the crystal stopper-第51部分

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〃You　won't　do　it？。。。　You　won't　do　it？。。。　And；　to…morrow　morning。。。　in　a　few　hours。。。　Gilbert。。。　〃

She　was　frightfully　pale；　her　face　sunk；　like　the　face　of　one　dying。　Her　eyes　opened　wider　and　wider　and　her　teeth　chattered。。。　〃

Lupin；　fearing　the　useless　and　dangerous　words　which　she　was　about　to　utter；　seized　her　by　the　shoulders　and　tried　to　drag　her　away。　　But　she　thrust　him　back　with　indomitable　strength；　took　two　or　three　more　steps；　staggered；　as　though　on　the　point　of　falling；　and；　suddenly；　in　a　burst　of　energy　and　despair；　laid　hold　of　Prasvile　and　screamed：

〃You　shall　go　to　the　Elysee！。。。　You　shall　go　at　once！。。。　You　must！。。。　You　must　save　Gilbert！〃

〃Flease；　please；　my　dear　friend；　calm　yourself。。。　〃　　　She　gave　a　strident　laugh：

〃Calm　myself！。。。　When；　to…morrow　morning；　Gilbert。。。　Ah；　no；　no；　I　am　terrified。。。　it's　appalling。。。。　Oh；　run；　you　wretch；　run！　　Obtain　his　pardon！。。。　Don't　you　understand？　　Gilbert。。。　Gilbert　is　my　son！　　My　son！　My　son！〃

Prasville　gave　a　cry。　　The　blade　of　a　knife　flashed　in　Clarisse's　hand　and　she　raised　her　arm　to　strike　herself。　　But　the　movement　was　not　completed。　M。　Nicole　caught　her　arm　in　its　descent　and；　taking　the　knife　from　Clarisse；　reducing　her　to　helplessness；　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　rang　through　the　room　like　steel：

〃What　you　are　doing　is　madness！。。。　When　I　gave　you　my　oath　that　I　would　save　him！　　You　must。。。　live　for　him。。。　Gilbert　shall　not　die。。。。　How　can　he　die；　when。。。　I　gave　you　my　oath？。。。　〃

〃Gilbert。。。　my　son　。。。　〃　moaned　Clarisse。

He　clasped　her　fiercely；　drew　her　against　himself　and　put　his　hand　over　her　mouth：

〃Enough！　　Be　quiet！。。。　I　entreat　you　to　be　quiet。。。。　Gilbert　shall　not　die。。。　〃

With　irresistible　authority；　he　dragged　her　away　like　a　subdued　child　that　suddenly　becomes　obedient；　but；　at　the　moment　of　opening　the　door；　he　turned　to　Prasville：

〃Wait　for　me　here；　monsieur；〃　he　commanded；　in　an　imperative　tone。　　〃If　you　care　about　that　list　of　the　Twenty…seven；　the　real　list；　wait　for　me。　I　shall　be　back　in　an　hour；　in　two　hours；　at　most；　and　then　we　will　talk　business。〃

And　abruptly；　to　Clarisse：

〃And　you；　madame；　a　little　courage　yet。　　I　command　you　to　show　courage；　in　Gilbert's　name。〃

He　went　away；　through　the　passages；　down　the　stairs；　with　a　jerky　step；　holding　Clarisse　under　the　arm；　as　he　might　have　held　a　lay…figure；　supporting　her；　carrying　her　almost。　　A　court…yard；　another　court…yard；　then　the　street。

Meanwhile；　Prasville；　surprised　at　first；　bewildered　by　the　course　of　events；　was　gradually　recovering　his　composure　and　thinking。　　He　thought　of　that　M。　Nicole；　a　mere　supernumerary　at　first；　who　played　beside　Clarisse　the　part　of　one　of　those　advisers　to　whom　we　cling　in　the　serious　crises　of　our　lives　and　who　suddenly；　shaking　off　his　torpor；　appeared　in　the　full　light　of　day；　resolute；　masterful；　mettlesome；　brimming　over　with　daring；　ready　to　overthrow　all　the　obstacles　that　fate　placed　on　his　path。

Who　was　there　that　was　capable　of　acting　thus？

Prasville　started。　　The　question　had　no　sooner　occurred　to　his　mind　than　the　answer　flashed　on　him；　with　absolute　certainty。　　All　the　proofs　rose　up；　each　more　exact；　each　more　convincing　than　the　last。

Hurriedly　he　rang。　　Hurriedly　he　sent　for　the　chief　detective…inspector　on　duty。　　And；　feverishiy：

〃Were　you　in　the　waiting…room；　chief…inspector？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur　le　secretaire…generaL〃

〃Did　you　see　a　gentleman　and　a　lady　go　out？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Would　you　know　the　man　again？〃

〃Then　don't　lose　a　moment；　chief…inspector。　　Take　six　inspectors　with　you。　　Go　to　the　Place　de　Cichy。　　Make　inquiries　about　a　man　called　Nicole　and　watch　the　house。　　The　Nicole　man　is　on　his　way　back　there。〃

〃And　if　he　comes　out；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general？〃

Arrest　him。　Here's　a　warrant。〃

He　sat　down　to　his　desk　and　wrote　a　name　on　a　form：

〃Here　you　are；　chief…inspector。　　I　will　let　the　chief…detective　know。〃

The　chief…inspector　seemed　staggered：

〃But　you　spoke　to　me　of　a　man　called　Nicole；　monsieur　le　　secretaire…general。〃

〃Well？〃

〃The　warrant　is　in　the　name　of　Arsene　Lupin。〃

〃Arsene　Lupin　and　the　Nicole　man　are　one　and　the　same　individual。〃


CHAPTER　XII

THE　SCAFFOLD


I　will　　save　him；　I　will　save　him；〃　Lupin　repeated；　without　ceasing；　in　the　taxicab　in　which　he　and　Clarisse　drove　away。　　〃I　swear　that　I　will　save　him。〃

Clarisse　did　not　listen；　sat　as　though　numbed；　as　though　possessed　by　some　great　nightmare　of　death；　which　left　her　ignorant　of　all　that　was　happening　outside　her。　　And　Lupin　set　forth　his　plans；　perhaps　more　to　reassure　himself　than　to　convince　Clarisse。　　〃No；　no；　the　game　is　not　lost　yet。　　There　is　one　trump　left；　a　huge　trump；　in　the　shape　of　the　letters　and　documents　which　Vorenglade；　the　ex…deputy；　is　offering　to　sell　to　Daubrecq　and　of　which　Daubrecq　spoke　to　you　yesterday　at　Nice。　I　shall　buy　those　letters　and　documents　of　Stanislas　Vorenglade　at　whatever　price　he　chooses　to　name。　　Then　we　shall　go　back　to　the　police…office　and　I　shall　say　to　Prasville；　'Go　to　the　Elysse　at　once　。。。　　Use　the　list　as　though　it　were　genuine；　save　Gilbert　from　death　and　be　content　to　acknowledge　to…morrow；　when　Gilbert　is　saved；　that　the　list　is　forged。

Be　off；　quickly！。。。　If　you　refuse　well；　if　you　refuse；　the　Vorenglade　letters　and　documents　shall　be　reproduced　to…morrow；　Tuesday；　morning　in　one　of　the　leading　newspapers。　　Vorenglade　will　be　arrested。　　And　M。　Prasville　will　find　himself　in　prison　before　night。〃

Lupin　rubbed　his　hands：

〃He'll　do　as　he's　told！。。。　He'll　do　as　he's　told！。。。　I　felt　that　at　once；　when　I　was　with　him。　　The　thing　appeared　to　me　as　a　dead　certainty。　　And　I　found　Vorenglade's　address　in　Daubrecq's　pocket…books；　so。。。　driver；　Boulevard　Raspail！〃

They　went　to　the　address　given。　　Lupin　sprang　from　the　cab；　ran　up　three　flights　of　stairs。

The　servant　said　that　M。　Vorenglade　was　away　and　would　not　be　back　until　dinner…time　next　evening。

〃And　don't　you　know　where　he　is？〃

〃M。　Vorenglade　is　in　London；　sir。〃

Lupin　did　not　utter　a　word　on　returning　to　the　cab。　　Clarisse；　on　her　side；　did　not　even　ask　him　any　questions；　so　indifferent　had　she　become　to　everything；　so　absolutely　did　she　look　upon　her　son's　death　as　an　accompllshed　fact。

They　drove　to　the　Place　de　Cichy。　　As　Lupin　entered　the　house　he　passed　two　men　who　where　just　leaving　the　porter's　box。　　He　was　too　much　engrossed　to　notice　them。　　They　were　Prasville's　inspectors。　

〃No　telegram？〃　he　asked　his　servant。

〃No；　governor；〃　replied　Achille。

〃No　news　of　the　Masher　and　the　Growler？〃

〃No；　governor；　none。〃

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said　to　Clarisse；　in　a　casual　tone。　　〃It's　only　seven　o'clock　and　we　mustn't　reckon　on　seeing　them　before　eight　or　nine。　Prasville　will　have　to　wait；　that's　all。　　I　will　telephone　to　him　to　wait。〃

He　did　so　and　was　hanging　up　the　receiver；　when　he　heard　a　moan　behind　him。　　Clarisse　was　standing　by　the　table；　reading　an　evening…paper。　　She　put　her　hand　to　her　heart；　staggered　and　fell。

〃Achille；　Achille！〃　cried　Lupin；　calling　his　man。　　〃Help　me　put　her　on　my　bed。。。　　And　then　go　to　the　cupboard　and　get　me　the　medicine…bottle　marked　number　four；　the　bottle　with　the　sleeping…draught。〃