came back and reported that Victoire showed no signs +of awaking. + +"Well, then, M. Formery, I think we might get on with the +examination of Mademoiselle Kritchnoff," said Guerchard. "Will you +go and fetch her, inspector?" + +"Really, I cannot conceive why you should worry that poor child," +the Duke protested, in a tone of some indignation. + +"It seems to me hardly necessary," said M. Formery. + +"Excuse me," said Guerchard suavely, "but I attach considerable +importance to it. It seems to me to be our bounden duty to question +her fully. One never knows from what quarter light may come." + +"Oh, well, since you make such a point of it," said M. Formery. +"Inspector, ask Mademoiselle Kritchnoff to come here. Fetch her." + +The inspector left the room. + +Guerchard looked at the Duke with a faint air of uneasiness: "I +think that we had better question Mademoiselle Kritchnoff by +ourselves," he said. + +M. Formery looked at him and hesitated. Then he said: "Oh, yes, of +course, by ourselves." + +"Certainly," said the Duke, a trifle haughtily. And he rose and +opened the door. He was just going through it when Guerchard said +sharply: + +"Your Grace--" + +The Duke paid no attention to him. He shut the door quickly behind +him and sprang swiftly up the stairs. He met the inspector coming +down with Sonia. Barring their way for a moment he said, in his +kindliest voice: "Now you mustn't be frightened, Mademoiselle Sonia. +All you have to do is to try to remember as clearly as you can the +circumstances of the earlier thefts at Charmerace. You mustn't let +them confuse you." + +"Thank you, your Grace, I will try and be as clear as I can," said +Sonia; and she gave him an eloquent glance, full of gratitude for +the warning; and went down the stairs with firm steps. + +The Duke went on up the stairs, and knocked softly at the door of M. +Gournay-Martin's bedroom. There was no answer to his knock, and he +quietly opened the door and looked in. Overcome by his misfortunes, +the millionaire had sunk into a profound sleep and was snoring +softly. The Duke stepped inside the room, left the door open a +couple of inches, drew a chair to it, and sat down watching the +staircase through the opening of the door. + +He sat frowning, with a look of profound pity on his face. Once the +suspense grew too much for him. He rose and walked up and down the +room. His well-bred calm seemed to have deserted him. He muttered +curses on Guerchard, M. Formery, and the whole French criminal +system, very softly, under his breath. His face was distorted to a +mask of fury; and once he wiped the little beads of sweat from his +forehead with his handkerchief. Then he recovered himself, sat down +in the chair, and resumed his watch on the stairs. + +At last, at the end of half an hour, which had seemed to him months +long, he heard voices. The drawing-room door shut, and there were +footsteps on the stairs. The inspector and Sonia came into view. + +He waited till they were at the top of the stairs: then he came out +of the room, with his most careless air, and said: "Well, +Mademoiselle Sonia, I hope you did not find it so very dreadful, +after all." + +She was very pale, and there were undried tears on her cheeks. "It +was horrible," she said faintly. "Horrible. M. Formery was all +right--he believed me; but that horrible detective would not believe +a word I said. He confused me. I hardly knew what I was saying." + +The Duke ground his teeth softly. "Never mind, it's over now. You +had better lie down and rest. I will tell one of the servants to +bring you up a glass of wine." + +He walked with her to the door of her room, and said: "Try to sleep- +-sleep away the unpleasant memory." + +She went into her room, and the Duke went downstairs and told the +butler to take a glass of champagne up to her. Then he went upstairs +to the drawing-room. M. Formery was at the table writing. Guerchard +stood beside him. He handed what he had written to Guerchard, and, +with a smile of satisfaction, Guerchard folded the paper and put it +in his pocket. + +"Well, M. Formery, did Mademoiselle Kritchnoff throw any fresh light +on this mystery?" said the Duke, in a tone of faint contempt. + +"No--in fact she convinced ME that she knew nothing whatever about +it. M. Guerchard seems to entertain a different opinion. But I think +that even he is convinced that Mademoiselle Kritehnoff is not a +friend of Arsene Lupin." + +"Oh, well, perhaps she isn't. But there's no telling," said +Guerchard slowly. + +"Arsene Lupin?" cried the Duke. "Surely you never thought that +Mademoiselle Kritchnoff had anything to do with Arsene Lupin?" + +"I never thought so," said M. Formery. "But when one has a fixed +idea . . . well, one has a fixed idea." He shrugged his shoulders, +and looked at Guerchard with contemptuous eyes. + +The Duke laughed, an unaffected ringing laugh, but not a pleasant +one: "It's absurd!" he cried. + +"There are always those thefts," said Guerchard, with a nettled air. + +"You have nothing to go upon," said M. Formery. "What if she did +enter the service of Mademoiselle Gournay-Martin just before the +thefts began? Besides, after this lapse of time, if she had +committed the thefts, you'd find it a job to bring them home to her. +It's not a job worth your doing, anyhow--it's a job for an ordinary +detective, Guerchard." + +"There's always the pendant," said Guerchard. "I am convinced that +that pendant is in the house." + +"Oh, that stupid pendant! I wish I'd never given it to Mademoiselle +Gournay-Martin," said the Duke lightly. + +"I have a feeling that if I could lay my hand on that pendant--if I +could find who has it, I should have the key to this mystery." + +"The devil you would!" said the Duke softly. "That is odd. It is the +oddest thing about this business I've heard yet." + +"I have that feeling--I have that feeling," said Guerchard quietly. + +The Duke smiled. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +VICTOIRE'S SLIP + + +They were silent. The Duke walked to the fireplace, stepped into it, +and studied the opening. He came out again and said: "Oh, by the +way, M. Formery, the policeman at the front door wanted to stop me +going out of the house when I went home to change. I take it that M. +Guerchard's prohibition does not apply to me?" + +"Of course not--of course not, your Grace," said M. Formery quickly. + +"I saw that you had changed your clothes, your Grace," said +Guerchard. "I thought that you had done it here." + +"No," said the Duke, "I went home. The policeman protested; but he +went no further, so I did not throw him into the middle of the +street." + +"Whatever our station, we should respect the law," said M. Formery +solemnly. + +"The Republican Law, M. Formery? I am a Royalist," said the Duke, +smiling at him. + +M. Formery shook his head sadly. + +"I was wondering," said the Duke, "about M. Guerchard's theory that +the burglars were let in the front door of this house by an +accomplice. Why, when they had this beautiful large opening, did +they want a front door, too?" + +"I did not know that that was Guerchard's theory?" said M. Formery, +a trifle contemptuously. "Of course they had no need to use the +front door." + +"Perhaps they had no need to use the front door," said Guerchard; +"but, after all, the front door was unbolted, and they did not draw +the bolts to put us off the scent. Their false scent was already +prepared"--he waved his hand towards the window--"moreover, you must +bear in mind that that opening might not have been made when they +entered the house. Suppose that, while they were on the other side +of the wall, a brick had fallen on to the hearth, and alarmed the +concierge. We don't know how skilful they are; they might not have +cared to risk it. I'm inclined to think, on the whole, that they did +come in through the front door." + +M. Formery sniffed contemptuously. + +"Perhaps you're right," said the Duke. "But the accomplice?" + +"I think we shall know more about the accomplice when Victoire +awakes," said Guerchard. + +"The family have such confidence in Victoire," said the Duke. + +"Perhaps Lupin has, too," said Guerchard grimly. + +"Always Lupin!" said M. Formery contemptuously. + +There came a knock at the door, and a footman appeared on the +threshold. He informed the Duke that Germaine had returned from her +shopping expedition, and was awaiting him in her boudoir. He went to +her, and tried to persuade her to put in a word for Sonia, and +endeavour to soften Guerchard's rigour. + +She refused to do anything of the kind, declaring that, in view of +the value of the stolen property, no stone must be left unturned to +recover it. The police knew what they were doing; they must have a +free hand. The Duke did not press her with any great vigour; he +realized the futility of an appeal to a nature so shallow, so self- +centred, and so lacking in sympathy. He took his revenge by teasing +her about the wedding presents which were still flowing in. Her +father's business friends were still striving to outdo one another +in the costliness of the jewelry they were giving her. The great +houses of the Faubourg Saint-Germain were still refraining firmly +from anything that savoured of extravagance or ostentation. While he +was with her the eleventh paper-knife came--from his mother's +friend, the Duchess of Veauleglise. The Duke was overwhelmed with +joy at the sight of it, and his delighted comments drove Germaine to +the last extremity of exasperation. The result was that she begged +him, with petulant asperity, to get out of her sight. + +He complied with her request, almost with alacrity, and returned to +M. Formery and Guerchard. He found them at a standstill, waiting for +reports from the detectives who were hunting outside the house for +information about the movements of the burglars with the stolen +booty, and apparently finding none. The police were also hunting for +the stolen motor-cars, not only in Paris and its environs, but also +all along the road between Paris and Charmerace. + +At about five o'clock Guerchard grew tired of the inaction, and went +out himself to assist his subordinates, leaving M. Formery in charge +of the house itself. He promised to be back by half-past seven, to +let the examining magistrate, who had an engagement for the evening, +get away. The Duke spent his time between the drawing-room, where M. +Formery entertained him with anecdotes of his professional skill, +and the boudoir, where Germaine was entertaining envious young +friends who came to see her wedding presents. The friends of +Germaine were always a little ill at ease in the society of the +Duke, belonging as they did to that wealthy middle class which has +made France what she is. His indifference to the doings of the old +friends of his family saddened them; and they were unable to +understand his airy and persistent trifling. It seemed to them a +discord in the cosmic tune. + +The afternoon wore away, and at half-past seven Guerchard had not +returned. M. Formery waited for him, fuming, for ten minutes, then +left the house in charge of the inspector, and went off to his +engagement. M. Gournay-Martin was entertaining two financiers and +their wives, two of their daughters, and two friends of the Duke, +the Baron de Vernan and the Comte de Vauvineuse, at dinner that +night. Thanks to the Duke, the party was of a liveliness to which +the gorgeous dining-room had been very little used since it had been +so fortunate as to become the property of M. Gournay-Martin. + +The millionaire had been looking forward to an evening of luxurious +woe, deploring the loss of his treasures--giving their prices--to +his sympathetic friends. The Duke had other views; and they +prevailed. After dinner the guests went to the smoking-room, since +the drawing-rooms were in possession of Guerchard. Soon after ten +the Duke slipped away from them, and went to the detective. +Guerchard's was not a face at any time full of expression, and all +that the Duke saw on it was a subdued dulness. + +"Well, M. Guerchard," he said cheerfully, "what luck? Have any of +your men come across any traces of the passage of the burglars with +their booty?" + +"No, your Grace; so far, all the luck has been with the burglars. +For all that any one seems to have seen them, they might have +vanished into the bowels of the earth through the floor of the +cellars in the empty house next door. That means that they were very +quick loading whatever vehicle they used with their plunder. I +should think, myself, that they first carried everything from this +house down into the hall of the house next door; and then, of +course, they could be very quick getting them from hall to their +van, or whatever it was. But still, some one saw that van--saw it +drive up to the house, or waiting at the house, or driving away from +it." + +"Is M. Formery coming back?" said the Duke. + +"Not to-night," said Guerchard. "The affair is in my hands now; and +I have my own men on it--men of some intelligence, or, at any rate, +men who know my ways, and how I want things done." + +"It must be a relief," said the Duke. + +"Oh, no, I'm used to M. Formery--to all the examining magistrates in +Paris, and in most of the big provincial towns. They do not really +hamper me; and often I get an idea from them; for some of them are +men of real intelligence." + +"And others are not: I understand," said the Duke. + +The door opened and Bonavent, the detective, came in. + +"The housekeeper's awake, M. Guerchard," he said. + +"Good, bring her down here," said Guerchard. + +"Perhaps you'd like me to go," said the Duke. + +"Oh, no," said Guerchard. "If it would interest you to hear me +question her, please stay." + +Bonavent left the room. The Duke sat down in an easy chair, and +Guerchard stood before the fireplace. + +"M. Formery told me, when you were out this afternoon, that he +believed this housekeeper to be quite innocent," said the Duke idly. + +"There is certainly one innocent in this affair," said Guerchard, +grinning. + +"Who is that?" said the Duke. + +"The examining magistrate," said Guerchard. + +The door opened, and Bonavent brought Victoire in. She was a big, +middle-aged woman, with a pleasant, cheerful, ruddy face, black- +haired, with sparkling brown eyes, which did not seem to have been +at all dimmed by her long, drugged sleep. She looked like a well-to- +do farmer's wife, a buxom, good-natured, managing woman. + +As soon as she came into the room, she said quickly: + +"I wish, Mr. Inspector, your man would have given me time to put on +a decent dress. I must have been sleeping in this one ever since +those rascals tied me up and put that smelly handkerchief over my +face. I never saw such a nasty-looking crew as they were in my +life." + +"How many were there, Madame Victoire?" said Guerchard. + +"Dozens! The house was just swarming with them. I heard the noise; I +came downstairs; and on the landing outside the door here, one of +them jumped on me from behind and nearly choked me--to prevent me +from screaming, I suppose." + +"And they were a nasty-looking crew, were they?" said Guerchard. +"Did you see their faces?" + +"No, I wish I had! I should know them again if I had; but they were +all masked," said Victoire. + +"Sit down, Madame Victoire. There's no need to tire you," said +Guerchard. And she sat down on a chair facing him. + +"Let's see, you sleep in one of the top rooms, Madame Victoire. It +has a dormer window, set in the roof, hasn't it?" said Guerchard, in +the same polite, pleasant voice. + +"Yes; yes. But what has that got to do with it?" said Victoire. + +"Please answer my questions," said Guerchard sharply. "You went to +sleep in your room. Did you hear any noise on the roof?" + +"On the roof? How should I hear it on the roof? There wouldn't be +any noise on the roof," said Victoire. + +"You heard nothing on the roof?" said Guerchard. + +"No; the noise I heard was down here," said Victoire. + +"Yes, and you came down to see what was making it. And you were +seized from behind on the landing, and brought in here," said +Guerchard. + +"Yes, that's right," said Madame Victoire. + +"And were you tied up and gagged on the landing, or in here?" said +Guerchard. + +"Oh, I was caught on the landing, and pushed in here, and then tied +up," said Victoire. + +"I'm sure that wasn't one man's job," said Guerchard, looking at her +vigorous figure with admiring eyes. + +"You may be sure of that," said Victoire. "It took four of them; and +at least two of them have some nice bruises on their shins to show +for it." + +"I'm sure they have. And it serves them jolly well right," said +Guerchard, in a tone of warm approval. "And, I suppose, while those +four were tying you up the others stood round and looked on." + +"Oh, no, they were far too busy for that," said Victoire. + +"What were they doing?" said Guerchard. + +"They were taking the pictures off the walls and carrying them out +of the window down the ladder," said Victoire. + +Guerchard's eyes flickered towards the Duke, but the expression of +earnest inquiry on his face never changed. + +"Now, tell me, did the man who took a picture from the walls carry +it down the ladder himself, or did he hand it through the window to +a man who was standing on the top of a ladder ready to receive it?" +he said. + +Victoire paused as if to recall their action; then she said, "Oh, he +got through the window, and carried it down the ladder himself." + +"You're sure of that?" said Guerchard. + +"Oh, yes, I am quite sure of it--why should I deceive you, Mr. +Inspector?" said Victoire quickly; and the Duke saw the first shadow +of uneasiness on her face. + +"Of course not," said Guerchard. "And where were you?" + +"Oh, they put me behind the screen." + +"No, no, where were you when you came into the room?" + +"I was against the door," said Victoire. + +"And where was the screen?" said Guerchard. "Was it before the +fireplace?" + +"No; it was on one side--the left-hand side," said Victoire. + +"Oh, will you show me exactly where it stood?" said Guerchard. + +Victoire rose, and, Guerchard aiding her, set the screen on the +left-hand side of the fireplace. + +Guerchard stepped back and looked at it. + +"Now, this is very important," he said. "I must have the exact +position of the four feet of that screen. Let's see . . . some chalk +. . . of course. . . . You do some dressmaking, don't you, Madame +Victoire?" + +"Oh, yes, I sometimes make a dress for one of the maids in my spare +time," said Victoire. + +"Then you've got a piece of chalk on you," said Guerchard. + +"Oh, yes," said Victoire, putting her hand to the pocket of her +dress. + +She paused, took a step backwards, and looked wildly round the room, +while the colour slowly faded in her ruddy cheeks. + +"What am I talking about?" she said in an uncertain, shaky voice. "I +haven't any chalk--I--ran out of chalk the day before yesterday." + +"I think you have, Madame Victoire. Feel in your pocket and see," +said Guerchard sternly. His voice had lost its suavity; his face its +smile: his eyes had grown dangerous. + +"No, no; I have no chalk," cried Victoire. + +With a sudden leap Guerchard sprang upon her, caught her in a firm +grip with his right arm, and his left hand plunged into her pocket. + +"Let me go! Let me go! You're hurting," she cried. + +Guerchard loosed her and stepped back. + +"What's this?" he said; and he held up between his thumb and +forefinger a piece of blue chalk. + +Victoire drew herself up and faced him gallantly: "Well, what of +it?--it is chalk. Mayn't an honest woman carry chalk in her pockets +without being insulted and pulled about by every policeman she comes +across?" she cried. + +"That will be for the examining magistrate to decide," said +Guerchard; and he went to the door and called Bonavent. Bonavent +came in, and Guerchard said: "When the prison van comes, put this +woman in it; and send her down to the station." + +"But what have I done?" cried Victoire. "I'm innocent! I declare I'm +innocent. I've done nothing at all. It's not a crime to carry a +piece of chalk in one's pocket." + +"Now, that's a matter for the examining magistrate. You can explain +it to him," said Guerchard. "I've got nothing to do with it: so it's +no good making a fuss now. Do go quietly, there's a good woman." + +He spoke in a quiet, business-like tone. Victoire looked him in the +eyes, then drew herself up, and went quietly out of the room. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +SONIA'S ESCAPE + + +"One of M. Formery's innocents," said Guerchard, turning to the +Duke. + +"The chalk?" said the Duke. "Is it the same chalk?" + +"It's blue," said Guerchard, holding it out. "The same as that of +the signatures on the walls. Add that fact to the woman's sudden +realization of what she was doing, and you'll see that they were +written with it." + +"It is rather a surprise," said the Duke. "To look at her you would +think that she was the most honest woman in the world." + +"Ah, you don't know Lupin, your Grace," said Guerchard. "He can do +anything with women; and they'll do anything for him. And, what's +more, as far as I can see, it doesn't make a scrap of difference +whether they're honest or not. The fair-haired lady I was telling +you about was probably an honest woman; Ganimard is sure of it. We +should have found out long ago who she was if she had been a wrong +'un. And Ganimard also swears that when he arrested Lupin on board +the Provence some woman, some ordinary, honest woman among the +passengers, carried away Lady Garland's jewels, which he had stolen +and was bringing to America, and along with them a matter of eight +hundred pounds which he had stolen from a fellow-passenger on the +voyage." + +"That power of fascination which some men exercise on women is one +of those mysteries which science should investigate before it does +anything else," said the Duke, in a reflective tone. "Now I come to +think of it, I had much better have spent my time on that +investigation than on that tedious journey to the South Pole. All +the same, I'm deucedly sorry for that woman, Victoire. She looks +such a good soul." + +Guerchard shrugged his shoulders: "The prisons are full of good +souls," he said, with cynical wisdom born of experience. "They get +caught so much more often than the bad." + +"It seems rather mean of Lupin to make use of women like this, and +get them into trouble," said the Duke. + +"But he doesn't," said Guerchard quickly. "At least he hasn't up to +now. This Victoire is the first we've caught. I look on it as a good +omen." + +He walked across the room, picked up his cloak, and took a card-case +from the inner pocket of it. "If you don't mind, your Grace, I want +you to show this permit to my men who are keeping the door, whenever +you go out of the house. It's just a formality; but I attach +considerable importance to it, for I really ought not to make +exceptions in favour of any one. I have two men at the door, and +they have orders to let nobody out without my written permission. Of +course M. Gournay-Martin's guests are different. Bonavent has orders +to pass them out. And, if your Grace doesn't mind, it will help me. +If you carry a permit, no one else will dream of complaining of +having to do so." + +"Oh, I don't mind, if it's of any help to you," said the Duke +cheerfully. + +"Thank you," said Guerchard. And he wrote on his card and handed it +to the Duke. + +The Duke took it and looked at it. On it was written: + + "Pass the Duke of Charmerace." + + "J. GUERCHARD." + +"It's quite military," said the Duke, putting the card into his +waistcoat pocket. + +There came a knock at the door, and a tall, thin, bearded man came +into the room. + +"Ah, Dieusy! At last! What news?" cried Guerchard. + +Dieusy saluted: "I've learnt that a motor-van was waiting outside +the next house--in the side street," he said. + +"At what time?" said Guerchard. + +"Between four and five in the morning," said Dieusy. + +"Who saw it?" said Guerchard. + +"A scavenger. He thinks that it was nearly five o'clock when the van +drove off." + +"Between four and five--nearly five. Then they filled up the opening +before they loaded the van. I thought they would," said Guerchard, +thoughtfully. "Anything else?" + +"A few minutes after the van had gone a man in motoring dress came +out of the house," said Dieusy. + +"In motoring dress?" said Guerchard quickly. + +"Yes. And a little way from the house he threw away his cigarette. +The scavenger thought the whole business a little queer, and he +picked up the cigarette and kept it. Here it is." + +He handed it to Guerchard, whose eyes scanned it carelessly and then +glued themselves to it. + +"A gold-tipped cigarette . . . marked Mercedes . . . Why, your +Grace, this is one of your cigarettes!" + +"But this is incredible!" cried the Duke. + +"Not at all," said Guerchard. "It's merely another link in the +chain. I've no doubt you have some of these cigarettes at +Charmerace." + +"Oh, yes, I've had a box on most of the tables," said the Duke. + +"Well, there you are," said Guerchard. + +"Oh, I see what you're driving at," said the Duke. "You mean that +one of the Charolais must have taken a box." + +"Well, we know that they'd hardly stick at a box of cigarettes," +said Guerchard. + +"Yes . . . but I thought . . ." said the Duke; and he paused. + +"You thought what?" said Guerchard. + +"Then Lupin . . . since it was Lupin who managed the business last +night--since you found those salvias in the house next door . . . +then Lupin came from Charmerace." + +"Evidently," said Guerchard. + +"And Lupin is one of the Charolais." + +"Oh, that's another matter," said Guerchard. + +"But it's certain, absolutely certain," said the Duke. "We have the +connecting links . . . the salvias . . . this cigarette." + +"It looks very like it. You're pretty quick on a scent, I must say," +said Guerchard. "What a detective you would have made! Only . . . +nothing is certain." + +"But it IS. Whatever more do you want? Was he at Charmerace +yesterday, or was he not? Did he, or did he not, arrange the theft +of the motor-cars?" + +"Certainly he did. But he himself might have remained in the +background all the while," said Guerchard. + +"In what shape? . . . Under what mask? . . . By Jove, I should like +to see this fellow!" said the Duke. + +"We shall see him to-night," said Guerchard. + +"To-night?" said the Duke. + +"Of course we shall; for he will come to steal the coronet between a +quarter to twelve and midnight," said Guerchard. + +"Never!" said the Duke. "You don't really believe that he'll have +the cheek to attempt such a mad act?" + +"Ah, you don't know this man, your Grace . . . his extraordinary +mixture of coolness and audacity. It's the danger that attracts him. +He throws himself into the fire, and he doesn't get burnt. For the +last ten years I've been saying to myself, 'Here we are: this time +I've got him! . . . At last I'm going to nab him.' But I've said +that day after day," said Guerchard; and he paused. + +"Well?" said the Duke. + +"Well, the days pass; and I never nab him. Oh, he is thick, I tell +you. . . . He's a joker, he is . . . a regular artist"--he ground +his teeth--"The damned thief!" + +The Duke looked at him, and said slowly, "Then you think that to- +night Lupin--" + +"You've followed the scent with me, your Grace," Guerchard +interrupted quickly and vehemently. "We've picked up each clue +together. You've almost seen this man at work. . . . You've +understood him. Isn't a man like this, I ask you, capable of +anything?" + +"He is," said the Duke, with conviction. + +"Well, then," said Guerchard. + +"Perhaps you're right," said the Duke. + +Guerchard turned to Dieusy and said, in a quieter voice, "And when +the scavenger had picked up the cigarette, did he follow the +motorist?" + +"Yes, he followed him for about a hundred yards. He went down into +Sureau Street, and turned westwards. Then a motor-car came along; he +got into it, and went off." + +"What kind of a motor-car?" said Guerchard. + +"A big car, and dark red in colour," said Dieusy. + +"The Limousine!" cried the Duke. + +"That's all I've got so far, sir," said Dieusy. + +"Well, off you go," said Guerchard. "Now that you've got started, +you'll probably get something else before very long." + +Dieusy saluted and went. + +"Things are beginning to move," said Guerchard cheerfully. "First +Victoire, and now this motor-van." + +"They are indeed," said the Duke. + +"After all, it ought not to be very difficult to trace that motor- +van," said Guerchard, in a musing tone. "At any rate, its movements +ought to be easy enough to follow up till about six. Then, of +course, there would be a good many others about, delivering goods." + +"You seem to have all the possible information you can want at your +finger-ends," said the Duke, in an admiring tone. + +"I suppose I know the life of Paris as well as anybody," said +Guerchard. + +They were silent for a while. Then Germaine's maid, Irma, came into +the room and said: + +"If you please, your Grace, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff would like to +speak to you for a moment." + +"Oh? Where is she?" said the Duke. + +"She's in her room, your Grace." + +"Oh, very well, I'll go up to her," said the Duke. "I can speak to +her in the library." + +He rose and was going towards the door when Guerchard stepped +forward, barring his way, and said, "No, your Grace." + +"No? Why?" said the Duke haughtily. + +"I beg you will wait a minute or two till I've had a word with you," +said Guerchard; and he drew a folded sheet of paper from his pocket +and held it up. + +The Duke looked at Guerchard's face, and he looked at the paper in +his hand; then he said: "Oh, very well." And, turning to Irma, he +added quietly, "Tell Mademoiselle Kritchnoff that I'm in the +drawing-room." + +"Yes, your Grace, in the drawing-room," said Irma; and she turned to +go. + +"Yes; and say that I shall be engaged for the next five minutes--the +next five minutes, do you understand?" said the Duke. + +"Yes, your Grace," said Irma; and she went out of the door. + +"Ask Mademoiselle Kritchnoff to put on her hat and cloak," said +Guerchard. + +"Yes, sir," said Irma; and she went. + +The Duke turned sharply on Guerchard, and said: "Now, why on earth? +. . . I don't understand." + +"I got this from M. Formery," said Guerchard, holding up the paper. + +"Well," said the Duke. "What is it?" + +"It's a warrant, your Grace," said Guerchard. + +"What! . . . A warrant! . . . Not for the arrest of Mademoiselle +Kritchnoff?" + +"Yes," said Guerchard. + +"Oh, come, it's impossible," said the Duke. "You're never going to +arrest that child?" + +"I am, indeed," said Guerchard. "Her examination this afternoon was +in the highest degree unsatisfactory. Her answers were embarrassed, +contradictory, and in every way suspicious." + +"And you've made up your mind to arrest her?" said the Duke slowly, +knitting his brow in anxious thought. + +"I have, indeed," said Guerchard. "And I'm going to do it now. The +prison van ought to be waiting at the door." He looked at his watch. +"She and Victoire can go together." + +"So . . . you're going to arrest her . . . you're going to arrest +her?" said the Duke thoughtfully: and he took a step or two up and +down the room, still thinking hard. + +"Well, you understand the position, don't you, your Grace?" said +Guerchard, in a tone of apology. "Believe me that, personally, I've +no animosity against Mademoiselle Kritchnoff. In fact, the child +attracts me." + +"Yes," said the Duke softly, in a musing tone. "She has the air of a +child who has lost its way . . . lost its way in life. . . . And +that poor little hiding-place she found . . . that rolled-up +handkerchief . . . thrown down in the corner of the little room in +the house next door . . . it was absolutely absurd." + +"What! A handkerchief!" cried Guerchard, with an air of sudden, +utter surprise. + +"The child's clumsiness is positively pitiful," said the Duke. + +"What was in the handkerchief? . . . The pearls of the pendant?" +cried Guerchard. + +"Yes: I supposed you knew all about it. Of course M. Formery left +word for you," said the Duke, with an air of surprise at the +ignorance of the detective. + +"No: I've heard nothing about it," cried Guerchard. + +"He didn't leave word for you?" said the Duke, in a tone of greater +surprise. "Oh, well, I dare say that he thought to-morrow would do. +Of course you were out of the house when he found it. She must have +slipped out of her room soon after you went." + +"He found a handkerchief belonging to Mademoiselle Kritchnoff. Where +is it?" cried Guerchard. + +"M. Formery took the pearls, but he left the handkerchief. I suppose +it's in the corner where he found it," said the Duke. + +"He left the handkerchief?" cried Guerchard. "If that isn't just +like the fool! He ought to keep hens; it's all he's fit for!" + +He ran to the fireplace, seized the lantern, and began lighting it: +"Where is the handkerchief?" he cried. + +"In the left-hand corner of the little room on the right on the +second floor. But if you're going to arrest Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, +why are you bothering about the handkerchief? It can't be of any +importance," said the Duke. + +"I beg your pardon," said Guerchard. "But it is." + +"But why?" said the Duke. + +"I was arresting Mademoiselle Kritchnoff all right because I had a +very strong presumption of her guilt. But I hadn't the slightest +proof of it," said Guerchard. + +"What?" cried the Duke, in a horrified tone. + +"No, you've just given me the proof; and since she was able to hide +the pearls in the house next door, she knew the road which led to +it. Therefore she's an accomplice," said Guerchard, in a triumphant +tone. + +"What? Do you think that, too?" cried the Duke. "Good Heavens! And +it's me! . . . It's my senselessness! . . . It's my fault that +you've got your proof!" He spoke in a tone of acute distress. + +"It was your duty to give it me," said Guerchard sternly; and he +began to mount the steps. + +"Shall I come with you? I know where the handkerchief is," said the +Duke quickly. + +"No, thank you, your Grace," said Guerchard. "I prefer to go alone." + +"You'd better let me help you," said the Duke. + +"No, your Grace," said Guerchard firmly. + +"I must really insist," said the Duke. + +"No--no--no," said Guerchard vehemently, with stern decision. "It's +no use your insisting, your Grace; I prefer to go alone. I shall +only be gone a minute or two." + +"Just as you like," said the Duke stiffly. + +The legs of Guerchard disappeared up the steps. The Duke stood +listening with all his ears. Directly he heard the sound of +Guerchard's heels on the floor, when he dropped from the chimney- +piece of the next room, he went swiftly to the door, opened it, and +went out. Bonavent was sitting on the chair on which the young +policeman had sat during the afternoon. Sonia, in her hat and cloak, +was half-way down the stairs. + +The Duke put his head inside the drawing-room door, and said to the +empty room: "Here is Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, M. Guerchard." He held +open the door, Sonia came down the stairs, and went through it. The +Duke followed her into the drawing-room, and shut the door. + +"There's not a moment to lose," he said in a low voice. + +"Oh, what is it, your Grace?" said Sonia anxiously. + +"Guerchard has a warrant for your arrest." + +"Then I'm lost!" cried Sonia, in a panic-stricken voice. + +"No, you're not. You must go--at once," said the Duke. + +"But how can I go? No one can get out of the house. M. Guerchard +won't let them," cried Sonia, panic-stricken. + +"We can get over that," said the Duke. + +He ran to Guerchard's cloak, took the card-case from the inner +pocket, went to the writing-table, and sat down. He took from his +waist-coat pocket the permit which Guerchard had given him, and a +pencil. Then he took a card from the card-case, set the permit on +the table before him, and began to imitate Guerchard's handwriting +with an amazing exactness. He wrote on the card: + + "Pass Mademoiselle Kritchnoff." + "J. GUERCHARD." + +Sonia stood by his side, panting quickly with fear, and watched him +do it. He had scarcely finished the last stroke, when they heard a +noise on the other side of the opening into the empty house. The +Duke looked at the fireplace, and his teeth bared in an expression +of cold ferocity. He rose with clenched fists, and took a step +towards the fireplace. + +"Your Grace? Your Grace?" called the voice of Guerchard. + +"What is it?" answered the Duke quietly. + +"I can't see any handkerchief," said Guerchard. "Didn't you say it +was in the left-hand corner of the little room on the right?" + +"I told you you'd better let me come with you, and find it," said +the Duke, in a tone of triumph. "It's in the right-hand corner of +the little room on the left." + +"I could have sworn you said the little room on the right," said +Guerchard. + +They heard his footfalls die away. + +"Now, you must get out of the house quickly." said the Duke. "Show +this card to the detectives at the door, and they'll pass you +without a word." + +He pressed the card into her hand. + +"But--but--this card?" stammered Sonia. + +"There's no time to lose," said the Duke. + +"But this is madness," said Sonia. "When Guerchard finds out about +this card--that you--you--" + +"There's no need to bother about that," interrupted the Duke +quickly. "Where are you going to?" + +"A little hotel near the Star. I've forgotten the name of it," said +Sonia. "But this card--" + +"Has it a telephone?" said the Duke. + +"Yes--No. 555, Central," said Sonia. + +"If I haven't telephoned to you before half-past eight to-morrow +morning, come straight to my house," said the Duke, scribbling the +telephone number on his shirt-cuff. + +"Yes, yes," said Sonia. "But this card. . . . When Guerchard +knows . . . when he discovers. . . . Oh, I can't let you get into +trouble for me." + +"I shan't. But go--go," said the Duke, and he slipped his right arm +round her and drew her to the door. + +"Oh, how good you are to me," said Sonia softly. + +The Duke's other arm went round her; he drew her to him, and their +lips met. + +He loosed her, and opened the door, saying loudly: "You're sure you +won't have a cab, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff?" + +"No; no, thank you, your Grace. Goodnight," said Sonia. And she went +through the door with a transfigured face. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE DUKE STAYS + + +The Duke shut the door and leant against it, listening anxiously, +breathing quickly. There came the bang of the front door. With a +deep sigh of relief he left the door, came briskly, smiling, across +the room, and put the card-case back into the pocket of Guerchard's +cloak. He lighted a cigarette, dropped into an easy chair, and sat +waiting with an entirely careless air for the detective's return. +Presently he heard quick footsteps on the bare boards of the empty +room beyond the opening. Then Guerchard came down the steps and out +of the fireplace. + +His face wore an expression of extreme perplexity: + +"I can't understand it," he said." I found nothing." + +"Nothing?" said the Duke. + +"No. Are you sure you saw the handkerchief in one of those little +rooms on the second floor--quite sure?" said Guerchard. + +"Of course I did," said the Duke. "Isn't it there?" + +"No," said Guerchard. + +"You can't have looked properly," said the Duke, with a touch of +irony in his voice. "If I were you, I should go back and look +again." + +"No. If I've looked for a thing, I've looked for it. There's no need +for me to look a second time. But, all the same, it's rather funny. +Doesn't it strike you as being rather funny, your Grace?" said +Guerchard, with a worried air. + +"It strikes me as being uncommonly funny," said the Duke, with an +ambiguous smile. + +Guerchard looked at him with a sudden uneasiness; then he rang the +bell. + +Bonavent came into the room. + +"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, Bonavent. It's quite time," said +Guerchard. + +"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff?" said Bonavent, with an air of surprise. + +"Yes, it's time that she was taken to the police-station." + +"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff has gone, sir," said Bonavent, in a tone of +quiet remonstrance. + +"Gone? What do you mean by gone?" said Guerchard. + +"Gone, sir, gone!" said Bonavent patiently. + +"But you're mad. . . . Mad!" cried Guerchard. + +"No, I'm not mad," said Bonavent. "Gone! But who let her go?" cried +Guerchard. + +"The men at the door," said Bonavent. + +"The men at the door," said Guerchard, in a tone of stupefaction. +"But she had to have my permit . . . my permit on my card! Send the +fools up to me!" + +Bonavent went to the top of the staircase, and called down it. +Guerchard followed him. Two detectives came hurrying up the stairs +and into the drawing-room. + +"What the devil do you mean by letting Mademoiselle Kritchnoff leave +the house without my permit, written on my card?" cried Guerchard +violently. + +"But she had your permit, sir, and it WAS written on your card," +stammered one of the detectives. + +"It was? . . . it was?" said Guerchard. "Then, by Jove, it was a +forgery!" + +He stood thoughtful for a moment. Then quietly he told his two men +to go back to their post. He did not stir for a minute or two, +puzzling it out, seeking light. + +Then he came back slowly into the drawing-room and looked uneasily +at the Duke. The Duke was sitting in his easy chair, smoking a +cigarette with a listless air. Guerchard looked at him, and looked +at him, almost as if he now saw him for the first time. + +"Well?" said the Duke, "have you sent that poor child off to prison? +If I'd done a thing like that I don't think I should sleep very +well, M. Guerchard." + +"That poor child has just escaped, by means of a forged permit," +said Guerchard very glumly. + +"By Jove, I AM glad to hear that!" cried the Duke. "You'll forgive +my lack of sympathy, M. Guerchard; but she was such a child." + +"Not too young to be Lupin's accomplice," said Guerchard drily. + +"You really think she is?" said the Duke, in a tone of doubt. + +"I'm sure of it," said Guerchard, with decision; then he added +slowly, with a perplexed air: + +"But how--how--could she get that forged permit?" + +The Duke shook his head, and looked as solemn as an owl. Guerchard +looked at him uneasily, went out of the drawing-room, and shut the +door. + +"How long has Mademoiselle Kritchnoff been gone?" he said to +Bonavent. + +"Not much more than five minutes," said Bonavent. "She came out from +talking to you in the drawing-room--" + +"Talking to me in the drawing-room!" exclaimed Guerchard. + +"Yes," said Bonavent. "She came out and went straight down the +stairs and out of the house." + +A faint, sighing gasp came from Guerchard's lips. He dashed into the +drawing-room, crossed the room quickly to his cloak, picked it up, +took the card-case out of the pocket, and counted the cards in it. +Then he looked at the Duke. + +The Duke smiled at him, a charming smile, almost caressing. + +There seemed to be a lump in Guerchard's throat; he swallowed it +loudly. + +He put the card-case into the breast-pocket of the coat he was +wearing. Then he cried sharply, "Bonavent! Bonavent!" + +Bonavent opened the door, and stood in the doorway. + +"You sent off Victoire in the prison-van, I suppose," said +Guerchard. + +"Oh, a long while ago, sir," said Bonavent. + +"The van had been waiting at the door since half-past nine." + +"Since half-past nine? . . . But I told them I shouldn't want it +till a quarter to eleven. I suppose they were making an effort to be +in time for once. Well, it doesn't matter," said Guerchard. + +"Then I suppose I'd better send the other prison-van away?" said +Bonavent. + +"What other van?" said Guerchard. + +"The van which has just arrived," said Bonavent. + +"What! What on earth are you talking about?" cried Guerchard, with a +sudden anxiety in his voice and on his face. + +"Didn't you order two prison-vans?" said Bonavent. + +Guerchard jumped; and his face went purple with fury and dismay. +"You don't mean to tell me that two prison-vans have been here?" he +cried. + +"Yes, sir," said Bonavent. + +"Damnation!" cried Guerchard. "In which of them did you put +Victoire? In which of them?" + +"Why, in the first, sir," said Bonavent. + +"Did you see the police in charge of it? The coachman?" + +"Yes, sir," said Bonavent. + +"Did you recognize them?" said Guerchard. + +"No," said Bonavent; "they must have been new men. They told me they +came from the Sante." + +"You silly fool!" said Guerchard through his teeth. "A fine lot of +sense you've got." + +"Why, what's the matter?" said Bonavent. + +"We're done, done in the eye!" roared Guerchard. "It's a stroke--a +stroke--" + +"Of Lupin's!" interposed the Duke softly. + +"But I don't understand," said Bonavent. + +"You don't understand, you idiot!" cried Guerchard. "You've sent +Victoire away in a sham prison-van--a prison-van belonging to Lupin. +Oh, that scoundrel! He always has something up his sleeve." + +"He certainly shows foresight," said the Duke. "It was very clever +of him to foresee the arrest of Victoire and provide against it." + +"Yes, but where is the leakage? Where is the leakage?" cried +Guerchard, fuming. "How did he learn that the doctor said that she +would recover her wits at ten o'clock? Here I've had a guard at the +door all day; I've imprisoned the household; all the provisions have +been received directly by a man of mine; and here he is, ready to +pick up Victoire the very moment she gives herself away! Where is +the leakage?" + +He turned on Bonavent, and went on: "It's no use your standing there +with your mouth open, looking like a fool. Go upstairs to the +servants' quarters and search Victoire's room again. That fool of an +inspector may have missed something, just as he missed Victoire +herself. Get on! Be smart!" + +Bonavent went off briskly. Guerchard paced up and down the room, +scowling. + +"Really, I'm beginning to agree with you, M. Guerchard, that this +Lupin is a remarkable man," said the Duke. "That prison-van is +extraordinarily neat." + +"I'll prison-van him!" cried Guerchard. "But what fools I have to +work with. If I could get hold of people of ordinary intelligence it +would be impossible to play such a trick as that," + +"I don't know about that," said the Duke thoughtfully. "I think it +would have required an uncommon fool to discover that trick." + +"What on earth do you mean? Why?" said Guerchard. + +"Because it's so wonderfully simple," said the Duke. "And at the +same time it's such infernal cheek." + +"There's something in that," said Guerchard grumpily. "But then, I'm +always saying to my men, 'Suspect everything; suspect everybody; +suspect, suspect, suspect.' I tell you, your Grace, that there is +only one motto for the successful detective, and that is that one +word, 'suspect.'" + +"It can't be a very comfortable business, then," said the Duke. "But +I suppose it has its charms." + +"Oh, one gets used to the disagreeable part," said Guerchard. + +The telephone bell rang; and he rose and went to it. He put the +receiver to his ear and said, "Yes; it's I--Chief-Inspector +Guerchard." + +He turned and said to the Duke, "It's the gardener at Charmerace, +your Grace." + +"Is it?" said the Duke indifferently. + +Guerchard turned to the telephone. "Are you there?" he said. "Can +you hear me clearly? . . . I want to know who was in your hot-house +yesterday . . . who could have gathered some of your pink salvias?" + +"I told you that it was I," said the Duke. + +"Yes, yes, I know," said Guerchard. And he turned again to the +telephone. "Yes, yesterday," he said. "Nobody else? . . . No one but +the Duke of Charmerace? . . . Are you sure?. . . quite sure?. .. +absolutely sure? .. Yes, that's all I wanted to know . . . thank +you." + +He turned to the Duke and said, "Did you hear that, your Grace? The +gardener says that you were the only person in his hot-houses +yesterday, the only person who could have plucked any pink salvias." + +"Does he?" said the Duke carelessly. + +Guerchard looked at him, his brow knitted in a faint, pondering +frown. Then the door opened, and Bonavent came in: "I've been +through Victoire's room," he said, "and all I could find that might +be of any use is this--a prayer-book. It was on her dressing-table +just as she left it. The inspector hadn't touched it." + +"What about it?" said Guerchard, taking the prayer-book. + +"There's a photograph in it," said Bonavent. "It may come in useful +when we circulate her description; for I suppose we shall try to get +hold of Victoire." + +Guerchard took the photograph from the prayer-book and looked at it: +"It looks about ten years old," he said. "It's a good deal faded for +reproduction. Hullo! What have we here?" + +The photograph showed Victoire in her Sunday best, and with her a +boy of seventeen or eighteen. Guerchard's eyes glued themselves to +the face of the boy. He stared at it, holding the portrait now +nearer, now further off. His eyes kept stealing covertly from the +photograph to the face of the Duke. + +The Duke caught one of those covert glances, and a vague uneasiness +flickered in his eyes. Guerchard saw it. He came nearer to the Duke +and looked at him earnestly, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. + +"What's the matter?" said the Duke. "What are you looking at so +curiously? Isn't my tie straight?" And he put up his hand and felt +it. + +"Oh, nothing, nothing," said Guerchard. And he studied the +photograph again with a frowning face. + +There was a noise of voices and laughter in the hall. + +"Those people are going," said the Duke. "I must go down and say +good-bye to them." And he rose and went out of the room. + +Guerchard stood staring, staring at the photograph. + +The Duke ran down the stairs, and said goodbye to the millionaire's +guests. After they had gone, M. Gournay-Martin went quickly up the +stairs; Germaine and the Duke followed more slowly. + +"My father is going to the Ritz to sleep," said Germaine, "and I'm +going with him. He doesn't like the idea of my sleeping in this +house to-night. I suppose he's afraid that Lupin will make an attack +in force with all his gang. Still, if he did, I think that Guerchard +could give a good account of himself--he's got men enough in the +house, at any rate. Irma tells me it's swarming with them. It would +never do for me to be in the house if there were a fight." + +"Oh, come, you don't really believe that Lupin is coming to-night?" +said the Duke, with a sceptical laugh. "The whole thing is sheer +bluff--he has no more intention of coming tonight to steal that +coronet than--than I have." + +"Oh, well, there's no harm in being on the safe side," said +Germaine. "Everybody's agreed that he's a very terrible person. I'll +just run up to my room and get a wrap; Irma has my things all +packed. She can come round tomorrow morning to the Ritz and dress +me." + +She ran up the stairs, and the Duke went into the drawing-room. He +found Guerchard standing where he had left him, still frowning, +still thinking hard. + +"The family are off to the Ritz. It's rather a reflection on your +powers of protecting them, isn't it?" said the Duke. + +"Oh, well, I expect they'd be happier out of the house," said +Guerchard. He looked at the Duke again with inquiring, searching +eyes. + +"What's the matter?" said the Duke. "IS my tie crooked?" + +"Oh, no, no; it's quite straight, your Grace," said Guerchard, but +he did not take his eyes from the Duke's face. + +The door opened, and in came M. Gournay-Martin, holding a bag in his +hand. "It seems to be settled that I'm never to sleep in my own +house again," he said in a grumbling tone. + +"There's no reason to go," said the Duke. "Why ARE you going?" + +"Danger," said M. Gournay-Martin. "You read Lupin's telegram: 'I +shall come to-night between a quarter to twelve and midnight to take +the coronet.' He knows that it was in my bedroom. Do you think I'm +going to sleep in that room with the chance of that scoundrel +turning up and cutting my throat?" + +"Oh. you can have a dozen policemen in the room if you like," said +the Duke. "Can't he, M. Guerchard?" + +"Certainly," said Guerchard. "I can answer for it that you will be +in no danger, M. Gournay-Martin." + +"Thank you," said the millionaire. "But all the same, outside is +good enough for me." + +Germaine came into the room, cloaked and ready to start. + +"For once in a way you are ready first, papa," she said. "Are you +coming, Jacques?" + +"No; I think I'll stay here, on the chance that Lupin is not +bluffing," said the Duke. "I don't think, myself, that I'm going to +be gladdened by the sight of him--in fact, I'm ready to bet against +it. But you're all so certain about it that I really must stay on +the chance. And, after all, there's no doubt that he's a man of +immense audacity and ready to take any risk." + +"Well, at any rate, if he does come he won't find the diadem," said +M. Gournay-Martin, in a tone of triumph. "I'm taking it with me-- +I've got it here." And he held up his bag. + +"You are?" said the Duke. + +"Yes, I am," said M. Gournay-Martin firmly. + +"Do you think it's wise?" said the Duke. + +"Why not?" said M. Gournay-Martin. + +"If Lupin's really made up his mind to collar that coronet, and if +you're so sure that, in spite of all these safeguards, he's going to +make the attempt, it seems to me that you're taking a considerable +risk. He asked you to have it ready for him in your bedroom. He +didn't say which bedroom." + +"Good Lord! I never thought of that!" said M. Gournay-Martin, with +an air of sudden and very lively alarm. + +"His Grace is right," said Guerchard. "It would be exactly like +Lupin to send that telegram to drive you out of the house with the +coronet to some place where you would be less protected. That is +exactly one of his tricks." + +"Good Heavens!" said the millionaire, pulling out his keys and +unlocking the bag. He opened it, paused hesitatingly, and snapped it +to again. + +"Half a minute," he said. "I want a word with you, Duke." + +He led the way out of the drawing-room door and the Duke followed +him. He shut the door and said in a whisper: + +"In a case like this, I suspect everybody." + +"Everybody suspects everybody, apparently," said the Duke. "Are you +sure you don't suspect me?" + +"Now, now, this is no time for joking," said the millionaire +impatiently. "What do you think about Guerchard?" + +"About Guerchard?" said the Duke. "What do you mean?" + +"Do you think I can put full confidence in Guerchard?" said M. +Gournay-Martin. + +"Oh, I think so," said the Duke. "Besides, I shall be here to look +after Guerchard. And, though I wouldn't undertake to answer for +Lupin, I think I can answer for Guerchard. If he tries to escape +with the coronet, I will wring his neck for you with pleasure. It +would do me good. And it would do Guerchard good, too." + +The millionaire stood reflecting for a minute or two. Then he said, +"Very good; I'll trust him." + +hardly had the door closed behind the millionaire and the Duke, when +Guerchard crossed the room quickly to Germaine and drew from his +pocket the photograph of Victoire and the young man. + +"Do you know this photograph of his Grace, mademoiselle?" he said +quickly. + +Germaine took the photograph and looked at it. + +"It's rather faded," she said. + +"Yes; it's about ten years old," said Guerchard. + +"I seem to know the face of the woman," said Germaine. "But if it's +ten years old it certainly isn't the photograph of the Duke." + +"But it's like him?" said Guerchard. + +"Oh, yes, it's like the Duke as he is now--at least, it's a little +like him. But it's not like the Duke as he was ten years ago. He has +changed so," said Germaine. + +"Oh, has he?" said Guerchard. + +"Yes; there was that exhausting journey of his--and then his +illness. The doctors gave up all hope of him, you know." + +"Oh, did they?" said Guerchard. + +"Yes; at Montevideo. But his health is quite restored now." + +The door opened and the millionaire and the Duke came into the room. +M. Gournay-Martin set his bag upon the table, unlocked it, and with +a solemn air took out the case which held the coronet. He opened it; +and they looked at it. + +"Isn't it beautiful?" he said with a sigh. + +"Marvellous!" said the Duke. + +M. Gournay-Martin closed the case, and said solemnly: + +"There is danger, M. Guerchard, so I am going to trust the coronet +to you. You are the defender of my hearth and home--you are the +proper person to guard the coronet. I take it that you have no +objection?" + +"Not the slightest, M. Gournay-Martin," said Guerchard. "It's +exactly what I wanted you to ask me to do." + +M. Gournay-Martin hesitated. Then he handed the coronet to +Guerchard, saying with a frank and noble air, "I have every +confidence in you, M. Guerchard." + +"Thank you," said Guerchard. + +"Good-night," said M. Gournay-Martin. + +"Good-night, M. Guerchard," said Germaine. + +"I think, after all, I'll change my mind and go with you. I'm very +short of sleep," said the Duke. "Good-night, M. Guerchard." + +"You're never going too, your Grace!" cried Guerchard. + +"Why, you don't want me to stay, do you?" said the Duke. + +"Yes," said Guerchard slowly. + +"I think I would rather go to bed," said the Duke gaily. + +"Are you afraid?" said Guerchard, and there was challenge, almost an +insolent challenge, in his tone. + +There was a pause. The Duke frowned slightly with a reflective air. +Then he drew himself up; and said a little haughtily: + +"You've certainly found the way to make me stay, M. Guerchard." + +"Yes, yes; stay, stay," said M. Gournay-Martin hastily. "It's an +excellent idea, excellent. You're the very man to help M. Guerchard, +Duke. You're an intrepid explorer, used to danger and resourceful, +absolutely fearless." + +"Do you really mean to say you're not going home to bed, Jacques?" +said Germaine, disregarding her father's wish with her usual +frankness. + +"No; I'm going to stay with M. Guerchard," said the Duke slowly. + +"Well, you will be fresh to go to the Princess's to-morrow night." +said Germaine petulantly. "You didn't get any sleep at all last +night, you couldn't have. You left Charmerace at eight o'clock; you +were motoring all the night, and only got to Paris at six o'clock +this morning." + +"Motoring all night, from eight o'clock to six!" muttered Guerchard +under his breath. + +"Oh, that will be all right," said the Duke carelessly. "This +interesting affair is to be over by midnight, isn't it?" + +"Well, I warn you that, tired or fresh, you will have to come with +me to the Princess's to-morrow night. All Paris will be there--all +Paris, that is, who are in Paris." + +"Oh, I shall be fresh enough," said the Duke. + +They went out of the drawing-room and down the stairs, all four of +them. There was an alert readiness about Guerchard, as if he were +ready to spring. He kept within a foot of the Duke right to the +front door. The detective in charge opened it; and they went down +the steps to the taxi-cab which was awaiting them. The Duke kissed +Germaine's fingers and handed her into the taxi-cab. + +M. Gournay-Martin paused at the cab-door, and turned and said, with +a pathetic air, "Am I never to sleep in my own house again?" He got +into the cab and drove off. + +The Duke turned and came up the steps, followed by Guerchard. In the +hall he took his opera-hat and coat from the stand, and went +upstairs. Half-way up the flight he paused and said: + +"Where shall we wait for Lupin, M. Guerchard? In the drawing-room, +or in M. Gournay-Martin's bedroom?" + +"Oh, the drawing-room," said Guerchard. "I think it very unlikely +that Lupin will look for the coronet in M. Gournay-Martin's bedroom. +He would know very well that that is the last place to find it now." + +The Duke went on into the drawing-room. At the door Guerchard +stopped and said: "I will just go and post my men, your Grace." + +"Very good," said the Duke; and he went into the drawing-room. + +He sat down, lighted a cigarette, and yawned. Then he took out his +watch and looked at it. + +"Another twenty minutes," he said. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE DUKE GOES + + +When Guerchard joined the Duke in the drawing-room, he had lost his +calm air and was looking more than a little nervous. He moved about +the room uneasily, fingering the bric-a-brac, glancing at the Duke +and looking quickly away from him again. Then he came to a +standstill on the hearth-rug with his back to the fireplace. + +"Do you think it's quite safe to stand there, at least with your +back to the hearth? If Lupin dropped through that opening suddenly, +he'd catch you from behind before you could wink twice," said the +Duke, in a tone of remonstrance. + +"There would always be your Grace to come to my rescue," said +Guerchard; and there was an ambiguous note in his voice, while his +piercing eyes now rested fixed on the Duke's face. They seemed never +to leave it; they explored, and explored it. + +"It's only a suggestion," said the Duke. + +"This is rather nervous work, don't you know." + +"Yes; and of course you're hardly fit for it," said Guerchard. "If +I'd known about your break-down in your car last night, I should +have hesitated about asking you--" + +"A break-down?" interrupted the Duke. + +"Yes, you left Charmerace at eight o'clock last night. And you only +reached Paris at six this morning. You couldn't have had a very +high-power car?" said Guerchard. + +"I had a 100 h.-p. car," said the Duke. + +"Then you must have had a devil of a break-down," said Guerchard. + +"Yes, it was pretty bad, but I've known worse," said the Duke +carelessly. "It lost me about three hours: oh, at least three hours. +I'm not a first-class repairer, though I know as much about an +engine as most motorists." + +"And there was nobody there to help you repair it?" said Guerchard. + +"No; M. Gournay-Martin could not let me have his chauffeur to drive +me to Paris, because he was keeping him to help guard the chateau. +And of course there was nobody on the road, because it was two +o'clock in the morning." + +"Yes, there was no one," said Guerchard slowly. + +"Not a soul," said the Duke. + +"It was unfortunate," said Guerchard; and there was a note of +incredulity in his voice. + +"My having to repair the car myself?" said the Duke. + +"Yes, of course," said Guerchard, hesitating a little over the +assent. + +The Duke dropped the end of his cigarette into a tray, and took out +his case. He held it out towards Guerchard, and said, "A cigarette? +or perhaps you prefer your caporal?" + +"Yes, I do, but all the same I'll have one," said Guerchard, coming +quickly across the room. And he took a cigarette from the case, and +looked at it. + +"All the same, all this is very curious," he said in a new tone, a +challenging, menacing, accusing tone. + +"What?" said the Duke, looking at him curiously. + +"Everything: your cigarettes . . . the salvias . . . the photograph +that Bonavent found in Victoire's prayer-book . . . that man in +motoring dress . . . and finally, your break-down," said Guerchard; +and the accusation and the threat rang clearer. + +The Duke rose from his chair quickly and said haughtily, in icy +tones: "M. Guerchard. you've been drinking!" + +He went to the chair on which he had set his overcoat and his hat, +and picked them up. Guerchard sprang in front of him, barring his +way, and cried in a shaky voice: "No; don't go! You mustn't go!" + +"What do you mean?" said the Duke, and paused. "What DO you mean?" + +Guerchard stepped back, and ran his hand over his forehead. He was +very pale, and his forehead was clammy to his touch: + +"No . . . I beg your pardon . . . I beg your pardon, your +Grace . . . I must be going mad," he stammered. + +"It looks very like it," said the Duke coldly. + +"What I mean to say is," said Guerchard in a halting, uncertain +voice, "what I mean to say is: help me . . . I want you to stay +here, to help me against Lupin, you understand. Will you, your +Grace?" + +"Yes, certainly; of course I will, if you want me to," said the +Duke, in a more gentle voice. "But you seem awfully upset, and +you're upsetting me too. We shan't have a nerve between us soon, if +you don't pull yourself together." + +"Yes, yes, please excuse me," muttered Guerchard. + +"Very good," said the Duke. "But what is it we're going to do?" + +Guerchard hesitated. He pulled out his handkerchief, and mopped his +forehead: "Well . . . the coronet . . . is it in this case?" he said +in a shaky voice, and set the case on the table. + +"Of course it is," said the Duke impatiently. + +Guerchard opened the case, and the coronet sparkled and gleamed +brightly in the electric light: "Yes, it is there; you see it?" said +Guerchard. + +"Yes, I see it; well?" said the Duke, looking at him in some +bewilderment, so unlike himself did he seem. + +"We're going to wait," said Guerchard. + +"What for?" said the Duke. + +"Lupin," said Guerchard. + +"Lupin? And you actually do believe that, just as in a fairy tale, +when that clock strikes twelve, Lupin will enter and take the +coronet?" + +"Yes, I do; I do," said Guerchard with stubborn conviction. And he +snapped the case to. + +"This is most exciting," said the Duke. + +"You're sure it doesn't bore you?" said Guerchard huskily. + +"Not a bit of it," said the Duke, with cheerful derision. "To make +the acquaintance of this scoundrel who has fooled you for ten years +is as charming a way of spending the evening as I can think of." + +"You say that to me?" said Guerchard with a touch of temper. + +"Yes," said the Duke, with a challenging smile. "To you." + +He sat down in an easy chair by the table. Guerchard sat down in a +chair on the other side of it, and set his elbows on it. They were +silent. + +Suddenly the Duke said, "Somebody's coming." + +Guerchard started, and said: "No, I don't hear any one." + +Then there came distinctly the sound of a footstep and a knock at +the door. + +"You've got keener ears than I," said Guerchard grudgingly. "In all +this business you've shown the qualities of a very promising +detective." He rose, went to the door, and unlocked it. + +Bonavent came in: "I've brought you the handcuffs, sir," he said, +holding them out. "Shall I stay with you?" + +"No," said Guerchard. "You've two men at the back door, and two at +the front, and a man in every room on the ground-floor?" + +"Yes, and I've got three men on every other floor," said Bonavent, +in a tone of satisfaction. + +"And the house next door?" said Guerchard. + +"There are a dozen men in it," said Bonavent. "No communication +between the two houses is possible any longer." + +Guerchard watched the Duke's face with intent eyes. Not a shadow +flickered its careless serenity. + +"If any one tries to enter the house, collar him. If need be, fire +on him," said Guerchard firmly. "That is my order; go and tell the +others." + +"Very good, sir," said Bonavent; and he went out of the room. + +"By Jove, we are in a regular fortress," said the Duke. + +"It's even more of a fortress than you think, your Grace. I've four +men on that landing," said Guerchard, nodding towards the door. + +"Oh, have you?" said the Duke, with a sudden air of annoyance. + +"You don't like that?" said Guerchard quickly. + +"I should jolly well think not," said the Duke. "With these +precautions, Lupin will never be able to get into this room at all." + +"He'll find it a pretty hard job," said Guerchard, smiling. "Unless +he falls from the ceiling, or unless--" + +"Unless you're Arsene Lupin," interrupted the Duke. + +"In that case, you'd be another, your Grace," said Guerchard. + +They both laughed. The Duke rose, yawned, picked up his coat and +hat, and said, "Ah, well, I'm off to bed." + +"What?" said Guerchard. + +"Well," said the Duke, yawning again, "I was staying to see Lupin. +As there's no longer any chance of seeing him--" + +"But there is . . . there is . . . so stay," cried Guerchard. + +"Do you still cling to that notion?" said the Duke wearily. + +"We SHALL see him," said Guerchard. + +"Nonsense!" said the Duke. + +Guerchard lowered his voice and said with an air of the deepest +secrecy: "He's already here, your Grace." + +"Lupin? Here?" cried the Duke. + +"Yes; Lupin," said Guerchard. + +"Where?" cried the astonished Duke. + +"He is," said Guerchard. + +"As one of your men?" said the Duke eagerly. + +"I don't think so," said Guerchard, watching him closely. + +"Well, but, well, but--if he's here we've got him. . . . He is going +to turn up," said the Duke triumphantly; and he set down his hat on +the table beside the coronet. + +"I hope so," said Guerchard. "But will he dare to?" + +"How do you mean?" said the Duke, with a puzzled air. + +"Well, you have said yourself that this is a fortress. An hour ago, +perhaps, Lupin was resolved to enter this room, but is he now?" + +"I see what you mean," said the Duke, in a tone of disappointment. + +"Yes; you see that now it needs the devil's own courage. He must +risk everything to gain everything, and throw off the mask. Is Lupin +going to throw himself into the wolf's jaws? I dare not think it. +What do you think about it?" + +Guerchard's husky voice had hardened to a rough harshness; there was +a ring of acute anxiety in it, and under the anxiety a faint note of +challenge, of a challenge that dare not make itself too distinct. +His anxious, challenging eyes burned on the face of the Duke, as if +they strove with all intensity to pierce a mask. + +The Duke looked at him curiously, as if he were trying to divine +what he would be at, but with a careless curiosity, as if it were a +matter of indifference to him what the detective's object was; then +he said carelessly: "Well, you ought to know better than I. You have +known him for ten years . . . ." He paused, and added with just the +faintest stress in his tone, "At least, by reputation." + +The anxiety in the detective's face grew plainer, it almost gave him +the air of being unnerved; and he said quickly, in a jerky voice: +"Yes, and I know his way of acting too. During the last ten years I +have learnt to unravel his intrigues--to understand and anticipate +his manoeuvres. . . . Oh, his is a clever system! . . . Instead of +lying low, as you'd expect, he attacks his opponent . . . openly. . +. . He confuses him--at least, he tries to." He smiled a half- +confident, a half-doubtful smile, "It is a mass of entangled, +mysterious combinations. I've been caught in them myself again and +again. You smile?" + +"It interests me so," said the Duke, in a tone of apology. + +"Oh, it interests me," said Guerchard, with a snarl. "But this time +I see my way clearly. No more tricks--no more secret paths . . . +We're fighting in the light of day." He paused, and said in a clear, +sneering voice, "Lupin has pluck, perhaps, but it's only thief's +pluck." + +"Oh, is it?" said the Duke sharply, and there was a sudden faint +glitter in his eyes. + +"Yes; rogues have very poor qualities," sneered Guerchard. + +"One can't have everything," said the Duke quietly; but his languid +air had fallen from him. + +"Their ambushes, their attacks, their fine tactics aren't up to +much," said Guerchard, smiling contemptuously. + +"You go a trifle too far, I think," said the Duke, smiling with +equal contempt. + +They looked one another in the eyes with a long, lingering look. +They had suddenly the air of fencers who have lost their tempers, +and are twisting the buttons off their foils. + +"Not a bit of it, your Grace," said Guerchard; and his voice +lingered on the words "your Grace" with a contemptuous stress. "This +famous Lupin is immensely overrated." + +"However, he has done some things which aren't half bad," said the +Duke, with his old charming smile. + +He had the air of a duelist drawing his blade lovingly through his +fingers before he falls to. + +"Oh, has he?" said Guerchard scornfully. + +"Yes; one must be fair. Last night's burglary, for instance: it is +not unheard of, but it wasn't half bad. And that theft of the +motorcars: it was a neat piece of work," said the Duke in a gentle, +insolent voice, infinitely aggravating. + +Guerchard snorted scornfully. + +"And a robbery at the British Embassy, another at the Treasury, and +a third at M. Lepine's--all in the same week--it wasn't half bad, +don't you know?" said the Duke, in the same gentle, irritating +voice. + +"Oh, no, it wasn't. But--" + +"And the time when he contrived to pass as Guerchard--the Great +Guerchard--do you remember that?" the Duke interrupted. "Come, come- +-to give the devil his due--between ourselves--it wasn't half bad." + +"No," snarled Guerchard. "But he has done better than that lately. . +. . Why don't you speak of that?" + +"Of what?" said the Duke. + +"Of the time when he passed as the Duke of Charmerace," snapped +Guerchard. + +"What! Did he do that?" cried the Duke; and then he added slowly, +"But, you know, I'm like you--I'm so easy to imitate." + +"What would have been amusing, your Grace, would have been to get as +far as actual marriage," said Guerchard more calmly. + +"Oh, if he had wanted to," said the Duke; and he threw out his +hands. "But you know--married life--for Lupin." + +"A large fortune . . . a pretty girl," said Guerchard, in a mocking +tone. + +"He must be in love with some one else," said the Duke. + +"A thief, perhaps," sneered Guerchard. + +"Like himself. . . . And then, if you wish to know what I think, he +must have found his fiancee rather trying," said the Duke, with his +charming smile. + +"After all, it's pitiful--heartrending, you must admit it, that, on +the very eve of his marriage, he was such a fool as to throw off the +mask. And yet at bottom it's quite logical; it's Lupin coming out +through Charmerace. He had to grab at the dowry at the risk of +losing the girl," said Guerchard, in a reflective tone; but his eyes +were intent on the face of the Duke. + +"Perhaps that's what one should call a marriage of reason," said the +Duke, with a faint smile. + +"What a fall!" said Guerchard, in a taunting voice. "To be expected, +eagerly, at the Princess's to-morrow evening, and to pass the +evening in a police-station . . . to have intended in a month's +time, as the Duke of Charmerace, to mount the steps of the Madeleine +with all pomp and to fall down the father-in-law's staircase this +evening--this very evening"--his voice rose suddenly on a note of +savage triumph--"with the handcuffs on! What? Is that a good enough +revenge for Guerchard--for that poor old idiot, Guerchard? The +rogues' Brummel in a convict's cap! The gentleman-burglar in a gaol! +For Lupin it's only a trifling annoyance, but for a duke it's a +disaster! Come, in your turn, be frank: don't you find that +amusing?" + +The Duke rose quietly, and said coldly, "Have you finished?" + +"DO you?" cried Guerchard; and he rose and faced him. + +"Oh, yes; I find it quite amusing," said the Duke lightly. + +"And so do I," cried Guerchard. + +"No; you're frightened," said the Duke calmly. + +"Frightened!" cried Guerchard, with a savage laugh. + +"Yes, you're frightened," said the Duke. "And don't think, +policeman, that because I'm familiar with you, I throw off a mask. I +don't wear one. I've none to throw off. I AM the Duke of +Charmerace." + +"You lie! You escaped from the Sante four years ago. You are Lupin! +I recognize you now." + +"Prove it," said the Duke scornfully. + +"I will!" cried Guerchard. + +"You won't. I AM the Duke of Charmerace." + +Guerchard laughed wildly. + +"Don't laugh. You know nothing--nothing, dear boy," said the Duke +tauntingly. + +"Dear boy?" cried Guerchard triumphantly, as if the word had been a +confession. + +"What do I risk?" said the Duke, with scathing contempt. "Can you +arrest me? . . . You can arrest Lupin . . . but arrest the Duke of +Charmerace, an honourable gentleman, member of the Jockey Club, and +of the Union, residing at his house, 34 B, University Street . . . +arrest the Duke of Charmerace, the fiance of Mademoiselle Gournay- +Martin?" + +"Scoundrel!" cried Guerchard, pale with sudden, helpless fury. + +"Well, do it," taunted the Duke. "Be an ass. . . . Make yourself the +laughing-stock of Paris . . . call your coppers in. Have you a +proof--one single proof? Not one." + +"Oh, I shall get them," howled Guerchard, beside himself. + +"I think you may," said the Duke coolly. "And you might be able to +arrest me next week . . . the day after to-morrow perhaps . . . +perhaps never . . . but not to-night, that's certain." + +"Oh, if only somebody could hear you!" gasped Guerchard. + +"Now, don't excite yourself," said the Duke. "That won't produce any +proofs for you. . . . The fact is, M. Formery told you the truth +when he said that, when it is a case of Lupin, you lose your head. +Ah, that Formery--there is an intelligent man if you like." + +"At all events, the coronet is safe . . . to-night--" + +"Wait, my good chap . . . wait," said the Duke slowly; and then he +snapped out: "Do you know what's behind that door?" and he flung out +his hand towards the door of the inner drawing-room, with a +mysterious, sinister air. + +"What?" cried Guerchard; and he whipped round and faced the door, +with his eyes starting out of his head. + +"Get out, you funk!" said the Duke, with a great laugh. + +"Hang you!" said Guerchard shrilly. + +"I said that you were going to be absolutely pitiable," said the +Duke, and he laughed again cruelly. + +"Oh, go on talking, do!" cried Guerchard, mopping his forehead. + +"Absolutely pitiable," said the Duke, with a cold, disquieting +certainty. "As the hand of that clock moves nearer and nearer +midnight, you will grow more and more terrified." He paused, and +then shouted violently, "Attention!" + +Guerchard jumped; and then he swore. + +"Your nerves are on edge," said the Duke, laughing. + +"Joker!" snarled Guerchard. + +"Oh, you're as brave as the next man. But who can stand the anguish +of the unknown thing which is bound to happen? . . . I'm right. You +feel it, you're sure of it. At the end of these few fixed minutes an +inevitable, fated event must happen. Don't shrug your shoulders, +man; you're green with fear." + +The Duke was no longer a smiling, cynical dandy. There emanated from +him an impression of vivid, terrible force. His voice had deepened. +It thrilled with a consciousness of irresistible power; it was +overwhelming, paralyzing. His eyes were terrible. + +"My men are outside . . . I'm armed," stammered Guerchard. + +"Child! Bear in mind . . . bear in mind that it is always when you +have foreseen everything, arranged everything, made every +combination . . . bear in mind that it is always then that some +accident dashes your whole structure to the ground," said the Duke, +in the same deep, thrilling voice." Remember that it is always at +the very moment at which you are going to triumph that he beats you, +that he only lets you reach the top of the ladder to throw you more +easily to the ground." + +"Confess, then, that you are Lupin," muttered Guerchard. + +"I thought you were sure of it," said the Duke in a jeering tone. + +Guerchard dragged the handcuffs out of his pocket, and said between +his teeth, "I don't know what prevents me, my boy." + +The Duke drew himself up, and said haughtily, "That's enough." + +"What?" cried Guerchard. + +"I say that that's enough," said the Duke sternly. "It's all very +well for me to play at being familiar with you, but don't you call +me 'my boy.'" + +"Oh, you won't impose on me much longer," muttered Guerchard; and +his bloodshot, haggard eyes scanned the Duke's face in an agony, an +anguish of doubting impotence. + +"If I'm Lupin, arrest me," said the Duke. + +"I'll arrest you in three minutes from now, or the coronet will be +untouched," cried Guerchard in a firmer tone. + +"In three minutes from now the coronet will have been stolen; and +you will not arrest me," said the Duke, in a tone of chilling +certainty. + +"But I will! I swear I will!" cried Guerchard. + +"Don't swear any foolish oaths! . . . THERE ARE ONLY TWO MINUTES +LEFT," said the Duke; and he drew a revolver from his pocket. + +"No, you don't!" cried Guerchard, drawing a revolver in his turn. + +"What's the matter?" said the Duke, with an air of surprise. "You +haven't forbidden me to shoot Lupin. I have my revolver ready, since +he's going to come. . . . THERE'S ONLY A MINUTE LEFT." + +"There are plenty of us," said Guerchard; and he went towards the +door. + +"Funk!" said the Duke scornfully. + +Guerchard turned sharply. "Very well," he said, "I'll stick it out +alone." + +"How rash!" sneered the Duke. + +Guerchard ground his teeth. He was panting; his bloodshot eyes +rolled in their sockets; the beads of cold sweat stood out on his +forehead. He came back towards the table on unsteady feet, trembling +from head to foot in the last excitation of the nerves. He kept +jerking his head to shake away the mist which kept dimming his eyes. + +"At your slightest gesture, at your slightest movement, I'll fire," +he said jerkily, and covered the Duke with his revolver. + +"I call myself the Duke of Charmerace. You will be arrested to- +morrow!" said the Duke, in a compelling, thrilling voice. + +"I don't care a curse!" cried Guerchard. + +"Only FIFTY SECONDS!" said the Duke. + +"Yes, yes," muttered Guerchard huskily. And his eyes shot from the +coronet to the Duke, from the Duke to the coronet. + +"In fifty seconds the coronet will be stolen," said the Duke. + +"No!" cried Guerchard furiously. + +"Yes," said the Duke coldly. + +"No! no! no!" cried Guerchard. + +Their eyes turned to the clock. + +To Guerchard the hands seemed to be standing still. He could have +sworn at them for their slowness. + +Then the first stroke rang out; and the eyes of the two men met like +crossing blades. Twice the Duke made the slightest movement. Twice +Guerchard started forward to meet it. + +At the last stroke both their hands shot out. Guerchard's fell +heavily on the case which held the coronet. The Duke's fell on the +brim of his hat; and he picked it up. + +Guerchard gasped and choked. Then he cried triumphantly: + +"I HAVE it; now then, have I won? Have I been fooled this time? Has +Lupin got the coronet?" + +"It doesn't look like it. But are you quite sure?" said the Duke +gaily. + +"Sure?" cried Guerchard. + +"It's only the weight of it," said the Duke, repressing a laugh. +"Doesn't it strike you that it's just a trifle light?" + +"What?" cried Guerchard. + +"This is merely an imitation." said the Duke, with a gentle laugh. + +"Hell and damnation!" howled Guerchard. "Bonavent! Dieusy!" + +The door flew open, and half a dozen detectives rushed in. + +Guerchard sank into a chair, stupefied, paralyzed; this blow, on the +top of the strain of the struggle with the Duke, had broken him. + +"Gentlemen," said the Duke sadly, "the coronet has been stolen." + +They broke into cries of surprise and bewilderment, surrounding the +gasping Guerchard with excited questions. + +The Duke walked quietly out of the room. + +Guerchard sobbed twice; his eyes opened, and in a dazed fashion +wandered from face to face; he said faintly: "Where is he?" + +"Where's who?" said Bonavent. + +"The Duke--the Duke!" gasped Guerchard. + +"Why, he's gone!" said Bonavent. + +Guerchard staggered to his feet and cried hoarsely, frantically: +"Stop him from leaving the house! Follow him! Arrest him! Catch him +before he gets home!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +LUPIN COMES HOME + + +The cold light of the early September morning illumined but dimly +the charming smoking-room of the Duke of Charmerace in his house at +34 B, University Street, though it stole in through two large +windows. The smoking-room was on the first floor; and the Duke's +bedroom opened into it. It was furnished in the most luxurious +fashion, but with a taste which nowadays infrequently accompanies +luxury. The chairs were of the most comfortable, but their lines +were excellent; the couch against the wall, between the two windows, +was the last word in the matter of comfort. The colour scheme, of a +light greyish-blue, was almost too bright for a man's room; it would +have better suited a boudoir. It suggested that the owner of the +room enjoyed an uncommon lightness and cheerfulness of temperament. +On the walls, with wide gaps between them so that they did not +clash, hung three or four excellent pictures. Two ballet-girls by +Degas, a group of shepherdesses and shepherds, in pink and blue and +white beribboned silk, by Fragonard, a portrait of a woman by +Bastien-Lepage, a charming Corot, and two Conder fans showed that +the taste of their fortunate owner was at any rate eclectic. At the +end of the room was, of all curious things, the opening into the +well of a lift. The doors of it were open, though the lift itself +was on some other floor. To the left of the opening stood a book- +case, its shelves loaded with books of a kind rather suited to a +cultivated, thoughtful man than to an idle dandy. + +Beside the window, half-hidden, and peering through the side of the +curtain into the street, stood M. Charolais. But it was hardly the +M. Charolais who had paid M. Gournay-Martin that visit at the +Chateau de Charmerace, and departed so firmly in the millionaire's +favourite motor-car. This was a paler M. Charolais; he lacked +altogether the rich, ruddy complexion of the millionaire's visitor. +His nose, too, was thinner, and showed none of the ripe acquaintance +with the vintages of the world which had been so plainly displayed +on it during its owner's visit to the country. Again, hair and +eyebrows were no longer black, but fair; and his hair was no longer +curly and luxuriant, but thin and lank. His moustache had vanished, +and along with it the dress of a well-to-do provincial man of +business. He wore a livery of the Charmeraces, and at that early +morning hour had not yet assumed the blue waistcoat which is an +integral part of it. Indeed it would have required an acute and +experienced observer to recognize in him the bogus purchaser of the +Mercrac. Only his eyes, his close-set eyes, were unchanged. + +Walking restlessly up and down the middle of the room, keeping out +of sight of the windows, was Victoire. She wore a very anxious air, +as did Charolais too. By the door stood Bernard Charolais; and his +natural, boyish timidity, to judge from his frightened eyes, had +assumed an acute phase. + +"By the Lord, we're done!" cried Charolais, starting back from the +window. "That was the front-door bell." + +"No, it was only the hall clock," said Bernard. + +"That's seven o'clock! Oh, where can he be?" said Victoire, wringing +her hands. "The coup was fixed for midnight. . . . Where can he be?" + +"They must be after him," said Charolais. "And he daren't come +home." Gingerly he drew back the curtain and resumed his watch. + +"I've sent down the lift to the bottom, in case he should come back +by the secret entrance," said Victoire; and she went to the opening +into the well of the lift and stood looking down it, listening with +all her ears. + +"Then why, in the devil's name, have you left the doors open?" cried +Charolais irritably. "How do you expect the lift to come up if the +doors are open?" + +"I must be off my head!" cried Victoire. + +She stepped to the side of the lift and pressed a button. The doors +closed, and there was a grunting click of heavy machinery settling +into a new position. + +"Suppose we telephone to Justin at the Passy house?" said Victoire. + +"What on earth's the good of that?" said Charolais impatiently. +"Justin knows no more than we do. How can he know any more?" + +"The best thing we can do is to get out," said Bernard, in a shaky +voice. + +"No, no; he will come. I haven't given up hope," Victoire protested. +"He's sure to come; and he may need us." + +"But, hang it all! Suppose the police come! Suppose they ransack his +papers. . . . He hasn't told us what to do . . . we are not ready +for them. . . . What are we to do?" cried Charolais, in a tone of +despair. + +"Well, I'm worse off than you are; and I'm not making a fuss. If the +police come they'll arrest me," said Victoire. + +"Perhaps they've arrested him," said Bernard, in his shaky voice. + +"Don't talk like that," said Victoire fretfully. "Isn't it bad +enough to wait and wait, without your croaking like a scared crow?" + +She started again her pacing up and down the room, twisting her +hands, and now and again moistening her dry lips with the tip of her +tongue. + +Presently she said: "Are those two plain-clothes men still there +watching?" And in her anxiety she came a step nearer the window. + +"Keep away from the window!" snapped Charolais. "Do you want to be +recognized, you great idiot?" Then he added, more quietly, "They're +still there all right, curse them, in front of the cafe. . . . +Hullo!" + +"What is it, now?" cried Victoire, starting. + +"A copper and a detective running," said Charolais. "They are +running for all they're worth." + +"Are they coming this way?" said Victoire; and she ran to the door +and caught hold of the handle. + +"No," said Charolais. + +"Thank goodness!" said Victoire. + +"They're running to the two men watching the house . . . they're +telling them something. Oh, hang it, they're all running down the +street." + +"This way? . . . Are they coming this way?" cried Victoire faintly; +and she pressed her hand to her side. + +"They are!" cried Charolais. "They are!" And he dropped the curtain +with an oath. + +"And he isn't here! Suppose they come. . . . Suppose he comes to the +front door! They'll catch him!" cried Victoire. + +There came a startling peal at the front-door bell. They stood +frozen to stone, their eyes fixed on one another, staring. + +The bell had hardly stopped ringing, when there was a slow, whirring +noise. The doors of the lift flew open, and the Duke stepped out of +it. But what a changed figure from the admirably dressed dandy who +had walked through the startled detectives and out of the house of +M. Gournay-Martin at midnight! He was pale, exhausted, almost +fainting. His eyes were dim in a livid face; his lips were grey. He +was panting heavily. He was splashed with mud from head to foot: one +sleeve of his coat was torn along half its length. The sole of his +left-hand pump was half off; and his cut foot showed white and red +through the torn sock. + +"The master! The master!" cried Charolais in a tone of extravagant +relief; and he danced round the room snapping his fingers. + +"You're wounded?" cried Victoire. + +"No," said Arsene Lupin. + +The front-door bell rang out again, startling, threatening, +terrifying. + +The note of danger seemed to brace Lupin, to spur him to a last +effort. + +He pulled himself together, and said in a hoarse but steady voice: +"Your waistcoat, Charolais. . . . Go and open the door . . . not too +quickly . . . fumble the bolts. . . . Bernard, shut the book-case. +Victoire, get out of sight, do you want to ruin us all? Be smart +now, all of you. Be smart!" + +He staggered past them into his bedroom, and slammed the door. +Victoire and Charolais hurried out of the room, through the +anteroom, on to the landing. Victoire ran upstairs, Charolais went +slowly down. Bernard pressed the button. The doors of the lift shut +and there was a slow whirring as it went down. He pressed another +button, and the book-case slid slowly across and hid the opening +into the lift-well. Bernard ran out of the room and up the stairs. + +Charolais went to the front door and fumbled with the bolts. He +bawled through the door to the visitors not to be in such a hurry at +that hour in the morning; and they bawled furiously at him to be +quick, and knocked and rang again and again. He was fully three +minutes fumbling with the bolts, which were already drawn. At last +he opened the door an inch or two, and looked out. + +On the instant the door was dashed open, flinging him back against +the wall; and Bonavent and Dieusy rushed past him, up the stairs, as +hard as they could pelt. A brown-faced, nervous, active policeman +followed them in and stopped to guard the door. + +On the landing the detectives paused, and looked at one another, +hesitating. + +"Which way did he go?" said Bonavent. "We were on his very heels." + +"I don't know; but we've jolly well stopped his getting into his own +house; and that's the main thing," said Dieusy triumphantly. + +"But are you sure it was him?" said Bonavent, stepping into the +anteroom. + +"I can swear to it," said Dieusy confidently; and he followed him. + +Charolais came rushing up the stairs and caught them up as they were +entering the smoking-room: + +"Here! What's all this?" he cried. "You mustn't come in here! His +Grace isn't awake yet." + +"Awake? Awake? Your precious Duke has been galloping all night," +cried Dieusy. "And he runs devilish well, too." + +The door of the bedroom opened; and Lupin stood on the threshold in +slippers and pyjamas. + +"What's all this?" he snapped, with the irritation of a man whose +sleep has been disturbed; and his tousled hair and eyes dim with +exhaustion gave him every appearance of being still heavy with +sleep. + +The eyes and mouths of Bonavent and Dieusy opened wide; and they +stared at him blankly, in utter bewilderment and wonder. + +"Is it you who are making all this noise?" said Lupin, frowning at +them. "Why, I know you two; you're in the service of M. Guerchard." + +"Yes, your Grace," stammered Bonavent. + +"Well, what are you doing here? What is it you want?" said Lupin. + +"Oh, nothing, your Grace . . . nothing . . . there's been a +mistake," stammered Bonavent. + +"A mistake?" said Lupin haughtily. "I should think there had been a +mistake. But I take it that this is Guerchard's doing. I'd better +deal with him directly. You two can go." He turned to Charolais and +added curtly, "Show them out." + +Charolais opened the door, and the two detectives went out of the +room with the slinking air of whipped dogs. They went down the +stairs in silence, slowly, reflectively; and Charolais let them out +of the front door. + +As they went down the steps Dieusy said: "What a howler! Guerchard +risks getting the sack for this!" + +"I told you so," said Bonavent. "A duke's a duke." + +When the door closed behind the two detectives Lupin tottered across +the room, dropped on to the couch with a groan of exhaustion, and +closed his eyes. Presently the door opened, Victoire came in, saw +his attitude of exhaustion, and with a startled cry ran to his side. + +"Oh, dearie! dearie!" she cried. "Pull yourself together! Oh, do try +to pull yourself together." She caught his cold hands and began to +rub them, murmuring words of endearment like a mother over a young +child. Lupin did not open his eyes; Charolais came in. + +"Some breakfast!" she cried. "Bring his breakfast . . . he's faint . +. . he's had nothing to eat this morning. Can you eat some +breakfast, dearie?" + +"Yes," said Lupin faintly. + +"Hurry up with it," said Victoire in urgent, imperative tones; and +Charolais left the room at a run. + +"Oh, what a life you lead!" said Victoire, or, to be exact, she +wailed it. "Are you never going to change? You're as white as a +sheet. . . . Can't you speak, dearie?" + +She stooped and lifted his legs on to the couch. + +He stretched himself, and, without opening his eyes, said in a faint +voice: "Oh, Victoire, what a fright I've had!" + +"You? You've been frightened?" cried Victoire, amazed. + +"Yes. You needn't tell the others, though. But I've had a night of +it . . . I did play the fool so . . . I must have been absolutely +mad. Once I had changed the coronet under that fat old fool Gournay- +Martin's very eyes . . . once you and Sonia were out of their +clutches, all I had to do was to slip away. Did I? Not a hit of it! +I stayed there out of sheer bravado, just to score off Guerchard. . +. . And then I . . . I, who pride myself on being as cool as a +cucumber . . . I did the one thing I ought not to have done. . . . +Instead of going quietly away as the Duke of Charmerace . . . what +do you think I did? . . . I bolted . . . I started running . . . +running like a thief. . . . In about two seconds I saw the slip I +had made. It did not take me longer; but that was too long-- +Guerchard's men were on my track . . . I was done for." + +"Then Guerchard understood--he recognized you?" said Victoire +anxiously. + +"As soon as the first paralysis had passed, Guerchard dared to see +clearly . . . to see the truth," said Lupin. "And then it was a +chase. There were ten--fifteen of them on my heels. Out of breath-- +grunting, furious--a mob--a regular mob. I had passed the night +before in a motor-car. I was dead beat. In fact, I was done for +before I started . . . and they were gaining ground all the time." + +"Why didn't you hide?" said Victoire. + +"For a long while they were too close. They must have been within +five feet of me. I was done. Then I was crossing one of the bridges. +. . . There was the Seine . . . handy . . . I made up my mind that, +rather than be taken, I'd make an end of it . . . I'd throw myself +over." + +"Good Lord!--and then?" cried Victoire. + +"Then I had a revulsion of feeling. At any rate, I'd stick it out to +the end. I gave myself another minute. . . one more minute--the +last, and I had my revolver on me. . . but during that minute I put +forth every ounce of strength I had left . . . I began to gain +ground . . . I had them pretty well strung out already . . . they +were blown too. The knowledge gave me back my courage, and I plugged +on . . . my feet did not feel so much as though they were made of +lead. I began to run away from them . . . they were dropping behind +. . . all of them but one . . . he stuck to me. We went at a jog- +trot, a slow jog-trot, for I don't know how long. Then we dropped to +a walk--we could run no more; and on we went. My strength and wind +began to come back. I suppose my pursuer's did too; for exactly what +I expected happened. He gave a yell and dashed for me. I was ready +for him. I pretended to start running, and when he was within three +yards of me I dropped on one knee, caught his ankles, and chucked +him over my head. I don't know whether he broke his neck or not. I +hope he did." + +"Splendid!" said Victoire. "Splendid!" + +"Well, there I was, outside Paris, and I'm hanged if I know where. I +went on half a mile, and then I rested. Oh, how sleepy I was! I +would have given a hundred thousand francs for an hour's sleep-- +cheerfully. But I dared not let myself sleep. I had to get back here +unseen. There were you and Sonia." + +"Sonia? Another woman?" cried Victoire. "Oh, it's then that I'm +frightened . . . when you get a woman mixed up in your game. Always, +when you come to grief . . . when you really get into danger, +there's a woman in it." + +"Oh, but she's charming!" protested Lupin. + +"They always are," said Victoire drily. "But go on. Tell me how you +got here." + +"Well, I knew it was going to be a tough job, so I took a good rest- +-an hour, I should think. And then I started to walk back. I found +that I had come a devil of a way--I must have gone at Marathon pace. +I walked and walked, and at last I got into Paris, and found myself +with still a couple of miles to go. It was all right now; I should +soon find a cab. But the luck was dead against me. I heard a man +come round the corner of a side-street into a long street I was +walking down. He gave a yell, and came bucketing after me. It was +that hound Dieusy. He had recognized my figure. Off I went; and the +chase began again. I led him a dance, but I couldn't shake him off. +All the while I was working my way towards home. Then, just at last, +I spurted for all I was worth, got out of his sight, bolted round +the corner of the street into the secret entrance, and here I am." +He smiled weakly, and added, "Oh, my dear Victoire, what a +profession it is!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE CUTTING OF THE TELEPHONE WIRES + + +The door opened, and in came Charolais, bearing a tray. + +"Here's your breakfast, master," he said. + +"Don't call me master--that's how his men address Guerchard. It's a +disgusting practice," said Lupin severely. + +Victoire and Charolais were quick laying the table. Charolais kept +up a running fire of questions as he did it; but Lupin did not +trouble to answer them. He lay back, relaxed, drawing deep breaths. +Already his lips had lost their greyness, and were pink; there was a +suggestion of blood under the skin of his pale face. They soon had +the table laid; and he walked to it on fairly steady feet. He sat +down; Charolais whipped off a cover, and said: + +"Anyhow, you've got out of the mess neatly. It was a jolly smart +escape." + +"Oh, yes. So far it's all right," said Lupin. "But there's going to +be trouble presently--lots of it. I shall want all my wits. We all +shall." + +He fell upon his breakfast with the appetite but not the manners of +a wolf. Charolais went out of the room. Victoire hovered about him, +pouring out his coffee and putting sugar into it. + +"By Jove, how good these eggs are!" he said. "I think that, of all +the thousand ways of cooking eggs, en cocotte is the best." + +"Heavens! how empty I was!" he said presently. "What a meal I'm +making! It's really a very healthy life, this of mine, Victoire. I +feel much better already." + +"Oh, yes; it's all very well to talk," said Victoire, in a scolding +tone; for since he was better, she felt, as a good woman should, +that the time had come to put in a word out of season. "But, all the +same, you're trying to kill yourself--that's what you're doing. Just +because you're young you abuse your youth. It won't last for ever; +and you'll be sorry you used it up before it's time. And this life +of lies and thefts and of all kinds of improper things--I suppose +it's going to begin all over again. It's no good your getting a +lesson. It's just thrown away upon you." + +"What I want next is a bath," said Lupin. + +"It's all very well your pretending not to listen to me, when you +know very well that I'm speaking for your good," she went on, +raising her voice a little. "But I tell you that all this is going +to end badly. To be a thief gives you no position in the world--no +position at all--and when I think of what you made me do the night +before last, I'm just horrified at myself." + +"We'd better not talk about that--the mess you made of it! It was +positively excruciating!" said Lupin. + +"And what did you expect? I'm an honest woman, I am!" said Victoire +sharply. "I wasn't brought up to do things like that, thank +goodness! And to begin at my time of life!" + +"It's true, and I often ask myself how you bring yourself to stick +to me," said Lupin, in a reflective, quite impersonal tone. "Please +pour me out another cup of coffee." + +"That's what I'm always asking myself," said Victoire, pouring out +the coffee. "I don't know--I give it up. I suppose it is because I'm +fond of you." + +"Yes, and I'm very fond of you, my dear Victoire," said Lupin, in a +coaxing tone. + +"And then, look you, there are things that there's no understanding. +I often talked to your poor mother about them. Oh, your poor mother! +Whatever would she have said to these goings-on?" + +Lupin helped himself to another cutlet; his eves twinkled and he +said, "I'm not sure that she would have been very much surprised. I +always told her that I was going to punish society for the way it +had treated her. Do you think she would have been surprised?" + +"Oh, nothing you did would have surprised her," said Victoire. "When +you were quite a little boy you were always making us wonder. You +gave yourself such airs, and you had such nice manners of your own-- +altogether different from the other boys. And you were already a bad +boy, when you were only seven years old, full of all kinds of +tricks; and already you had begun to steal." + +"Oh, only sugar," protested Lupin. + +"Yes, you began by stealing sugar," said Victoire, in the severe +tones of a moralist. "And then it was jam, and then it was pennies. +Oh, it was all very well at that age--a little thief is pretty +enough. But now--when you're twenty-eight years old." + +"Really, Victoire, you're absolutely depressing," said Lupin, +yawning; and he helped himself to jam. + +"I know very well that you're all right at heart," said Victoire. +"Of course you only rob the rich, and you've always been kind to the +poor. . . . Yes; there's no doubt about it: you have a good heart." + +"I can't help it--what about it?" said Lupin, smiling. + +"Well, you ought to have different ideas in your head. Why are you a +burglar?" + +"You ought to try it yourself, my dear Victoire," said Lupin gently; +and he watched her with a humorous eye. + +"Goodness, what a thing to say!" cried Victoire. + +"I assure you, you ought," said Lupin, in a tone of thoughtful +conviction. "I've tried everything. I've taken my degree in medicine +and in law. I have been an actor, and a professor of Jiu-jitsu. I +have even been a member of the detective force, like that wretched +Guerchard. Oh, what a dirty world that is! Then I launched out into +society. I have been a duke. Well, I give you my word that not one +of these professions equals that of burglar--not even the profession +of Duke. There is so much of the unexpected in it, Victoire--the +splendid unexpected. . . . And then, it's full of variety, so +terrible, so fascinating." His voice sank a little, and he added, +"And what fun it is!" + +"Fun!" cried Victoire. + +"Yes . . . these rich men, these swells in their luxury--when one +relieves them of a bank-note, how they do howl! . . . You should +have seen that fat old Gournay-Martin when I relieved him of his +treasures--what an agony! You almost heard the death-rattle in his +throat. And then the coronet! In the derangement of their minds--and +it was sheer derangement, mind you--already prepared at Charmerace, +in the derangement of Guerchard, I had only to put out my hand and +pluck the coronet. And the joy, the ineffable joy of enraging the +police! To see Guerchard's furious eyes when I downed him. . . . And +look round you!" He waved his hand round the luxurious room. "Duke +of Charmerace! This trade leads to everything . . . to everything on +condition that one sticks to it . . . .I tell you, Victoire, that +when one cannot be a great artist or a great soldier, the only thing +to be is a great thief!" + +"Oh, be quiet!" cried Victoire. "Don't talk like that. You're +working yourself up; you're intoxicating yourself! And all that, it +is not Catholic. Come, at your age, you ought to have one idea in +your head which should drive out all these others, which should make +you forget all these thefts. . . . Love . . . that would change you, +I'm sure of it. That would make another man of you. You ought to +marry." + +"Yes . . . perhaps . . . that would make another man of me. That's +what I've been thinking. I believe you're right," said Lupin +thoughtfully. + +"Is that true? Have you really been thinking of it?" cried Victoire +joyfully. + +"Yes," said Lupin, smiling at her eagerness. "I have been thinking +about it--seriously." + +"No more messing about--no more intrigues. But a real woman . . . a +woman for life?" cried Victoire. + +"Yes," said Lupin softly; and his eyes were shining in a very grave +face. + +"Is it serious--is it real love, dearie?" said Victoire. "What's she +like?" + +"She's beautiful," said Lupin. + +"Oh, trust you for that. Is she a blonde or a brunette?" + +"She's very fair and delicate--like a princess in a fairy tale," +said Lupin softly. + +"What is she? What does she do?" said Victoire. + +"Well, since you ask me, she's a thief," said Lupin with a +mischievous smile. + +"Good Heavens!" cried Victoire. + +"But she's a very charming thief," said Lupin; and he rose smiling. + +He lighted a cigar, stretched himself and yawned: "She had ever so +much more reason for stealing than ever I had," he said. "And she +has always hated it like poison." + +"Well, that's something," said Victoire; and her blank and fallen +face brightened a little. + +Lupin walked up and down the room, breathing out long luxurious +puffs of smoke from his excellent cigar, and watching Victoire with +a humorous eye. He walked across to his book-shelf, and scanned the +titles of his books with an appreciative, almost affectionate smile. + +"This is a very pleasant interlude," he said languidly. "But I don't +suppose it's going to last very long. As soon as Guerchard recovers +from the shock of learning that I spent a quiet night in my ducal +bed as an honest duke should, he'll be getting to work with +positively furious energy, confound him! I could do with a whole +day's sleep--twenty-four solid hours of it." + +"I'm sure you could, dearie," said Victoire sympathetically. + +"The girl I'm going to marry is Sonia Kritchnoff," he said. + +"Sonia? That dear child! But I love her already!" cried Victoire. +"Sonia, but why did you say she was a thief? That was a silly thing +to say." + +"It's my extraordinary sense of humour," said Lupin. + +The door opened and Charolais bustled in: "Shall I clear away the +breakfast?" he said. + +Lupin nodded; and then the telephone bell rang. He put his finger on +his lips and went to it. + +"Are you there?" he said. "Oh, it's you, Germaine. . . . Good +morning. . . . Oh, yes, I had a good night--excellent, thank you. . +. . You want to speak to me presently? . . . You're waiting for me +at the Ritz?" + +"Don't go--don't go--it isn't safe," said Victoire, in a whisper. + +"All right, I'll be with you in about half an hour, or perhaps +three-quarters. I'm not dressed yet . . . but I'm ever so much more +impatient than you . . . good-bye for the present." He put the +receiver on the stand, + +"It's a trap," said Charolais. + +"Never mind, what if it is? Is it so very serious?" said Lupin. +"There'll be nothing but traps now; and if I can find the time I +shall certainly go and take a look at that one." + +"And if she knows everything? If she's taking her revenge . . . if +she's getting you there to have you arrested?" said Victoire. + +"Yes, M. Formery is probably at the Ritz with Gournay-Martin. +They're probably all of them there, weighing the coronet," said +Lupin, with a chuckle. + +He hesitated a moment, reflecting; then he said, "How silly you are! +If they wanted to arrest me, if they had the material proof which +they haven't got, Guerchard would be here already!" + +"Then why did they chase you last night?" said Charolais. + +"The coronet," said Lupin. "Wasn't that reason enough? But, as it +turned out, they didn't catch me: and when the detectives did come +here, they disturbed me in my sleep. And that me was ever so much +more me than the man they followed. And then the proofs . . . they +must have proofs. There aren't any--or rather, what there are, I've +got!" He pointed to a small safe let into the wall. "In that safe +are the coronet, and, above all, the death certificate of the Duke +of Charmerace . . . everything that Guerchard must have to induce M. +Formery to proceed. But still, there is a risk--I think I'd better +have those things handy in case I have to bolt." + +He went into his bedroom and came back with the key of the safe and +a kit-bag. He opened the safe and took out the coronet, the real +coronet of the Princesse de Lamballe, and along with it a pocket- +book with a few papers in it. He set the pocket-book on the table, +ready to put in his coat-pocket when he should have dressed, and +dropped the coronet into the kit-bag. + +"I'm glad I have that death certificate; it makes it much safer," he +said. "If ever they do nab me, I don't wish that rascal Guerchard to +accuse me of having murdered the Duke. It might prejudice me badly. +I've not murdered anybody yet." + +"That comes of having a good heart," said Victoire proudly. + +"Not even the Duke of Charmerace," said Charolais sadly. "And it +would have been so easy when he was ill--just one little draught. +And he was in such a perfect place--so out of the way--no doctors." + +"You do have such disgusting ideas, Charolais," said Lupin, in a +tone of severe reproof. + +"Instead of which you went and saved his life," said Charolais, in a +tone of deep discontent; and he went on clearing the table. + +"I did, I did: I had grown quite fond of him," said Lupin, with a +meditative air. "For one thing, he was so very like one. I'm not +sure that he wasn't even better-looking." + +"No; he was just like you," said Victoire, with decision. "Any one +would have said you were twin brothers." + +"It gave me quite a shock the first time I saw his portrait," said +Lupin. "You remember, Charolais? It was three years ago, the day, or +rather the night, of the first Gournay-Martin burglary at +Charmerace. Do you remember?" + +"Do I remember?" said Charolais. "It was I who pointed out the +likeness to you. I said, 'He's the very spit of you, master.' And +you said, 'There's something to be done with that, Charolais.' And +then off you started for the ice and snow and found the Duke, and +became his friend; and then he went and died, not that you'd have +helped him to, if he hadn't." + +"Poor Charmerace. He was indeed grand seigneur. With him a great +name was about to be extinguished. . . . Did I hesitate? . . . No. . +. . I continued it," said Lupin. + +He paused and looked at the clock. "A quarter to eight," he said, +hesitating. "Shall I telephone to Sonia, or shall I not? Oh, there's +no hurry; let the poor child sleep on. She must be worn out after +that night-journey and that cursed Guerchard's persecution +yesterday. I'll dress first, and telephone to her afterwards. I'd +better be getting dressed, by the way. The work I've got to do can't +be done in pyjamas. I wish it could; for bed's the place for me. My +wits aren't quite as clear as I could wish them to deal with an +awkward business like this. Well, I must do the best I can with +them." + +He yawned and went to the bedroom, leaving the pocket-book on the +table. + +"Bring my shaving-water, Charolais, and shave me," he said, pausing; +and he went into the bedroom and shut the door. + +"Ah," said Victoire sadly, "what a pity it is! A few years ago he +would have gone to the Crusades; and to-day he steals coronets. What +a pity it is!" + +"I think myself that the best thing we can do is to pack up our +belongings," said Charolais. "And I don't think we've much time to +do it either. This particular game is at an end, you may take it +from me." + +"I hope to goodness it is: I want to get back to the country," said +Victoire. + +He took up the tray; and they went out of the room. On the landing +they separated; she went upstairs and he went down. Presently he +came up with the shaving water and shaved his master; for in the +house in University Street he discharged the double functions of +valet and butler. He had just finished his task when there came a +ring at the front-door bell. + +"You'd better go and see who it is," said Lupin. + +"Bernard is answering the door," said Charolais. "But perhaps I'd +better keep an eye on it myself; one never knows." + +He put away the razor leisurely, and went. On the stairs he found +Bonavent, mounting--Bonavent, disguised in the livery and fierce +moustache of a porter from the Ritz. + +"Why didn't you come to the servants' entrance?" said Charolais, +with the truculent air of the servant of a duke and a stickler for +his master's dignity. + +"I didn't know that there was one," said Bonavent humbly. "Well, you +ought to have known that there was; and it's plain enough to see. +What is it you want?" said Charolais. + +"I've brought a letter--a letter for the Duke of Charmerace," said +Bonavent. + +"Give it to me," said Charolais. "I'll take it to him." + +"No, no; I'm to give it into the hands of the Duke himself and to +nobody else," said Bonavent. + +"Well, in that case, you'll have to wait till he's finished +dressing," said Charolais. + +They went on up to the stairs into the ante-room. Bonavent was +walking straight into the smoking-room. + +"Here! where are you going to? Wait here," said Charolais quickly. +"Take a chair; sit down." + +Bonavent sat down with a very stolid air, and Charolais looked at +him doubtfully, in two minds whether to leave him there alone or +not. Before he had decided there came a thundering knock on the +front door, not only loud but protracted. Charolais looked round +with a scared air; and then ran out of the room and down the stairs. + +On the instant Bonavent was on his feet, and very far from stolid. +He opened the door of the smoking-room very gently and peered in. It +was empty. He slipped noiselessly across the room, a pair of +clippers ready in his hand, and cut the wires of the telephone. His +quick eye glanced round the room and fell on the pocket-book on the +table. He snatched it up, and slipped it into the breast of his +tunic. He had scarcely done it--one button of his tunic was still to +fasten--when the bedroom door opened, and Lupin came out: + +"What do you want?" he said sharply; and his keen eyes scanned the +porter with a disquieting penetration. + +"I've brought a letter to the Duke of Charmerace, to be given into +his own hands," said Bonavent, in a disguised voice. + +"Give it to me," said Lupin, holding out his hand. + +"But the Duke?" said Bonavent, hesitating. + +"I am the Duke," said Lupin. + +Bonavent gave him the letter, and turned to go. + +"Don't go," said Lupin quietly. "Wait, there may be an answer." + +There was a faint glitter in his eyes; but Bonavent missed it. + +Charolais came into the room, and said, in a grumbling tone, "A run- +away knock. I wish I could catch the brats; I'd warm them. They +wouldn't go fetching me away from my work again, in a hurry, I can +tell you." + +Lupin opened the letter, and read it. As he read it, at first he +frowned; then he smiled; and then he laughed joyously. It ran: + +"SIR," + +"M. Guerchard has told me everything. With regard to +Sonia I have judged you: a man who loves a thief can be +nothing but a rogue. I have two pieces of news to +announce to you: the death of the Duke of Charmerace, +who died three years ago, and my intention of becoming +engaged to his cousin and heir, M. de Relzieres, who +will assume the title and the arms." + +"For Mademoiselle Gournay-Martin," +"Her maid, IRMA." + +"She does write in shocking bad taste," said Lupin, shaking his head +sadly. "Charolais, sit down and write a letter for me." + +"Me?" said Charolais. + +"Yes; you. It seems to be the fashion in financial circles; and I am +bound to follow it when a lady sets it. Write me a letter," said +Lupin. + +Charolais went to the writing-table reluctantly, sat down, set a +sheet of paper on the blotter, took a pen in his hand, and sighed +painfully. + +"Ready?" said Lupin; and he dictated: + +"MADEMOISELLE," + +"I have a very robust constitution, and my +indisposition will very soon be over. I shall have the +honour of sending, this afternoon, my humble wedding +present to the future Madame de Relzieres." + +"For Jacques de Bartut, Marquis de Relzieres, Prince of +Virieux, Duke of Charmerace." + +"His butler, ARSENE." + +"Shall I write Arsene?" said Charolais, in a horrified tone. + +"Why not?" said Lupin. "It's your charming name, isn't it?" + +Bonavent pricked up his ears, and looked at Charolais with a new +interest. + +Charolais shrugged his shoulders, finished the letter, blotted it, +put it in an envelope, addressed it, and handed it to Lupin. + +"Take this to Mademoiselle Gournay-Martin," said Lupin, handing it +to Bonavent. + +Bonavent took the letter, turned, and had taken one step towards the +door when Lupin sprang. His arm went round the detective's neck; he +jerked him backwards off his feet, scragging him. + +"Stir, and I'll break your neck!" he cried in a terrible voice; and +then he said quietly to Charolais, "Just take my pocket-book out of +this fellow's tunic." + +Charolais, with deft fingers, ripped open the detective's tunic, and +took out the pocket-book. + +"This is what they call Jiu-jitsu, old chap! You'll be able to teach +it to your colleagues," said Lupin. He loosed his grip on Bonavent, +and knocked him straight with a thump in the back, and sent him +flying across the room. Then he took the pocket-book from Charolais +and made sure that its contents were untouched. + +"Tell your master from me that if he wants to bring me down he'd +better fire the gun himself," said Lupin contemptuously. "Show the +gentleman out, Charolais." + +Bonavent staggered to the door, paused, and turned on Lupin a face +livid with fury. + +"He will be here himself in ten minutes," he said. + +"Many thanks for the information," said Lupin quietly. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE BARGAIN + + +Charolais conducted the detective down the stairs and let him out of +the front door, cursing and threatening vengeance as he went. +Charolais took no notice of his words--he was the well-trained +servant. He came back upstairs, and on the landing called to +Victoire and Bernard. They came hurrying down; and the three of them +went into the smoking-room. + +"Now we know where we are," said Lupin, with cheerful briskness. +"Guerchard will be here in ten minutes with a warrant for my arrest. +All of you clear out." + +"It won't be so precious easy. The house is watched," said +Charolais. "And I'll bet it's watched back and front." + +"Well, slip out by the secret entrance. They haven't found that +yet," said Lupin. "And meet me at the house at Passy." + +Charolais and Bernard wanted no more telling; they ran to the book- +case and pressed the buttons; the book-case slid aside; the doors +opened and disclosed the lift. They stepped into it. Victoire had +followed them. She paused and said: "And you? Are you coming?" + +"In an instant I shall slip out the same way," he said. + +"I'll wait for him. You go on," said Victoire; and the lift went +down. + +Lupin went to the telephone, rang the bell, and put the receiver to +his ear. + +"You've no time to waste telephoning. They may be here at any +moment!" cried Victoire anxiously. + +"I must. If I don't telephone Sonia will come here. She will run +right into Guerchard's arms. Why the devil don't they answer? They +must be deaf!" And he rang the bell again. + +"Let's go to her! Let's get out of here!" cried Victoire, more +anxiously. "There really isn't any time to waste." + +"Go to her? But I don't know where she is. I lost my head last +night," cried Lupin, suddenly anxious himself. "Are you there?" he +shouted into the telephone. "She's at a little hotel near the Star. +. . . Are you there? . . . But there are twenty hotels near the +Star. . . . Are you there? . . . Oh, I did lose my head last night. +. . . Are you there? Oh, hang this telephone! Here I'm fighting with +a piece of furniture. And every second is important!" + +He picked up the machine, shook it, saw that the wires were cut, and +cried furiously: "Ha! They've played the telephone trick on me! +That's Guerchard. . . . The swine!" + +"And now you can come along!" cried Victoire. + +"But that's just what I can't do!" he cried. + +"But there's nothing more for you to do here, since you can no +longer telephone," said Victoire, bewildered. + +Lupin caught her arm and shook her, staring into her face with +panic-stricken eyes. "But don't you understand that, since I haven't +telephoned, she'll come here?" he cried hoarsely. "Five-and-twenty +minutes past eight! At half-past eight she will start--start to come +here." + +His face had suddenly grown haggard; this new fear had brought back +all the exhaustion of the night; his eyes were panic-stricken. + +"But what about you?" said Victoire, wringing her hands. + +"What about her?" said Lupin; and his voice thrilled with anguished +dread. + +"But you'll gain nothing by destroying both of you--nothing at all." + +"I prefer it," said Lupin slowly, with a suddenly stubborn air. + +"But they're coming to take you," cried Victoire, gripping his arm. + +"Take me?" cried Lupin, freeing himself quietly from her grip. And +he stood frowning, plunged in deep thought, weighing the chances, +the risks, seeking a plan, saving devices. + +He crossed the room to the writing-table, opened a drawer, and took +out a cardboard box about eight inches square and set it on the +table. + +"They shall never take me alive," he said gloomily. + +"Oh, hush, hush!" said Victoire. "I know very well that you're +capable of anything . . . and they too--they'll destroy you. No, +look you, you must go. They won't do anything to her--a child like +that--so frail. She'll get off quite easily. You're coming, aren't +you?" + +"No, I'm not," said Lupin stubbornly. + +"Oh, well, if you won't," said Victoire; and with an air of +resolution she went to the side of the lift-well, and pressed the +buttons. The doors closed; the book-case slid across. She sat down +and folded her arms. + +"What, you're not going to stop here?" cried Lupin. + +"Make me stir if you can. I'm as fond of you as she is--you know I +am," said Victoire, and her face set stonily obstinate. + +Lupin begged her to go; ordered her to go; he seized her by the +shoulder, shook her, and abused her like a pickpocket. She would not +stir. He abandoned the effort, sat down, and knitted his brow again +in profound and painful thought, working out his plan. Now and again +his eyes flashed, once or twice they twinkled. Victoire watched his +face with just the faintest hope on her own. + +It was past five-and-twenty minutes to nine when the front-door bell +rang. They gazed at one another with an unspoken question on their +lips. The eyes of Victoire were scared, but in the eyes of Lupin the +light of battle was gathering. + +"It's her," said Victoire under her breath. + +"No," said Lupin. "It's Guerchard." + +He sprang to his feet with shining eyes. His lips were curved in a +fighting smile. "The game isn't lost yet," he said in a tense, quiet +voice. "I'm going to play it to the end. I've a card or two left +still--good cards. I'm still the Duke of Charmerace." He turned to +her. + +"Now listen to me," he said. "Go down and open the door for him." + +"What, you want me to?" said Victoire, in a shaky voice. + +"Yes, I do. Listen to me carefully. When you have opened the door, +slip out of it and watch the house. Don't go too far from it. Look +out for Sonia. You'll see her coining. Stop her from entering, +Victoire--stop her from entering." He spoke coolly, but his voice +shook on the last words. + +"But if Guerchard arrests me?" said Victoire. + +"He won't. When he comes in, stand behind the door. He will be too +eager to get to me to stop for you. Besides, for him you don't count +in the game. Once you're out of the house, I'll hold him here for-- +for half an hour. That will leave a margin. Sonia will hurry here. +She should be here in twelve minutes. Get her away to the house at +Passy. If I don't come keep her there; she's to live with you. But I +shall come." + +As he spoke he was pushing her towards the door. + +The bell rang again. They were at the top of the stairs. + +"And suppose he does arrest me?" said Victoire breathlessly. + +"Never mind, you must go all the same," said Lupin. "Don't give up +hope--trust to me. Go--go--for my sake." + +"I'm going, dearie," said Victoire; and she went down the stairs +steadily, with a brave air. + +He watched her half-way down the flight; then he muttered: + +"If only she gets to Sonia in time." + +He turned, went into the smoking-room, and shut the door. He sat +quietly down in an easy chair, lighted a cigarette, and took up a +paper. He heard the noise of the traffic in the street grow louder +as the front door was opened. There was a pause; then he heard the +door bang. There was the sound of a hasty footstep on the stairs; +the door flew open, and Guerchard bounced into the room. + +He stopped short in front of the door at the sight of Lupin, quietly +reading, smoking at his ease. He had expected to find the bird +flown. He stood still, hesitating, shuffling his feet--all his +doubts had returned; and Lupin smiled at him over the lowered paper. + +Guerchard pulled himself together by a violent effort, and said +jerkily, "Good-morning, Lupin." + +"Good-morning, M. Guerchard," said Lupin, with an ambiguous smile +and all the air of the Duke of Charmerace. + +"You were expecting me? . . . I hope I haven't kept you waiting," +said Guerchard, with an air of bravado. + +"No, thank you: the time has passed quite quickly. I have so much to +do in the morning always," said Lupin. "I hope you had a good night +after that unfortunate business of the coronet. That was a disaster; +and so unexpected too." + +Guerchard came a few steps into the room, still hesitating: + +"You've a very charming house here," he said, with a sneer. + +"It's central," said Lupin carelessly. "You must please excuse me, +if I cannot receive you as I should like; but all my servants have +bolted. Those confounded detectives of yours have frightened them +away." + +"You needn't bother about that. I shall catch them," said Guerchard. + +"If you do, I'm sure I wish you joy of them. Do, please, keep your +hat on," said Lupin with ironic politeness. + +Guerchard came slowly to the middle of the room, raising his hand to +his hat, letting it fall again without taking it off. He sat down +slowly facing him, and they gazed at one another with the wary eyes +of duellists crossing swords at the beginning of a duel. + +"Did you get M. Formery to sign a little warrant?" said Lupin, in a +caressing tone full of quiet mockery. + +"I did," said Guerchard through his teeth. + +"And have you got it on you?" said Lupin. + +"I have," said Guerchard. + +"Against Lupin, or against the Duke of Charmerace?" said Lupin. + +"Against Lupin, called Charmerace," said Guerchard. + +"Well, that ought to cover me pretty well. Why don't you arrest me? +What are you waiting for?" said Lupin. His face was entirely serene, +his eyes were careless, his tone indifferent. + +"I'm not waiting for anything," said Guerchard thickly; "but it +gives me such pleasure that I wish to enjoy this minute to the +utmost. Lupin," said Guerchard; and his eyes gloated on him. + +"Lupin, himself," said Lupin, smiling. + +"I hardly dare believe it," said Guerchard. + +"You're quite right not to," said Lupin. + +"Yes, I hardly dare believe it. You alive, here at my mercy?" + +"Oh, dear no, not yet," said Lupin. + +"Yes," said Guerchard, in a decisive tone. "And ever so much more +than you think." He bent forwards towards him, with his hands on his +knees, and said, "Do you know where Sonia Kritchnoff is at this +moment?" + +"What?" said Lupin sharply. + +"I ask if you know where Sonia Kritchnoff is?" said Guerchard +slowly, lingering over the words. + +"Do you?" said Lupin. + +"I do," said Guerchard triumphantly. + +"Where is she?" said Lupin, in a tone of utter incredulity. + +"In a small hotel near the Star. The hotel has a telephone; and you +can make sure," said Guerchard. + +"Indeed? That's very interesting. What's the number of it?" said +Lupin, in a mocking tone. + +"555 Central: would you like to telephone to her?" said Guerchard; +and he smiled triumphantly at the disabled instrument. + +Lupin shock his head with a careless smile, and said, "Why should I +telephone to her? What are you driving at?" + +"Nothing . . . that's all," said Guerchard. And he leant back in his +chair with an ugly smile on his face. + +"Evidently nothing. For, after all, what has that child got to do +with you? You're not interested in her, plainly. She's not big +enough game for you. It's me you are hunting . . . it's me you hate +. . . it's me you want. I've played you tricks enough for that, you +old scoundrel. So you're going to leave that child in peace? . . . +You're not going to revenge yourself on her? . . . It's all very +well for you to be a policeman; it's all very well for you to hate +me; but there are things one does not do." There was a ring of +menace and appeal in the deep, ringing tones of his voice. "You're +not going to do that, Guerchard. . . . You will not do it. . . . Me- +-yes--anything you like. But her--her you must not touch." He gazed +at the detective with fierce, appealing eyes. + +"That depends on you," said Guerchard curtly. + +"On me?" cried Lupin, in genuine surprise. + +"Yes, I've a little bargain to propose to you," said Guerchard. + +"Have you?" said Lupin; and his watchful face was serene again, his +smile almost pleasant. + +"Yes," said Guerchard. And he paused, hesitating. + +"Well, what is it you want?" said Lupin. "Out with it! Don't be shy +about it." + +"I offer you--" + +"You offer me?" cried Lupin. "Then it isn't true. You're fooling +me." + +"Reassure yourself," said Guerchard coldly. "To you personally I +offer nothing." + +"Then you are sincere," said Lupin. "And putting me out of the +question?" + +"I offer you liberty." + +"Who for? For my concierge?" said Lupin. + +"Don't play the fool. You care only for a single person in the +world. I hold you through her: Sonia Kritchnoff." + +Lupin burst into a ringing, irrepressible laugh: + +"Why, you're trying to blackmail me, you old sweep!" he cried. + +"If you like to call it so," said Guerchard coldly. + +Lupin rose and walked backwards and forwards across the room, +frowning, calculating, glancing keenly at Guerchard, weighing him. +Twice he looked at the clock. + +He stopped and said coldly: "So be it. For the moment you're the +stronger. . . . That won't last. . . . But you offer me this child's +liberty." + +"That's my offer," said Guerchard; and his eyes brightened at the +prospect of success. + +"Her complete liberty? . . . on your word of honour?" said Lupin; +and he had something of the air of a cat playing with a mouse. + +"On my word of honour," said Guerchard. + +"Can you do it?" said Lupin, with a sudden air of doubt; and he +looked sharply from Guerchard to the clock. + +"I undertake to do it," said Guerchard confidently. + +"But how?" said Lupin, looking at him with an expression of the +gravest doubt. + +"Oh, I'll put the thefts on your shoulders. That will let her out +all right," said Guerchard, + +"I've certainly good broad shoulders," said Lupin, with a bitter +smile. He walked slowly up and down with an air that grew more and +more depressed: it was almost the air of a beaten man. Then he +stopped and faced Guerchard, and said: "And what is it you want in +exchange?" + +"Everything," said Guerchard, with the air of a man who is winning. +"You must give me back the pictures, tapestry, Renaissance cabinets, +the coronet, and all the information about the death of the Duke of +Charmerace. Did you kill him?" + +"If ever I commit suicide, you'll know all about it, my good +Guerchard. You'll be there. You may even join me," said Lupin +grimly; he resumed his pacing up and down the room. + +"Done for, yes; I shall be done for," he said presently. "The fact +is, you want my skin." + +"Yes, I want your skin," said Guerchard, in a low, savage, +vindictive tone. + +"My skin," said Lupin thoughtfully. + +"Are you going to do it? Think of that girl," said Guerchard, in a +fresh access of uneasy anxiety. + +Lupin laughed: "I can give you a glass of port," he said, "but I'm +afraid that's all I can do for you." + +"I'll throw Victoire in," said Guerchard. + +"What?" cried Lupin. "You've arrested Victoire?" There was a ring of +utter dismay, almost despair, in his tone. + +"Yes; and I'll throw her in. She shall go scot-free. I won't bother +with her," said Guerchard eagerly. + +The front-door bell rang. + +"Wait, wait. Let me think," said Lupin hoarsely; and he strove to +adjust his jostling ideas, to meet with a fresh plan this fresh +disaster. + +He stood listening with all his ears. There were footsteps on the +stairs, and the door opened. Dieusy stood on the threshold. + +"Who is it?" said Guerchard. + +"I accept--I accept everything," cried Lupin in a frantic tone. + +"It's a tradesman; am I to detain him?" said Dieusy. "You told me to +let you know who came and take instructions." + +"A tradesman? Then I refuse!" cried Lupin, in an ecstasy of relief. + +"No, you needn't keep him," said Guerchard, to Dieusy. + +Dieusy went out and shut the door. + +"You refuse?" said Guerchard. + +"I refuse," said Lupin. + +"I'm going to gaol that girl," said Guerchard savagely; and he took +a step towards the door. + +"Not for long," said Lupin quietly. "You have no proof." + +"She'll furnish the proof all right herself--plenty of proofs," said +Guerchard brutally. "What chance has a silly child like that got. +when we really start questioning her? A delicate creature like that +will crumple up before the end of the third day's cross- +examination." + +"You swine!" said Lupin. "You know well enough that I can do it--on +my head--with a feeble child like that; and you know your Code; five +years is the minimum," said Guerchard, in a tone of relentless +brutality, watching him carefully, sticking to his hope. + +"By Jove, I could wring your neck!" said Lupin, trembling with fury. +By a violent effort he controlled himself, and said thoughtfully, +"After all, if I give up everything to you, I shall be free to take +it back one of these days." + +"Oh, no doubt, when you come out of prison," said Guerchard +ironically; and he laughed a grim, jeering laugh. + +"I've got to go to prison first," said Lupin quietly. + +"Pardon me--if you accept, I mean to arrest you," said Guerchard. + +"Manifestly you'll arrest me if you can," said Lupin. + +"Do you accept?" said Guerchard. And again his voice quivered with +anxiety. + +"Well," said Lupin. And he paused as if finally weighing the matter. + +"Well?" said Guerchard, and his voice shook. + +"Well--no!" said Lupin; and he laughed a mocking laugh. + +"You won't?" said Guerchard between his teeth. + +"No; you wish to catch me. This is just a ruse," said Lupin, in +quiet, measured tones. "At bottom you don't care a hang about Sonia, +Mademoiselle Kritchnoff. You will not arrest her. And then, if you +did you have no proofs. There ARE no proofs. As for the pendant, +you'd have to prove it. You can't prove it. You can't prove that it +was in her possession one moment. Where is the pendant?" He paused, +and then went on in the same quiet tone: "No, Guerchard; after +having kept out of your clutches for the last ten years, I'm not +going to be caught to save this child, who is not even in danger. +She has a very useful friend in the Duke of Charmerace. I refuse." + +Guerchard stared at him, scowling, biting his lips, seeking a fresh +point of attack. For the moment he knew himself baffled, but he +still clung tenaciously to the struggle in which victory would be so +precious. + +The front-door bell rang again. + +"There's a lot of ringing at your bell this morning," said +Guerchard, under his breath; and hope sprang afresh in him. + +Again they stood silent, waiting. + +Dieusy opened the door, put in his head, and said, "It's +Mademoiselle Kritchnoff." + +"Collar her! . . . Here's the warrant! . . . collar her!" shouted +Guerchard, with savage, triumphant joy. + +"Never! You shan't touch her! By Heaven, you shan't touch her!" +cried Lupin frantically; and he sprang like a tiger at Guerchard. + +Guerchard jumped to the other side of the table. "Will you accept, +then?" he cried. + +Lupin gripped the edge of the table with both hands, and stood +panting, grinding his teeth, pale with fury. He stood silent and +motionless for perhaps half a minute, gazing at Guerchard with +burning, murderous eyes. Then he nodded his head. + +"Let Mademoiselle Kritchnoff wait," said Guerchard, with a sigh of +deep relief. Dieusy went out of the room. + +"Now let us settle exactly how we stand," said Lupin, in a clear, +incisive voice. "The bargain is this: If I give you the pictures, +the tapestry, the cabinets, the coronet, and the death-certificate +of the Duke of Charmerace, you give me your word of honour that +Mademoiselle Kritchnoff shall not be touched." + +"That's it!" said Guerchard eagerly. + +"Once I deliver these things to you, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff passes +out of the game." + +"Yes," said Guerchard. + +"Whatever happens afterwards. If I get back anything--if I escape-- +she goes scot-free," said Lupin. + +"Yes," said Guerchard; and his eyes were shining. + +"On your word of honour?" said Lupin. + +"On my word of honour," said Guerchard. + +"Very well," said Lupin, in a quiet, businesslike voice. "To begin +with, here in this pocket-book you'll find all the documents +relating to the death of the Duke of Charmerace. In it you will also +find the receipt of the Plantin furniture repository at Batignolles +for the objects of art which I collected at Gournay-Martin's. I sent +them to Batignolles because, in my letters asking the owners of +valuables to forward them to me, I always make Batignolles the place +to which they are to be sent; therefore I knew that you would never +look there. They are all in cases; for, while you were making those +valuable inquiries yesterday, my men were putting them into cases. +You'll not find the receipt in the name of either the Duke of +Charmerace or my own. It is in the name of a respected proprietor of +Batignolles, a M. Pierre Servien. But he has lately left that +charming suburb, and I do not think he will return to it." + +Guerchard almost snatched the pocket-book out of his hand. He +verified the documents in it with greedy eyes; and then he put them +back in it, and stuffed it into the breast-pocket of his coat. + +"And where's the coronet?" he said, in an excited voice. + +"You're nearly standing on it," said Lupin. + +"It's in that kit-bag at your feet, on the top of the change of +clothes in it." + +Guerchard snatched up the kit-bag, opened it, and took out the +coronet. + +"I'm afraid I haven't the case," said Lupin, in a tone of regret. +"If you remember, I left it at Gournay-Martin's--in your charge." + +Guerchard examined the coronet carefully. He looked at the stones in +it; he weighed it in his right hand, and he weighed it in his left. + +"Are you sure it's the real one?" said Lupin, in a tone of acute but +affected anxiety. "Do not--oh, do not let us have any more of these +painful mistakes about it. They are so wearing." + +"Yes--yes--this is the real one," said Guerchard, with another deep +sigh of relief. + +"Well, have you done bleeding me?" said Lupin contemptuously. + +"Your arms," said Guerchard quickly. + +"They weren't in the bond," said Lupin. "But here you are." And he +threw his revolver on the table. + +Guerchard picked it up and put it into his pocket. He looked at +Lupin as if he could not believe his eyes, gloating over him. Then +he said in a deep, triumphant tone: + +"And now for the handcuffs!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE END OF THE DUEL + + +"The handcuffs?" said Lupin; and his face fell. Then it cleared; and +he added lightly, "After all, there's nothing like being careful; +and, by Jove, with me you need to be. I might get away yet. What +luck it is for you that I'm so soft, so little of a Charmerace, so +human! Truly, I can't be much of a man of the world, to be in love +like this!" + +"Come, come, hold out your hands!" said Guerchard, jingling the +handcuffs impatiently. + +"I should like to see that child for the last time," said Lupin +gently. + +"All right," said Guerchard. + +"Arsene Lupin--and nabbed by you! If you aren't in luck! Here you +are!" said Lupin bitterly; and he held out his wrists. + +Guerchard snapped the handcuffs on them with a grunt of +satisfaction. + +Lupin gazed down at them with a bitter face, and said: "Oh, you are +in luck! You're not married by any chance?" + +"Yes, yes; I am," said Guerchard hastily; and he went quickly to the +door and opened it: "Dieusy!" he called. "Dieusy! Mademoiselle +Kritchnoff is at liberty. Tell her so, and bring her in here." + +Lupin started back, flushed and scowling; he cried: "With these +things on my hands! . . . No! . . . I can't see her!" + +Guerchard stood still, looking at him. Lupin's scowl slowly +softened, and he said, half to himself, "But I should have liked to +see her . . . very much . . . for if she goes like that . . . I +shall not know when or where--" He stopped short, raised his eyes, +and said in a decided tone: "Ah, well, yes; I should like to see +her." + +"If you've quite made up your mind," said Guerchard impatiently, and +he went into the anteroom. + +Lupin stood very still, frowning thoughtfully. He heard footsteps on +the stairs, and then the voice of Guerchard in the anteroom, saying, +in a jeering tone, "You're free, mademoiselle; and you can thank the +Duke for it. You owe your liberty to him." + +"Free! And I owe it to him?" cried the voice of Sonia, ringing and +golden with extravagant joy. + +"Yes, mademoiselle," said Guerchard. "You owe it to him." + +She came through the open door, flushed deliciously and smiling, her +eyes brimming with tears of joy. Lupin had never seen her look half +so adorable. + +"Is it to you I owe it? Then I shall owe everything to you. Oh, +thank you--thank you!" she cried, holding out her hands to him. + +Lupin half turned away from her to hide his handcuffs. + +She misunderstood the movement. Her face fell suddenly like that +of a child rebuked: "Oh, I was wrong. I was wrong to come here!" she +cried quickly, in changed, dolorous tones. "I thought +yesterday . . . I made a mistake . . . pardon me. I'm going. I'm +going." + +Lupin was looking at her over his shoulder, standing sideways to +hide the handcuffs. He said sadly. "Sonia--" + +"No, no, I understand! It was impossible!" she cried quickly, +cutting him short. "And yet if you only knew--if you knew how I have +changed--with what a changed spirit I came here. . . . Ah, I swear +that now I hate all my past. I loathe it. I swear that now the mere +presence of a thief would overwhelm me with disgust." + +"Hush!" said Lupin, flushing deeply, and wincing. "Hush!" + +"But, after all, you're right," she said, in a gentler voice. "One +can't wipe out what one has done. If I were to give back everything +I've taken--if I were to spend years in remorse and repentance, it +would be no use. In your eyes I should always be Sonia Kritchnoff, +the thief!" The great tears welled slowly out of her eyes and rolled +down her cheeks; she let them stream unheeded. + +"Sonia!" cried Lupin, protesting. + +But she would not hear him. She broke out with fresh vehemence, a +feverish passion: "And yet, if I'd been a thief, like so many +others. . . but you know why I stole. I'm not trying to defend +myself, but, after all, I did it to keep honest; and when I loved +you it was not the heart of a thief that thrilled, it was the heart +of a poor girl who loved. . .that's all. . .who loved." + +"You don't know what you're doing! You're torturing me! Be quiet!" +cried Lupin hoarsely, beside himself. + +"Never mind. . .I'm going. . .we shall never see one another any +more," she sobbed. "But will you. . .will you shake hands just for +the last time?" + +"No!" cried Lupin. + +"You won't?" wailed Sonia in a heartrending tone. + +"I can't!" cried Lupin. + +"You ought not to be like this. . . . Last night . . . if you were +going to let me go like this . . . last night . . . it was wrong," +she wailed, and turned to go. + +"Wait, Sonia! Wait!" cried Lupin hoarsely. "A moment ago you said +something. . . . You said that the mere presence of a thief would +overwhelm you with disgust. Is that true?" + +"Yes, I swear it is," cried Sonia. + +Guerchard appeared in the doorway. + +"And if I were not the man you believe?" said Lupin sombrely. + +"What?" said Sonia; and a faint bewilderment mingled with her grief. +"If I were not the Duke of Charmerace?" + +"Not the Duke?" + +"If I were not an honest man?" said Lupin. + +"You?" cried Sonia. + +"If I were a thief? If I were--" + +"Arsene Lupin," jeered Guerchard from the door. + +Lupin turned and held out his manacled wrists for her to see. + +"Arsene Lupin! . . . it's . . . it's true!" stammered Sonia. "But +then, but then . . . it must be for my sake that you've given +yourself up. And it's for me you're going to prison. Oh, Heavens! +How happy I am!" + +She sprang to him, threw her arms round his neck, and pressed her +lips to his. + +"And that's what women call repenting," said Guerchard. + +He shrugged his shoulders, went out on to the landing, and called to +the policeman in the hall to bid the driver of the prison-van, which +was waiting, bring it up to the door. + +"Oh, this is incredible!" cried Lupin, in a trembling voice; and he +kissed Sonia's lips and eyes and hair. "To think that you love me +enough to go on loving me in spite of this--in spite of the fact +that I'm Arsene Lupin. Oh, after this, I'll become an honest man! +It's the least I can do. I'll retire." + +"You will?" cried Sonia. + +"Upon my soul, I will!" cried Lupin; and he kissed her again and +again. + +Guerchard came back into the room. He looked at them with a cynical +grin, and said, "Time's up." + +"Oh, Guerchard, after so many others, I owe you the best minute of +my life!" cried Lupin. + +Bonavent, still in his porter's livery, came hurrying through the +anteroom: "Master," he cried, "I've found it." + +"Found what?" said Guerchard. + +"The secret entrance. It opens into that little side street. We +haven't got the door open yet; but we soon shall." + +"The last link in the chain," said Guerchard, with warm +satisfaction. "Come along, Lupin." + +"But he's going to take you away! We're going to be separated!" +cried Sonia, in a sudden anguish of realization. + +"It's all the same to me now!" cried Lupin, in the voice of a +conqueror. + +"Yes, but not to me!" cried Sonia, wringing her hands. + +"Now you must keep calm and go. I'm not going to prison," said +Lupin, in a low voice. "Wait in the hall, if you can. Stop and talk +to Victoire; condole with her. If they turn you out of the house, +wait close to the front door." + +"Come, mademoiselle," said Guerchard. "You must go." + +"Go, Sonia, go--good-bye--good-bye," said Lupin; and he kissed her. + +She went quietly out of the room, her handkerchief to her eyes. +Guerchard held open the door for her, and kept it open, with his +hand still on the handle; he said to Lupin: "Come along." + +Lupin yawned, stretched himself, and said coolly, "My dear +Guerchard, what I want after the last two nights is rest--rest." He +walked quickly across the room and stretched himself comfortably at +full length on the couch. + +"Come, get up," said Guerchard roughly. "The prison-van is waiting +for you. That ought to fetch you out of your dream." + +"Really, you do say the most unlucky things," said Lupin gaily. + +He had resumed his flippant, light-hearted air; his voice rang as +lightly and pleasantly as if he had not a care in the world. + +"Do you mean that you refuse to come?" cried Guerchard in a rough, +threatening tone. + +"Oh, no," said Lupin quickly: and he rose. + +"Then come along!" said Guerchard. + +"No," said Lupin, "after all, it's too early." Once more he +stretched himself out on the couch, and added languidly, "I'm +lunching at the English Embassy." + +"Now, you be careful!" cried Guerchard angrily. "Our parts are +changed. If you're snatching at a last straw, it's waste of time. +All your tricks--I know them. Understand, you rogue, I know them." + +"You know them?" said Lupin with a smile, rising. "It's fatality!" + +He stood before Guerchard, twisting his hands and wrists curiously. +Half a dozen swift movements; and he held out his handcuffs in one +hand and threw them on the floor. + +"Did you know that trick, Guerchard? One of these days I shall teach +you to invite me to lunch," he said slowly, in a mocking tone; and +he gazed at the detective with menacing, dangerous eyes. + +"Come, come, we've had enough of this!" cried Guerchard, in mingled +astonishment, anger, and alarm. "Bonavent! Boursin! Dieusy! Here! +Help! Help!" he shouted. + +"Now listen, Guerchard, and understand that I'm not humbugging," +said Lupin quickly, in clear, compelling tones. "If Sonia, just now, +had had one word, one gesture of contempt for me, I'd have given +way--yielded . . . half-yielded, at any rate; for, rather than fall +into your triumphant clutches, I'd have blown my brains out. I've +now to choose between happiness, life with Sonia, or prison. Well, +I've chosen. I will live happy with her, or else, my dear Guerchard, +I'll die with you. Now let your men come--I'm ready for them." + +Guerchard ran to the door and shouted again. + +"I think the fat's in the fire now," said Lupin, laughing. + +He sprang to the table, opened the cardboard box, whipped off the +top layer of cotton-wool, and took out a shining bomb. + +He sprang to the wall, pressed the button, the bookshelf glided +slowly to one side, the lift rose to the level of the floor and its +doors flew open just as the detectives rushed in. + +"Collar him!" yelled Guerchard. + +"Stand back--hands up!" cried Lupin, in a terrible voice, raising +his right hand high above his head. "You know what this is . . . a +bomb. . . . Come and collar me now, you swine! . . . Hands up, +you . . . Guerchard!" + +"You silly funks!" roared Guerchard. "Do you think he'd dare?" + +"Come and see!" cried Lupin. + +"I will!" cried Guerchard. And he took a step forward. + +As one man his detectives threw themselves upon him. Three of them +gripped his arms, a fourth gripped him round the waist; and they all +shouted at him together, not to be a madman! . . . To look at +Lupin's eyes! . . . That Lupin was off his head! + +"What miserable swine you are!" cried Lupin scornfully. He sprang +forward, caught up the kit-bag in his left hand, and tossed it +behind him into the lift. "You dirty crew!" he cried again. "Oh, why +isn't there a photographer here? And now, Guerchard, you thief, give +me back my pocket-book." + +"Never!" screamed Guerchard, struggling with his men, purple with +fury. + +"Oh, Lord, master! Do be careful! Don't rile him!" cried Bonavent in +an agony. + +"What? Do you want me to smash up the whole lot?" roared Lupin, in a +furious, terrible voice. "Do I look as if I were bluffing, you +fools?" + +"Let him have his way, master!" cried Dieusy. + +"Yes, yes!" cried Bonavent. + +"Let him have his way!" cried another. + +"Give him his pocket-book!" cried a third. + +"Never!" howled Guerchard. + +"It's in his pocket--his breast-pocket! Be smart!" roared Lupin. + +"Come, come, it's got to be given to him," cried Bonavent. "Hold the +master tight!" And he thrust his hand into the breast of Guerchard's +coat, and tore out the pocket-book. + +"Throw it on the table!" cried Lupin. + +Bonavent threw it on to the table; and it slid along it right to +Lupin. He caught it in his left hand, and slipped it into his +pocket. "Good!" he said. And then he yelled ferociously, "Look out +for the bomb!" and made a feint of throwing it. + +The whole group fell back with an odd, unanimous, sighing groan. + +Lupin sprang into the lift, and the doors closed over the opening. +There was a great sigh of relief from the frightened detectives, and +then the chunking of machinery as the lift sank. + +Their grip on Guerchard loosened. He shook himself free, and +shouted, "After him! You've got to make up for this! Down into the +cellars, some of you! Others go to the secret entrance! Others to +the servants' entrance! Get into the street! Be smart! Dieusy, take +the lift with me!" + +The others ran out of the room and down the stairs, but with no +great heartiness, since their minds were still quite full of the +bomb, and Lupin still had it with him. Guerchard and Dieusy dashed +at the doors of the opening of the lift-well, pulling and wrenching +at them. Suddenly there was a click; and they heard the grunting of +the machinery. There was a little bump and a jerk, the doors flew +open of themselves; and there was the lift, empty, ready for them. +They jumped into it; Guerchard's quick eye caught the button, and he +pressed it. The doors banged to, and, to his horror, the lift shot +upwards about eight feet, and stuck between the floors. + +As the lift stuck, a second compartment, exactly like the one +Guerchard and Dieusy were in, came up to the level of the floor of +the smoking-room; the doors opened, and there was Lupin. But again +how changed! The clothes of the Duke of Charmerace littered the +floor; the kit-bag was open; and he was wearing the very clothes of +Chief-Inspector Guerchard, his seedy top-hat, his cloak. He wore +also Guerchard's sparse, lank, black hair, his little, bristling, +black moustache. His figure, hidden by the cloak, seemed to have +shrunk to the size of Guerchard's. + +He sat before a mirror in the wall of the lift, a make-up box on the +seat beside him. He darkened his eyebrows, and put a line or two +about his eyes. That done he looked at himself earnestly for two or +three minutes; and, as he looked, a truly marvellous transformation +took place: the features of Arsene Lupin, of the Duke of Charmerace, +decomposed, actually decomposed, into the features of Jean +Guerchard. He looked at himself and laughed, the gentle, husky laugh +of Guerchard. + +He rose, transferred the pocket-book to the coat he was wearing, +picked up the bomb, came out into the smoking-room, and listened. A +muffled roaring thumping came from the well of the lift. It almost +sounded as if, in their exasperation, Guerchard and Dieusy were +engaged in a struggle to the death. Smiling pleasantly, he stole to +the window and looked out. His eyes brightened at the sight of the +motor-car, Guerchard's car, waiting just before the front door and +in charge of a policeman. He stole to the head of the stairs, and +looked down into the hall. Victoire was sitting huddled together on +a chair; Sonia stood beside her, talking to her in a low voice; and, +keeping guard on Victoire, stood a brown-faced, active, nervous +policeman, all alertness, briskness, keenness. + +"Hi! officer! come up here! Be smart," cried Lupin over the +bannisters, in the husky, gentle voice of Chief-Inspector Guerchard. + +The policeman looked up, recognized the great detective, and came +bounding zealously up the stairs. + +Lupin led the way through the anteroom into the sitting-room. Then +he said sharply: "You have your revolver?" + +"Yes," said the young policeman. And he drew it with a flourish. + +"Put it away! Put it away at once!" said Lupin very smartly. "You're +not to use it. You're not to use it on any account! You understand?" + +"Yes," said the policeman firmly; and with a slightly bewildered air +he put the revolver away. + +"Here! Stand here!" cried Lupin, raising his voice. And he caught +the policeman's arm, and hustled him roughly to the front of the +doors of the lift-well. "Do you see these doors? Do you see them?" +he snapped. + +"Yes, yes," said the policeman, glaring at them. + +"They're the doors of a lift," said Lupin. "In that lift are Dieusy +and Lupin. You know Dieusy?" + +"Yes, yes," said the policeman. + +"There are only Dieusy and Lupin in the lift. They are struggling +together. You can hear them," shouted Lupin in the policeman's ear. +"Lupin is disguised. You understand--Dieusy and a disguised man are +in the lift. The disguised man is Lupin. Directly the lift descends +and the doors open, throw yourself on him! Hold him! Shout for +assistance!" He almost bellowed the last words into the policeman's +ear. + +"Yes, yes," said the policeman. And he braced himself before the +doors of the lift-well, gazing at them with harried eyes, as if he +expected them to bite him. + +"Be brave! Be ready to die in the discharge of your duty!" bellowed +Lupin; and he walked out of the room, shut the door, and turned the +key. + +The policeman stood listening to the noise of the struggle in the +lift, himself strung up to fighting point; he was panting. Lupin's +instructions were whirling and dancing in his head. + +Lupin went quietly down the stairs. Victoire and Sonia saw him +coming. Victoire rose; and as he came to the bottom of the stairs +Sonia stepped forward and said in an anxious, pleading voice: + +"Oh, M. Guerchard, where is he?" + +"He's here," said Lupin, in his natural voice. + +Sonia sprang to him with outstretched arms. + +"It's you! It IS you!" she cried. + +"Just look how like him I am!" said Lupin, laughing triumphantly. +"But do I look quite ruffian enough?" + +"Oh, NO! You couldn't!" cried Sonia. + +"Isn't he a wonder?" said Victoire. + +"This time the Duke of Charmerace is dead, for good and all," said +Lupin. + +"No; it's Lupin that's dead," said Sonia softly. + +"Lupin?" he said, surprised. + +"Yes," said Sonia firmly. + +"It would be a terrible loss, you know--a loss for France," said +Lupin gravely. + +"Never mind," said Sonia. + +"Oh, I must be in love with you!" said Lupin, in a wondering tone; +and he put his arm round her and kissed her violently. + +"And you won't steal any more?" said Sonia, holding him back with +both hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes. + +"I shouldn't dream of such a thing," said Lupin. "You are here. +Guerchard is in the lift. What more could I possibly desire?" His +voice softened and grew infinitely caressing as he went on: "Yet +when you are at my side I shall always have the soul of a lover and +the soul of a thief. I long to steal your kisses, your thoughts, the +whole of your heart. Ah, Sonia, if you want me to steal nothing +else, you have only to stay by my side." + +Their lips met in a long kiss. + +Sonia drew herself out of his arms and cried, "But we're wasting +time! We must make haste! We must fly!" + +"Fly?" said Lupin sharply. "No, thank you; never again. I did flying +enough last night to last me a lifetime. For the rest of my life I'm +going to crawl--crawl like a snail. But come along, you two, I must +take you to the police-station." + +He opened the front door, and they came out on the steps. The +policeman in charge of the car saluted. + +Lupin paused and said softly: "Hark! I hear the sound of wedding +bells." + +They went down the steps. + +Even as they were getting into the car some chance blow of Guerchard +or Dieusy struck a hidden spring and released the lift. It sank to +the level of Lupin's smoking-room and stopped. The doors flew open, +Dieusy and Guerchard sprang out of it; and on the instant the brown- +faced, nervous policeman sprang actively on Guerchard and pinned +him. Taken by surprise, Guerchard yelled loudly, "You stupid idiot!" +somehow entangled his legs in those of his captor, and they rolled +on the floor. Dieusy surveyed them for a moment with blank +astonishment. Then, with swift intelligence, grasped the fact that +the policeman was Lupin in disguise. He sprang upon them, tore them +asunder, fell heavily on the policeman, and pinned him to the floor +with a strangling hand on his throat. + +Guerchard dashed to the door, tried it, and found it locked, dashed +for the window, threw it open, and thrust out his head. Forty yards +down the street a motor-car was rolling smoothly away--rolling to a +honeymoon. + +"Oh, hang it!" he screamed. "He's doing a bunk in my motor-car!" + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Arsene Lupin, by Edgar Jepson and Maurice Leblanc |