the crystal stopper-第7部分

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room　to　make　sure　that　there　was　nothing　to　betray　their　visit。

The　position　was　becoming　critical　for　Lupin。　　He　ran　the　risk　of　knocking　up　against　Daubrecq；　if　he　went　away；　or　of　not　being　able　to　get　out；　if　he　remained。　　But；　on　ascertaining　that　the　dining…room　windows　afforded　a　direct　means　of　exit　to　the　square；　he　resolved　to　stay。　　Besides；　the　opportunity　of　obtaining　a　close　view　of　Daubrecq　was　too　good　to　refuse；　and；　as　Daubrecq　had　been　out　to　dinner；　there　was　not　much　chance　of　his　entering　the　dining…room。

Lupin；　therefore；　waited；　holding　himself　ready　to　hide　behind　a　velvet　curtain　that　could　be　drawn　across　the　glazed　partition　in　case　of　need。

He　heard　the　sound　of　doors　opening　and　shutting。　　Some　one　walked　into　the　study　and　switched　on　the　light。　　He　recognized　Daubrecq。

The　deputy　was　a　stout；　thickset；　bull…necked　man；　very　nearly　bald；　with　a　fringe　of　gray　whiskers　round　his　chin　and　wearing　a　pair　of　black　eye…glasses　under　his　spectacles；　for　his　eyes　were　weak　and　strained。　Lupin　noticed　the　powerful　features；　the　square　chin；　the　prominent　cheek…bones。　　The　hands　were　brawny　and　covered　with　hair；　the　legs　bowed；　and　he　walked　with　a　stoop；　bearing　first　on　one　hip　and　then　on　the　other；　which　gave　him　something　of　the　gait　of　a　gorilla。　　But　the　face　was　topped　by　an　enormous；　lined　forehead；　indented　with　hollows　and　dotted　with　bumps。

There　was　something　bestial；　something　savage；　something　repulsive　about　the　man's　whole　personality。　　Lupin　remembered　that；　in　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　Daubrecq　was　nicknamed〃　The　Wild　Man　of　the　Woods〃　and　that　he　was　so　labelled　not　only　because　he　stood　aloof　and　hardly　ever　mixed　with　his　fellow…members；　but　also　because　of　his　appearance；　his　behaviour；　his　peculiar　gait　and　his　remarkable　muscular　development。

He　sat　down　to　his　desk；　took　a　meerschaum　pipe　from　his　pocket；　selected　a　packet　of　caporal　among　several　packets　of　tobacco　which　lay　drying　in　a　bowl；　tore　open　the　wrapper；　filled　his　pipe　and　lit　it。　　Then　he　began　to　write　letters。

Presently　he　ceased　his　work　and　sat　thinking；　with　his　attention　fixed　on　a　spot　on　his　desk。

He　lifted　a　little　stamp…box　and　examined　it。　　Next；　he　verified　the　position　of　different　articles　which　Prasville　had　touched　and　replaced；　and　he　searched　them　with　his　eyes；　felt　them　with　his　hands；　bending　over　them　as　though　certain　signs；　known　to　himself　alone；　were　able　to　tell　him　what　he　wished　to　know。

Lastly；　he　grasped　the　knob　on　an　electric　bell…push　and　rang。　　The　portress　appeared　a　minute　later。

He　asked：

〃They've　been；　haven't　they？〃　

And；　when　the　woman　hesitated　about　replying；　he　insisted：

〃Come；　come；　Clemence；　did　you　open　this　stampbox？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Well；　I　fastened　the　lid　down　with　a　little　strip　of　gummed　paper。　　The　strip　has　been　broken。〃

〃But　I　assure　you；。。。　〃　the　woman　began。

〃Why　tell　lies；〃　he　said；　〃considering　that　I　myself　instructed　you　to　lend　yourself　to　those　visits？〃

　　　　　〃The　fact　is。。。　〃

〃The　fact　is　that　you　want　to　keep　on　good　terms　with　both　sides。。。　Very　well！〃　He　handed　her　a　fifty…franc　note　and　repeated；　〃Have　they　been？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃The　same　men　as　in　the　spring？〃

〃Yes；　all　five　of　them。。。　with　another　one；　who　ordered　them　about。〃

〃A　tall；　dark　man？〃

Yes。〃

Lupin　saw　Daubrecq's　mouth　hardening；　and　Daubrecq　continued：

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃There　was　one　more；　who　came　after　they　did　and　joined　them。。。　and　then；　just　now；　two　more；　the　pair　who　usually　keep　watch　outside　the　house。〃

〃Did　they　remain　in　the　study？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃And　they　went　away　when　I　came　back？　　A　few　minutes　before；　perhaps？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃That　will　do。〃

The　woman　left　the　room。　　Daubrecq　returned　to　his　letter…writing。　　Then；　stretching　out　his　arm；　he　made　some　marks　on　a　white　writing…tablet；　at　the　end　of　his　desk；　and　rested　it　against　the　desk；　as　though　he　wished　to　keep　it　in　sight。　　The　marks　were　figures；　and　Lupin　was　able　to　read　the　following　subtraction…sum：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃9…　8　=1〃

And　Daubrecq；　speaking　between　his　teeth；　thoughtfully　uttered　the　syllables：

〃Eight　from　nine　leaves　one。。。　There's　not　a　doubt　about　that；〃　he　added；　aloud。　　He　wrote　one　more　letter；　a　very　short　one；　and　addressed　the　envelope　with　an　inscription　which　Lupin　was　able　to　decipher　when　the　letter　was　placed　beside　the　writing…tablet：

〃To　Monsieur　Prasville；　〃Secretary…general　of　the　Prefecture　of　Police。〃

Then　he　rang　the　bell　again：

〃Clemence；〃　he　said；　to　the　portress；　〃did　you　go　to　school　as　a　child？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　of　course　I　did。〃

〃And　were　you　taught　arithmetic？〃

〃Why；　sir。。。　〃

〃Well；　you're　not　very　good　at　subtraction。〃

〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃

〃Because　you　don't　know　that　nine　minus　eight　equals　one。　　And　that；　you　see；　is　a　fact　of　the　highest　importance。　Life　becomes　impossible　if　you　are　ignorant　of　that　fundamental　truth。〃

He　rose；　as　he　spoke；　and　walked　round　the　room；　with　his　hands　behind　his　back；　swaying　upon　his　hips。　　He　did　so　once　more。　　Then；　stopping　at　the　dining…room；　he　opened　the　door：

〃For　that　matter；　there's　another　way　of　putting　the　problem。　　Take　eight　from　nine；　and　one　remains。　　And　the　one　who　remains　is　here；　eh？　Correct！　　And　monsieur　supplies　us　with　a　striking　proof；　does　he　not？〃

He　patted　the　velvet　curtain　in　which　Lupin　had　hurriedly　wrapped　himself：

〃Upon　my　word；　sir；　you　must　be　stifling　under　this！　　Not　to　say　that　I　might　have　amused　myself　by　sticking　a　dagger　through　the　curtain。　Remember　Hamlet's　madness　and　Polonius'　death：　'How　now！　A　rat？　Dead；　for　a　ducat；　dead！'　　Come　along；　Mr。　Polonius；　come　out　of　your　hole。〃

It　was　one　of　those　positions　to　which　Lupin　was　not　accustomed　and　which　he　loathed。　　To　catch　others　in　a　trap　and　pull　their　leg　was　all　very　well；　but　it　was　a　very　different　thing　to　have　people　teasing　him　and　roaring　with　laughter　at　his　expense。　　Yet　what　could　he　answer　back？

〃You　look　a　little　pale；　Mr。　Polonius。。。　Hullo！　　Why；　it's　the　respectable　old　gentleman　who　has　been　hanging　about　the　square　for　some　days！　　So　you　belong　to　the　police　too；　Mr。　Polonius？　　There；　there；　pull　yourself　together；　I　sha'n't　hurt　you！。。。　　But　you　see；　Clemence；　how　right　my　calculation　was。　　You　told　me　that　nine　spies　had　been　to　the　house。　　I　counted　a　troop　of　eight；　as　I　came　along；　eight　of　them　in　the　distance；　down　the　avenue。　　Take　eight　from　nine　and　one　remains：　the　one　who　evidently　remained　behind　to　see　what　he　could　see。　　Ecce　homo！〃

〃Well？　　And　then？〃　　said　Lupin；　who　felt　a　mad　craving　to　fly　at　the　fellow　and　reduce　him　to　silence。

〃And　then？　　Nothing　at　all；　my　good　man。。。　What　more　do　you　want？　　The　farce　is　over。　　I　will　only　ask　you　to　take　this　little　note　to　Master　Prasville；　your　employer。　　Clemence；　please　show　Mr。　Polonius　out。　　And；　if　ever　he　calls　again；　fling　open　the　doors　wide　to　him。　　Pray　look　upon　this　as　your　home；　Mr。　Polonius。　　Your　servant；　sir！。。。　〃

Lupin　hesitated。　　He　would　have　liked　to　talk　big　and　to　come　out　with　a　farewell　phrase；　a　parting　speech；　like　an　actor　making　a　showy　exit　from　the　stage；　and　at　least　to　disappear　with　the　honour