the crystal stopper-第58部分

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t　will　do。　　Let　us　understand　each　other。　And；　to　begin　with；　drop　your　pistols。　　You　can't　imagine　that　I　am　frightened　of　those　playthings！　　Stand　up；　sir；　stand　up；　as　I　am　doing；　and　finish　the　business：　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃

He　put　his　hand　on　Prasville's　shoulder　and；　speaking　with　great　deliberation；　said：

〃If；　within　an　hour　from　now；　you　are　not　back　from　the　Elysee；　bringing　with　you　a　line　to　say　that　the　decree　of　pardon　has　been　signed；　if；　within　one　hour　and　ten　minutes；　I；　Arsene　Lupin；　do　not　walk　out　of　this　building　safe　and　sound　and　absolutely　free；　this　evening　four　Paris　newspapers　will　receive　four　letters　selected　from　the　　correspondence　exchanged　between　Stanislas　Vorenglade　and　yourself；　the　correspondence　which　Stanislas　Vorenglade　sold　me　this　morning。　　Here's　your　hat；　here's　your　overcoat；　here's　your　stick。　　Be　off。　　I　will　wait　for　you。〃

Then　happened　this　extraordinary　and　yet　easily　understood　thing；　that　Prasville　did　not　raise　the　slightest　protest　nor　make　the　least　show　of　fight。　　He　received　the　sudden；　far…reaching；　utter　conviction　of　what　the　personality　known　as　Arsene　Lupin　meant；　in　all　its　breadth　and　fulness。　　He　did　not　so　much　as　think　of　carping；　of　pretending　　…　as　he　had　until　then　believed　…　that　the　letters　had　been　destroyed　by　Vorenglade　the　deputy　or；　at　any　rate；　that　Vorenglade　would　not　dare　to　hand　them　over；　because；　in　so　doing；　Vorenglade　was　also　working　his　own　destruction。　　No；　Prasville　did　not　speak　a　word　He　felt　himsell　caught　in　a　vise　of　which　no　human　strength　could　force　the　jaws　asunder。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　yield。　　He　yielded。　

〃Here；　in　an　hour；〃　repeated　M。　Nicole。

〃In　an　hour；〃　said　Prasville；　tamely。　　Nevertheless；　in　order　to　know　exactly　where　he　stood；　he　added；　〃The　letters；　of　course；　will　be　restored　to　me　against　Gilbert's　pardon？〃

〃No。〃

〃How　do　you　mean；　no？　　In　that　case；　there　is　no　object　in。。。　〃

〃They　will　be　restored　to　you；　intact；　two　months　after　the　day　when　my　friends　and　I　have　brought　about　Gilbert's　escape。。。　thanks　to　the　very　slack　watch　which　will　be　kept　upon　him；　in　accordance　with　your　orders。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃No；　there　are　two　further　conditions：　first；　the　immediate　payment　of　a　cheque　for　forty　thousand　francs。〃

〃Forty　thousand　francs？〃

〃The　sum　for　which　Stanislas　Vorenglade　sold　me　the　letters。　　It　is　only　fair。。。　〃

〃And　next？〃

〃Secondly；　your　resignation；　within　six　months；　of　your　present　position。〃

〃My　resignation？　　But　why？〃

M。。　Nicole　made　a　very　dignified　gesture：

〃Because　it　is　against　public　morals　that　one　of　the　highest　positions　in　the　police…service　should　be　occupied　by　a　man　whose　hands　are　not　absioutely　clean。　　Make　them　send　you　to　parliament　or　appoint　you　a　minister；　a　councillor　of　State；　an　ambassador；　in　short；　any　post　which　your　success　in　the　Daubrecq　case　entitles　you　to　demand。　　But　not　secretary…general　of　police；　anything　but　that！　　The　very　thought　of　it　disgusts　me。〃

Prasville　reflected　for　a　moment。　　He　would　have　rejoiced　in　the　sudden　destruction　of　his　adversary　and　he　racked　his　brain　for　the　means　to　effect　it。　　But　he　was　helpless。

He　went　to　the　door　and　called：

〃M。　Lartigue。〃　　And；　sinking　his　voice；　but　not　very　low；　for　he　wished　M。　Nicole　to　hear；　〃M。　Lartigue；　dismiss　your　men。　　It's　a　mistake。　　And　let　no　one　come　into　my　office　while　I　am　gone。　　This　gentleman　will　wait　for　me　here。〃

He　came　back；　took　the　hat；　stick　and　overcoat　which　M。　Nicole　handed　him　and　went　out。

〃Well　done；　sir；〃　said　Lupin；　between　his　teeth；　when　the　door　was　closed。　〃You　have　behaved　like　a　sportsman　and　a　gentleman。。。　So　did　I；　for　that　matter。。。　perhaps　with　too　obvious　a　touch　of　contempt。。。　and　a　little　too　bluntly。　　But；　tush；　this　sort　of　business　has　to　be　carried　through　with　a　high　hand！　　The　enemy's　got　to　be　staggered！　　Besides；　when　one's　own　conscience　is　clear；　one　can't　take　up　too　bullying　a　tone　with　that　sort　of　individual。　　Lift　your　head；　Lupin。　　You　have　been　the　champion　of　outraged　morality。　　Be　proud　of　your　work。　　And　now　take　a　chair；　stretch　out　your　legs　and　have　a　rest。　　You've　deserved　it。〃

When　Prasville　returned；　he　found　Lupin　sound　asleep　and　had　to　tap　him　on　the　shoulder　to　wake　him。

〃Is　it　done？　〃　asked　Lupin。

〃It's　done。　　The　pardon　will　be　signed　presently。　　Here　is　the　written　promise。〃

〃The　forty　thousand　francs？〃

〃Here's　your　cheque？〃

〃Good。　　It　but　remains　for　me　to　thank　you；　monsieur。〃

〃So　the　correspondence。。。　〃

〃The　Stanislas　Vorenglade　correspondence　will　be　handed　to　you　on　the　conditions　stated。　　However；　I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　give　you；　here　and　now；　as　a　sign　of　my　gratitude；　the　four　letters　which　I　meant　to　send　to　the　papers　this　evening。〃

〃Oh；　so　you　had　them　on　you？〃　said　Prasville。

〃I　felt　so　certain；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　that　we　should　end　by　coming　to　an　understanding。〃

He　took　from　his　hat　a　fat　envelope；　sealed　with　five　red　seals；　which　was　pinned　inside　the　lining；　and　handed　it　to　Prasville；　who　thrust　it　into　his　pocket。　　Then　he　said：

〃Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　don't　know　when　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　again。　　If　you　have　the　least　communication　to　make　to　me；　one　line　in　the　agony　column　of　the　Journal　will　be　sufficient。　　Just　head　it；　'M。　Nicole。'　　Good…day　to　you。〃

And　he　withdrew。

Prasville；　when　he　was　alone；　felt　as　if　he　were　waking　from　a　nightmare　during　which　he　had　performed　incoherent　actions　over　which　his　conscious　mind　had　no　control。　　He　was　almost　thinking　of　ringing　and　causing　a　stir　in　the　passages；　but；　just　then；　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door　and　one　of　the　office…messengers　came　hurrying　in。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Prasville。

〃Monsieur　le　se　cretaire…generaI；　it's　Monsieur　le　Depute　Daubrecq　asking　to　see　you。。。　on　a　matter　of　the　highest　importance。〃

〃Daubrecq　！〃　exclaimed　Prasville；　in　bewilderment。　　〃Daubrecq　here！　Show　him　in。〃

Daubrecq　had　not　waited　for　the　order。　　He　ran　up　to　Prasville；　out　of　breath；　with　his　clothes　in　disorder；　a　bandage　over　his　left　eye；　no　tie；　no　collar；　looking　like　an　escaped　lunatic；　and　the　door　was　not　closed　before　he　caught　hold　of　Prasville　with　his　two　enormous　hands；

〃Have　you　the　list？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　bought　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃At　the　price　of　Gilbert's　pardon？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Is　it　signed？〃

〃Yes。〃

Daubrecq　made　a　furious　gesture：

〃You　fool！　　You　fool！　　You've　been　trapped！　　For　hatred　of　me；　I　expect？　And　now　you're　going　to　take　your　revenge？〃

〃With　a　certain　satisfaction；　Daubrecq。　　Remember　my　little　friend；　the　opera…dancer；　at　Nice。。。　It's　your　turn　now　to　dance。〃

〃So　it　means　prison？〃

〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　Prasville。　　〃Besides；　it　doesn't　matter。　You're　done　for；　anyhow。　　Deprived　of　the　list；　without　defence　of　any　kind；　you're　bound　to　fall　to　pieces　of　your　own　weight。　　And　I　shall　be　present　at　the　break…up。　　That's　my　revenge。〃

〃And　you　believe　that！〃　yelled　Daubrecq；　furiously。　　'You　believe　that　they　will　wring　my　neck　like　a　chicken's　and　that　I　shall　not　know　how　to　defend　myself　and　that　I　have　no　claws　left　and　no　teeth　to　bite　with！　Well；　my　boy；　if　I　do　co