the crystal stopper-第29部分

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　the　prosecution；　for　want　of　sufficient　evidence　and　also　in　order　not　to　scatter　its　efforts　over　too　wide　an　area；　had　decided　not　to　include　Lupin　in　the　indictment。　　He　was　the　adversary　aimed　at；　the　leader　who　must　be　punished　in　the　person　of　his　friends；　the　famous　and　popular　scoundrel　whose　fascination　in　the　eyes　of　the　crowd　must　be　destroyed　for　good　and　all。　　With　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　executed；　Lupin's　halo　would　fade　away　the　legend　would　be　exploded。

Lupin　。。。　Lupin。。。　Arsene　Lupin：　it　was　the　one　name　heard　throughout　the　four　days。　　The　advocate…general；　the　presiding　judge；　the　jury；　the　counsel；　the　witnesses　had　no　other　words　on　their　lips。　　Every　moment；　Lupin　was　mentioned　and　cursed　at；　scoffed　at；　insulted　and　held　responsible　for　all　the　crimes　committed。　　It　was　as　though　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　figured　only　as　supernumeraries；　while　the　real　criminal　undergoing　trial　was　he；　Lupin；　Master　Lupin；　Lupin　the　burglar；　the　leader　of　a　gang　of　thieves；　the　forger；　the　incendiary；　the　hardened　offender；　the　ex…convict；　Lupin　the　murderer；　Lupin　stained　with　the　blood　of　his　victim；　Lupin　lurking　in　the　shade；　like　a　coward；　after　sending　his　friends　to　the　foot　of　the　scaffold。

〃Oh；　the　rascals　know　what　they're　about！〃　he　muttered。　　〃It's　my　debt　which　they　are　making　my　poor　old　Gilbert　pay。〃

And　the　terrible　tragedy　went　on。

At　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　after　a　long　deliberation；　the　jury　returned　to　court　and　the　foreman　read　out　the　answers　to　the　questions　put　from　the　bench。　　The　answer　was　〃Yes〃　to　every　count　of　the　indictment；　a　verdict　of　guilty　without　extenuating　circumstances。

The　prisoners　were　brought　in。　　Standing　up；　but　staggering　and　white…faced；　they　received　their　sentence　of　death。

And；　amid　the　great；　solemn　silence；　in　which　the　anxiety　of　the　onlookers　was　mingled　with　pity；　the　assize…president　asked：

〃Have　you　anything　more　to　say；　Vaucheray？〃

〃Nothing；　monsieur　le　president。　　Now　that　my　mate　is　sentenced　as　well　as　myself；　I　am　easy。。。　　We　are　both　on　the　same　footing。。。　　The　governor　must　find　a　way　to　save　the　two　of　us。〃

〃The　governor？〃

〃Yes；　Arsene　Lupin。〃

There　was　a　laugh　among　the　crowd。

The　president　asked：

〃And　you；　Gilbert？〃

Tears　streamed　down　the　poor　lad's　cheeks　and　he　stammered　a　few　inarticulate　sentences。　　But；　when　the　judge　repeated　his　question；　he　succeeded　in　mastering　himself　and　replied；　in　a　trembling　voice：

〃I　wish　to　say；　monsieur　le　president；　that　I　am　guilty　of　many　things；　that's　true。。。　　I　have　done　a　lot　of　harm。。。　　But；　all　the　same；　not　this。　No；　I　have　not　committed　murder。。。　　I　have　never　committed　murder。。。　And　I　don't　want　to　die。。。　it　would　be　too　horrible。。。　〃

He　swayed　from　side　to　side；　supported　by　the　warders；　and　he　was　heard　to　cry；　like　a　child　calling　for　help：

〃Governor。。。　save　me！。。。　Save　me！。。。　I　don't　want　to　die！〃

Then；　in　the　crowd；　amid　the　general　excitement；　a　voice　rose　above　the　surrounding　clamour：

〃Don't　be　afraid；　little　‘un！。。。　The　governor's　here！〃

A　tumult　and　hustling　followed。　　The　municipal　guards　and　the　policemen　rushed　into　court　and　laid　hold　of　a　big；　red…faced　man；　who　was　stated　by　his　neighbours　to　be　the　author　of　that　outburst　and　who　struggled　hand　and　foot。

Questioned　without　delay；　he　gave　his　name；　Philippe　Bonel；　an　undertaker's　man；　and　declared　that　some　one　sitting　beside　him　had　offered　him　a　hundred…franc　note　if　he　would　consent；　at　the　proper　moment；　to　shout　a　few　words　which　his　neighbour　scribbled　on　a　bit　of　paper。　　How　could　he　refuse？

In　proof　of　his　statements；　he　produced　the　hundred…franc　note　and　the　scrap　of　paper。

Philippe　Bonel　was　let　go。

Meanwhile；　Lupin；　who　of　course　had　assisted　energetically　in　the　individual's　arrest　and　handed　him　over　to'　the　guards；　left　the　law…courts；　his　heart　heavy　with　anguish。　　His　car　was　waiting　for　him　on　the　quay。　　He　flung　himself　into　it；　in　despair；　seized　with　so　great　a　sorrow　that　he　had　to　make　an　effort　to　restrain　his　tears。　　Gilbert's　cry；　his　voice　wrung　with　affliction；　his　distorted　features；　his　tottering　frame：　all　this　haunted　his　brain；　and　he　felt　as　if　he　would　never；　for　a　single　second；　forget　those　impressions。

He　drove　home　to　the　new　place　which　he　had　selected　among　his　different　residences　and　which　occupied　a　corner　of　the　Place　de　Clichy。　　He　expected　to　find　the　Growler　and　the　Masher；　with　whom　he　was　to　kidnap　Daubrecq　that　evening。　　But　he　had　hardly　opened　the　door　of　his　flat；　when　a　cry　escaped　him：　Clarisse　stood　before　him；　Clarisse；　who　had　returned　from　Brittany　at　the　moment　of　the　verdict。

He　at　once　gathered　from　her　attitude　and　her　pallor　that　she　knew。　　And；　at　once；　recovering　his　courage　in　her　presence；　without　giving　her　time　to　speak；　he　exclaimed：

〃Yes；　yes；　yes。。。　but　it　doesn't　matter。　　We　foresaw　that。　　We　couldn't　prevent　it。　　What　we　have　to　do　is　to　stop　the　mischief。　　And　to…night；　you　understand；　to…night；　the　thing　will　be　done。〃

Motionless　and　tragic　in　her　sorrow；　she　stammered：

〃To…night？〃

〃Yes。　　I　have　prepared　everything。　　In　two　hours；　Daubrecq　will　be　in　my　hands。　　To…night；　whatever　means　I　have　to　employ；　he　shall　speak。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that？〃　she　asked；　faintly；　while　a　ray　of　hope　began　to　light　up　her　face。

〃He　shall　speak。　　I　shall　have　his　secret。　　I　shall　tear　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　from　him。　　And　that　list　will　set　your　son　free。〃

〃Too　late；〃　Clarisse　murmured。

〃Too　late？　　Why？　Do　you　think　that；　in　exchange　for　such　a　document；　I　shall　not　obtain　Gilbert's　pretended　escape？。。。　　Why；　Gilbert　will　be　at　liberty　in　three　days！　　In　three　days。。。　〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　ring　at　the　bell：

〃Listen；　here　are　our　friends。　　Trust　me。　　Remember　that　I　keep　my　promises。　　I　gave　you　back　your　little　Jacques。　　I　shall　give　you　back　Gilbert。〃

He　went　to　let　the　Growler　and　the　Masher　in　and　said：

〃Is　everything　ready？　　Is　old　Brindebois　at　the　restaurant？　　Quick；　let　us　be　off！〃

〃It's　no　use；　governor；〃　replied　the　Masher。

〃No　use？　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃There's　news。

〃What　news？　　Speak；　man！〃

〃Daubrecq　has　disappeared。〃

〃Eh？　　What's　that？　　Daubrecq　disappeared？〃

〃Yes；　carried　off　from　his　house；　in　broad　daylight。〃

〃The　devil！　　By　whom？〃

〃Nobody　knows。。。　four　men。。。　there　were　pistols　fired。。。　The　police　are　on　the　spot。　　Prasville　is　directing　the　investigations。〃

Lupin　did　not　move　a　limb。　　He　looked　at　Clarisse　Mergy；　who　lay　huddled　in　a　chair。

He　himself　had　to　bow　his　head。　　Daubrecq　carried　off　meant　one　more　chance　of　success　lost。。。


CHAPTER　VII

THE　PROFILE　OF　NAPOLEON


Soon　as　the　prefect　of　police；　the　chief　of　the　criminal…investigation　department　and　the　examining…magistrates　had　left　Daubrecq's　house；　after　a　preliminary　and　entirely　fruitless　inquiry；　Prasville　resumed　his　personal　search。

He　was　examining　the　study　and　the　traces　of　the　struggle　which　had　taken　place　there；　when　the　portress　brought　him　a　visiting…card；　with　a　few　words　in　pencil　scribbled　upon　it。

〃Show　the　lady　in；〃　he　said。

〃The　lady　has　some　one　with　her；〃　said　the　portress。

〃Oh？　　Well；　show　the　other　person　in　as　well。