At the time, their faces meant nothing to me, but I learned later from Helena who they were and what their shrewd smiles concealed. To tell the truth, it was a shifty company. There was the notorious Levi, who had founded a company to market the “cardioscope,” an apparatus designed to read the hearts of one’s friends and enemies. When the money had begun to pour in from the gullible, he had formed the “Trans-continental Industrial Corporation,” a title which indicated the scope on which he expected to operate. He was elegantly dressed, decisive in speech, and had the soft, persuasive eyes of the Near East.
Another young man, whom the others called Demetrius, specialized in altering checks. Their companions were older, more assured in manner, and had apparently long since found ways of making money without too much risk. They listened indulgently to the schemes of the younger men, who dreamed of making fortunes overnight.
The most successful of the whole group was the wily old Jacob. He sat at one end of the table and I recognized him at once as the other of the two men who had been talking behind me that first night at the Casino. He was the famous antiquarian of Rouen. Helena told me how he had made his start by selling a collection of Boucher paintings to William Knox of Chicago for fifteen hundred thousand francs, when not one of them was worth the canvas it was painted on. Knox had been ashamed to make the matter public, for fear of being ridiculed as an easy mark. Finding the trade in fakes so successful, Jacob decided to make that his line, but for the future he chose furniture, since experts on paintings were making it impossible to deal in imitation masters on a large scale. He established himself at Rouen, in the heart of Normandy. There he began by collecting what authentic pieces he could, and took them apart. With a plank from one, a bit of moulding from another, a lock from a third, or a carved foot, he manufactured antiques for as large a business as he wished. There are workmen so skilled in this trade that the shrewdest collectors are often fooled. Jacob secluded his artists in another town, and when his tables and sofas had been equipped with worm-holes, he brought them, one at a time, to Rouen, where he explained to his customers that each had been a lucky find in the attic of some old château.
With the proceeds from this trade, Jacob had been able to indulge in a number of genuine antiques as well, which helped to sell those of his own manufacture. At present his chief treasure was a set of tapestries from Bayeux, which brought him much publicity, and two small Rubens that he was asking a million for. No one knew what his fortune amounted to by now.... It may seem surprising that I should stop to describe the histories of these gentlemen, who were gathered in the private room behind Leonie’s bar that night, but the reason will appear later.
The conversation was general and of no especial interest. The races had been discussed, over a bottle of champagne, when the door opened and Abraham Moritz entered. After the first greetings had been exchanged, I was introduced and we shook hands. Then, in the midst of general silence, a brief conversation took place between the newcomer, Jacob, and Helena. I understood nothing of what was said, however, for they made use of a language that I did not recognize.
Helena seemed most dissatisfied, but I gathered that in the end she yielded, and when she rose, they appeared to have come to an understanding. In the street, on our way back to the hotel, however, she began to grumble:
“The highway robbers!... Well, I’ll make them pay for it some day.”
I did not question her, and after a few minutes she explained:
“My dear, you have just been present at an executive conference. These gentlemen have formed a society to buy my necklace and other jewels. They and I both know that the jewels are worth at least thirty million. But they won’t talk about anything but the danger they will run in trying to sell them, and offer me seven million flat. I can take it or leave it.”
Must I tell the truth? For a moment, I hoped that the deal would not come off. It was the last chance for me to withdraw gracefully from the dangerous path I had committed myself to.
“I accepted,” added Helena, “only for your sake.”
My legs were shaking under me when we entered the hotel. She pushed me into her room and gave me her final advice:
“Keep cool,” she said, “and remember your lesson. There is no danger; all the others along that hall have gone to bed. Keep on your dinner clothes. If anybody should meet you near the lavatory, it will not arouse suspicion. I envy you; I’d like to be doing it myself. If I could only be in your place, Ruddy!”
Then she slipped the necessary tools into my pocket, asking: “What is this one for? And this one?... And this?” I answered as if in a dream, but apparently to her satisfaction. She gave me a brief kiss, and I found myself in the corridor, my throat dry and my teeth clenched.
But, as it turned out, my apprehensions were unnecessary. The whole thing went off as smoothly as if I had done nothing else all my life!
No one appeared, and Helena’s program was carried out to the letter. She pretended to be ill. I heard Fathi get up. I attacked the door at first with the energy of desperation, which made it creak a bit loudly, and I sought refuge in the lavatory. But Helena’s groans and Fathi’s voice gave me new courage and I finished my job. The safe hidden in the closet yielded to Durin’s tools in a time which I had no way of measuring for it seemed to me an eternity. But I was determined not to leave without haying succeeded, arguing that it would be better to be caught in the room than in the hall, since I would have Helena at my side to protect me from Fathi and hush any scandal at once. After drawing the bronze casket from its hiding-place, I closed the closet and the door of the room as tightly as possible and retreated once more to the lavatory. A few minutes later Helena’s door opened a crack. In an instant I was at her side. She took the chest from my hands with her most gracious smile.
“Just imagine,” she said, “Fathi was determined not to leave me alone. He wanted to spend the rest of the night on the floor beside my bed. But it’s all right now, he has gone back to his own room.”
Leading me into her boudoir, she closed the door and pressed the secret lock in the casket which only Sir Archibald, Fathi, and she knew. The casket opened....
It was empty.
CHAPTER VIII
“GO BACK TO your room at once and go to bed!”
The expression on Helena’s face was terrifying. I did not wait for a second order, but hurried to my room and in five minutes was in bed. Yet I was not to blame for our failure. And I slept soundly, relieved of my responsibilities as burglar for one night at least. My conscience was clear.
Not for long, however. Early in the morning, rumors began to spread through the hotel. Fathi made as much noise as if he had really been robbed. Yet the cursed jewels were still in his belt, which he found safer than all the bronze caskets in the world. He might well have smiled at the whole business. But apparently a Hindu’s conception of amusement is different from ours.
After all the preparations and anxiety I had gone through, to wake up no better off than before!...
When I rejoined Helena, we must have made a sad pair.
“I didn’t have time to congratulate you last night,” she said, “but you were perfect. And we will have another opportunity, I promise you. After you left, that insufferable Abraham came with his little paper all drawn up and his checks ready. I took them out of his hands and threw them in his face. He was furious, picking up the pieces off the floor. But this morning he has probably had a good laugh, since that fool of a Fathi has told everybody that he had the jewels on his person all the time.”
Meanwhile, a discreet investigation had been made. No complaint was registered and the investigation was not pushed. A note appeared in the papers that Sir Archibald’s would-be burglars were playing in bad luck, and that after having failed to discover anything of value at his villa, they had attempted to rob Lady Helena but had carried off an empty casket.
But the Grand Prize was only one day off, and people had other things to discuss.
While
we were considering what should be the next step, Abraham Moritz and Jacob were announced. Lady Helena gave word that they should be admitted, and I withdrew.
I didn’t see her again until five o’clock. She was wearing a tailored costume and announced that she was going to take me for a ride, “to get a little air.”
“Come to think of it,” she said, as we were starting out, “you need some more linen. We’ll have dinner in Rouen.”
She was driving herself, as on our previous trip. And she was in a gay mood now, which surprised me more than anything else in our fantastic career.
“I saw Moor, the trainer, again,” she said. “He tells me that Spada is quoted at fifteen to one now. A neat little profit to pick up!”
“But we haven’t a franc!”
“Oh, between now and tomorrow..
“I admire your confidence.”
“My dear Ruddy, you must never despair. Let us be grateful that we have enough for dinner. Victor advanced me a thousand francs and Mary five hundred. The five hundred are for you.”
And as I made a gesture of refusal:
“Don’t be silly!” she ordered. “Why shouldn’t you take it? I know that you are a man of your word, and I have no fear of your not repaying it.”
On those terms I consented to slip the bill into my pocket, but I felt myself blush under Mr. Hooker’s cheeks. Helena was amused at my embarrassment.
“Do you know why those two rascals came back to see me?”
“Why?”
“To laugh at me, for one thing! Oh, very humbly and full of expressions of sympathy, but that was what it all meant. I was itching to box their ears, but I forced myself to be polite, because I wanted to borrow some money from them. Just a little sum to put up on Spada: twenty thousand francs. They agreed on condition that I sign a note for twice that amount, claiming that it was a gift and that they would never see their money again.”
“The bandits!”
“Exactly. That’s what I said to them — but with my sweetest smile, and they didn’t seem offended. They bowed themselves out, saying that they hoped they would have the pleasure of seeing me again soon. ‘Sooner than you think,’ I answered. But they didn’t seem to understand; they couldn’t understand. Tell me, what do you think of that pair?”
“I have already told you.”
“But the rest of the world doesn’t agree with you. Jacob is a prominent citizen in Rouen and a highly respected one. He is a municipal counselor and Madame Jacob heads several charitable societies. Isn’t that touching?”
“They ought to be in prison!”
“No, there are some honest men in prison. But they certainly have something coming to them, and I think I know what it is.”
“What is it, Helena? I suspect you have an idea.”
“Several. But one that interests me especially at this moment. It was not entirely original with me, for that matter. It is Durin’s.”
“Tell me it!”
“If you insist. Doesn’t it strike you that Monsieur Jacob, who has made his fortune by plundering everybody he dealt with, with no risks and no courage on his part, does not deserve his good luck?”
“He certainly does not.”
“And that it would be poetic justice if somebody plundered him?”
“Obviously.”
“And that the man who trimmed his wings would be an agent of Providence?”
“Without a doubt!... But I don’t see any way of trimming Jacob’s wings.”
“There is one, Ruddy. It’s to rob him, just as he has robbed everybody else.”
For the past several moments I had felt increasingly ill at ease. At this brutal announcement, I remarked: “A primitive way.”
“But the only way, Ruddy.”
I turned towards her sharply:
“Are you counting on me?”
“Certainly. You’re no coward. You proved that last night.”
“Wait a minute! Are you seriously suggesting this to me? Last night was different. I wasn’t stealing anything then; you said so yourself. I was merely doing you a... a favor.”
“This time you can do me a greater favor. Are you afraid? I want to get my revenge on that bounder for making fun of me. And there won’t be any risk. Durin has planned the whole thing.”
“But I am not Durin.”
“So I notice!... I have been looking over the plans of Jacob’s house; they were in the bag you brought me. A beautiful job! Are you going to make me feel sorry that Durin is in Prison?... Think of it: a private house, everybody away! The whole family is in Deauville. It is much easier than working in a hotel corridor, because there is no danger of running into a late arrival. Compared with what you did last night, it will be child’s play. Besides, you won’t be alone this time. I shall be with you, and will guide you. I went to Jacob’s twice with Sir Archibald to look at the collections. I promise you it’ll be good fun.”
“But think what’s at stake, Helena! You can’t afford to run such a risk as that. You told me yourself that those days are past. You are Lady Helena now, and if you got caught..
“Very well, then. We won’t mention it again!”
For some time we rode in silence. But, as you can guess, we did not stop thinking. And on my side, at least, the thoughts were far from being cheerful.
I have no recollection where we had dinner; somewhere in the suburbs of Rouen. There was no longer any talk of linen. Helena kept up a desultory conversation on subjects that had no interest for either of us. I remember she asked me if I liked fishing, and whether I could play dominos. At dessert she said:
“I am going to drive you to the station. You will catch the first train for Deauville.”
“I am not going back with you?”
“No, I think it would be better, for your sake, not to. If anything happened to me, you would not be compromised. And that is what you want, isn’t it?”
“But, Helena, I don’t... You mean that you are going to stay in Rouen?”
“I may get back to Deauville ahead of you. Yes, I am going to stay in Rouen a little while.”
“But can’t I stay with you?”
“No, I have a little errand to do, at Jacob’s. But I think it would be better to do it alone, don’t you?”
“Helena, you can’t do that! I refuse to let you.”
“All right, get in!”
In the car I added:
“But I shan’t leave you.”
“In that case, I invite you to go to the movie with me.”
I would gladly have been a thousand miles away from Rouen at that moment, and never have met Helena! Yet I stayed with her. The more she terrified me, the closer I stuck to her. It was not the first time I had discovered that. Knowing what was in her mind, I would be responsible for what happened if I stayed. Obviously, she figured that it was still too early to begin operations. I still had several hours ahead of me. Perhaps, in that time, she would change her mind.
At the movie we watched a stupid film of mysterious but likable bandits who went straight at the end, and finished with a wedding.
“You see,” said Helena, “everything works out all right eventually. Doesn’t that encourage you? Just between you and me, however, the picture was all wrong. Especially when they were chased by the police. I shall have to write to the producer, it’s really shameful.”
“Please, Helena, be serious!”
“Serious of course. You can still catch the eleven o’clock train. But you will have to make up your mind; you’ve only ten minutes left.”
“Helena, I refuse to leave you.”
“You said that before, and you can do as you wish. But I am going to amuse myself in my own way. I don’t know how to play dominos. I am going to arrange a little surprise for Jacob. Not to mention the fact that Spada has odds of fifteen to one. Of course not, you never think of anything. Don’t be a fool, Ruddy! All I am going to do is pick up Jacob’s two Rubens,” and perhaps a few little odds and ends. I’ve already arrange
d with Demetrius to take them. Now, let me work in peace.”
I climbed back into the car, and it was not to the station she took me. The sweat was beginning to break out along Mr. Hooker’s scar.... We arrived at Boieldieu Terrace and stopped in the shade of wide plantains. The street was deserted. Helena had brought along a little over-night bag and a cane. From the bag she took out two pairs of bath slippers, several tools, and a bunch of keys. From the cane, a slender club of black rubber. She drew off her stockings, put on the slippers, gathered up her little baggage, and prepared to leave the car. I caught her by the hem of her cloak.
“Well, what is it now? I invite you to come wading with me. The water will be cool.”
She pointed out a little stream that flowed by the road, a ditch separating two estates.
“Don’t sit there staring at me. Come along and see that I don’t get drowned.”
Reluctantly, I kicked off my shoes and put on the other pair of bath slippers. Meanwhile I grumbled under my breath about the vanity of women whose whims knew no bounds. But Helena merely laughed, while keeping an eye on the empty boulevard. Then she took my arm, as if we were starting for church, and we stepped down into the stream. The water reached barely to our ankles.
“What a terrible flood!” said Helena ironically. “Thank you, Ruddy, for coming down into the abyss with me. Now I know that you really love me!”
She counted the doors to the left. At the third she paused, climbed the bank, and reconnoitred. An iron trellis and the little door separated her from a vast garden where a grove of oaks stood. At that moment there was a growling in the darkness, and two police dogs came loping towards the fence. Helena spoke to them, felt in her pocket, and tossed them two crackers, which they swallowed greedily. The sequel was swift and horrible. A low whining from both dogs and then silence. Helena crept down into the ditch again and lay with me against the bank. My breath stopped... After an eternity in this position, I made a final effort:
Collected Works of Gaston Leroux Page 462
