The Blonde Lady
Page 3
CHAPTER III
HOLMLOCK SHEARS OPENS HOSTILITIES
"What can I get you, gentlemen?"
"Anything you please," replied Arsene Lupin, in the voice of a man whotakes no interest in his food. "Anything you please, but no meat orwine."
The waiter walked away, with a scornful air.
I exclaimed:
"Do you mean to say that you are still a vegetarian?"
"Yes, more than ever," said Lupin.
"From taste? Conviction? Habit?"
"For reasons of health."
"And do you never break your rule?"
"Oh, yes ... when I go out to dinner, so as not to appear eccentric."
We were dining near the Gare du Nord, inside a little restaurant whereArsene Lupin had invited me to join him. He is rather fond oftelegraphing to me, occasionally, in the morning and arranging a meetingof this kind in some corner or other of Paris. He always arrives in thehighest spirits, rejoicing in life, unaffectedly and good-humouredly,and always has some surprising anecdote to tell me, some memory, thestory of some adventure that I have not heard before.
That evening, he seemed to me to let himself go even more than usual. Helaughed and chatted with a singular animation and with that delicateirony which is all his own, an irony devoid of bitterness, light andspontaneous. It was a pleasure to see him like that, and I could nothelp expressing my satisfaction.
"Oh, yes," he cried, "I have days when everything seems delightful, whenlife bubbles in me like an infinite treasure which I can never exhaust.And yet goodness knows that I live without counting!"
"Too much so, perhaps."
"The treasure is infinite, I tell you! I can spend myself and squandermyself, I can fling my strength and my youth to the four winds of heavenand I am only making room for greater and more youthful strength.... Andthen, really, my life is so beautiful!... I need only have thewish--isn't it so?--to become, from one day to the next, anything: anorator, a great manufacturer, a politician.... Well, I swear to you, theidea would never enter my head! Arsene Lupin I am, Arsene Lupin Iremain. And I search history in vain for a destiny to compare with mine,fuller, more intense.... Napoleon? Yes, perhaps.... But then it isNapoleon at the end of his imperial career, during the campaign inFrance, when Europe was crushing him and when he was wondering whethereach battle was not the last which he would fight."
Was he serious? Was he jesting? The tone of his voice had grown moreeager and he continued:
"Everything's there, you see: danger! The uninterrupted impression ofdanger! Oh, to breathe it like the air one breathes, to feel it aroundone, blowing, roaring, lying in wait, approaching!... And, in the midstof the storm, to remain calm ... not to flinch!... If you do, you arelost.... There is only one sensation to equal it, that of the chauffeurdriving his car. But that drive lasts for a morning, whereas mine lastsall through life!"
"How lyrical we are!" I cried. "And you would have me believe that youhave no special reason for excitement!"
He smiled.
"You're a shrewd enough psychologist," he replied. "There is somethingmore, as you say."
He poured out a tumbler of water, drank it down and asked:
"Have you seen the _Temps_ to-day?"
"No."
"Holmlock Shears was to have crossed the Channel this afternoon; hearrived in Paris at six."
"The devil he did! And why?"
"He's taking a little trip at the expense of the Crozons, Hautrec'snephew and the Gerbois fellow. They all met at the Gare du Nord and wenton to see Ganimard. The six of them are in conference at this moment."
Notwithstanding the immense curiosity with which he inspires me, I neverventure to question Arsene Lupin as to the acts of his private lifeuntil he has spoken of them to me himself. It is a matter of discretionon my part, with which I never compound. Besides, at that time, his namehad not yet been mentioned, at least not publicly, in connection withthe blue diamond. I waited patiently, therefore. He continued:
"The _Temps_ also prints an interview with that excellent Ganimard,according to which a certain blonde lady, said to be my friend, issupposed to have murdered Baron d'Hautrec and tried to steal his famousring from Madame de Crozon. And it goes without saying that he accusesme of being the instigator of both these crimes."
A slight shiver passed through me. Could it be true? Was I to believethat the habit of theft, his mode of life, the sheer logic of events haddriven this man to murder? I looked at him. He seemed so calm! His eyesmet mine so frankly!
I examined his hands: they were modelled with infinite daintiness, werereally inoffensive hands, the hands of an artist.
"Ganimard is a lunatic," I muttered.
He protested:
"Not a bit of it, not a bit of it! Ganimard is shrewd enough ...sometimes he's even quick-witted."
"Quick-witted!"
"Yes, yes. For instance, this interview is a masterstroke. First, heannounces the coming of his English rival, so as to put me on my guardand make Shears's task more difficult. Secondly, he specifies the exactpoint to which he has carried the case, so that Shears may enjoy onlythe benefit of his own discoveries. That's fair fighting."
"Still you have two adversaries to deal with now; and suchadversaries!"
"Oh, one of them doesn't count."
"And the other?"
"Shears? Oh, I admit that he's more of a match for me; but that's justwhat I love and why you see me in such good spirits. To begin with,there's the question of my vanity: they consider that I'm worth askingthe famous Englishman to meet. Next, think of the pleasure which afighter like myself must take in the prospect of a duel with HolmlockShears. Well, I shall have to exert myself to the utmost. For I know thefellow: he won't retreat a step."
"He's a clever man."
"A very clever man. As a detective, I doubt if his equal exists, or hasever existed. Only, I have one advantage over him, which is that he'sattacking, while I'm on the defensive. Mine is the easier game to play.Besides ..." He gave an imperceptible smile before completing hisphrase. "Besides, I know his way of fighting, and he does not know mine.And I have a few sly thrusts in store for him which will give himsomething to think about...."
He tapped the table lightly with his fingers and flung out littlesentences with a delighted air:
"Arsene Lupin versus Holmlock Shears! France versus England.... Revengefor Trafalgar at last!... Ah, the poor wretch ... he little thinks thatI am prepared ... and a Lupin armed...."
He stopped suddenly, seized with a fit of coughing, and hid his face inhis napkin, as though something had gone down the wrong way.
"What is it?" I asked. "A crumb?... Why don't you take some water?"
"No, it's not that," he gasped.
"What, then?"
"I want air."
"Shall I open the window?"
"No, I shall go out.... Quick, give me my hat and coat.... I'm off!"
"But what does it all mean?"
"You see the taller of those two men who have just come in? Well, I wantyou to keep on my left as we go out, to prevent his seeing me."
"The one sitting behind you?..."
"Yes.... For personal reasons, I prefer.... I'll tell you whyoutside...."
"But who is it?"
"Holmlock Shears."
He made a violent effort to overcome his agitation, as though he feltashamed of it, put down his napkin, drank a glass of water and then,quite recovered, said, with a smile:
"It's funny, isn't it? I'm not easily excited but this unexpectedmeeting...."
"What are you afraid of, seeing that no one can recognize you under allyour transformations? I myself, each time I see you, feel as if I werewith a new person."
"_He_ will recognize me," said Arsene Lupin. "_He_ saw me only once,[1]but I felt that he saw me for life and that what he saw was not myappearance, which I can always alter, but the very being that I am....And then ... and then ... I wasn't prepared.... What a curiousmeeting!... In this little restaurant!..."
"Well," said I, "shall we go?"
"No ... no...."
"What do you propose to do?"
"The best thing will be to act frankly ... to trust him."
"You can't be serious?"
"Oh, but I am.... Besides, it would be a good thing to question him, toknow what he knows.... Ah, there, I feel that his eyes are fixed on myneck, on my shoulders.... He's trying to think ... to remember...."
He reflected. I noticed a mischievous smile on his lips; and then,obeying, I believe, some whim of his frivolous nature rather than theneeds of the position itself, he rose abruptly, spun round on his heelsand, with a bow, said, gaily:
"What a stroke of luck! Who would have thought it?... Allow me tointroduce my friend."
For a second or two, the Englishman was taken aback. Then he made aninstinctive movement, as though he were ready to fling himself uponArsene Lupin. Lupin shook his head:
"That would be a mistake ... to say nothing of the bad taste of it ...and the uselessness!"
The Englishman turned his head from side to side, as though looking forassistance.
"That's no better.... And also, are you quite sure that you are entitledto lay hands upon me? Come, be a sportsman!"
The display of sportsmanlike qualities was not particularly tempting onthis occasion. Nevertheless, it probably appeared to Shears to be thewisest course; for he half rose and coldly introduced his companion:
"Mr. Wilson, my friend and assistant ... M. Arsene Lupin."
Wilson's stupefaction made us all laugh. His eyes and mouth, both wideopen, drew two streaks across his expansive face, with its skin gleamingand tight-stretched like an apple's, while his bristly hair stood uplike so many thick-set, hardy blades of grass.
"Wilson, you don't seem able to conceal your bewilderment at one of themost natural incidents in the world," grinned Holmlock Shears, with atouch of sarcasm in his voice.
Wilson stammered:
"Why ... why don't you arrest him?"
"Don't you see, Wilson, that the gentleman is standing between the doorand myself and at two steps from the door. Before I moved a finger, hewould be outside."
"Don't let that stand in your way," said Lupin.
He walked round the table and sat down so that the Englishman wasbetween him and the door, thus placing himself at his mercy. Wilsonlooked at Shears to see if he might admire this piece of pluck. Shearsremained impenetrable. But, after a moment, he called.
"Waiter!"
The waiter came up.
"Four whiskeys and sodas."
Peace was signed ... until further orders. Soon after, seated all fourround one table, we were quietly chatting.
* * * * *
Footnote
[1] See _The Seven of Hearts_, by Maurice Leblanc. Chapter IX:_Holmlock Shears Arrives Too Late_.
* * * * *
Holmlock Shears is a man ... of the sort one meets every day. He isabout fifty years of age and looks like a decent City clerk who hasspent his life keeping books at a desk. He has nothing to distinguishhim from the ordinary respectable Londoner, with his clean-shaven faceand his somewhat heavy appearance, nothing except his terribly keen,bright, penetrating eyes.
And then, of course, he is Holmlock Shears, that is to say, a sort ofmiracle of intuition, of insight, of perspicacity, of shrewdness. It isas though nature had amused herself by taking the two most extraordinarytypes of detective that fiction had invented, Poe's Dupin and Gaboriau'sLecoq, in order to build up one in her own fashion, more extraordinaryyet and more unreal. And, upon my word, any one hearing of theadventures which have made the name of Holmlock Shears famous all overthe world must feel inclined to ask if he is not a legendary person, ahero who has stepped straight from the brain of some great novel-writer,of a Conan Doyle, for instance.
He at once, when Arsene Lupin asked him how long he meant to stay, ledthe conversation into its right channel and replied:
"That depends upon yourself, M. Lupin."
"Oh," exclaimed the other, laughing, "if it depended on me, I should askyou to take to-night's boat back."
"To-night is rather early. But I hope in a week or ten days...."
"Are you in such a hurry?"
"I am very busy. There's the robbery at the Anglo-Chinese Bank; and LadyEccleston has been kidnapped, as you know.... Tell me, M. Lupin, do youthink a week will do?"
"Amply, if you confine yourself to the two cases connected with the bluediamond. It will just give me time to take my precautions, supposing thesolution of those two mysteries to give you certain advantages over methat might endanger my safety."
"Yes," said the Englishman, "I expect to have gained those advantages ina week or ten days."
"And to have me arrested on the eleventh?"
"On the tenth, at the very latest."
Lupin reflected and, shaking his head:
"It will be difficult ... it will be difficult...."
"Difficult, yes, but possible and, therefore, certain...."
"Absolutely certain," said Wilson, as though he himself had clearlyperceived the long series of operations which would lead his friend tothe result announced.
Holmlock Shears smiled:
"Wilson, who knows what he is talking about, is there to confirm what Isay." And he went on, "Of course, I have not all the cards in my hands,because the case is already a good many months old. I have not thefactors, the clues upon which I am accustomed to base my inquiries."
"Such as mud-stains and cigarette-ashes," said Wilson, with an air ofimportance.
"But, in addition to the remarkable conclusions arrived at byM. Ganimard, I have at my service all the articles written on thesubject, all the evidence collected and, consequently, a few ideasof my own regarding the mystery."
"A few views suggested to us either by analysis or hypothesis," addedWilson, sententiously.
"Would it be indiscreet," said Arsene Lupin, in the deferential tonewhich he adopted toward Shears, "would it be indiscreet to ask whatgeneral opinion you have been able to form?"
It was really most stimulating to see those two men seated together,with their elbows on the table, arguing solemnly and dispassionately, asthough they were trying to solve a steep problem or to come to anagreement on some controversial point. And this was coupled with a verydelicate irony, which both of them, as experts and artists, thoroughlyenjoyed. As for Wilson, he was in the seventh heaven.
Shears slowly filled his pipe, lit it and said:
"I consider that this case is infinitely less complicated than itappears at first sight."
"Very much less," echoed Wilson, faithfully.
"I say the case, for, in my opinion, there is but one case. The death ofBaron d'Hautrec, the story of the ring and--don't let us forgetthat--the mystery of number 514, series 23, are only the differentaspects of what we may call the puzzle of the blonde lady. Now, in myopinion, what lies before me is simply to discover the link whichconnects these three phases of the same story, the particular fact whichproves the uniformity of the three methods. Ganimard, who is a littlesuperficial in his judgments, sees this uniformity in the faculty ofdisappearing, in the power of coming and going unseen. Thisintervention of miracles does not satisfy me."
"Well?"
"Well, according to me," said Shears, decidedly, "the characteristicshared by the three incidents lies in your manifest and evident,although hitherto unperceived intention to have the affair performed ona stage which you have previously selected. This points to somethingmore than a plan on your part: a necessity rather, a _sine qua non_ ofsuccess."
"Could you give a few particulars?"
"Easily. For instance, from the commencement of your contest withM. Gerbois, it was _evident_ that Maitre Detinan's flat was the placeselected by you, the inevitable place at which you were all to meet. Noplace seemed quite as safe to you, so much so that you made what onemight almost call a public appointment there with the blonde lady andMlle. Gerboi
s."
"The daughter of the professor," explained Wilson.
"Let us now speak of the blue diamond. Did you try to get hold of itduring all the years that Baron d'Hautrec had it in his possession? No.But the baron moves into his brother's house: six months later,Antoinette Brehat appears upon the scene and the first attempt ismade.... You fail to secure the diamond and the sale takes place, amidgreat excitement, at the Hotel Drouot. Is the sale free? Is the richestbidder sure of getting the diamond? Not at all. At the moment whenHerschmann is about to become the owner, a lady has a threatening letterthrust into his hand and the diamond goes to the Comtesse de Crozon, whohas been worked upon and influenced by the same lady. Does it vanish atonce? No: you lack the facilities. So an interval ensues. But thecountess moves to her country-house. This is what you were waiting for.The ring disappears."
"To reappear in the tooth-powder of Bleichen, the consul," objectedLupin. "How odd!"
"Come, come!" said Shears, striking the table with his fist. "Tell thatto the marines. You can take in fools with that, but not an old fox likeme."
"What do you mean?"
Shears took his time, as though he wished to save up his effect. Then hesaid:
"The blue diamond found in the tooth-powder is an imitation diamond. Thereal one you kept."
Arsene Lupin was silent for a moment and then, with his eyes fixed onthe Englishman, said very simply:
"You're a great man, sir."
"Isn't he?" said Wilson, emphatically and gaping with admiration.
"Yes," said Lupin, "everything becomes cleared up and appears in itstrue sense. Not one of the examining magistrates, not one of the specialreporters who have been exciting themselves about these cases has comehalf as near the truth. I look upon you as a marvel of insight andlogic."
"Pooh!" said the Englishman, flattered at the compliment paid him by sogreat an expert. "It only needed a little thought."
"It needed to know how to use one's thought; and there are so few who doknow. But, now that the field of surmise has been narrowed and theground swept clear...."
"Well, now, all that I have to do is to discover why the three caseswere enacted at 25, Rue Clapeyron, at 134, Avenue Henri-Martin andwithin the walls of the Chateau de Crozon. The whole case lies there.The rest is mere talk and child's play. Don't you agree?"
"I agree."
"In that case, M. Lupin, am I not right in saying that I shall havefinished my business in ten days?"
"In ten days, yes, the whole truth will be known."
"And you will be arrested."
"No."
"No?"
"For me to be arrested there would have to be a conjunction of suchunlikely circumstances, a series of such stupefying pieces of ill-luck,that I cannot admit the possibility."
"What neither circumstances nor luck may be able to effect, M. Lupin,can be brought about by one man's will and persistence."
"If the will and persistence of another man do not oppose an invincibleobstacle to that plan, Mr. Shears."
"There is no such thing as an invincible obstacle, M. Lupin."
The two exchanged a penetrating glance, free from provocation on eitherside, but calm and fearless. It was the clash of two swords about toopen the combat. It sounded clear and frank.
"Joy!" cried Lupin. "Here's a man at last! An adversary is a _rara avis_at any time; and this one is Holmlock Shears! We shall have somesport."
"You're not afraid?" asked Wilson.
"Very nearly, Mr. Wilson," said Lupin, rising, "and the proof is that Iam going to hurry to make good my retreat ... else I might risk beingcaught napping. Ten days, we said, Mr. Shears?"
"Ten days. This is Sunday. It will all be over by Wednesday week."
"And I shall be under lock and key?"
"Without the slightest doubt."
"By Jove! And I was congratulating myself on my quiet life! No bothers,a good, steady little business, the police sent to the right about and acomforting sense of the general sympathy that surrounds me.... We shallhave to change all this! It is the reverse of the medal.... Aftersunshine comes rain.... This is no time for laughing! Good-bye."
"Look sharp!" said Wilson, full of solicitude on behalf of a person whomShears inspired with such obvious respect. "Don't lose a minute."
"Not a minute, Mr. Wilson, except to tell you how pleased I have been tomeet you and how I envy the leader who has an assistant so valuable asyourself."
Courteous bows were exchanged, as between two adversaries on thefencing-ground who bear each other no hatred, but who are constrainedby fate to fight to the death. And Lupin took my arm and dragged meoutside:
"What do you say to that, old fellow? There's a dinner that will beworth describing in your memoirs of me!"
He closed the door of the restaurant and, stopping a little way off:
"Do you smoke?"
"No, but no more do you, surely."
"No more do I."
He lit a cigarette with a wax match which he waved several times to putit out. But he at once flung away the cigarette, ran across the road andjoined two men who had emerged from the shadow, as though summoned by asignal. He talked to them for a few minutes on the opposite pavement andthen returned to me:
"I beg your pardon; but I shall have my work cut out with thatconfounded Shears. I swear, however, that he has not done with Lupinyet.... By Jupiter, I'll show the fellow the stuff I'm made of!... Goodnight.... The unspeakable Wilson is right: I have not a minute to lose."
He walked rapidly away.
Thus ended that strange evening, or, at least that part of it with whichI had to do. For many other incidents occurred during the hours thatfollowed, events which the confidences of the others who were present atthat dinner have fortunately enabled me to reconstruct in detail.
* * * * *
At the very moment when Lupin left me, Holmlock Shears took out hiswatch and rose in his turn:
"Twenty to nine. At nine o'clock, I am to meet the count and countess atthe railway station."
"Let's go!" cried Wilson, tossing off two glasses of whiskey insuccession.
They went out.
"Wilson, don't turn your head.... We may be followed: if so, let us actas though we don't care whether we are or not.... Tell me, Wilson,what's your opinion: why was Lupin in that restaurant?"
Wilson, without hesitation, replied:
"To get some dinner."
"Wilson, the longer we work together, the more clearly I perceive theconstant progress you are making. Upon my word, you're becomingamazing."
Wilson blushed with satisfaction in the dark; and Shears resumed:
"Yes, he went to get some dinner and then, most likely, to make sure ifI am really going to Crozon, as Ganimard says I am, in his interview. Ishall leave, therefore, so as not to disappoint him. But, as it is aquestion of gaining time upon him, I shall not leave."
"Ah!" said Wilson, nonplussed.
"I want you, old chap, to go down this street. Take a cab, take twocabs, three cabs. Come back later to fetch the bags which we left in thecloak room and then drive as fast as you can to the Elysee-Palace."
"And what am I to do at the Elysee-Palace?"
"Ask for a room, go to bed, sleep the sleep of the just and await myinstructions."
* * * * *
Wilson, proud of the important task allotted to him, went off. HolmlockShears took his ticket at the railway station and entered the Amiensexpress, in which the Comte and Comtesse de Crozon had already takentheir seats.
He merely bowed to them, lit a second pipe and smoked it placidly,standing, in the corridor.
The train started. Ten minutes later, he came and sat down beside thecountess and asked:
"Have you the ring on you, madame?"
"Yes."
"Please let me look at it."
He took it and examined it:
"As I thought: it is a faked diamond."
"Faked?"
"Why, but my diamond is real!"
"Yes, yours; but this is not yours."
"Where is mine, then?"
"In the hands of Arsene Lupin."
"And this one?"
"This one was put in its place and slipped into Herr Bleichen'stooth-powder flask, where you found it."
"Then it's an imitation?"
"Absolutely."
Nonplussed and overwhelmed, the countess said nothing more, while herhusband, refusing to believe the statement, turned the jewel over andover in his fingers. She finished by stammering out:
"But it's impossible! Why didn't they just simply take it? And how didthey get it?"
"That's just what I mean to try to discover."
"At Crozon?"
"No, I shall get out at Creil and return to Paris. That's where thegame between Arsene Lupin and myself must be played out. The tricks willcount the same, wherever we make them; but it is better that Lupinshould think that I am out of town."
"Still ..."
"What difference can it make to you, madame? The main object is yourdiamond, is it not?"
"Yes."
"Well, set your mind at rest. Only a little while ago, I gave anundertaking which will be much more difficult to keep. On the word ofHolmlock Shears, you shall have the real diamond back."
The train slowed down. He put the imitation diamond in his pocket andopened the carriage-door. The count cried:
"Take care; that's the wrong side!"
"Lupin will lose my tracks this way, if he's having me shadowed.Good-bye."
A porter protested. The Englishman made for the station-master's office.Fifty minutes later, he jumped into a train which brought him back toParis a little before midnight.
He ran across the station into the refreshment room, went out by theother door and sprang into a cab:
"Drive to the Rue Clapeyron."
After making sure that he was not being followed, he stopped the cab atthe commencement of the street and began to make a careful examinationof the house in which Maitre Detinan lived and of the two adjoininghouses. He paced off certain distances and noted the measurements in hismemorandum book:
"Now drive to the Avenue Henri-Martin."
He dismissed his cab at the corner of the avenue and the Rue de laPompe, walked along the pavement to No. 134 and went through the sameperformance in front of the house which Baron d'Hautrec had occupied andthe two houses by which it was hemmed in on either side, measuring thewidth of their respective frontages and calculating the depth of thelittle gardens in front of the houses.
The avenue was deserted and very dark under its four rows of trees, amidwhich an occasional gas-jet seemed to struggle vainly against thethickness of the gloom. One of these lamps threw a pale light upon apart of the house and Shears saw the notice "To Let" hanging on therailings, saw the two neglected walks that encircled the miniature lawnand the great empty windows of the uninhabited house.
"That's true," he thought. "There has been no tenant since the baron'sdeath.... Ah, if I could just get in and make a preliminary visit!"
The idea no sooner passed through his mind than he wanted to put it intoexecution. But how to manage? The height of the gate made it impossiblefor him to climb it. He took an electric lantern from his pocket, aswell as a skeleton key which he always carried. To his great surprise,he found that one of the doors of the gate was standing ajar. He,therefore, slipped into the garden, taking care not to close the gatebehind him. He had not gone three steps, when he stopped. A glimmer oflight had passed along one of the windows on the second floor.
And the glimmer passed along a second window and a third, while he wasable to see nothing but a shadow outlined against the walls of therooms. And the glimmer descended from the second floor to the first and,for a long time, wandered from room to room.
"Who on earth can be walking about, at one in the morning, in the housewhere Baron d'Hautrec was murdered?" thought Shears, feeling immenselyinterested.
There was only one way of finding out, which was to enter the househimself. He did not hesitate. But the man must have seen him as hecrossed the belt of light cast by the gas-jet and made his way to thesteps, for the glimmer suddenly went out and Shears did not see itagain.
He softly tried the door at the top of the steps. It was open also.Hearing no sound, he ventured to penetrate the darkness, felt for theknob of the baluster, found it and went up one floor. The same silence,the same darkness continued to reign.
On reaching the landing, he entered one of the rooms and went to thewindow, which showed white in the dim light of the night outside.Through the window, he caught sight of the man, who had doubtless gonedown by another staircase and out by another door and was now slippingalong the shrubs, on the left, that lined the wall separating the twogardens:
"Dash it!" exclaimed Shears. "He'll escape me!"
He rushed downstairs and leapt into the garden, with a view to cuttingoff the man's retreat. At first, he saw no one; and it was some secondsbefore he distinguished, among the confused heap of shrubs, a darkerform which was not quite stationary.
The Englishman paused to reflect. Why had the fellow not tried to runaway when he could easily have done so? Was he staying there to spy, inhis turn, upon the intruder who had disturbed him in his mysteriouserrand?
"In any case," thought Shears, "it is not Lupin. Lupin would becleverer. It must be one of his gang."
Long minutes passed. Shears stood motionless, with his eyes fixed uponthe adversary who was watching him. But, as the adversary was motionlesstoo and as the Englishman was not the man to hang about doing nothing,he felt to see if the cylinder of his revolver worked, loosened hisdagger in its sheath and walked straight up to the enemy, with the cooldaring and the contempt of danger which make him so formidable.
A sharp sound: the man was cocking his revolver. Shears rushed into theshrubbery. The other had no time to turn: the Englishman was upon him.There was a violent and desperate struggle, amid which Shears was awarethat the man was making every effort to draw his knife. But Shears,stimulated by the thought of his coming victory and by the fiercelonging to lay hold at once of this accomplice of Arsene Lupin's, feltan irresistible strength welling up within himself. He threw hisadversary, bore upon him with all his weight and, holding him down withhis five fingers clutching at his throat like so many claws, he felt forhis electric lantern with the hand that was free, pressed the button andthrew the light upon his prisoner's face:
"Wilson!" he shouted, in terror.
"Holmlock Shears!" gasped a hollow, stifled voice.
* * * * *
They remained long staring at each other, without exchanging a word,dumbfounded, stupefied. The air was torn by the horn of a motor-car. Abreath of wind rustled through the leaves. And Shears did not stir, hisfingers still fixed in Wilson's throat, which continued to emit an everfainter rattle.
And, suddenly, Shears, overcome with rage, let go his friend, but onlyto seize him by the shoulders and shake him frantically:
"What are you doing here? Answer me!... What are you here for?... Whotold you to hide in the shrubbery and watch me?"
"Watch you?" groaned Wilson. "But I didn't know it was you."
"Then what? Why are you here? I told you to go to bed."
"I did go to bed."
"I told you to go to sleep."
"I did."
"You had no business to wake up."
"Your letter...."
"What letter?"
"The letter from you which a commissionaire brought me at the hotel."
"A letter from me? You're mad!"
"I assure you."
"Where is the letter?"
Wilson produced a sheet of note-paper and, by the light of his lantern,Shears read, in amazement:
"Get up at once, W
ilson, and go to the Avenue Henri-Martin as fast as you can. The house is empty. Go in, inspect it, make out an exact plan and go back to bed.
"HOLMLOCK SHEARS."
"I was busy measuring the rooms," said Wilson, "when I saw a shadow inthe garden. I had only one idea...."
"To catch the shadow.... The idea was excellent.... Only, look here,Wilson," said Shears, helping his friend up and leading him away, "nexttime you get a letter from me, make sure first that it's not a forgery."
"Then the letter was not from you?" asked Wilson, who began to have aglimmering of the truth.
"No, worse luck!"
"Who wrote it, then?"
"Arsene Lupin."
"But with what object?"
"I don't know, and that's just what bothers me. Why the deuce should hetake the trouble to disturb your night's rest? If it were myself, Icould understand, but you.... I can't see what interest...."
"I am anxious to get back to the hotel."
"So am I, Wilson."
They reached the gate. Wilson, who was in front, took hold of one of thebars and pulled it:
"Hullo!" he said. "Did you shut it?"
"Certainly not: I left the gate ajar."
"But ..."
Shears pulled in his turn and then frantically flung himself upon thelock. An oath escaped him:
"Damn it all! It's locked!... The gate's locked!"
He shook the gate with all his might, but, soon realizing thehopelessness of his exertions, let his arms fall to his sides indiscouragement and jerked out:
"I understand the whole thing now: it's his doing! He foresaw that Ishould get out at Creil and he laid a pretty little trap for me, in caseI should come to start my inquiry to-night. In addition, he had thekindness to send you to keep me company in my captivity. All this tomake me lose a day and also, no doubt, to show me that I would do muchbetter to mind my own business...."
"That is to say that we are his prisoners."
"You speak like a book. Holmlock Shears and Wilson are the prisoners ofArsene Lupin. The adventure is beginning splendidly.... But no, no, Irefuse to believe...."
A hand touched his shoulder. It was Wilson's hand.
"Look," he said. "Up there ... a light...."
It was true: there was a light visible through one of the windows on thefirst floor.
They both raced up, each by his own staircase, and reached the door ofthe lighted room at the same time. A candle-end was burning in themiddle of the floor. Beside it stood a basket, from which protruded theneck of a bottle, the legs of a chicken and half a loaf of bread.
Shears roared with laughter:
"Splendid! He gives us our supper. It's an enchanted palace, a regularfairy-land! Come, Wilson, throw off that dismal face. This is all veryamusing."
"Are you sure it's very amusing?" moaned Wilson, dolefully.
"Sure?" cried Shears, with a gaiety that was too boisterous to be quitenatural. "Of course I'm sure! I never saw anything more amusing in mylife. It's first-rate farce.... What a master of chaff this Arsene Lupinis!... He tricks you, but he does it so gracefully!... I wouldn't givemy seat at this banquet for all the gold in the world.... Wilson, oldchap, you disappoint me. Can I have been mistaken in you? Are you reallydeficient in that nobility of character which makes a man bear up undermisfortune? What have you to complain of? At this moment, you might belying with my dagger in your throat ... or I with yours in mine ... forthat was what you were trying for, you faithless friend!"
He succeeded, by dint of humour and sarcasm, in cheering up the wretchedWilson and forcing him to swallow a leg of the chicken and a glass ofwine. But, when the candle had gone out and they had to stretchthemselves on the floor to sleep, with the wall for a pillow, thepainful and ridiculous side of the situation became apparent to them.And their slumbers were sad.
In the morning, Wilson woke aching in every bone and shivering withcold. A slight sound caught his ear: Holmlock Shears, on his knees, bentin two, was examining grains of dust through his lens and inspectingcertain hardly perceptible chalk-marks, which formed figures which heput down in his note-book.
Escorted by Wilson, who seemed to take a particular interest in thiswork, he studied each room and found similar chalk-marks in two of theothers. He also observed two circles on some oak panels, an arrow on awainscoting and four figures on four steps of the staircase.
After an hour spent in this way, Wilson asked:
"The figures are correct, are they not?"
"I don't know if they're correct," replied Shears, whose good temper hadbeen restored by these discoveries, "but, at any rate, they meansomething."
"Something very obvious," said Wilson. "They represent the number ofplanks in the floor."
"Oh!"
"Yes. As for the two circles, they indicate that the panels soundhollow, as you can see by trying, and the arrow points to show thedirection of the dinner-lift."
Holmlock Shears looked at him in admiration:
"Why, my dear chap, how do you know all this? Your perspicacity almostmakes me ashamed of myself."
"Oh, it's very simple," said Wilson, bursting with delight. "I madethose marks myself last night, in consequence of your instructions ...or rather Lupin's instructions, as the letter I received from you camefrom him."
I have little doubt that, at that moment, Wilson was in greater dangerthan during his struggle with Shears in the shrubbery. Shears felt afierce longing to wring his neck. Mastering himself with an effort, hegave a grin that pretended to be a smile and said:
"Well done, well done, that's an excellent piece of work; most useful.Have your wonderful powers of analysis and observation been exercised inany other direction? I may as well make use of the results obtained."
"No; that's all I did."
"What a pity! The start was so promising! Well, as things are, there isnothing left for us to do but go."
"Go? But how?"
"The way respectable people usually go: through the gate."
"It's locked."
"We must get it opened."
"Whom by?"
"Would you mind calling those two policemen walking down the avenue?"
"But ..."
"But what?"
"It's very humiliating.... What will people say, when they learn thatyou, Holmlock Shears, and I, Wilson, have been locked up by ArseneLupin?"
"It can't be helped, my dear fellow; they will laugh like anything,"replied Shears, angrily, with a frowning face. "But we can't go onliving here forever, can we?"
"And you don't propose to try anything?"
"Not I!"
"Still, the man who brought the basket of provisions did not cross thegarden either in coming or going. There must, therefore, be anotheroutlet. Let us look for it, instead of troubling the police."
"Ably argued. Only you forget that the whole police of Paris have beenhunting for this outlet for the past six months and that I myself, whileyou were asleep, examined the house from top to bottom. Ah, my dearWilson, Arsene Lupin is a sort of game we are not accustomed to hunt: heleaves nothing behind him, you see...."
* * * * *
Holmlock Shears and Wilson were let out at eleven o'clock and ... takento the nearest police-station, where the commissary, aftercross-questioning them severely, released them with the mostexasperating pretences of courtesy:
"Gentlemen, I am grieved beyond measure at your mishap. You will have apoor opinion of our French hospitality. Lord, what a night you must havespent! Upon my word, Lupin might have shown you more consideration!"
They took a cab to the Elysee-Palace. Wilson went to the office andasked for the key of his room.
The clerk looked through the visitors' book and replied, in greatsurprise:
"But you gave up your room this morning, sir!"
"What do you mean? How did I give up my room?"
"You sent us a letter by your friend."
"What friend?"
"Why, the gentleman
who brought us your letter.... Here it is, with yourcard enclosed."
Wilson took the letter and the enclosure. It was certainly one of hisvisiting-cards and the letter was in his writing:
"Good Lord!" he muttered. "Here's another nasty trick." And he added,anxiously, "What about the luggage?"
"Why, your friend took it with him."
"Oh!.... So you gave it to him?"
"Certainly, on the authority of your card."
"Just so ... just so...."
They both went out and wandered down the Champs-Elysees, slowly andsilently. A fine autumn sun filled the avenue. The air was mild andlight.
At the Rond-Point, Shears lit his pipe and resumed his walk. Wilsoncried:
"I can't understand you, Shears; you take it so calmly! The man laughsat you, plays with you as a cat plays with a mouse ... and you don'tutter a word!"
Shears stopped and said:
"I'm thinking of your visiting-card, Wilson."
"Well?"
"Well, here is a man, who, by way of preparing for a possible strugglewith us, obtains specimens of your handwriting and mine and has one ofyour cards ready in his pocketbook. Have you thought of the amount ofprecaution, of perspicacity, of determination, of method, oforganization that all this represents?"
"You mean to say ..."
"I mean to say, Wilson, that, to fight an enemy so formidably armed, sowonderfully equipped--and to beat him--takes ... a man like myself. And,even then, Wilson," he added, laughing, "one does not succeed at thefirst attempt, as you see!"
* * * * *
At six o'clock, the _Echo de France_ published the following paragraphin its special edition:
"This morning, M. Thenard, the commissary of police of the 16th division, released Messrs. Holmlock Shears and Wilson, who had been confined, by order of Arsene Lupin, in the late Baron d'Hautrec's house, where they spent an excellent night.
"They were also relieved of their luggage and have laid an information against Arsene Lupin.
"Arsene Lupin has been satisfied with giving them a little lesson this time; but he earnestly begs them not to compel him to adopt more serious measures."
"Pooh!" said Holmlock Shears, crumpling up the paper. "Schoolboy tricks!That's the only fault I have to find with Lupin ... he's too childish,too fond of playing to the gallery.... He's a street arab at heart!"
"So you continue to take it calmly, Shears?"
"Quite calmly," replied Shears, in a voice shaking with rage. "What'sthe use of being angry? _I am so certain of having the last word!_"