the crystal stopper-第26节

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〃What　is　the　other　plan？〃

〃To　witness　the　interview。　　If　Daubrecq　does　not　speak；　it　will　give　us　the　time　to　prepare　to　carry　him　off　under　more　favourable　conditions。　If　he　speaks；　if　they　compel　him　to　reveal　the　place　where　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　is　hidden；　I　shall　know　the　truth　at　the　same　time　as　d'Albufex；　and　I　swear　to　God　that　I　shall　turn　it　to　account　before　he　does。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Clarisse。　　〃But　how　do　you　propose　to　be　present？〃

〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　Lupin　confessed。　　〃It　depends　on　certain　particulars　which　the　Masher　is　to　bring　me　and　on　some　which　I　shall　find　out　for　myself。〃

He　left　the　inn　and　did　not　return　until　an　hour　later　as　night　was　falling。　　The　Masher　joined　him。

〃Have　you　the　little　book？〃　asked　Lupin。

〃Yes；　governor　　It　was　what　I　saw　at　the　Aumale　newspaper…shop。　　I　got　it　for　ten　sous。〃

〃Give　it　me。〃

The　Masher　handed　him　an　old；　soiled；　torn　pamphlet；　entitled；　on　the　cover；　A　Visit　to　Mortepierre；　1824；　with　plans　and　illustrations。

Lupin　at　once　looked　for　the　plan　of　the　donjon…keep。

〃That's　it；〃　he　said。　　〃Above　the　ground　were　three　stories；　which　have　been　razed；　and　below　the　ground；　dug　out　of　the　rock；　two　stories；　one　of　which　was　blocked　up　by　the　rubbish；　while　the　other。。。　　There；　that's　where　our　friend　Daubrecq　lies。　　The　name　is　significant：　the　　torture…chamber　。。。　　Poor；　dear　friend！。。。　　Between　the　staircase　and　the　torture…chamber；　two　doors。　　Between　those　two　doors；　a　recess　in　which　the　three　brothers　obviously　sit；　gun　in　hand。〃

〃So　it　is　impossible　for　you　to　get　in　that　way　without　being　seen。〃

〃Impossible。。。　unless　I　come　from　above；　by　the　story　that　has　fallen　in；　and　look　for　a　means　of　entrance　through　the　ceiling。。。　But　that　is　very　risky。。。　〃

He　continued　to　turn　the　pages　of　the　book。　　Clarisse　asked：

〃Is　there　no　window　to　the　room？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃From　below；　from　the　river　…　I　have　just　been　there　　…　you　can　see　a　little　opening；　which　is　also　marked　on　the　plan。　　But　it　is　fifty　yards　up；　sheer；　and　even　then　the　rock　overhangs　the　water。　So　that　again　is　out　of　the　question。〃

He　glanced　through　a　few　pages　of　the　book。　　The　title　of　one　chapter　struck　him：　The　Lovers'　Towers　He　read　the　opening　lines：

　　　　　　　　〃In　the　old　days；　the　donjon　was　known　to　the　people　of　the　　　　　　　　　neighbourhood　as　the　Lovers'　Tower；　in　memory　of　a　fatal　tragedy　　　　　　　　　that　marked　it　in　the　Middle　Ages。　　The　Comte　de　Mortepierre；　　　　　　　　　having　received　proofs　of　his　wife's　faithlessness；　imprisoned　　　　　　　　　her　in　the　torture…chamber；　where　she　spent　twenty　years。　　One　　　　　　　　　night；　her　lover；　the　Sire　de　Tancarville；　with　reckless　courage；　　　　　　　　　set　up　a　ladder　in　the　river　and　then　clambered　up　the　face　of　　　　　　　　　the　cliff　till　he　came　to　the　window　of　the　room。　　After　filing　　　　　　　　　the　bars；　he　succeeded　in　releasing　the　woman　he　loved　and　　　　　　　　　bringing　her　down　with　him　by　means　of　a　rope。　　They　both　reached　　　　　　　　　the　top　of　the　ladder；　which　was　watched　by　his　friends；　when　a　　　　　　　　　shot　was　fired　from　the　patrol…path　and　hit　the　man　in　the　　　　　　　　　shoulder。　　The　two　lovers　were　hurled　into　space。。。。　〃

There　was　a　pause；　after　he　had　read　this；　a　long　pause　during　which　each　of　them　drew　a　mental　picture　of　the　tragic　escape。　　So；　three　or　four　centuries　earlier；　a　man；　risking　his　life；　had　attempted　that　surprising　feat　and　would　have　succeeded　but　for　the　vigilance　of　some　sentry　who　heard　the　noise。　　A　man　had　ventured！　　A　man　had　dared！　　A　man　done　it！

Lupin　raised　his　eyes　to　Clarisse。　　She　was　looking　at　him。。。　with　such　a　desperate；　such　a　beseeching　look！　　The　look　of　a　mother　who　demanded　the　impossible　and　who　would　have　sacrificed　anything　to　save　her　son。

〃Masher；〃　he　said；　〃get　a　strong　rope；　but　very　slender；　so　that　I　can　roll　it　round　my　waist；　and　very　long：　fifty　or　sixty　yards。　　You；　　Growler；　go　and　look　for　three　or　four　ladders　and　fasten　them　end　to　end。〃

〃Why；　what　are　you　thinking　of；　governor？〃　cried　the　two　accomplices。　〃What；　you　mean　to。。。　　But　it's　madness！〃

〃Madness？　　Why？　　What　another　has　done　I　can　do。〃

〃But　it's　a　hundred　chances　to　one　that　you　break　your　neck。〃

〃Well；　you　see；　Masher；　there's　one　chance　that　I　don't。〃

〃But；　governor。。。　〃

〃That's　enough；　my　friends。　　Meet　me　in　an　hour　on　the　river…bank。〃

The　preparations　took　long　in　the　making。　　It　was　difficult　to　find　the　material　for　a　fifty…foot　ladder　that　would　reach　the　first　ledge　of　the　cliff；　and　it　required　an　endless　effort　and　care　to　join　the　different　sections。

At　last；　a　little　after　nine　o'clock；　it　was　set　up　in　the　middle　of　the　river　and　held　in　position　by　a　boat；　the　bows　of　which　were　wedged　between　two　of　the　rungs；　while　the　stern　was　rammed　into　the　bank。

The　road　through　the　river…valley　was　little　used；　and　nobody　came　to　interrupt　the　work。　　The　night　was　dark；　the　sky　heavy　with　moveless　clouds。

Lupin　gave　the　Masher　and　the　Growler　their　final　instructions　and　said；　with　a　laugh：

〃I　can't　tell　you　how　amused　I　am　at　the　thought　of　seeing　Daubrecq's　face　when　they　proceed　to　take　his　scalp　or　slice　his　skin　into　ribbons。　Upon　my　word；　it's　worth　the　journey。〃

Clarisse　also　had　taken　a　seat　in　the　boat。　　He　said　to　her：

〃Until　we　meet　again。　　And；　above　all；　don't　stir。　　Whatever　happens；　not　a　movement；　not　a　cry。〃

〃Can　anything　happen？〃　she　asked。

〃Why；　remember　the　Sire　de　Tancarville！　　It　was　at　the　very　moment　when　he　was　achieving　his　object；　with　his　true　love　in　his　arms；　that　an　accident　betrayed　him。　　But　be　easy：　I　shall　be　all　right。〃

She　made　no　reply。　　She　seized　his　hand　and　grasped　it　warmly　between　her　own。

He　put　his　foot　on　the　ladder　and　made　sure　that　it　did　not　sway　too　much。　　Then　he　went　up。

He　soon　reached　the　top　rung。

This　was　where　the　dangerous　ascent　began；　a　difficult　ascent　at　the　start；　because　of　the　excessive　steepness；　and　developing；　mid…way；　into　an　absolute　escalade。

Fortunately；　here　and　there　were　little　hollows；　in　which　his　feet　found　a　resting…place；　and　projecting　stones；　to　which　his　hands　clung。　　But　twice　those　stones　gave　way　and　he　slipped；　and　twice　he　firmly　believed　that　all　was　lost。　　Finding　a　deeper　hollow；　he　took　a　rest。　　He　was　worn　out；　felt　quite　ready　to　throw　up　the　enterprise；　asked　himself　if　it　was　really　worth　while　for　him　to　expose　himself　to　such　danger：

〃I　say！〃　he　thought。　　〃Seems　to　me　you're　showing　the　white　feather；　Lupin；　old　boy。　　Throw　up　the　enterprise？　　Then　Daubrecq　will　babble　his　secret；　the　marquis　will　possess　himself　of　the　list；　Lupin　will　return　empty…handed；　and　Gilbert。。。　〃　　　The　long　rope　which　he　had　fastened　round　his　waist　caused　him　needless　inconvenience　and　fatigue。　　He　fixed　one　of　the　ends　to　the　strap　of　his　trousers　and　let　the　rope　uncoil　all　the　way　down　the　ascent；　so　that　he　could　use　it；　on　returning；　as　a　hand…rail。

Then　he　once　more　clutched　at　the　rough　surface　of　the　cliff　and　continued　the　climb；　with　bruised　nails　and　bleeding　fingers。　　At　every　moment　he　expected　the　inevitable　fall。　　And　what　discouraged　him　most　was　to　hear　the　murmur　of　voices　rising　from　the　boat；　murmur　so　distinct　that　it　seemed　as　though　he　were　not　increasing　the　distance　between　his　companions　and　himself。

And　he　remembered　the　Sire　de　Tancarville；　alone；　he　too；　amid　the　darkness；　who　must　have　shivered　at　the　noise　of　the　stones　which　he　loosened　and　sent　bounding　down　the　cliff。　　How　the　least　sound　reverberated　through　the　silence！　　If　one　of　Daubrecq's　guards　was　peering　into　the　gloom　from　the　Lovers'　Tower；　it　meant　a　shot。。。　　and　death。

And　he　climbed。。。　he　climbed。。。　He　had　climbed　so　long　that　he　ended　by　imagining　that　the　goal　was　passed。　　Beyond　a　doubt；　he　had　slanted　unawares　to　the　right　or　left　and　he　would　finish　at　the　patrol…path。　　What　a　stupid　upshot！　　And　what　other　upshot　could　there　be　to　an　attempt　which　the　swift　force　of　events　had　not　allowed　him　to　study　and　prepare？

Madly；　he　redoubled　his　efforts；　raised　himself　by　a　number　of　yards；　slipped；　recovered　the　lost　ground；　clutched　a　bunch　of　roots　that　came　loose　in　his　hand；　slipped　once　more　and　was　abandoning　the　game　in　despair　when；　suddenly；　stiffening　himself　and　contracting　his　whole　frame；　his　muscles　and　his　will；　he　stopped　still：　a　sound　of　voices　seemed　to　issue　from　the　very　rock　which　he　was　grasping。

He　listened。　　It　came　from　the　right。　　Turning　his　head；　he　thought　that　he　saw　a　ray　of　light　penetrating　the　darkness　of　space。　　By　what　effort　of　energy；　by　what　imperceptible　movements　he　succeeded　in　dragging　himse1f　to　the　spot　he　was　never　able　exactly　to　realize。　　But　suddenly　he　found　himself　on　the　ledge　of　a　fairly　wide　opening；　at　least　three　yards　deep；　which　dug　into　the　wall　of　the　cliff　like　a　　passage；　while　its　other　end；　much　narrower；　was　closed　by　three　bars。

Lupin　crawled　along。　　His　head　reached　the　bars。And　he　saw。。。　


　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII

THE　LOVERS'　TOWER


The　torture…chamber　showed　beneath　him。　　It　was　a　large；　irregular　room；　divided　into　unequal　portions　by　the　four　wide；　massive　pillars　that　supported　its　arched　roof。　　A　smell　of　damp　and　mildew　came　from　its　walls　and　from　its　fl