the crystal stopper-第30部分

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〃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。〃

Clarisse　Mergy　entered　at　once　and　introduced　the　gentleman　with　her；　a　gentleman　in　a　black　frock…coat；　which　was　too　tight　for　him　and　which　looked　as　though　it　had　not　been　brushed　for　ages。　　He　was　shy　in　his　manner　and　seemed　greatly　embarrassed　how　to　dispose　of　his　old；　rusty　top…hat；　his　gingham　umbrella；　his　one　and　only　glove　and　his　body　generally。

〃M。　Nicole；〃　said　Clarisse；　〃a　private　teacher；　who　is　acting　as　tutor　to　my　little　Jacques。　　M。　Nicole　has　been　of　the　greatest　help　to　me　with　his　advice　during　the　past　year。　　He　worked　out　the　whole　story　of　the　crystal　stopper。　　I　should　like　him；　as　well　as　myself　…　if　you　see　no　objection　to　telling　me　…　to　know　the　details　of　this　kidnapping　business；　which　alarms　me　and　upsets　my　plans；　yours　too；　I　expect？〃

Prasville　had　every　confidence　in　Clarisse　Mergy。　　He　knew　her　relentless　hatred　of　Daubrecq　and　appreciated　the　assistance　which　she　had　rendered　in　the　case。　　He　therefore　made　no　dilficulties　about　telling　her　what　he　knew；　thanks　to　certain　clues　and　especially　to　the　evidence　of　the　portress。

For　that　matter；　the　thing　was　exceedingly　simple。　　Daubrecq；　who　had　attended　the　trial　of　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　as　a　witness　and　who　was　seen　in　court　during　the　speeches；　returned　home　at　six　o'clock。　　The　portress　affirmed　that　he　came　in　alone　and　that　there　was　nobody　in　the　house　at　the　time。　　Nevertheless；　a　few　minutes　later；　she　heard　shouts；　followed　by　the　sound　of　a　struggle　and　two　pistol…shots；　and　from　her　lodge　she　saw　four　masked　men　scuttle　down　the　front　steps；　carrying　Daubrecq　the　deputy；　and　hurry　toward　the　gate。　　They　opened　the　gate。　At　the　same　moment；　a　motor…car　arrived　outside　the　house。　　The　four　men　bundled　themselves　into　it；　and　the　motor…car；　which　had　hardly　had　time　to　stop；　set　off　at　full　speed。

〃Were　there　not　always　two　policemen　on　duty？〃　asked　Clarisse。

〃They　were　there；〃　said　Prasville；　〃but　at　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards'　distance；　and　Daubrecq　was　carried　off　so　quickly　that　they　were　unable　to　interfere；　although　they　hastened　up　as　fast　as　they　could。〃

〃And　did　they　discover　nothing；　find　nothing？〃

〃Nothing；　or　hardly　anything。。。　Merely　this。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃A　little　piece　of　ivory；　which　they　picked　up　on　the　ground。　　There　was　a　fifth　party　in　the　car；　and　the　portress　saw　him　get　down　while　the　others　were　hoisting　Daubrecq　in。　　As　he　was　stepping　back　into　the　car；　he　dropped　something　and　picked　it　up　again　at　once。　　But　the　thing；　whatever　it　was；　must　have　been　broken　on　the　pavement；　for　this　is　the　bit　of　ivory　which　my　men　found。〃

〃But　how　did　the　four　men　manage　to　enter　the　house？〃　asked　Clarisse。

〃By　means　of　false　keys；　evidently；　while　the　portress　was　doing　her　shopping；　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon；　and　they　had　no　difficulty　in　secreting　themselves；　as　Daubrecq　keeps　no　other　servants。　　I　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　they　hid　in　the　room　next　door；　which　is　the　dining…room；　and　afterward　attacked　Daubrecq　here；　in　the　study。　The　disturbance　of　the　furniture　and　other　articles　proves　how　violent　the　struggle　was。　　We　found　a　large…bore　revolver；　belonging　to　Daubrecq；　on　the　carpet。　　One　of　the　bullets　had　smashed　the　glass　over　the　mantel…piece；　as　you　see。〃

Clarisse　turned　to　her　companion　for　him　to　express　an　opinion。　　But　M。　Nicole；　with　his　eyes　obstinately　lowered；　had　not　budged　from　his　chair　and　sat　fumbling　at　the　rim　of　his　hat；　as　though　he　had　not　yet　found　a　proper　place　for　it。

Prasville　gave　a　smile。　　It　was　evident　that　he　did　not　look　upon　Clarisse's　adviser　as　a　man　of　first…rate　intelligence：

〃The　case　is　somewhat　puzzling；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃is　it　not？〃

〃Yes。。。　yes；〃　M。　Nicole　confessed；　〃most　puzzling。〃

〃Then　you　have　no　little　theory　of　your　own　upon　the　matter？〃

〃Well；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I'm　thinking　that　Daubrecq　has　many　enemies。

〃Ah；　capital！〃

〃And　that　several　of　those　enemies；　who　are　interested　in　his　disappearance；　must　have　banded　themselves　against　him。

〃Capital；　capital！〃　said　Prasville；　with　satirical　approval。　　〃Capital！　Everything　is　becoming　clear　as　daylight。　It　only　remains　for　you　to　furnish　us　with　a　little　suggestion　that　will　enable　us　to　turn　our　search　in　the　right　direction。〃

〃Don't　you　think；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　that　this　broken　bit　of　ivory　which　was　picked　up　on　the　ground。。。　〃

〃No；　M。　Nicole；　no。　　That　bit　of　ivory　belongs　to　something　which　we　do　not　know　and　which　its　owner　will　at　once　make　it　his　business　to　conceal。　In　order　to　trace　the　owner；　we　should　at　least　be　able　to　define　the　nature　of　the　thing　itself。〃

M。　Nicole　reflected　and　then　began：

〃Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　when　Napoleon　I　fell　from　power。。。　〃

〃Oh；　M。　Nicole；　oh；　a　lesson　in　French　history！〃

〃Only　a　sentence；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　just　one　sentence　which　I　will　ask　your　leave　to　complete。　　When　Napoleon　I　fell　from　power；　the　Restoration　placed　a　certain　number　of　officers　on　half…pay。　　These　officers　were　suspected　by　the　authorities　and　kept　under　observation　by　the　police。　　They　remained　faithful　to　the　emperor's　memory；　and　they　contrived　to　reproduce　the　features　of　their　idol　on　all　sorts　of　objects　of　everyday　use；　snuff…boxes；　rings；　breast…pins；　pen…knives　and　so　on。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　this　bit　comes　from　a　walking…stick；　or　rather　a　sort　of　loaded　cane；　or　life…preserver；　the　knob　of　which　is　formed　of　a　piece　of　carved　ivory。　　When　you　look　at　the　knob　in　a　certain　way；　you　end　by　seeing　that　the　outline　represents　the　profile　of　the　Little　Corporal。　hat　you　have　in　your　hand；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　is　a　bit　of　the　ivory　knob　at　the　top　of　a　half…pay　officer's　life…preserver。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Prasville；　examining　the　exhibit；　〃yes；　I　can　make　out　a　profile。。。　but　I　don't　see　the　inference。。。　〃

〃The　inference　is　very　simple。　　Among　Daubrecq's　victims；　among　those　whose　names　are　inscribed　on　the　famous　list；　is　the　descendant　of　a　Corsican　family　in　Napoleon's　service；　which　derived　its　wealth　and　title　from　the　emperor　and　was　afterward　ruined　under　the　Restoration。　It　is　ten　to　one　that　this　descendant；　who　was　the　leader　of　the　Bonapartist　party　a　few　years　ago；　was　the　fifth　person　hiding　in　the　motor…car。　　Need　I　state　his　name？〃

〃The　Marquis　d'Albufex？〃　said　Prasville。

〃The　Marquis　d'Albufex；〃　said　M。　Nicole。

M。　Nicole；　who　no　longer　seemed　in　the　least　worried　with　his　hat；　his　glove　and　his　umbrella；　rose　and　said　to　Prasville：

〃Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　might　have　kept　my　discovery　to　myself；　and　not　told　you　of　it　until　after　the　final　victory；　that　is；　after　bringing　you　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven。　　But　matters　are　urgent。　Daubrecq's　disappearance；　contrary　to　what　his　kidnappers　expect；　may　hasten　on　the　catastrophe　which　you　wish　to　avert。　　We　must　therefore　act　with　all　speed。　　Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　ask　for　your　immediate　and　practical　assistance。〃

〃In　what　way　can　I　help　you？〃　asked　Prasville；　who　was　beginning　to　be　impressed　by　his　quaint　visi