the crystal stopper-第35部分

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The　huntsman　obeyed。　　Daubrecq　gave　a　violent　start　of　pain　and　fell　back　on　his　bed　with　a　rattle　in　his　throat。

〃You　fool！〃　cried　the　marquis；　shaking　with　rage。　　〃Why　don't　you　speak？　What；　haven't　you　had　enough　of　that　list？　　Surely　it's　somebody　else's　turn！　Come；　speak。。。　　Where　is　it？　　One　word。　　One　word　only。。。　　and　we　will　leave　you　in　peace。。。　　And；　to…morrow；　when　I　have　the　list；　you　shall　be　free。　　Free；　do　you　understand？　　But；　in　Heaven's　name；　speak！。。。　　Oh；　the　brute！　　Sebastiani；　one　more　turn。〃

Sebastiani　made　a　fresh　effort。　　The　bones　cracked。

〃Help！　Help！〃　cried　Daubrecq；　in　a　hoarse　voice；　vainly　struggling　to　release　himself。　　And；　in　a　spluttering　whisper；　〃Mercy。。。　mercy。〃

It　was　a　dreadful　sight。。。　The　faces　of　the　three　sons　were　horror…struck。　Lupin　shuddered；　sick　at　heart；　and　realized　that　he　himself　could　never　have　accomplished　that　abominable　thing。　　He　listened　for　the　words　that　were　bound　to　come。　　He　must　learn　the　truth。　　Daubrecq's　secret　was　about　to　be　expressed　in　syllables；　in　words　wrung　from　him　by　pain。　And　Lupin　began　to　think　of　his　retreat；　of　the　car　which　was　waiting　for　him；　of　the　wild　rush　to　Paris；　of　the　victory　at　hand。

〃Speak；〃　whispered　d'Albufex。　　〃Speak　and　it　will　be　over。〃

〃Yes。。。　yes。。。　〃　gasped　Daubrecq。

〃Well。。。　？〃

〃Later。。。　to…morrow。。。　〃

〃Oh；　you're　mad！。。。　What　are　you　talking　about：　to…morrow？。。。　Sebastiani；　another　turn！〃

〃No；　no！〃　yelled　Daubrecq。　　〃Stop！〃

〃Speak！〃

〃Well；　then。。。　　the　paper。。。　I　have　hidden　the　paper。。。　〃

But　his　pain　was　too　great。　　He　raised　his　head　with　a　last　effort；　uttered　incoherent　words；　succeeded　in　twice　saying；　〃Marie。。。　Marie。。。〃　and　fell　back；　exhausted　and　lifeless。

〃Let　go　at　once！〃　said　d'Albufex　to　Sebastiani。　　〃Hang　it　all；　can　we　have　overdone　it？〃

But　a　rapid　examination　showed　him　that　Daubrecq　had　only　fainted。　Thereupon；　he　himself；　worn　out　with　the　excitement；　dropped　on　the　foot　of　the　bed　and；　wiping　the　beads　of　perspiration　from　his　forehead；　stammered：

〃Oh；　what　a　dirty　business！〃

〃Perhaps　that's　enough　for　to…day；〃　said　the　huntsman；　whose　rough　face　betrayed　a　certain　emotion。　　〃We　might　try　again　to…morrow　or　the　next　day。。。　〃

The　marquis　was　silent。　　One　of　the　sons　handed　him　a　flask　of　brandy。　He　poured　out　half　a　glass　and　drank　it　down　at　a　draught：

〃To…morrow？〃　he　said。　　〃No。　　Here　and　now。　　One　little　effort　more。　　At　the　stage　which　he　has　reached；　it　won't　be　difficult。〃　　And；　taking　the　huntsman　aside；　〃Did　you　hear　what　he　said？　　What　did　he　mean　by　that　word；　'Marie'？　　He　repeated　it　twice。〃

〃Yes；　twice；〃　said　the　huntsman。　　〃Perhaps　he　entrusted　the　document　to　a　person　called　Marie。〃

〃Not　he！〃　protested　d'Albufex。　　〃He　never　entrusts　anything　to　anybody。　It　means　something　different。〃

〃But　what；　monsieur　le　marquis？〃

〃We'll　soon　find　out；　I'll　answer　for　it。〃

At　that　moment；　Daubrecq　drew　a　long　breath　and　stirred　on　his　couch。

D'Albufex；　who　had　now　recovered　all　his　composure　and　who　did　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　enemy；　went　up　to　him　and　said：

〃You　see；　Daubrecq；　it's　madness　to　resist。。。　　　Once　you're　beaten；　there's　nothing　for　it　but　to　submit　to　your　conqueror；　instead　of　allowing　yourself　to　be　tortured　like　an　idiot。。。　　Come；　be　sensible。〃

He　turned　to　Sebastiani：

〃Tighten　the　rope。。。　let　him　feel　it　a　little　that　will　wake　him　up。。。　　　He's　shamming　death。。。　　Sebastiani　took　hold　of　the　stick　again　and　turned　until　the　cord　touched　the　swollen　flesh。　　Daubrecq　gave　a　start。

〃That'll　do；　Sebastiani；〃　said　the　marquis。　　〃Our　friend　seems　favourably　disposed　and　understands　the　need　for　coming　to　terms。　　That's　so；　Daubrecq；　is　it　not？　　You　prefer　to　have　done　with　it？　　And　you're　quite　right！〃

The　two　men　were　leaning　over　the　sufferer；　Sebastiani　with　his　hand　on　the　stick；　d'Albufex　holding　the　lamp　so　as　to　throw　the　light　on　Daubrecq's　face：　〃His　　　lips　are　moving。。。　　he's　going　to　speak。　　Loosen　the　rope　a　little；　Sebastiani：　I　don't　want　our　friend　to　be　hurt。。。　　No；　tighten　it：　I　believe　our　friend　is　hesitating。。。　One　turn　more。。。　stop！　。。。　　That's　done　it！　　Oh；　my　dear　Daubrecq；　if　you　can't　speak　plainer　than　that；　it's　no　use！　　What？　　What　did　you　say？〃

Arsene　Lupin　muttered　an　oath。　　Daubrecq　was　speaking　and　he；　Lupin；　could　not　hear　a　word　of　what　he　said！　　In　vain；　he　pricked　up　his　ears；　suppressed　the　beating　of　his　heart　and　the　throbbing　of　his　temples：　not　a　sound　reached　him。

〃Confound　it！〃　he　thought。　　〃I　never　expected　this。　What　am　I　to　do？〃

He　was　within　an　ace　of　covering　Daubrecq　with　his　revolver　and　putting　a　bullet　into　him　which　would　cut　short　any　explanation。　　But　he　reflected　that　he　himself　would　then　be　none　the　wiser　and　that　it　was　better　to　trust　to　events　in　the　hope　of　making　the　most　of　them。

Meanwhile　the　confession　continued　beneath　him；　indistinctly；　interrupted　by　silences　and　mingled　with　moans。　　D'Albufex　clung　to　his　prey：

〃Go　on！。。。　Finish；　can't　you？。。。　〃

And　he　punctuated　the　sentences　with　exclamations　of　approval：

〃Good！。。。　Capital！。。。　Oh；　how　funny！。。。　　And　no　one　suspected？。。。　　Not　　even　Prasville？。。。　What　an　ass！。。。　　　　　　Loosen　a　bit；　Sebastiani：　don't　you　see　that　our　friend　is　out　of　breath？。。。　Keep　calm；　Daubrecq。。。　don't　tire　yourself。。。　And　so；　my　dear　fellow；　you　were　saying。。。　〃

That　was　the　last。　　There　was　a　long　whispering　to　which　d'Albufex　listened　without　further　interruption　and　of　which　Arsene　Lupin　could　not　catch　the　least　syllable。　　Then　the　marquis　drew　himself　up　and　exclaimed；　joyfully：

〃That's　it！。。。　Thank　you；　Daubrecq。　　And；　believe　me；　I　shall　never　forget　what　you　have　just　done。　　If　ever　you're　in　need；　you　have　only　to　knock　at　my　door　and　there　will　always　be　a　crust　of　bread　for　you　in　the　kitchen　and　a　glass　of　water　from　the　filter。　　Sebastiani；　look　after　monsieur　le　depute　as　if　he　were　one　of　your　sons。　　And；　first　of　all；　release　him　from　his　bonds。　　It's　a　heartless　thing　to　truss　one's　fellow…man　like　that；　like　a　chicken　on　the　spit！〃

〃Shall　we　give　him　something　to　drink？〃　suggested　the　huntsman。

〃Yes；　that's　it；　give　him　a　drink。〃

Sebastiani　and　his　sons　undid　the　leather　straps；　rubbed　the　bruised　wrists；　dressed　them　with　an　ointment　and　bandaged　them。　　Then　Daubrecq　swallowed　a　few　drops　of　brandy。

〃Feeling　better？〃　said　the　marquis。　　〃Pooh；　it's　nothing　much！　　In　a　few　hours；　it　won't　show；　and　you'll　be　able　to　boast　of　having　been　tortured；　as　in　the　good　old　days　of　the　Inquisition。　　You　lucky　dog！〃

He　took　out　his　watch。　　〃Enough　said！　　Sebastiani；　let　your　sons　watch　him　in　turns。　　You；　take　me　to　the　station　for　the　last　train。〃

〃Then　are　we　to　leave　him　like　that；　monsieur　le　marquis；　free　to　move　as　he　pleases？〃

〃Why　not？　　You　don't　imagine　that　we　are　going　to　keep　him　here　to　the　day　of　his　death？　　No；　Daubrecq；　sleep　quietly。　　I　shall　go　to　your　place　tomorrow　afternoon；　and；　if　the　document　is　where　you　told　me；　a　telegram　shall　be　sent　off　at　once　and　you　shall　be　set　free。　　You　haven't　told　me　a　lie；　I　suppose？〃

He　went　back　to　Daubrecq　and；　stooping　over　him　again：

〃No　humbug；　eh？　　That　wouid　be　very　silly　of　you。　　I　shouid　lo