Caught in the Net

by Emile Gaboriau

  CHAPTER XXVI.

  AT THE GRAND TURK.

  Tantaine took a cab, and, promising the cabman a handsome gratuity if hewould drive fast, stopped at the spot where the Rue Blanche intersectsthe Rue de Douai, and told the coachman to wait for him, and enteredthe house where the younger Gandelu had installed the fair Madame deChantemille. It was some time before his ring at the door was answered,but at last the door was opened by a stout, red-faced girl, with anuntidy cap. Upon seeing Tantaine, she uttered an exclamation of delight,for it was the cook that had been placed in Zora's employment by M.Mascarin's agency.

  "Ah, Daddy Tantaine," said she, "you are as welcome as the sun inwinter."

  "Hush, hush," returned the old man, gazing cautiously round him.

  "Don't be frightened," returned the girl. "Madame has gone to a placefrom whence there is no return ticket, at least, for some time. You knowthe greater the value of an article the closer we keep it under lock andkey."

  Tantaine gathered from this that Rose had been arrested, and hisastonishment appeared to be unmeasured.

  "Surely you don't mean that she has gone to quod?" said he.

  "It is as I tell you," answered she; "but come in, and have a glass ofwine, while you hear all about it."

  She led the old man into the dining-room, round the table in whicha half dozen guests were seated, just concluding a late breakfast.Tantaine at once recognized four of the several guests as servants whomhe knew from their having applied for situations at the office, andthere were two men of a very unprepossessing exterior.

  "We are having a regular spree to-day," observed the cook, handing abottle to Tantaine; "but yesterday there was not much of a jollificationhere, for just as I was setting about getting the dinner two fellowscame in and asked for my mistress, and as soon as they saw her theyclapped their hands on her and said that she must come to the stone jug.When madame heard this she shrieked so loud as to have been heard in thenext street. She would not go a foot with them, clung to the furnitureand banisters, so they just took her up by the head and feet, andcarried her down to a cab that was standing at the door. I seem to bringill luck wherever I go, for this is the fourth mistress I have seentaken off in this way; but come, you are taking nothing at all."

  But Tantaine had had enough, and making an excuse, retired from adebauch which he saw would continue as long as the wine held out.

  "All is going well," muttered he, as he climbed into the cab; "and nowfor the next one."

  He drove straight to the house that the elder Gandelu was building inthe Champs Elysees, and putting his head out of the window, he accosteda light, active young fellow who was warning the foot passengers not topass under the scaffolding.

  "Anything new, La Cordille?" enquired the old man.

  "No, nothing; but tell the master I am keeping a good watch."

  From there Tantaine visited a footman in De Breulh's employment, and awoman in the service of Madame de Bois Arden. Then, paying his fare,he started on foot for Father Canon's wine shop, in the Rue St. Honore,where he met Florestan, who was as saucy and supercilious to Tantaineas he was obsequious to Mascarin. But although he paid for Florestan'sdinner, all that he could extort from him was, that Sabine was terriblydepressed. It was fully eight o'clock before Tantaine had got rid ofFlorestan, and hailing another cab, he ordered the driver to take him tothe Grand Turk, in the Rue des Poissonniers.

  The magnificent sign of the Grand Turk dances in the breeze, and invitessuch youths as Toto Chupin and his companions. The whole aspect of theexterior seemed to invite the passers-by to step in and try the goodcheer provided within,--a good _table d'hote_ at six p.m., coffee, tea,liquors, and a grand ball to complete the work of digestion. A longcorridor leads to this earthly Eden, and the two doors at the end ofit open, the one into the dining, and the other into the ball-room. Amotley crew collected there for the evening meal, and on Sundays it isnext to impossible to procure a seat. But the dining-room is the GrandTurk's greatest attraction, for as soon as the dessert is over the headwaiter makes a sign, and dishes and tablecloths are cleared away ina moment. The dining-room becomes a _cafe_, and the click of dominoesgives way to the rattle of forks, while beer flows freely. This,however, is nothing, for, at a second signal, huge folding doors arethrown open, and the strains of an orchestra ring out as an invitationto the ball, to which all diners are allowed free entrance. Nothing isdanced but round dances, polkas, mazurkas, and waltzes.

  The German element was very strong at the Grand Turk, and if a gentlemanwished to make himself agreeable to his fair partners, it was necessaryfor him, at any rate, to be well up in the Alsatian dialect. The masterof the ceremonies had already called upon the votaries of Terpsichore totake their places for the waltz as Daddy Tantaine entered the hall. Thescene was a most animated one, and the air heavy with the scent of beerand tobacco, and would have asphyxiated any one not used to venture intosuch places.

  It was the first time that he had ever visited the Grand Turk, andyet any one observing would have sworn that he was one of the regularfrequenters as he marched idly through the rooms, making constant pausesat the bar. But glance around him as he might, he could see neither TotoChupin nor Caroline Schimmel.

  "Have I come here for nothing," muttered he, "or is the hour too early?"

  It was hard to waste time thus, but at last he sat down and ordered somebeer. His eyes wandered to a large picture on the wall, representing afat, eastern-looking man, with a white turban and loose, blue garments,seated in a crimson chair, with his feet resting upon a yellow carpet.One hand was caressing his protuberant paunch, while the other wasextended toward a glass of beer. Evidently this is the Grand Turk. Andfinally by an odalisque, who fills his goblet with the foaming infusionof malt and hops. This odalisque is very fair and stout, and some fairAlsatian damsel has evidently sat as the model. As Tantaine was gazingupon this wondrous work of art he heard a squeaking voice just behindhim.

  "That is certainly that young rogue Chupin," muttered he.

  He turned sharply round, and two tables off, in a dark corner, hediscovered the young gentleman that he had been looking for. As hegazed on the lad, he was not surprised that he had not recognized himat first, for Toto had been strangely transmogrified, and in no degreeresembled the boy who had shivered in a tattered blouse in the archwaynear the Servants' Registry Office. He was now gorgeous to behold. Fromthe moment that he had got his hundred francs he had chalked out a newline of life for himself, and was busy pursuing it. He had found thathe could make all his friends merry, and he had succeeded. He had made aselection from the most astounding wares that the Parisian tailor keepson hand. He had sneered at young Gaston de Gandelu, and called himan ape; but he had aped the ape. He wore a very short, light coat, awaistcoat that was hideous from its cut and brilliancy, and trousersstrapped tightly under his feet. His collar was so tall and stiff, thathe had the greatest difficulty in turning his head. He had gone to abarber, and his lank hair had been artistically curled. The table infront of him was covered with glasses and bottles. Two shockinglooking scamps of the true barrier bully type, with loose cravats andshiny-peaked caps, were seated by him, and were evidently his guests.Tantaine's first impulse was to catch the debauched youth by the ear,but he hesitated for an instant and reflection conquered the impulse.With the utmost caution so that he might not attract Toto's attention,he crept down to him, concealing himself as best he could behind oneof the pillars that supported the gallery, and by this manoeuvre foundhimself so close to the lad that he could catch every word he said.

  Chupin was talking volubly.

  "Don't you call me a swell, nor yet say that I brag," said he. "Ishall always make this kind of appearance, for to work in the manner Ipropose, a man must pay some attention to dress."

  At this his companions roared with laughter.

  "All right," returned Toto. "I'm precious sharp, though you may notthink so, and shall go in for all kinds of elegant accomplishments, andcome out a regular masher."

&nb
sp; "Wonders will never cease," answered one of the men. "When you go onyour trip for action in the Bois among the toffs, will you take me withyou?"

  "Any one can go to the Bois who has money: and just tell me who arethose who make money. Why, those who have plenty of cheek and a goodsound business. Well, I have learned my business from some real downycards, who made it pay well. Why should I not do the same?"

  With a sickening feeling of terror, Tantaine saw that the lad was halfdrunk. What could he be going to say? and how much did he know? Toto'sguests evidently saw that he had taken too much; but as he seemed readyto let them into a secret, they paid great attention, and exchanged alook of intelligence. The young rogue's new clothes and his liberalityall proved that he had found a means of gaining money; the only questionwas what the plan could be. To induce him to talk they passed the bottlerapidly and flattered him up. The younger man of the two shook his headwith a smile.

  "I don't believe you have any business at all," said he.

  "Nor have I, if by business you mean some low handicraft. It is brainwork I mean, my boy; and that's what I do."

  "I don't doubt that a bit," answered the elder guest coaxingly.

  "Come on! Tell us what it is," broke in the other. "You don't expect usto take your word."

  "It is as easy as lying," replied Toto. "Listen a bit, and you shallhave the whole bag of tricks. Suppose I saw Polyte steal a couple ofpairs of boots from a trotter-case seller's stall----"

  Polyte interrupted the narrator, protesting so strongly that he wouldnot commit such an act, that Tantaine perceived at once that some suchtrifling act of larceny weighed heavily on his conscience.

  "You needn't kick up such a row," returned Toto. "I am only just puttingit as a thing that might happen. We will say you had done the trick, andthat I had twigged you. Do you know what I should go? Well, I would huntup Polyte, and say quietly, 'Halves, old man, or I will split.'"

  "And I should give you a crack in the jaw," returned Polyte angrily.

  Forgetting his fine dress, Toto playfully put his thumb to his nose andextended his fingers.

  "You would not be such an ass," said he. "You would say to yourself, 'IfI punch this chap, he will kick up no end of a row, and I shall be takenup, and perhaps sent to the mill.' No; you would be beastly civil, andwould end by doing just as I wished."

  "And this is what you call your business, is it?"

  "Isn't it a good one--the mugs stand the racket, and the downy cardsprofit by it?"

  "But there is no novelty in this; it is only blackmail after all."

  "I never said it wasn't; but it is blackmailing perfected into asystem."

  As Toto made this reply he hammered on the table, calling for moredrink.

  "But," remarked Polyte, with an air of disappointment, "you don't getchances every day, and the business is often a precious poor one. Youcan't always be seeing chaps prigging boots."

  "Pooh! pooh!" answered Toto, "if you want to make money in thisbusiness, you must keep your eyes about you. Our customers don't cometo you, but there is nothing to prevent you going to them. You can huntuntil you find them."

  "And where are you to hunt, if you please?"

  "Ah, that's tellings."

  A long silence ensued, during which Tantaine was half tempted to comeforward. By doing so he would assuredly nip all explanations in the bud;but, on the other hand, he wanted to hear all the young rascal hadto say. He therefore only moved a little nearer, and listened moreintently.

  Forgetting his curls, Toto was abstractedly passing his fingers throughhis hair, and reflecting with all the wisdom of a muddled brain.Finally, he came to the conclusion that he might speak, and, leaningforward, he whispered,--

  "You won't peach if I tell you the dodge?"

  His companions assured him that he might have every confidence in them.

  "Very well; I make my money in the Champs Elysees, and sometimes get aharvest twice a day."

  "But there are no shoemakers' shops there."

  "You are a fool," answered Toto contemptuously. "Do you think Iblackmail thieves? That wouldn't be half good enough. Honest people, orat least people who call themselves honest, are my game. These are theones who can be made to pay up."

  Tantaine shuddered; he remembered that Mascarin had made use of the sameexpression, and at once surmised that Toto must have had an occasionalear to the keyhole.

  "But," objected Polyte, "honest people have no occasion to pay up."

  Toto struck his glass so heavily on the table that it flew to shivers.

  "Will you let me speak?" said he.

  "Go on, go on, my boy," returned his friend.

  "Well, when I'm hard up for cash, I go into the Champs Elysees, and takea seat on one of the benches. From there I keep an eye on the cabs andsee who gets out of them. If a respectable woman does so, I am sure ofmy bird."

  "Do you think you know a respectable woman when you see her?"

  "I should think that I did. Well, when a respectable woman gets out of acab where she ought not to have been, she looks about her on all sides,first to the right and then to the left, settles her veil, and, as soonas she is sure that no one is watching her, sets off as if old Nick wasbehind her."

  "Well, what do you do then?"

  "Why, I take the number of the cab, and follow the lady home. ThenI wait until she has had time to get to her own rooms, and go to theporter and say, 'Will you give me the name of the lady who has just comein?'"

  "And do you think the porter is fool enough to do so?"

  "Not a bit; I always take the precaution of having a delicate littlepurse in my pocket; and when the man says, as he always does, 'I don'tknow,' I pull out the purse, and say, 'I am sorry for that, for shedropped this as she came in, and I wanted to return it to her.' Theporter at once becomes awfully civil; he gives the name and number,and up I go. The first time I content myself with finding out if she ismarried or single. If she is single, it is no go; but if the reverse, Igo on with the job."

  "Why, what do you do next?"

  "Next morning I go there, and hang about until I see the husband go out.Then I go upstairs, and ask for the wife. It is ticklish work then, mylads; but I say, 'Yesterday, madame, I was unlucky enough to leave mypocketbook in cab number so-and-so. Now, as I saw you hail the vehicleimmediately after I had left it, I have come to ask you if you saw mypocketbook.' The lady flies into a rage, denies all knowledge ofthe book, and threatens to have me turned out. Then, with the utmostpoliteness, I say, 'I see, madame, that there is nothing to be donebut to communicate the matter to your husband.' Then she gets alarmed,and--she pays."

  "And you don't see any more of her?"

  "Not that day; but when the funds are low, I call and say, 'It is Iagain, madame; I am the poor young man who lost his money in such andsuch a cab on a certain day of the month.' And so the game goes on. Adozen such clients give a fellow a very fair income. Now, perhaps, youunderstand why I am always so well dressed, and always have money in mypocket. When I was shabbily attired, they offered me a five-franc piece,but now they come down with a flimsy."

  The young wretch spoke the truth; for to many women, who in a mad momentof passion may have forgotten themselves, and been tracked to theirhomes by some prowling blackmailer, life has been an endless journey ofagony. Every knock at the door makes them start, and every footfall onthe staircase causes a tremor as they think that the villain has come tobetray their guilty secret.

  "That is all talk," said Polyte; "such things are never done."

  "They _are_ done," returned Toto sulkily.

  "Have you ever tried the dodge yourself, then?" sneered Polyte.

  At another time Chupin would have lied, but the fumes of the drink hehad taken, added to his natural self-conceit, had deprived him of alljudgment.

  "Well," muttered he, "if I have not done it myself exactly, I have seenothers practise it often enough--on a much larger scale, it is true;but one can always do things in a more miniature fashion with perhaps abett
er chance of success."

  "What! _you_ have seen this done?"

  "Of course I have."

  "And had you a share in the swag?"

  "To a certain extent. I have followed the cabs times without number, andhave watched the goings on of these fine ladies and gentlemen; only Iwas working for others, like the dog that catches the hare, and neverhas a bit of it to eat. No, all I got was dry bread, with a kick or acuff for dessert. I sha'n't put up with it any longer, and have made upmy mind to open on my own account."

  "And who has been employing you?"

  A flash of sense passed through Chupin's muddled brain. He had neverwished to injure Mascarin, but merely to increase his own importance byextolling the greatness of his employer.

  "I worked for people who have no equal in Paris," said he proudly. "Theydon't mince matters either, I can tell you; and they have more moneythan you could count in six months. There is not a thing they cannot doif they desire; and if I were to tell you----"

  He stopped short, his mouth wide open, and his eyes dilated with terror,for before him stood old Daddy Tantaine.

  Tantaine's face had a most benign expression upon it, and in a mostpaternal voice he exclaimed,--

  "And so here you are at last, my lad; and, bless me, how fine! why, youlook like a real swell."

  But Toto was terribly disconcerted. The mere appearance of Tantainedissipated the fumes of liquor which had hitherto clouded the boy'sbrain, and by degrees he recollected all that he had said, and,becoming conscious of his folly, had a vague idea of some swift-comingretribution. Toto was a sharp lad, and he was by no means deceived byTantaine's outward semblance of friendliness, and he almost felt as ifhis life depended on the promptness of his decision. The question was,had the old man heard anything of the preceding conversation?

  "If the old rogue has been listening," said he to himself, "I am in ahole, and no mistake."

  It was, therefore, with a simulated air of ease that he answered,--

  "I was waiting for you, sir, and it was out of respect to you that I puton my very best togs."

  "That was very nice of you; I ought to thank you very much. And now,will you--"

  Toto's courage was coming back to him rapidly.

  "Will you take a glass of beer, or a liquor of brandy, sir?" said he.

  But Daddy Tantaine excused himself on the plea that he had just beendrinking.

  "That is all the more reason for being thirsty," remarked Toto. "Myfriends and I have drunk the contents of all these bottles sincedinner."

  Tantaine raised his shabby hat at this semi-introduction, and thetwo roughs bowed smoothly. They were not entirely satisfied with theappearance of the new-comer, and thought that this would be a goodmoment for taking leave of their host. The waltz had just concluded, andthe master of the ceremonies was repeating his eternal refrain of--"Takeyour places, ladies and gentlemen;" and taking advantage of the noise,Toto's friends shook hands with their host and adroitly mixed with thecrowd.

  "Good fellows! jolly fellows;" muttered Toto, striving to catch a lastglimpse of them.

  Tantaine gave a low, derisive whistle. "My lad," said he, "you keepexecrable company, and one day you will repent it."

  "I can look after myself, sir."

  "Do as you like, my lad; it is no business of mine. But, take my wordfor it, you will come to grief some day. I have told you that oftenenough."

  "If the old rascal suspected anything," thought Toto, "he would not talkin this way."

  Wretched Toto! he did not know that when his spirits were risingthe danger was terribly near, for Tantaine was just then saying tohimself,--

  "Ah! this lad is much too clever--too clever by half. If I were goingon with the business, and could make it worth his while, how useful hewould be to me! but just now it would be most imprudent to allow him towander about and jabber when he gets drunk."

  Meanwhile Toto had called a waiter, and, flinging a ten-franc piece onthe table, said haughtily: "Take your bill out of that." But Tantainepushed the money back toward the lad, and, drawing another ten-francpiece from his pocket, gave it to the waiter.

  This unexpected act of generosity put the lad in the best possiblehumor. "All the better for me," exclaimed he; "and now let us hunt upCaroline Schimmel."

  "Is she here? I could not find her."

  "Because you did not know where to look for her. She is at cards in thecoffee-room. Come along, sir."

  But Tantaine laid his hand upon the boy's arm.

  "One moment," said he. "Did you tell the woman just what I ordered youto say?"

  "I did not omit a single word."

  "Tell me what you said, then."

  "For five days," began the lad solemnly, "your Toto has been yourCaroline's shadow. We have played cards until all sorts of hours, andI took care that she should always win. I confided to her that I had ajolly old uncle,--a man not without means, a widower, and crazy to bemarried again,--who had seen her and had fallen in love with her."

  "Good! my lad, good! and what did she say?"

  "Why, she grinned like half a dozen cats; only she is a bit artful, andI saw at once that she thought I was after her cards, but the mention ofmy uncle's property soon chucked her off that idea."

  "Did you give my name?"

  "Yes, at the end, I did. I knew that she had seen you, and so I kept itback as long as I could; but as soon as I mentioned it she looked ratherconfused, and cried out: 'I know him quite well.' So you see, sir, allyou have now is to settle a day for the marriage. Come on; she expectsyou."

  Toto was right. The late domestic of the Duke de Champdoce was playingcards; but as soon as she caught sight of Toto and his pretended uncle,in spite of her holding an excellent hand, she threw up her cards, andreceived him with the utmost civility. Toto looked on with delight.Never had he seen the old rascal (as he inwardly called him in hisheart) so polite, agreeable, and talkative. It was easy to see thatCaroline Schimmel was yielding to his fascinations, for she had neverhad such extravagant compliments whispered in her ear in so persuasive atone. But Tantaine did not confine his attentions to wine only: he firstordered a bowl of punch, and then followed that up by a bottle of thebest brandy. All the old man's lost youth seemed to have come backto him: he sang, he drank, and he danced. Toto watched them in uttersurprise, as the old man whirled the clumsy figure of the woman roundthe room.

  And he was rewarded for this tremendous exertion, for by ten o'clock shehad consented, and Caroline left the Grand Turk on the arm of her futurehusband, having promised to take supper with him.

  Next morning, when the scavengers came down from Montmartre to ply theirmatutinal avocations, they found the body of a woman lying on her faceon the pavement. They raised her up and carried her to an hospital.She was not dead, as had been at first supposed; and when the unhappycreature came to her senses, she said that her name was CarolineSchimmel, that she had been to supper at a restaurant with herbetrothed, and that from that instant she remembered nothing. At herrequest, the surgeon had her conveyed to her home in the Rue Mercadet.