the crystal stopper-第3节

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　every　point　of　view。　　He　had　reached　one　of　those　minutes　which　he　called　the　〃superior　moments　of　existence；〃　those　which　alone　give　a　value　and　a　price　to　life。　　On　such　occasions；　however　threatening　the　danger；　he　always　began　by　counting　to　himself；　slowly　　…　〃One。。。　Two。。。　Three。。。　Four。。。。　Five。。。　Six〃　…　until　the　beating　of　his　heart　became　normal　and　regular。　　Then　and　not　till　then；　he　reflected；　but　with　what　intensity；　with　what　perspicacity；　with　what　a　profound　intuition　of　possibilities！　　All　the　factors　of　the　problem　were　present　in　his　mind。　　He　foresaw　everything。　　He　admitted　everything。　And　he　took　his　resolution　in　all　logic　and　in　all　certainty。

After　thirty　or　forty　seconds；　while　the　men　outside　were　banging　at　the　doors　and　picking　the　locks；　he　said　to　his　companion：

〃Follow　me。〃

Returning　to　the　dining…room；　he　softly　opened　the　sash　and　drew　the　Venetian　blinds　of　a　window　in　the　side…wall。　　People　were　coming　and　going；　rendenng　flight　out　of　the　question。

Thereupon　he　began　to　shout　with　all　his　might；　in　a　breathiess　voice：

〃This　way！。。。　Help！。。。　I've　got　them！　。。。　This　way！〃

He　pointed　his　revolver　and　fired　two　shots　into　the　tree…tops。　　Then　he　went　back　to　Vaucheray；　bent　over　him　and　smeared　his　face　and　hands　with　the　wounded　man's　blood。　　Lastly；　turning　upon　Gilbert；　he　took　him　violently　by　the　shoulders　and　threw　him　to　the　floor。

〃What　do　you　want；　governor？　　There's　a　nice　thing　to　do！〃

〃Let　me　do　as　I　please；〃　said　Lupin；　laying　an　imperative　stress　on　every　syllable。　　〃I'll　answer　for　everything。。。　I'll　answer　for　the　two　of　you。。。　Let　me　do　as　I　like　with　you。。。　I'll　get　you　both　out　of　prison　。。。　But　I　can　only　do　that　if　I'm　free。〃

Excited　cries　rose　through　the　open　window。

〃This　way！〃　he　shouted。　　〃I've　got　them！　Help！〃

And；　quietly；　in　a　whisper：


〃Just　think　for　a　moment。。。　Have　you　anything　to　say　to　me？。。。　Something　that　can　be　of　use　to　us？

Gilbert　was　too　much　taken　aback　to　understand　'Lupin's　plan　and　he　struggled　furiously。　　Vaucheray　showed　more　intelligence；　moreover；　he　had　given　up　all　hope　of　escape；　because　of　his　wound；　and　he　snarled：

〃Let　the　governor　have　his　way；　you　ass！。。。　As　long　as　he　gets　off；　isn't　that　the　great　thing？〃

Suddenly；　Lupin　remembered　the　article　which　Gilbert　had　put　in　his　pocket；　after　capturing　it　from　Vaucheray。　　He　now　tried　to　take　it　in　his　turn。

〃No；　not　that！　　Not　if　I　know　it！〃　growled　Gilbert；　managing　to　release　himself。

Lupin　floored　him　once　more。　　But　two　men　suddenly　appeared　at　the　window；　and　Gilbert　yielded　and；　handing　the　thing　to　Lupin；　who　pocketed　it　without　looking　at　it；　whispered：

〃Here　you　are；　governor。。。　I'll　explain。　　You　can　be　sure　that。。。　〃

He　did　not　have　time　to　finish。。。　Two　policemen　and　others　after　them　and　soldiers　who　entered　through　every　door　and　window　caine　to　Lupin's　assistance。

Gilbert　was　at　once　seized　and　firmly　bound。　　Lupin　withdrew：

〃I'm　glad　you've　come；〃　he　said。　　〃The　beggar's　given　me　a　lot　of　trouble。　　I　wounded　the　other；　but　this　one。。。　〃

The　commissary　of　police　asked　him；　hurriedly：

〃Have　you　seen　the　man…servant？　　Have　they　killed　him？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　；he　answered。

〃You　don't　know？。。。　〃

〃Why；　I　came　with　you　from　Enghien；　on　hearing　of　the　murder！　　Only；　while　you　were　going　round　the　left　of　the　house；　I　went　round　the　right。　There　was；　a　window　open。　　I　climbed　up　just　as　these　two　ruffians　were　about　to　jump　down。　　I　fred　at　this　one；〃　pointing　to　Vaucheray；　〃and　seized　hold　of　his　pal。〃

How　could　he　have　been　suspected？　　He　was　covered　with　blood。　　He　had　handed　over　the　valet's　murderers。　　Half　a　score　of　people　had　witnessed　the　end　of　the　heroic　combat　which　he　had　delivered。　　Besides；　the　uproar　was　too　great　for　any　one　to　take　the　trouble　to　argue　or　to　waste　time　in　entertaining　doubts。　　In　the　height　of　the　first　confusion；　the　people　of　the　neighbourhood　invaded　the　villa。　　One　and　all　lost　their　heads。　They　ran　to　every　side；　upstairs；　downstairs；　to　the　very　cellar。　　They　asked　one　another　questions；　yelled　and　shouted；　and　no　one　dreamt　of　checking　Lupin's　statements；　which　sounded　so　plausible。

However；　the　discovery　of　the　body　in　the　pantry　restored　the　comnussary　to　a　sense　of　his　responsibility。　　He　issued　orders；　had　the　house　cleared　and　placed　policemen　at　the　gate　to　prevent　any　one　from　passing　in　or　out。　　Then；　without　further　delay；　he　examined　the　spot　and　began　his　inquiry。　　Vaucheray　gave　his　name；　Gilbert　refused　to　give　his；　on　the　plea　that　he　would　only　speak　in　the　presence　of　a　lawyer。　　But；　when　he　was　accused　of　the　murder；　he　informed　against　Vaucheray；　who　defended　himself　by　denouncing　the　other；　and　the　two　of　them　vociferated　at　the　same　time；　with　the　evident　wish　to　monopolize　the　commissary's　attention。　When　the　commissary　turned　to　Lupin；　to　request　his　evidence；　he　perceived　that　the　stranger　was　no　longer　there。

Without　the　least　suspicion；　he　said　to　one　of　the　policemen：

〃Go　and　tell　that　gentleman　that　I　should　like　to　ask　him　a　few　questions。〃

They　looked　about　for　the　gentleman。　　Some　one　had　seen　him　standing　on　the　steps；　lighting　a　cigarette。　　The　next　news　was　that　he　had　given　cigarettes　to　a　group　of　soldiers　and　strolled　toward　the　lake；　saying　that　they　were　to　call　him　if　he　was　wanted。

They　called　him。　　No　one　replied。

But　a　soldier　came　running　up。　　The　gentleman　had　just　got　into　a　boat　and　was　rowing　away　for　all　he　was　worth。　　The　commissary　looked　at　Gilbert　and　realized　that　he　had　been　tricked：

〃Stop　him！〃　he　shouted。　　Fire　on　him！　He's　an　accomplice！。。。　〃

He　himself　rushed　out；　followed　by　two　policemen；　while　the　others　remained　with　the　prisoners。　　On　reaching　the　bank；　he　saw　the　gentleman；　a　hundred　yards　away；　taking　off　his　hat　to　him　in　the　dusk。

One　of　the　policemen　discharged　his　revolver；　without　thinking。

The　wind　carried　the　sound　of　words　across　the　water。　　The　gentleman　was　singing　as　he　rowed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Go；　little　bark；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Float　in　the　dark。。。　〃

But　the　commissary　saw　a　skiff　fastened　to　the　landing…stage　of　the　adjoining　property。　　He　scrambled　over　the　hedge　separating　the　two　gardens　and；　after　ordering　the　soldiers　to　watch　the　banks　of　the　lake　and　to　seize　the　fugitlve　if　he　tried　to　put　ashore；　the　commissary　and　two　of　his　men　pulled　off　in　pursuit　of　Lupin。

It　was　not　a　difficult　matter；　for　they　were　able　to　follow　his　movements　by　the　intermittent　light　of　the　moon　and　to　see　that　he　was　trying　to　cross　the　lakes　while　bearing　toward　the　right　…　that　is　to　say；　toward　the　village　of　Saint…Gratien。　　Moreover；　the　commissary　soon　perceived　that；　with　the　aid　of　his　men　and　thanks　perhaps　to　the　comparative　lightness　of　his　craft；　he　was　rapidly　gaining　on　the　other。　　In　ten　minutes　he　had　decreased　the　interval　between　them　by　one　half。

〃That's　it！〃　he　cried。　　〃We　shan't　even　need　the　soldiers　to　keep　him　from　landing。　　I　very　much　want　to　make　the　fellow's　acquaintance。　　He's　a　cool　hand　and　no　mistake！〃

The　funny　thing　was　that　the　distance　was　now　diminishing　at　an　abnormal　rate；　as　though　the　fugitive　had　lost　heart　at　realizing　the　futility　of　the　struggle。　　The　policemen　redoubled　their　efforts。　　The　boat　shot　across　the　water　with　the　swiftness　of　a　swallow。　　Another　hundred　yards　at　most　and　they　would　reach　the　man。

〃Halt！〃　cried　the　commissary。

The　enemy；　whose　huddled　shape　they　could　make　out　in　the　boat；　no　longer　moved。　　The　sculls　drifted　with　the　stream。　　And　this　absence　of　all　motion　had　something　alarming　about　it。　　A　ruffian　of　that　stamp　might　easily　lie　in　wait　for　his　aggressors；　sell　his　life　dearly　and　even　shoot　them　dead　before　they　had　a　chance　of　attacking　him。

〃Surrender！〃　shouted　the　commissary。

The　sky；　at　that　moment；　was　dark。　　The　three　men　lay　flat　at　the　bottom　of　their　skiff；　for　they　thought　they　perceived　a　threatening　gesture。

The　boat；　carried　by　its　own　impetus；　was　approaching　the　other。

The　commissary　growled：

〃We　won't　let　ourselves　be　sniped。　　Let's　fire　at　him。　Are　you　ready？〃　And　he　roared；　once　more；　〃Surrender。。。　if　not。。。　！〃

No　reply。

The　enemy　did　not　budge。

〃Surrender！。。。　Hands　up！。。。　You　refuse？。。。　So　much　the　worse　for　you。。。　　I'm　counting。。。　One。。。　Two。。。　〃

The　policemen　did　not　wait　for　the　word　of　command。　　They　fired　and；　at　once；　bending　over　their　oars；　gave　the　boat　so　powerful　an　impulse　that　it　reached　the　goal　in　a　few　strokes。

The　commissary　watched；　revolver　in　hand；　ready　for　the　least　movement。　He　raised　his　arm：

〃If　you　stir；　I'll　blow　out　your　brains！〃

But　the　enemy　did　not　stir　for　a　moment；　and；　when　the　boat　was　bumped　and　the　two　men；　letting　go　their　oars；　prepared　for　the　formidable　assault；　the　commissary　understood　the　reason　of　this　passive　attitude：　there　was　no　one　in　the　boat。　　The　enemy　had　escaped　by　swimming；　leaving　in　the　hands　of　the　victor　a　certain　number　of　the　stolen　articles；　which；　heaped　up　and　surmounted　by　a　jacket　and　a　bowler　hat；　might　be　taken；　at　a　pinch；　in　the　semi…darkness；　vaguely　to　represent　the　figure　of　a　man。

They　struck　matches　and　examined　the　enemy's　cast　clothes。　　There　were　no　initial