the crystal stopper-第39节

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〃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　said：

〃In　any　case；　my　intervention　is　limited　to　submitting　your　proposal。〃

〃Once　you　submit　it；　it　will　be　accepted。〃

A　long　silence　followed。　　Clarisse's　features　expressed　so　profound　a　delight　that　Prasville　was　struck　by　it　and　looked　at　her　with　attentive　curiosity。　　For　what　mysterious　reason　did　Clarisse　wish　to　save　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray？　　What　was　the　incomprehensible　link　that　bound　her　to　those　two　men？　　What　tragedy　connected　those　three　lives　and；　no　doubt；　Daubrecq's　in　addition？

〃Go　ahead；　old　boy；〃　thought　Lupin；　〃cudgel　your　brains：　you'll　never　spot　it！　　Ah；　if　we　had　asked　for　Gilbert's　pardon　only；　as　Clarisse　wished；　you　might　have　twigged　the　secret！　　But　Vaucheray；　that　brute　of　a　Vaucheray；　there　really　could　not　be　the　least　bond　between　Mme。　Mergy　and　him。。。。　Aha；　by　Jingo；　it's　my　turn　now！。。。　He's　watching　me　。。。　The　inward　soliloquy　is　turning　upon　myself。。。　'I　wonder　who　that　M。　Nicole　can　be？　　Why　has　that　little　provincial　usher　devoted　himself　body　and　soul　to　Clarisse　Mergy？　　Who　is　that　old　bore；　if　the　truth　were　known？　　I　made　a　mistake　in　not　inquiring。。。　I　must　look　into　this。。。。　I　must　rip　off　the　beggar's　mask。　　For；　after　all；　it's　not　natural　that　a　man　should　take　so　much　trouble　about　a　matter　in　which　he　is　not　directly　interested。　　Why　should　he　also　wish　to　save　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray？　　Why？　　Why　should　he？　。。。　〃　　Lupin　turned　his　head　away。　〃Look　out！。。。　　Look　out！。。。　There's　a　notion　passing　through　that　red…tape…merchant's　skull：　a　confused　notion　which　he　can't　put　into　words。　　Hang　it　all；　he　mustn't　suspect　M。　Lupin　under　M。　Nicole！　　The　thing's　complicated　enough　as　it　is；　in　all　conscience！。。。

But　there　was　a　welcome　interruption。　　Prasville's　secretary　came　to　say　that　the　audience　would　take　place　in　an　hour's　time。

〃Very　well。　　Thank　you；〃　said　Prasville。　　〃That　will　do。〃

And；　resuming　the　interview；　with　no　further　circumlocution；　speaking　like　a　man　who　means　to　put　a　thing　through；　he　declared：

〃I　think　that　we　shall　be　able　to　manage　it。　　But；　first　of　all；　so　that　I　may　do　what　I　have　undertaken　to　do；　I　want　more　precise　information；　fuller　details。　　Where　was　the　paper？〃

〃In　the　crystal　stopper；　as　we　thought；〃　said　Mme。　Mergy。

〃And　where　was　the　crystal　stopper？〃

〃In　an　object　which　Daubrecq　came　and　fetched；　a　few　days　ago；　from　the　writing…desk　in　his　study　in　the　Square　Lamartine；　an　object　which　I　took　from　him　yesterday。〃

〃What　sort　of　object？〃

〃Simply　a　packet　of　tobacco；　Maryland　tobacco；　which　used　to　lie　about　on　the　desk。〃

Prasville　was　petrified。　　He　muttered；　guilelessly：

〃Oh；　if　I　had　only　known！　　I've　had　my　hand　on　that　packet　of　Maryland　a　dozen　times！　　How　stupid　of　me！〃

〃What　does　it　matter？〃　said　Clarisse。　　〃The　great　thing　is　that　the　discovery　is　made。〃

Prasville　pulled　a　face　which　implied　that　the　discovery　would　have　been　much　pleasanter　if　he　himself　had　made　it。　Then　he　asked：

〃So　you　have　the　list？〃

〃Yes。〃　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yes。〃

〃Show　it　to　me。〃

And；　when　Clarisse　hesitated；　he　added：

〃Oh；　please；　don't　be　afraid！　　The　list　belongs　to　you；　and　I　will　give　it　back　to　you。　　But　you　must　understand　that　I　cannot　take　the　step　in　question　without　making　certain。〃

Clarisse　consulted　M。　Nicole　with　a　glance　which　did　not　escape　Prasville。　Then　she　said：

〃Here　it　is。〃

He　seized　the　scrap　of　paper　with　a　certain　excitement；　examined　it　and　almost　immediately　said：

〃Yes；　yes。。。　the　secretary's　writing：　I　recognize　it。。。。　And　the　signature　of　the　chairman　of　the　company：　the　signature　in　red。。。。　Besides；　I　have　other　proofs。。。。　For　instance；　the　torn　piece　which　completes　the　left…hand　top　corner　of　this　sheet。。。〃

He　opened　his　safe　and；　from　a　special　cash…box；　produced　a　tiny　piece　of　paper　which　he　put　against　the　top　left　corner：

〃That's　right。　　The　torn　edges　fit　exactly。　　The　proof　is　undeniable。　All　that　remains　is　to　verify　the　make　of　this　foreign…post…paper。〃

Clarisse　was　radiant　with　delight。　　No　one　would　have　believed　that　the　most　terrible　torture　had　racked　her　for　weeks　and　weeks　and　that　she　was　still　bleeding　and　quivering　from　its　effects。

While　Prasville　was　holding　the　paper　against　a　window…pane；　she　said　to　Lupin：

〃I　insist　upon　having　Gilbert　informed　this　evening。　　He　must　be　so　awfully　unhappy！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lupin。　　〃Besides；　you　can　go　to　his　lawyer　and　tell　him。〃

She　continued：

〃And　then　I　must　see　Gilbert　to…morrow。　　Prasville　can　think　what　he　likes。〃

〃Of　course。　　But　he　must　first　gain　his　cause　at　the　Elysee。〃

〃There　can't　be　any　difficulty；　can　there？〃

〃No。　　You　saw　that　he　gave　way　at　once。〃

Prasville　continued　his　examination　with　the　aid　of　a　magnifying…glass　and　compared　the　sheet　with　the　scrap　of　torn　paper。　　Next；　he　took　from　the　cash…box　some　other　sheets　of　letter…paper　and　examined　one　of　these　by　holding　it　up　to　the　light：

〃That's　done；〃　he　said。　　〃My　mind　is　made　up。　　Forgive　me；　dear　friend：　it　was　a　very　difficult　piece　of　work。。。。　I　passed　through　various　stages。　When　all　is　said；　I　had　my　suspicions。。。　and　not　without　cause。。。　〃　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Clarisse。

〃One　second。。。。　I　must　give　an　order　first。〃

He　called　his　secretary：

〃Please　telephone　at　once　to　the　Elysee；　make　my　apologies　and　say　that　I　shall　not　require　the　audience；　for　reasons　which　I　will　explain　later。〃

He　closed　the　door　and　returned　to　his　desk。　　Clarisse　and　Lupin　stood　choking；　looking　at　him　in　stupefaction；　failing　to　understand　this　sudden　change。　　Was　he　mad？　Was　it　a　trick　on　his　part？　　A　breach　of　faith？　　And　was　he　refusing　to　keep　his　promise；　now　that　he　possessed　the　list？

He　held　it　out　to　Clarisse：

〃You　can　have　it　back。〃　

Have　it　back？〃

〃And　return　it　to　Daubrecq。〃

〃To　Daubrecq？〃

〃Unless　you　prefer　to　burn　it。〃

〃What　do　you　say？〃

〃I　say　that；　if　I　were　in　your　place；　I　would　burn　it。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that？　　It's　ridiculous！〃

〃On　the　contrary；　　it　is　very　sensible。〃

〃But　why？　　Why？〃

〃Why？　I　will　tell　you。　　The　list　of　the　Twenty…seven；　as　we　know　for　absolutely　certain；　was　written　on　a　sheet　of　letter…paper　belonging　to　the　chairman　of　the　Canal　Company；　of　which　there　are　a　few　samples　in　this　cash…box。　　Now　all　these　samples　have　as　a　water…mark　a　little　cross　of　Lorraine　which　is　almost　invisible；　but　which　can　just　be　seen　in　the　thickness　of　the　paper　when　you　hold　it　up　to　the　light。　　The　sheet　which　you　have　brought　me　does　not　contain　that　little　cross　of　Lorraine。〃*

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*The　Cross　of　Lorraine　is　a　cross　with　two　horizontal　lines　or　bars　across　the　upper　half　of　the　perpendicular　beam。…Translator's　Note。　________________________________________________________________________

Lupin　felt　a　nervous　trembling　shake　him　from　head　to　foot　and　he　dared　not　turn　his　eyes　on　Clarisse；　realizing　what　a　terrible　blow　this　was　to　her。　　He　heard　her　stammer：

〃Then　are　we　to　suppose。。。　that　Daubrecq　was　taken　in？〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it！〃　exclaimed　Prasville。　　〃It　is　you　who　have　been　taken　in；　my　poor　friend。　　Daubrecq　has　the　real　list；　the　list　which　he　stole　from　the　dying　man's　safe。〃

〃But　this　one。。。　〃

〃This　one　is　a　forgery。〃

〃A　forgery？〃

〃An　undoubted　forgery。　　It　was　an　admirable　piece　of　cunning　on　Daubrecq's　part。　　Dazzled　by　the　crystal　stopper　which　he　flashed　before　your　eyes；　you　did　nothing　but　look　for　that　stopper　in　which　he　had　stowed　away　no　matter　what；　the　first　bit　of　paper　that　came　to　hand；　while　he　quietly　kept。。。　〃

Prasville　interrupted　himself。　　Clarisse　was　walking　up　to　him　with　short；　stiff　steps；　like　an　automaton。　　She　said：

〃Then　。。。　〃

〃Then　what；　dear　friend？〃

〃You　refuse？〃

〃Certainly；　I　am　obliged　to；　I　have　no　choice。〃

〃You　refuse　to　take　that　step？〃

〃Look　here；　how　can　I　do　what　you　ask？　　It's　not　possible；　on　the　strength　of　a　valueless　document。。。　〃

〃You　won't　do　it？。。。　You　won't　do　it？。。。　And；　to…morrow　morning。。。　in　a　few　hours。。。　Gilbert。。。　〃

She　was　frightfully　pale；　her　face　sunk；　like　the　face　of　one　dying。　Her　eyes　opened　wider　and　wider　and　her　teeth　chattered。。。　〃

Lupin；　fearing　the　useless　and　dangerous　words　which　she　was　about　to　utter；　seized　her　by　the　shoulders　and　tried　to　drag　her　away。　　But　she　thrust　him　back　with　indomitable　strength；　took　two　or　three　more　steps；　staggered；　as　though　on　the　point　of　falling；　and；　suddenly；　in　a　burst　of　energy　and　despair；　laid　hold　of　Prasvile　and　screamed：

〃You　shall　go　to　the　Elysee！。。。　You　shall　go　at　once！。。。　You　must！。。。　You　must　save　Gilbert！〃

〃Flease；　please；　my　dear　friend；　calm　yourself。。。　〃　　　She　gave　a　strident　laugh：

〃Calm　myself！。。。　When；　to…morrow　morning；　Gilbert。。。　Ah；　no；　no；　I　am　terrified。。。　it's　appalling。。。。　Oh；　run；　you　wretch；　run！　　Obtain　his　pardon！。。。　Don't　you　understand？　　Gilbert。。。　Gilbert　is　my　son！　　My　son！　My　son！〃

Prasville　gave　a　cry。　　The　blade　of　a　knife　flashed　in　Clarisse's　hand　and　she　raised　her　arm　to　strike　herself。