the crystal stopper-第14节

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Growler　and　the　Masher。

〃And　they're　not　even　hiding　themselves；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃That's　a　good　sign。　　They　consider　that　they　can't　do　without　me　any　longer　and　that　they've　got　to　obey　the　governor。　　There　remains　the　pretty　lady　with　the　gray　hair。　　That　will　be　more　difficult。　　It's　you　and　I　now；　mummy。〃

He　found　the　mother　and　the　boy　clasped　in　each　other's　arms；　and　the　mother；　in　a　great　state　of　alarm；　her　eyes　moist　with　tears；　was　saying：

〃You're　not　hurt？　　You're　sure？　　Oh；　how　frightened　you　must　have　been；　my　poor　little　Jacques！〃

〃A　fine　little　fellow；〃　said　Lupin。

She　did　not　reply。　　She　was　feeling　the　child's　jersey；　as　Lupin　had　done；　no　doubt　to　see　if　he　had　succeeded　in　his　nocturnal　mission；　and　she　questioned　him　in　a　whisper。

〃No；　mummy；〃　said　the　child。　　〃No；　really。〃

She　kissed　him　fondly　and　petted　him；　until；　in　a　little　while；　the　child；　worn　out　with　fatigue　and　excitement；　fell　asleep。　　She　remained　leaning　over　him　for　a　long　time。　　She　herself　seemed　very　much　worn　out　and　in　need　of　rest。

Lupin　did　not　disturb　her　contemplation。　　He　looked　at　her　anxiously；　with　an　attention　which　she　did　not　perceive；　and　he　noticed　the　wider　rings　round　her　eyes　and　the　deeper　marks　of　wrinkles。　　Yet　he　considered　her　handsomer　than　he　had　thought；　with　that　touching　beauty　which　habitual　suffering　gives　to　certain　faces　that　are　more　human；　more　sensitive　than　others。

She　wore　so　sad　an　expression　that；　in　a　burst　of　instinctive　sympathy；　he　went　up　to　her　and　said：　〃I　do　not　know　what　your　plans　are；　but；　whatever　they　may　be；　you　stand　in　need　of　help。　　You　cannot　succeed　alone。〃

〃I　am　not　alone。〃

〃The　two　men　outside？　　I　know　them。　　They're　no　good。　　I　beseech　you；　make　use　of　me。　　You　remember　the　other　evening；　at　the　theatre；　in　the　private　box？　　You　were　on　the　point　of　speaking。　　Do　not　hesitate　to…day。〃

She　turned　her　eyes　on　him；　looked　at　him　long　and　fixedly　and；　as　though　unable　to　escape　that　opposing　will；　she　said：

〃What　do　you　know　exactiy？　　What　do　you　know　about　me？〃

〃There　are　many　things　that　I　do　not　know。　　I　do　not　know　your　name。　But　I　know。。。　〃

She　interrupted　him　with　a　gesture；　and；　resolutely；　in　her　turn；　dominating　the　man　who　was　compelling　her　to　speak：

〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　you　know；　after　all；　is　not　much　and　is　of　no　importance。　　But　what　are　your　plans？　　You　offer　me　your　help：　　with　what　view？　　For　what　work？　　You　have　flung　yourself　headlong　into　this　business；　I　have　been　unable　to　undertake　anything　without　meeting　you　on　my　path：　you　must　be　contemplating　some　aim。。。　What　aim？〃

〃What　aim？　　Upon　my　word；　it　seems　to　me　that　my　conduct。。。　〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　said；　emphatically；　〃no　phrases！　　What　you　and　I　want　is　certainties；　and；　to　achieve　them；　absolute　frankness。　　I　will　set　you　the　example。　M。　Daubrecq　possesses　a　thing　of　unparalleled　value；　not　in　itself；　but　for　what　it　represents。　　That　thing　you　know。　　You　have　twice　held　it　in　your　hands。　　I　have　twice　taken　it　from　you。　　Well；　I　am　entitled　to　believe　that；　when　you　tried　to　obtain　possession　of　it；　you　meant　to　use　the　power　which　you　attribute　to　it　and　to　use　it　to　your　own　advantage。。。　〃

〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃

〃Yes；　you　meant　to　use　it　to　forward　your　schemes；　in　the　interest　of　your　own　affairs；　in　accordance　with　your　habits　as　a。。。　〃

〃As　a　burglar　and　a　swindler；〃　said　Lupin；　completing　the　sentence　for　her。

She　did　not　protest。　He　tried　to　read　her　secret　thoughts　in　the　depths　of　her　eyes。　　What　did　she　want　with　him？　　What　was　she　afraid　of？　　If　she　mistrusted　him；　had　he　not　also　reasons　to　mistrust　that　woman　who　had　twice　taken　the　crystal　stopper　from　him　to　restore　it　to　Daubrecq？　Mortal　enemy　of　Daubrecq's　though　she　were；　up　to　what　point　did　she　remain　subject　to　that　man's　will？　　By　surrendering　himself　to　her；　did　he　not　risk　surrendering　himself　to　Daubrecq？　　And　yet　he　had　never　looked　upon　graver　eyes　nor　a　more　honest　face。

Without　further　hesitation；　he　stated：

〃My　object　is　simple　enough。　　It　is　the　release　of　my　friends　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray。〃

〃Is　that　true？　　Is　that　true？〃　she　exclaimed；　quivering　all　over　and　questioning　him　with　an　anxious　glance。

〃If　you　knew　me。。。　〃

〃I　do　know　you。。。　I　know　who　you　are。　　For　months；　I　have　taken　part　in　your　life；　without　your　suspecting　it。。。　and　yet；　for　certain　reasons；　I　still　doubt。。。　〃

He　said；　in　a　more　decisive　tone：

〃You　do　not　know　me。　　If　you　knew　me；　you　would　know　that　there　can　be　no　peace　for　me　before　my　two　companions　have　escaped　the　awful　fate　that　awaits　them。〃

She　rushed　at　him；　took　him　by　the　shoulders　and　positively　distraught；　said：

〃What？　　What　did　you　say？　　The　awful　fate？。。。　Then　you　believe。。。　you　believe　。。。　〃

〃I　really　believe；〃　said　Lupin；　who　felt　how　greatly　this　threat　upset　her；　〃I　really　believe　that；　if　I　am　not　in　time；　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　are　done　for。〃

〃Be　quiet！。。。　Be　quiet！〃　she　cried；　clutching　him　fiercely。　　〃Be　quiet！。。。　You　mustn't　say　that。。。　There　is　no　reason。。。　It's　just　you　who　suppose　。。。　〃

〃It's　not　only　I；　it's　Gilbert　as　well。。。　〃

〃What？　Gilbert？　　How　do　you　know？〃

〃From　himself？〃

〃From　him？〃

〃Yes；　from　Gilbert；　who　has　no　hope　left　but　in　me；　from　Gilbert；　who　knows　that　only　one　man　in　the　world　can　save　him　and　who；　a　few　days　ago；　sent　me　a　despairing　appeal　from　prison。　　Here　is　his　letter。〃

She　snatched　the　paper　greedily　and　read　in　stammering　accents：

〃Help；　governor！。。。　I　am　frightened！。。。　I　am　frightened！。。。　〃

She　dropped　the　letter。　　Her　hands　fluttered　in　space。　　It　was　as　though　her　staring　eyes　beheld　the　sinister　vision　which　had　already　so　often　terrified　Lupin。　　She　gave　a　scream　of　horror；　tried　to　rise　and　fainted。


CHAPTER　V

THE　TWENTY…SEVEN


The　child　was　sleeping　peacefully　on　the　bed。　　The　mother　did　not　move　from　the　sofa　on　which　Lupin　had　laid　her；　but　her　easier　breathing　and　the　blood　which　was　now　returning　to　her　face　announced　her　impending　recovery　from　her　swoon。

He　observed　that　she　wore　a　wedding…ring。　　Seeing　a　locket　hanging　from　her　bodice；　he　stooped　and；　turning　it；　found　a　miniature　photograph　representing　a　man　of　about　forty　and　a　lad　…　a　stripling　rather　…　in　a　schoolboy's　uniform。　　He　studied　the　fresh；　young　face　set　in　curly　hair：

〃It's　as　I　thought；〃　he　said。　　〃Ah；　poor　woman！〃

The　hand　which　he　took　between　his　grew　warmer　by　degrees。　　The　eyes　opened；　then　closed　again。　　She　murmured：

〃Jacques。。。　〃

〃Do　not　distress　yourself。。。　it's　all　right　he's　asleep。〃

She　recovered　consciousness　entirely。　　But；　as　she　did　not　speak；　Lupin　put　questions　to　her；　to　make　her　feel　a　gradual　need　of　unbosoming　herself。　　And　he　said；　pointing　to　the　locket：

〃The　schoolboy　is　Gilbert；　isn't　he？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said。

〃And　Gilbert　is　your　son？〃

She　gave　a　shiver　and　whispered：

〃Yes；　Gilbert　is　my　son；　my　eldest　son。〃

So　she　was　the　mother　of　Gilbert；　of　Gilbert　the　prisoner　at　the　Sante；　relentlessly　pursued　by　the　authorities　and　now　awaiting　his　trial　for　murder！

Lupin　continued：

〃And　the　other　portrait？　

〃My　husband。〃

〃Your　husband？〃

〃Yes；　he　died　three　years　ago。〃

She　was　now　sitting　up。　　Life　quivered　in　her　veins　once　more；　together　with　the　horror　of　living　and　the　horror　of　all　the　ghastly　things　that　threatened　her。　Lupin　went　on　to　ask：

What　was　your　husband's　name？〃

he　hesitated　a　moment　and　answered：

Mergy。〃

He　exclaimed：

〃Victorien　Mergy　the　deputy？〃

Yes。〃

There　was　a　long　pause。　　Lupin　remembered　the　incident　and　the　stir　which　it　had　caused。　　Three　years　ago；　Mergy　the　deputy　had　blown　out　his　brains　in　the　lobby　of　the　Chamber；　without　leaving　a　word　of　explanation　behind　him；　and　no　one　had　ever　discovered　the　slightest　reason　for　that　suicide。

〃Do　you　know　the　reason？〃　asked　Lupin；　completing　his　thought　aloud。

〃Yes；　I　know　it。〃

〃Gilbert；　perhaps？〃

〃No；　Gilbert　had　disappeared　for　some　years；　turned　out　of　doors　and　cursed　by　my　husband。　　It　was　a　very　great　sorrow；　but　there　was　another　motive。

〃What　was　that？〃　asked　Lupin。

But　it　was　not　necessary　for　Lupin　to　put　further　questions。　　Madame　Mergy　could　keep　silent　no　longer　and；　slowly　at　first；　with　all　the　anguish　of　that　past　which　had　to　be　called　up；　she　told　her　story：

〃Twenty…five　years　ago；　when　my　name　was　Clarisse　Darcel　and　my　parents　living；　I　knew　three　young　men　at　Nice。　　Their　names　will　at　once　give　you　an　insight　into　the　present　tragedy：　they　were　Alexis　Daubrecq；　Victorien　Mergy　and　Louis　Prasville。　　The　three　were　old　acquaintances；　had　gone　to　college　in　the　same　year　and　served　in　the　same　regiment。　Prasvile；　at　that　time；　was　in　love　with　a　singer　at　the　opera…house　at　Nice。　　The　two　others；　Mergy　and　Daubrecq；　were　in　love　with　me。　　I　shall　be　brief　as　regards　all　this　and；　for　the　rest；　as　regards　the　whole　story；　for　the　facts　tell　their　own　tale。　　I　fell　in　love　with　Victorien　Mergy　from　the　first。　　Perhaps　I　was　wrong　not　to　declare　mysell　at　once。　But　true　love　is　always　timid；　hesitating　and　shy；　and　I　did　not　announce　my　choice　until　I　felt　quite　certain　and　quite　free。　Unfortunately；　that　period　of　waiting；　so　delight