the crystal stopper-第21节

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a　means　of　working　upon　Clarisse　Mergy's　feelings　and　perhaps　also　a　warning　for　her　to　cease　the　contest　upon　which　she　had　engaged。　　But　the　threat　of　a　suicide　must　needs　show　Daubrecq　that　he　was　on　the　wrong　track。　　That　being　so；　why　refuse　the　favourable　bargain　which　Arsene　Lupin　was　now　offering　him？

〃I　accept；〃　he　said。

〃Here's　the　address　of　my　shed：　99；　Rue　Charles…Lafitte；　Neuilly。　　You　have　only　to　ring　the　bell。〃

〃And　suppose　I　send　Prasville；　the　secretary…general；　instead？〃

〃If　you　send　Prasville；〃　Lupin　declared；　〃the　place　is　so　arranged　that　I　shall　see　him　coming　and　that　I　shall　have　time　to　escape；　after　setting　fire　to　the　trusses　of　hay　and　straw　which　surround　and　conceal　your　credence…tables；　clocks　and　Gothic　virgins。〃

〃But　your　shed　will　be　burnt　down。。。　〃

〃I　don't　mind　that：　the　police　have　their　eye　on　it　already。　　I　am　leaving　it　in　any　case。〃

〃And　how　am　I　to　know　that　this　is　not　a　trap？〃

〃Begin　by　receiving　the　goods　and　don't　give　up　the　child　till　afterward。　I　trust　you；　you　see。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Daubrecq；　〃you've　foreseen　everything。　　Very　well；　you　shall　have　the　nipper；　the　fair　Clarisse　shall　live；　and　we　will　all　be　happy。　　And　now；　if　I　may　give　you　a　word　of　advice；　it　is　to　pack　off　as　fast　as　you　can。〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Eh？〃

〃I　said；　not　yet。〃

〃But　you're　mad！　　Prasville's　on　his　way！〃　〃He　can　wait。　　I've　not　done。〃

〃Why'　what　more　do　you　want？　　Clarisse　shall　have　her　brat。　　Isn't　that　enough　for　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃There　is　another　son。〃

〃Gilbert。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well？〃

〃I　want　you　to　save　Gilbert。〃

〃What　are　you　saying？　　I　save　Gilbert！〃

〃You　can；　if　you　like；　it　only　means　taking　a　little　trouble。〃　　Until　that　moment　Daubrecq　had　remained　quite　calm。　　He　now　suddenly　blazed　out　and；　striking　the　table　with　his　fist：

〃No；〃　he　cried；　〃not　that！　　Never！　　Don't　reckon　on　me！。。。　　No；　that　would　be　too　idiotic！〃

He　walked　up　and　down；　in　a　state　of　intense　excitement；　with　that　queer　step　of　his；　which　swayed　him　from　right　to　left　on　each　of　his　legs；　like　a　wild　beast；　a　heavy；　clumsy　bear。　　And；　with　a　hoarse　voice　and　distorted　features；　he　shouted：

〃Let　her　come　here！　　Let　her　come　and　beg　for　her　son's　pardon！　　But　let　her　come　unarmed；　not　with　criminal　intentions；　like　last　time！　　Let　her　come　as　a　supplicant；　as　a　tamed　woman；　as　a　submissive　woman；　who　understands　and　accepts　the　situation。。。　　Gilbert？　　Gilbert's　sentence？　The　scaffold？　　Why；　that　is　where　my　strength　lies！　　What！　　For　more　than　twenty　years　have　I　awaited　my　hour；　and；　when　that　hour　strikes；　when　fortune　brings　me　this　unhoped…for　chance；　when　I　am　at　last　about　to　know　the　joy　of　a　full　revenge　…　and　such　a　revenge！　…　you　think　that　I　will　give　it　up；　give　up　the　thing　which　I　have　been　pursuing　for　twenty　years？　　I　save　Gilbert？　　I？　　For　nothing？　　For　love？　　I；　　aubrecq？。。。　　No；　no；　you　can't　have　studied　my　features！〃

He　laughed；　with　a　fierce　and　hateful　laugh。　　Visibly；　he　saw　before　him；　within　reach　of　his　hand；　the　prey　which　he　had　been　hunting　down　so　long。　　And　Lupin　also　summoned　up　the　vision　of　Clarisse；　as　he　had　seen　her　several　days　before；　fainting；　already　beaten；　fatally　conquered；　because　all　the　hostile　powers　were　in　league　against　her。

He　contained　himself　and　said：

〃Listen　to　me。〃

And；　when　Daubrecq　moved　away　impatiently；　he　took　him　by　the　two　shoulders；　with　that　superhuman　strength　which　Daubrecq　knew；　from　having　felt　it　in　the　box　at　the　Vaudeville；　and；　holding　him　motionless　in　his　grip；　he　said：

〃One　last　word。〃

〃You're　Wasting　your　breath；〃　growled　the　deputy。

〃One　last　word。　Listen；　Daubrecq：　forget　Mme。　Mergy；　give　up　all　the　nonsensical　and　imprudent　acts　which　your　pride　and　your　passions　are　making　you　commit；　put　all　that　on　one　side　and　think　only　of　your　interest。。。　〃

〃My　interest；〃　said　Daubrecq；　jestingly；　〃always　coincides　with　my　pride　and　with　what　you　call　my　passions。〃

〃Up　to　the　present；　perhaps。　　But　not　now；　not　now　that　I　have　taken　a　hand　in　the　business。　　That　constitutes　a　new　factor；　which　you　choose　to　ignore。　　You　are　wrong。　　Gilbert　is　my　pal。　　Gilbert　is　my　chum。　Gilbert　has　to　be　saved　from　the　scaffold。　　Use　your　influence　to　that　end；　and　I　swear　to　you；　do　you　hear；　I　swear　that　we　will　leave　you　in　peace。　　Gilbert's　safety；　that's　all　I　ask。　　You　will　have　no　more　battles　to　wage　with　Mme。　Mergy；　with　me；　there　will　be　no　more　traps　laid　for　you。　　You　will　be　the　master；　free　to　act　as　you　please。　Gilbert's　safety；　Daubrecq！　If　you　refuse。。。　〃

〃What　then？〃

〃If　you　refuse；　it　will　be　war；　relentless　war；　in　other　words；　a　certain　defeat　for　you。〃

〃Meaning　thereby。。。　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Meaning　thereby　that　I　shall　take　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　from　you。

〃Rot！　You　think　so；　do　you？〃

〃I　swear　it。〃

〃What　Prasville　and　all　his　men；　what　Clarisse　Mergy；　what　nobody　has　been　able　to　do；　you　think　that　you　will　do！〃

〃I　shall！〃

〃And　why？　　By　favour　of　what　saint　will　you　succeed　where　everybody　else　has　failed？　　There　must　be　a　reason？〃

〃There　is。〃　　　　　

〃What　is　it？〃

〃My　name　is　Arsene　Lupin。〃

He　had　let　go　of　Daubrecq；　but　held　him　for　a　time　under　the　dominion　of　his　authoritative　glance　and　will。　　At　last；　Daubrecq　drew　himself　up；　gave　him　a　couple　of　sharp　taps　on　the　shoulder　and；　with　the　same　calm；　the　same　intense　obstinacy；　said：

〃And　my　name's　Daubrecq。　　My　whole　life　has　been　one　desperate　battle；　one　long　series　of　catastrophes　and　routs　in　which　I　spent　all　my　energies　until　victory　came：　complete；　decisive；　crushing；　irrevocable　victory。　　I　have　against　me　the　police；　the　government；　France；　the　world。　What　difference　do　you　expect　it　to　make　to　me　if　I　have　M。　Arsene　Lupin　against　me　into　the　bargain？　　I　will　go　further：　the　more　numerous　and　skilful　my　enemies；　the　more　cautiously　I　am　obliged　to　play。　　And　that　is　why；　my　dear　sir；　instead　of　having　you　arrested；　as　I　might　have　done　　…　yes；　as　I　might　have　done　and　very　easily　…　I　let　you　remain　at　large　and　beg　charitably　to　remind　you　that　you　must　quit　in　less　than　three　minutes。〃

〃Then　the　answer　is　no？〃

〃The　answer　is　no。〃

〃You　won't　do　anything　for　Gilbert？〃

〃Yes；　I　shall　continue　to　do　what　I　have　been　doing　since　his　arrest　　…　that　is　to　say；　to　exercise　indirect　influence　with　the　minister　of　justice；　so　that　the　trial　may　be　hurried　on　and　end　in　the　way　in　which　I　want　to　see　it　end。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Lupin；　beside　himself　with　indignation。　　〃It's　because　of　you；　it's　for　you。。。　〃

〃Yes；　it's　for　me；　Daubrecq；　yes；　by　Jove！　　I　have　a　trump　card；　the　son's　head；　and　I　am　playing　it。　When　I　have　procured　a　nice　little　death…sentence　for　Gilbert；　when　the　days　go　by　and　Gilbert's　petition　for　a　reprieve　is　rejected　by　my　good　offices；　you　shall　see；　M。　Lupin；　that　his　mummy　will　drop　all　her　objections　to　calling　herself　Mme。　　lexis　Daubrecq　and　giving　me　an　unexceptionable　pledge　of　her　good…will。　That　fortunate　issue　is　inevitable；　whether　you　like　it　or　not。　　It　is　foredoomed。　　All　I　can　do　for　you　is　to　invite　you　to　the　wedding　and　the　breakfast。　　Does　that　suit　you？　　No？　　You　persist　in　your　sinister　designs？　　Well；　good　luck；　lay　your　traps；　spread　your　nets；　rub　up　your　weapons　and　grind　away　at　the　Complete　Foreign…post…paper　Burglar's　Handbook。　　You'll　need　it。　　And　now；　good…night。　　The　rules　of　open…handed　and　disinterested　hospitality　demand　that　I　should　turn　you　out　of　doors。　　Hop　it！〃

Lupin　remained　silent　for　some　time。　　With　his　eyes　fixed　on　Daubrecq；　he　seemed　to　be　taking　his　adversary's　size；　gauging　his　weight；　estimating　his　physical　strength；　discussing；　in　fine；　in　which　exact　part　to　attack　him。　　Daubrecq　clenched　his　fists　and　worked　out　his　plan　of　defence　to　meet　the　attack　when　it　came。

Half　a　minute　passed。　　Lupin　put　his　hand　to　his　hip…pocket。　　Daubrecq　　id　the　same　and　grasped　the　handie　of　his　revolver。

A　few　seconds　more。　　Coolly；　Lupin　produced　a　little　gold　box　of　the　kind　that　ladies　use　for　holding　sweets；　opened　it　and　handed　it　to　Daubrecq：

〃A　lozenge？〃

〃What's　that？〃　asked　the　other；　in　surprise。

〃Cough…drops。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　the　draught　you're　going　to　feel！〃

And；　taking　advantage　of　the　momentary　fluster　into　which　Daubrecq　was　thrown　by　his　sally；　he　quickly　took　his　hat　and　slipped　away。

〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　as　he　crossed　the　hall；　〃I　am　knocked　into　fits。　But　all　the　same；　that　bit　of　commercial…traveller's　waggery　was　rather　novel；　in　the　circumstances。　　To　expect　a　pill　and　receive　a　cough…drop　is　by　way　of　being　a　sort　of　disappointment。　　It　left　the　old　chimpanzee　quite　flummoxed。〃

As　he　closed　the　gate；　a　motor…car　drove　up　and　a　man　sprang　out　briskly；　followed　by　several　others。

Lupin　recognized　Prasville：

〃Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；〃　he　muttered；　〃your　humble　servant。　I　have　an　idea　that；　some　day；　fate　will　bring　us　face　to　face：　and　I　am　sorry；　for　your　sake；　for　you　do　not　inspire　me　with　any　particular　esteem　and　you　have　a　bad　time　before　you；　on　that　day。　　Meanwhile；　if　I　were　not　in　such　a　hurry；　I　should　wait　till　you　leave　and　I　should　follow　Daubrecq　to　find　out　in　whose　charge　he　has　placed　the　child　whom　he　is　going　to　hand　back