the crystal stopper-第36节

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〃What's　the　next　article；　madame？　　Your　son's　pardon；　perhaps？　Certainly！　　Madame；　I　have　the　honour　to　grant　you　the　pardon　of　your　son；　the　commutation　of　his　sentence　to　penal　servitude　for　life　and；　to　wind　up　with；　his　early　escape。　　It's　settled；　eh；　Growler？　　Settled；　Masher；　what？　　You'll　both　go　with　the　boy　to　New　Caledonia　and　arrange　for　everything。　　Oh；　my　dear　Daubrecq；　we　owe　you　a　great　debt！　　But　I'm　not　forgetting　you；　believe　me！　　What　would　you　like？　　A　last　pipe？　Coming；　coming！〃

He　took　one　of　the　pipes　from　the　mantel…piece；　stooped　over　the　prisoner；　shifted　his　pad　and　thrust　the　amber　mouth…piece　between　his　teeth：

〃Draw；　old　chap；　draw。　　Lord；　how　funny　you　look；　with　your　plug　over　your　nose　and　your　cutty　in　your　mouth。　　Come；　puff　away。　　By　Jove；　I　forgot　to　fill　your　pipe！　　Where's　your　tobacco；　your　favourite　Maryland？　。。。　Oh；　here　we　are！。。。　〃

He　took　from　the　chimney　an　unopened　yellow　packet　and　tore　off　the　government　band：

〃His　lordship's　tobacco！　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　keep　your　eyes　on　me！　This　is　a　great　moment。　　I　am　about　to　fill　his　lordship's　pipe：　by　Jupiter；　what　an　honour！　　Observe　my　movements！　　You　see；　I　have　nothing　in　my　hands；　nothing　up　my　sleeves！。。。　〃

He　turned　back　his　cuffs　and　stuck　out　his　elbows。　　Then　he　opened　the　packet　and　inserted　his　thumb　and　fore…finger；　slowly；　gingerly；　like　a　conjurer　performing　a　sleight…of…hand　trick　before　a　puzzled　audience；　and；　beaming　all　over　his　face；　extracted　from　the　tobacco　a　glittering　object　which　he　held　out　before　the　spectators。

Clarisse　uttered　a　cry。

It　was　the　crystal　stopper。

She　rushed　at　Lupin　and　snatched　it　from　him：

〃That's　it；　that's　the　one！〃　she　exclaimed；　feverishiy。　　〃There's　no　scratch　on　the　stem！　　And　look　at　this　line　running　down　the　middle；　where　the　gilt　finishes。。。　That's　it；　it　unscrews！。。。　Oh；　dear；　my　　trength's　going！。。。　〃　　　She　trembled　so　violently　that　Lupin　took　back　the　stopper　and　unscrewed　it　himself。

The　inside　of　the　knob　was　hollow；　and　in　the　hollow　space　was　a　piece　of　paper　rolled　into　a　tiny　pellet。

〃The　foreign…post…paper；〃　he　whispered；　himself　greatly　excited；　with　quivering　hands。

There　was　a　long　silence。　　All　four　felt　as　if　their　hearts　were　ready　to　burst　from　their　bodies；　and　they　were　afraid　of　what　was　coming。

〃Please；　please。。。　〃stammered　Clarisse。

Lupin　unfolded　the　paper。

There　was　a　set　of　names　written　one　below　the　other；　twenty…seven　of　them；　the　twenty…seven　names　of　the　famous　list：　Langeroux；　Dechaumont；　Vorenglade；　d'Albufex；　Victorien　Mergy　and　the　rest。

And；　at　the　foot；　the　signature　of　the　chairman　of　the　Two…Seas　Canal　Company；　the；　signature　written　in　letters　of　blood。

Lupin　looked　at　his　watch：

〃A　quarter　to　one；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　twenty　minutes　to　spare。　　Let's　have　some　lunch。〃

〃But；〃　said　Clarisse；　who　was　already　beginning　to　lose　her　head；　〃don't　forget。。。　〃

He　simply　said：

〃All　I　know　is　that　I'm　dying　of　hunger。〃

He　sat　down　at　the　table；　cut　himself　a　large　slice　of　cold　pie　and　said　to　his　accomplices：

〃Growler？　　A　bite？　　You；　Masher？〃

〃I　could　do　with　a　mouthful；　governor。〃

〃Then　hurry　up；　lads。　　And　a　glass　of　champage　to　wash　it　down　with：　it's　the　chioroform…patient's　treat。　　Your　health；　Daubrecq！　　Sweet　champagne？　　Dry　champagne？　　Extra…dry？〃


CHAPTER　XI

THE　CR055　OF　LORRAINE


The　moment　Lupin　had　finished　lunch；　he　at　once　and；　so　to　speak；　without　transition；　recovered　all　his　mastery　and　authority。　　The　time　for　joking　was　past；　and　he　must　no　longer　yield　to　his　love　of　astonishing　people　with　claptrap　and　conjuring　tricks。　　Now　that　he　had　discovered　the　crystal　stopper　in　the　hiding…place　which　he　had　guessed　with　absolute　certainty；　now　that　he　possessed　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven；　it　became　a　question　of　playing　off　the　last　game　of　the　rubber　without　delay。

It　was　child's　play；　no　doubt；　and　what　remained　to　be　done　presented　no　difficulty。　　Nevertheless；　it　was　essential　that　he　should　perform　these　final　actions　with　promptness；　decision　and　infallible　perspicacity。　The　smallest　blunder　was　irretrievable。　　Lupin　knew　this；　but　his　strangely　lucid　brain　had　allowed　for　every　contingency。　　And　the　movements　and　words　which　he　was　now　about　to　make　and　utter　were　all　fully　prepared　and　matured：

〃Growler；　the　commissionaire　is　waiting　on　the　Boulevard　Gambetta　with　his　barrow　and　the　trunk　which　we　bought。　　Bring　him　here　and　have　the　trunk　carried　up。　　If　the　people　of　the　hotel　ask　any　questions；　say　it's　for　the　lady　in　No。　130。〃

Then；　addressing　his　other　companion：

〃Masher；　go　back　to　the　station　and　take　over　the　limousine。　　The　price　is　arranged：　ten　thousand　francs。　　Buy　a　chauffeur's　cap　and　overcoat　and　bring　the　car　to　the　hotel。〃

〃The　money；　governor。〃

Lupin　opened　a　pocketbook　which　had　been　removed　from　Daubrecq's　jacket　and　produced　a　huge　bundle　of　bank…notes。　　He　separated　ten　of　them：

〃Here　you　are。　　Our　friend　appears　to　have　been　doing　well　at　the　club。　Off　with　you；　Masher！〃

The　two　men　went　out　through　Clarisse's　room。　　Lupin　availed　himself　of　a　moment　when　Clarisse　Mergy　was　not　looking　to　stow　away　the　pocketbook　with　the　greatest　satisfaction：

〃I　shall　have　done　a　fair　stroke　of　business；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃When　all　the　expenses　are　paid；　I　shall　still　be　well　to　the　good；　and　it's　not　over　yet。〃

Then　turning　to　Clarisse　Mergy；　he　asked：

〃Have　you　a　bag？〃

〃Yes；　I　bought　one　when　I　reached　Nice；　with　some　linen　and　a　few　necessaries；　for　I　left　Paris　unprepared。〃

〃Get　all　that　ready。　　Then　go　down　to　the　office。　　Say　that　you　are　expecting　a　trunk　which　a　commissionaire　is　bringing　from　the　station　cloakroom　and　that　you　will　want　to　unpack　and　pack　it　again　in　your　room；　and　tell　them　that　you　are　leaving。〃

When　alone；　Lupin　examined　Daubrecq　carefully；　felt　in　all　his　pockets　and　appropriated　everything　that　seemed　to　present　any　sort　of　interest。

The　Growler　was　the　first　to　return。　　The　trunk；　a　large　wicker　hamper　covered　with　black　moleskin；　was　taken　into　Clarisse's　room。　　Assisted　by　Clarisse　and　the　Growler；　Lupin　moved　Daubrecq　and　put　him　in　the　trunk；　in　a　sitting　posture；　but　with　his　head　bent　so　as　to　allow　of　the　lid　being　fastened：

〃I　don't　say　that　it's　as　comfortable　as　your　berth　in　a　sleeping…car；　my　dear　deputy；〃　Lupin　observed。　　〃But；　all　the　same；　it's　better　than　a　coffin。　　At　least；　you　can　breathe。　　Three　little　holes　in　each　side。　You　have　nothing　to　complain　of！〃

Then；　unstopping　a　flask：

〃A　drop　more　chloroform？　　You　seem　to　love　it！。。。　〃

He　soaked　the　pad　once　more；　while；　by　his　orders；　Clarisse　and　the　Growler　propped　up　the　deputy　with　linen；　rugs　and　pillows；　which　they　had　taken　the　precaution　to　heap　in　the　trunk。

〃Capital！〃　said　Lupin。　　〃That　trunk　is　fit　to　go　round　the　world。　　Lock　it　and　strap　it。〃

The　Masher　arrived；　in　a　chauffeur's　livery：

〃The　car's　below；　governor。〃

〃Good；〃　he　said。　　〃Take　the　trunk　down　between　you。　　It　would　be　dangerous　to　give　it　to　the　hotel…servants。〃

〃But　if　any　one　meets　us？〃

〃Well；　what　then；　Masher？　　Aren't　you　a　chauffeur？　　You're　carrying　the　trunk　of　your　employer　here　present；　the　lady　in　No。　130；　who　will　also　go　down；　step　into　her　motor。。。　and　wait　for　me　two　hundred　yards　farther　on。　　Growler；　you　help　to　hoist　the　trunk　up。　　Oh；　first　lock　the　partition…door！〃

Lupin　went　to　the　next　room；　closed　the　other　door；　shot　the　bolt；　walked　out；　locked　the　door　behind　him　and　went　down　in　the　lift。

In　the　office；　he　said：

〃M。　Daubrecq　has　suddenly　been　called　away　to　Monte　Carlo。　　He　asked　me　to　say　that　he　would　not　be　back　until　Tuesday　and　that　you　were　to　keep　his　room　for　him。　　His　things　are　all　there。　　Here　is　the　key。〃

He　walked　away　quietly　and　went　after　the　car；　where　he　found　Clarisse　lamenting：

〃We　shall　never　be　in　Paris　to…morrow！　　It's　madness！　　The　least　breakdown。。。

〃That's　why　you　and　I　are　going　to　take　the　train。　　It's　safer。。。　〃

He　put　her　into　a　cab　and　gave　his　parting　instructions　to　the　two　men：

〃Thirty　miles　an　hour；　on　the　average；　do　you　understand？　　You're　to　drive　and　rest；　turn　and　turn　about。　　At　that　rate；　you　ought　to　be　in　Paris　between　six　and　seven　to…morrow　evening。　　But　don't　force　the　pace。　I'm　keeping　Daubrecq；　not　because　I　want　him　for　my　plans；　but　as　a　hostage。。。　and　then　by　way　of　precaution。。。　I　like　to　feel　that　I　can　lay　my　hands　on　him　during　the　next　few　days。　　So　look　after　the　dear　fellow。。。　Give　him　a　few　drops　of　chioroform　every　three　or　four　hours：　it's　his　one　weakness。。。　Off　with　you；　Masher。。。　And　you；　Daubrecq；　don't　get　excited　up　there。　　The　roof'll　　bear　you　all　right。。。　If　you　feel　at　all　sick；　don't　mind。。。　Off　you　go；　Masher！

He　watched　the　car　move　into　the　distance　and　then　told　the　cabman　to　drive　to　a　post…office；　where　he　dispatched　a　telegram　in　these　words：

　　　　　　　　〃M。　Prasville；　Prefecture　de　Police；　Paris：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Person　found。　　Will　bring　you　document　eleven　o'clock　　　　　　　　　to…morrow　morning。　　Urgent　communciation。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃CLARISSE。〃

Clarisse　and　Lupin　reached　the　station　by　half…past　two。

〃If　only　the