the crystal stopper-第38节

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〃The　newspapers。。。　〃

〃You　haven't　read　the　newspapers　and　you　are　not　to　read　them。　　Nothing　that　they　can　say　matters　in　the　least。　　One　thing　alone　matters：　our　interview　with　Prasville。　　Besides。。。　〃

He　took　a　little　bottle　from　a　cupboard　and；　putting　his　hand　on　Clarisse's　shoulder；　said：

〃Lie　down　here；　on　the　sofa；　and　take　a　few　drops　of　this　mixture。〃

〃What's　it　for？〃

〃It　will　make　you　sleep　for　a　few　hours。。。　and　forget。　　That's　always　so　much　gained。〃

〃No；　no；〃　protested　Clarisse；　〃I　don't　want　to。　　Gilbert　is　not　asleep。　He　is　not　forgetting。〃

〃Drink　it；〃　said　Lupin；　with　gentle　insistence。　　She　yielded　all　of　a　sudden；　from　cowardice；　from　excessive　suffering；　and　did　as　she　was　told　and　lay　on　the　sofa　and　closed　her　eyes。　　In　a　few　minutes　she　was　asleep。

Lupin　rang　for　his　servant：

〃The　newspapers。。。　　quick！。。。　Have　you　bought　them？〃

〃Here　they　are；　governor。〃

Lupin　opened　one　of　them　and　at　once　read　the　following　lines：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃ARSENE　LUPIN'S　ACCOMPLICES


　　　　　　　　〃We　know　from　a　positive　source　that　Arsene　Lupin's　　　　　　　　　accomplices；　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray；　will　be　executed　　　　　　　　　to…morrow；　Tuesday；　morning。　M。　Deibler　has　inspected　　　　　　　　　　the　scaffold。　　Everything　is　ready。〃

He　raised　his　head　with　a　defiant　look

〃Arsene　Lupin's　accomplices！　　The　execution　of　Arsene　Lupin's　accomplices！　What　a　fine　spectacle！　　And　what　a　crowd　there　will　be　to　witness　it！　Sorry；　gentlemen；　but　the　curtain　will　not　rise。　　Theatre　closed　by　order　of　the　authorities。　　And　the　authorities　are　myself！〃

He　struck　his　chest　violently；　with　an　arrogant　gesture：

〃The　authorities　are　myself！〃

At　twelve　o'clock　Lupin　received　a　telegram　which　the　Masher　had　sent　from　Lyons：

〃All　well。　　Goods　will　arrive　without　damage。〃

At　three　o'clock　Clarisse　woke。　　Her　first　words　were：

〃Is　it　to　be　to…morrow？〃

He　did　not　answer。　　But　she　saw　him　look　so　calm　and　smiling　that　she　felt　herself　permeated　with　an　immense　sense　of　peace　and　received　the　impression　that　everything　was　finished；　disentangled；　settled　according　to　her　companion's　will。

They　left　the　house　at　ten　minutes　past　four。　　Prasvile's　secretary；　who　had　received　his　chief's　instructions　by　telephone；　showed　them　into　the　office　and　asked　them　to　wait。　　It　was　a　quarter　to　five。

Prasville　came　running　in　at　five　o'dock　exactly　and；　at　once；　cried：

〃Have　you　the　list？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Give　it　me。〃

He　put　out　his　hand。　Clarisse；　who　had　risen　from　her　chair；　did　not　stir。

Prasville　looked　at　her　for　a　moment；　hesitated　and　sat　down。　　He　　understood。　　In　pursuing　Daubrecq；　Clarisse　Mergy　had　not　acted　only　from　hatred　and　the　desire　for　revenge。　　Another　motive　prompted　her。　　The　paper　would　not　be　handed　over　except　upon　conditions。

〃Sit　down；　please；〃　he　said；　thus　showing　that　he　accepted　the　discussion。

Clarisse　resumed　her　seat　and；　when　she　remained　silent；　Prasville　said：

〃Speak；　my　friend；　and　speak　quite　frankly。　　I　do　not　scruple　to　say　that　we　wish　to　have　that　paper。〃

〃If　it　is　only　a　wish；〃　remarked　Clarisse；　whom　Lupin　had　coached　in　her　part　down　to　the　least　detail；　〃if　it　is　oniy　a　wish；　I　fear　that　we　shall　not　be　able　to　come　to　an　arrangement。〃

Prasville　smiled：

〃The　wish；　obviously；　would　lead　us　to　make　certain　sacrifices。〃

〃Every　sacrifice；〃　said　Mme。　Mergy；　correcting　him。

〃Every　sacrifice；　provided；　of　course；　that　we　keep　within　the　bounds　of　acceptable　requirements。〃

〃And　even　if　we　go　beyond　those　bounds；〃　said　Clarisse；　inflexibly。

Prasville　began　to　lose　patience：

〃Come；　what　is　it　all　about？　　Explain　yourself。〃

〃Forgive　me；　my　friend；　but　I　wanted　above　all　to　mark　the　great　importance　which　you　attach　to　that　paper　and；　in　view　of　the　immediate　transaction　which　we　are　about　to　conclude；　to　specify　…　what　shall　I　say？　…　the　value　of　my　share　in　it。　　That　value；　which　has　no　limits；　must；　I　repeat；　be　exchanged　for　an　unlimited　value。〃

〃Agreed；〃　said　Prasville；　querulously。

〃I　presume；　therefore；　that　it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　trace　the　whole　story　of　the　business　or　to　enumerate；　on　the　one　hand；　the　disasters　which　the　possession　of　that　paper　would　have　allowed　you　to　avert　and；　on　the　other　hand；　the　incalculable　advantages　which　you　will　be　able　to　derive　from　its　possession？〃

Prasville　had　to　make　an　effort　to　contain　himself　and　to　answer　in　a　tone　that　was　civil；　or　nearly　so：

〃I　admit　everything。　　Is　that　enough？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　we　cannot　explain　ourselves　too　plainly。　　And　there　is　one　point　that　remains　to　be　cleared　up。　Are　you　in　a　position　to　treat；　personally？〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　want　to　know　not；　of　course；　if　you　are　empowered　to　settie　this　business　here　and　now；　but　if；　in　dealing　with　me；　you　represent　the　views　of　those　who　know　the　business　and　who　are　qualified　to　settle　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　declared　Prasville；　forcibly。

〃So　that　I　can　have　your　answer　within　an　hour　after　I　have　told　you　my　conditions？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Will　the　answer　be　that　of　the　government？〃

〃Yes。〃

Clarisse　bent　forward　and；　sinking　her　voice：

〃Will　the　answer　be　that　of　the　Elysee？〃

Prasville　appeared　surprised。　　He　reflected　for　a　moment　and　then　said：

〃Yes。〃

〃It　only　remains　for　me　to　ask　you　to　give　me　your　word　of　honour　that；　however　incomprehensible　my　conditions　may　appear　to　you；　you　will　not　insist　on　my　revealing　the　reason。　　They　are　what　they　are。　　Your　answer　must　be　yes　or　no。〃

〃I　give　you　my　word　of　honour；〃　said　Prasville；　formally。

Clarisse　underwent　a　momentary　agitation　that　made　her　turn　paler　still。　Then；　mastering　herself；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　Prasville's　eyes；　she　said：

〃You　shall　have　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　in　exchange　for　the　pardon　of　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray。〃

〃Eh？　What？〃

Prasville　leapt　from　his　chair；　looking　absolutely　dumbfounded：

〃The　pardon　of　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray？　　Of　Arsene　Lupin's　accomplices？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said。

〃The　murderers　of　the　Villa　Marie…Therese？　　The　two　who　are　due　to　die　to…morrow？〃

〃Yes；　those　two；〃　she　said。　in　a　loud　voice。　　〃I　ask？　　I　demand　their　pardon。〃

〃But　this　is　madness！　　Why？　　Why　should　you？〃

〃I　must　remind　you；　Prasville；　that　you　gave　me　your　word。。。　〃

〃Yes。。。　yes。。。　I　know。。。　But　the　thing　is　so　unexpected。。。　'

〃Why？〃

〃Why？　For　all　sorts　of　reasons！〃

〃What　reasons？〃

〃Well。。。　well；　but。。。　think！　　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　have　been　sentenced　to　death！〃

〃Send　them　to　penal　servitude：　that's　all　you　have　to　do。〃

〃Impossible！　　The　case　has　created　an　enormous　sensation。　　They　are　Arsene　Lupin's　accomplices。　　The　whole　worid　knows　about　the　verdict。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　we　cannot；　no；　we　cannot　go　against　the　decrees　of　justice。〃

〃You　are　not　asked　to　do　that。　　You　are　asked　for　a　commutation　of　punishment　as　an　act　of　mercy。　　Mercy　is　a　legal　thing。〃

〃The　pardoning…commission　has　given　its　findmg。。。　〃

〃True；　but　there　remains　the　president　of　the　Republic。〃

〃He　has　refused。〃

〃He　can　reconsider　his　refusal。〃

〃Impossible！〃

〃Why？〃

〃There's　no　excuse　for　it。〃

〃He　needs　no　excuse。　　The　right　of　mercy　is　absolute。　　It　is　exercised　without　control；　without　reason；　without　excuse　or　explanation。　　It　is　a　royal　prerogative；　the　president　of　the　Republic　can　wield　it　according　to　his　good　pleasure；　or　rather　according　to　his　conscience；　in　the　best　interests　of　the　State。〃

〃But　it　is　too　late！　　Everything　is　ready。　　The　execution　is　to　take　place　in　a　few　hours。〃

〃One　hour　is　long　enough　to　obtain　your　answer；　you　have　just　told　us　so。〃

〃But　this　is　confounded　madness！　　There　are　insuperable　obstacles　to　your　conditions。　　I　tell　you　again；　it's　impossible；　physically　impossible。〃

〃Then　the　answer　is　no？〃

〃No！　　No！　　A　thousand　times　no！〃

〃In　that　case；　there　is　nothing　left　for　us　to　do　but　to　go。〃

She　moved　toward　the　door。　　M。　Nicole　followed　her。　　Prasville　bounded　across　the　room　and　barred　their　way：

〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃Well；　my　friend；　it　seems　to　me　that　our　conversation　is　at　an　end。　　As　you　appear　to　think；　as；　in　fact；　you　are　certain　that　the　president　of　the　Republic　will　not　consider　the　famous　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　to　be　worth。。。　〃

〃Stay　where　you　are；〃　said　Prasville。

He　turned　the　key　in　the　door　and　began　to　pace　the　room；　with　his　hands　behind　his　back　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　floor。

And　Lupin；　who　had　not　breathed　a　word　during　the　whole　of　this　scene　and　who　had　prudently　contented　himself　with　playing　a　colourless　part；　said　to　himself：

〃What　a　fuss！　　What　a　lot　of　affectation　to　arrive　at　the　inevitable　result！　　As　though　Prasville；　who　is　not　a　genius；　but　not　an　absolute　blockhead　either；　would　be　likely　to　lose　the　chance　of　revenging　himself　on　his　mortal　enemy！　　There；　what　did　I　say？　　The　idea　of　hurling　Daubrecq　into　the　bottomless　pit　appeals　to　him。　　Come；　we've　won　the　rubber。〃

Prasville　was　opening　a　small　inner　door　which　led　to　the　office　of　his　private　secretary。

He　gave　an　order　aloud：

〃M。　Lartigue；　telephone　to　the　Elysee　and　say　that　I　request　the　favour　of　an　audience　for　a　communication　of　the　utmost　importance。〃

He　dosed　the　door；　came　back　to　Clarisse　and　sai