the crystal stopper-第3部分

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　Sure　as　my　name's　Lupin；　you　shall　come　out　with　it。　　But；　for　the　moment；　we　must　see　about　decamping。　　Here；　help　me。　　We　must　get　Vaucheray　into　the　boat。。。　〃

They　had　returned　to　the　dining…room　and　Gilbert　was　bending　over　the　wounded　man；　when　Lupin　stopped　him：

〃Listen。〃

They　exchanged　one　look　of　alarm。。。　Some　one　was　speaking　in　the　pantry　。。。　a　very　low；　strange；　very　distant　voice。。。　Nevertheless；　as　they　at　once　made　certain；　there　was　no　one　in　the　room；　no　one　except　the　dead　man；　whose　dark　outline　lay　stretched　upon　the　floor。

And　the　voice　spake　anew；　by　turns　shrill；　stifled；　bleating；　stammering；　yelling；　fearsome。　　It　uttered　indistinct　words；　broken　syllables。

Lupin　felt　the　top　of　his　head　covering　with　perspiration。　　What　was　this　incoherent　voice；　mysterious　as　a　voice　from　beyond　the　grave？

He　had　knelt　down　by　the　man…servant's　side。　　The　voice　was　silent　and　then　began　again：

〃Give　us　a　better　light；〃　he　said　to　Gilbert。

He　was　trembling　a　little；　shaken　with　a　nervous　dread　which　he　was　unable　to　master；　for　there　was　no　doubt　possible：　when　Gilbert　had　removed　the　shade　from　the　lamp；　Lupin　realized　that　the　voice　issued　from　the　corpse　itself；　without　a　movement　of　the　lifeless　mass；　without　a　quiver　of　the　bleeding　mouth。

〃Governor；　I've　got　the　shivers；〃　stammered　Gilbert。

Again　the　same　voice；　the　same　snuffling　whisper。

Suddenly；　Lupin　burst　out　laughing；　seized　the　corpse　and　pulled　it　aside：

〃Exactly！〃　he　said；　catching　sight　of　an　object　made　of　polished　metal。　〃Exactly！　　That's　it！。。。　Well；　upon　my　word；　it　took　me　long　enough！〃

On　the　spot　on　the　floor　which　he　had　uncovered　lay　the　receiver　of　a　telephone；　the　cord　of　which　ran　up　to　the　apparatus　fixed　on　the　wall；　at　the　usual　height。

Lupin　put　the　receiver　to　his　ear。　　The　noise　began　again　at　once；　but　it　was　a　mixed　noise；　made　up　of　different　calls；　exclamations；　confused　cries；　the　noise　produced　by　a　number　of　persons　questioning　one　another　at　the　same　time。

〃Are　you　there？。。。　He　won't　answer。　　It's　awful。。。　They　must　have　killed　him。　　What　is　it？。。。　Keep　up　your　courage。　　There's　help　on　the　way。。。　　police。。。　sol　diers。。。　〃

〃Dash　it！〃　said　Lupin；　dropping　the　receiver。

The　truth　appeared　to　him　in　a　terrifying　vision。　　Quite　at　the　beginning；　while　the　things　upstairs　were　being　moved；　Leonard；　whose　bonds　were　not　securely　fastened；　had　contrived　to　scramble　to　his　feet；　to　unhook　the　receiver；　probably　with　his　teeth；　to　drop　it　and　to　appeal　for　assistance　to　the　Enghien　telephone…exchange。

And　those　were　the　words　which　Lupin　had　overheard；　after　the　first　boat　started：

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

And　this　was　the　reply　of　the　exchange。　　The　police　were　hurrying　to　the　spot。　　And　Lupin　remembered　the　sounds　which　he　had　heard　from　the　garden；　four　or　five　minutes　earlier；　at　most：

〃The　police！　　Take　to　your　heels！〃　he　shouted；　darting　across　the　dining　room。

〃What　about　Vaucheray？〃　asked　Gilbert。

〃Sorry；　can't　be　helped！〃

But　Vaucheray；　waking　from　his　torpor；　entreated　him　as　he　passed：


〃Governor；　you　wouldn't　leave　me　like　this！〃

Lupin　stopped；　in　spite　of　the　danger；　and　was　lifting　the　wounded　man；　with　Gilbert's　assistance；　when　a　loud　din　arose　outside：

〃Too　late！〃　he　said。

At　that　moment；　blows　shook　the　hall…door　at　the　back　of　the　house。　　He　ran　to　the　front　steps：　a　number　of　men　had　already　turned　the　corner　of　the　house　at　a　rush。　　He　might　have　managed　to　keep　ahead　of　them；　with　Gilbert；　and　reach　the　waterside。　　But　what　chance　was　there　of　embarking　and　escaping　under　the　enemy's　fire？

He　locked　and　bolted　the　door。

〃We　are　surrounded。。。　and　done　for；〃　spluttered　Gilbert。

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　said　Lupin。

〃But　they've　seen　us；　governor。　　There；　they're　knocking。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　Lupin　repeated。　　〃Not　a　word。　Not　a　movement。〃

He　himself　remained　unperturbed；　with　an　utterly　calm　face　and　the　pensive　attitude　of　one　who　has　all　the　time　that　he　needs　to　examine　a　delicate　situation　from　every　point　of　view。　　He　had　reached　one　of　those　minutes　which　he　called　the　〃superior　moments　of　existence；〃　those　which　alone　give　a　value　and　a　price　to　life。　　On　such　occasions；　however　threatening　the　danger；　he　always　began　by　counting　to　himself；　slowly　　…　〃One。。。　Two。。。　Three。。。　Four。。。。　Five。。。　Six〃　…　until　the　beating　of　his　heart　became　normal　and　regular。　　Then　and　not　till　then；　he　reflected；　but　with　what　intensity；　with　what　perspicacity；　with　what　a　profound　intuition　of　possibilities！　　All　the　factors　of　the　problem　were　present　in　his　mind。　　He　foresaw　everything。　　He　admitted　everything。　And　he　took　his　resolution　in　all　logic　and　in　all　certainty。

After　thirty　or　forty　seconds；　while　the　men　outside　were　banging　at　the　doors　and　picking　the　locks；　he　said　to　his　companion：

〃Follow　me。〃

Returning　to　the　dining…room；　he　softly　opened　the　sash　and　drew　the　Venetian　blinds　of　a　window　in　the　side…wall。　　People　were　coming　and　going；　rendenng　flight　out　of　the　question。

Thereupon　he　began　to　shout　with　all　his　might；　in　a　breathiess　voice：

〃This　way！。。。　Help！。。。　I've　got　them！　。。。　This　way！〃

He　pointed　his　revolver　and　fired　two　shots　into　the　tree…tops。　　Then　he　went　back　to　Vaucheray；　bent　over　him　and　smeared　his　face　and　hands　with　the　wounded　man's　blood。　　Lastly；　turning　upon　Gilbert；　he　took　him　violently　by　the　shoulders　and　threw　him　to　the　floor。

〃What　do　you　want；　governor？　　There's　a　nice　thing　to　do！〃

〃Let　me　do　as　I　please；〃　said　Lupin；　laying　an　imperative　stress　on　every　syllable。　　〃I'll　answer　for　everything。。。　I'll　answer　for　the　two　of　you。。。　Let　me　do　as　I　like　with　you。。。　I'll　get　you　both　out　of　prison　。。。　But　I　can　only　do　that　if　I'm　free。〃

Excited　cries　rose　through　the　open　window。

〃This　way！〃　he　shouted。　　〃I've　got　them！　Help！〃

And；　quietly；　in　a　whisper：


〃Just　think　for　a　moment。。。　Have　you　anything　to　say　to　me？。。。　Something　that　can　be　of　use　to　us？

Gilbert　was　too　much　taken　aback　to　understand　'Lupin's　plan　and　he　struggled　furiously。　　Vaucheray　showed　more　intelligence；　moreover；　he　had　given　up　all　hope　of　escape；　because　of　his　wound；　and　he　snarled：

〃Let　the　governor　have　his　way；　you　ass！。。。　As　long　as　he　gets　off；　isn't　that　the　great　thing？〃

Suddenly；　Lupin　remembered　the　article　which　Gilbert　had　put　in　his　pocket；　after　capturing　it　from　Vaucheray。　　He　now　tried　to　take　it　in　his　turn。

〃No；　not　that！　　Not　if　I　know　it！〃　growled　Gilbert；　managing　to　release　himself。

Lupin　floored　him　once　more。　　But　two　men　suddenly　appeared　at　the　window；　and　Gilbert　yielded　and；　handing　the　thing　to　Lupin；　who　pocketed　it　without　looking　at　it；　whispered：

〃Here　you　are；　governor。。。　I'll　explain。　　You　can　be　sure　that。。。　〃

He　did　not　have　time　to　finish。。。　Two　policemen　and　others　after　them　and　soldiers　who　entered　through　every　door　and　window　caine　to　Lupin's　assistance。

Gilbert　was　at　once　seized　and　firmly　bound。　　Lupin　withdrew：

〃I'm　glad　you've　come；〃　he　said。　　〃The　beggar's　given　me　a　lot　of　trouble。　　I　wounded　the　other；　but　this　one。。。　〃

The　commissary　of　police　asked　him；　hurriedly：

〃Have　you　s