the crystal stopper-第44节

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lain　would　have　spoken！。。。　We　leant　over　him　and　waited　for　him　to　wake；　trembling　with　impatience；　so　urgent　was　our　hurry。。。　Can't　you　picture　the　scene；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general？　　The　scoundrel　lying　on　a　sofa；　well　bound；　bare…chested；　making　efforts　to　throw　off　the　fumes　of　chloroform　that　dazed　him。　　He　breathes　quicker。。。　He　gasps。。。　He　recovers　consciousness。。。his　lips　move。　。。。　Already；　Clarisse　Mergy　whispers；　'It's　I。。。　it's　I；　Clarisse。。。　Will　you　answer；　you　wretch？'　　She　has　put　her　finger　on　Daubrecq's　chest；　at　the　spot　where　the　heart　stirs　like　a　little　animal　hidden　under　the　skin。　　But　she　says　to　me；　'His　eyes　。。。　his　eyes。。。　I　can't　see　them　under　the　spectacles。。。　I　want　to　see　them。。。　'And　I　also　want　to　see　those　eyes　which　I　do　not　know；　I　want　to　see　their　anguish　and　I　want　to　read　in　them；　before　I　hear　a　word；　the　secret　which　is　about　to　burst　from　the　inmost　recesses　of　the　terrified　body。　　I　want　to　see。　　I　long　to　see。　The　action　which　I　am　about　to　accomplish　excites　me　beyond　measure。　　It　seems　to　me　that；　when　I　have　seen　the　eyes；　the　veil　will　be　rent　asunder。　　I　shall　know　things。　　It　is　a　presentiment。　　It　is　the　profound　intuition　of　the　truth　that　keeps　me　on　tenterhooks。　　The　eye…glasses　are　gone。　　But　the　thick　opaque　spectacles　are　there　still。　　And　I　snatch　them　off；　suddenly。　　And；　suddenly；　startled　by　a　disconcerting　vision；　dazzled　by　the　quick　light　that　breaks　in　upon　me　and　laughing；　oh；　but　laughing　fit　to　break　my　jaws；　with　my　thumb　…　do　you　understand？　with　my　thumb　…　hop；　I　force　out　the　left　eye！〃

M。　Nicole　was　really　laughing；　as　he　said；　fit　to　break　his　jaws。　　And　he　was　no　longer　the　timid　little　unctuous　and　obsequious　provincial　usher；　but　a　well…set…up　fellow；　who；　after　reciting　and　mimicking　the　whole　scene　with　impressive　ardour；　was　now　laughing　with　a　shrill　laughter　the　sound　of　which　made　Prasville's　flesh　creep：

〃Hop！　　Jump；　Marquis！　　Out　of　your　kennel；　Towzer！　　What's　the　use　of　two　eyes？　　It's　one　more　than　you　want。　　Hop！　　I　say；　Clarisse；　look　at　it　rolling　over　the　carpet！　　Mind　Daubrecq's　eye！　　Be　careful　with　the　grate！〃

M。　Nicole；　who　had　risen　and　pretended　to　be　hunting　after　something　across　the　room；　now　sat　down　again；　took　from　his　pocket　a　thing　shaped　like　a　marble；　rolled　it　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand；　chucked　it　in　the　air；　like　a　ball；　put　it　back　in　his　fob　and　said；　coolly：

〃Daubrecq's　left　eye。〃

Prasville　was　utterly　bewildered。　　What　was　his　strange　visitor　driving　at？　　What　did　all　this　story　mean？　　Pale　with　excitement；　he　said：

〃Explain　yourself。〃

〃But　it's　all　explained；　it　seems　to　me。　　And　it　fits　in　so　well　with　things　as　they　were；　fits　in　with　all　the　conjectures　which　I　had　been　making　in　spite　of　myself　and　which　would　inevitably　have　led　to　my　solving　the　mystery；　if　that　damned　Daubrecq　had　not　so　cleverly　sent　me　astray！　　Yes；　think；　follow　the　trend　of　my　suppositions：　'As　the　list　is　not　to　be　discovered　away　from　Daubrecq；'　I　said　to　myself；　'it　cannot　exist　away　from　Daubrecq。　　And；　as　it　is　not　to　be　discovered　in　the　clothes　he　wears；　it　must　be　hidden　deeper　still；　in　himself；　to　speak　plainly；　in　his　flesh；　under　his　skin。。。　〃

〃In　his　eye；　perhaps？〃　suggested　Prasviile；　by　way　of　a　joke。。。　〃

〃In　his　eye？　　Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　you　have　said　the　word。〃

〃What？〃

〃I　repeat；　in　his　eye。　　And　it　is　a　truth　that　ought　to　have　occurred　to　my　mind　logically；　instead　of　being　revealed　to　me　by　accident。　　And　I　will　tell　you　why。　　Daubrecq　knew　that　Clarisse　had　seen　a　letter　from　him　instructing　an　English　manufacturer　to　'empty　the　crystal　within；　so　as　to　leave　a　void　which　it　was　unpossible　to　suspect。'　　Daubrecq　was　bound；　in　prudence；　to　divert　any　attempt　at　search。　　And　it　was　for　this　reason　that　he　had　a　crystal　stopper　made；　'emptied　within；'　after　a　model　supplied　by　himself。　　And　it　is　this　crystal　stopper　which　you　and　I　have　been　after　for　months；　and　it　is　this　crystal　stopper　which　I　dug　out　of　a　packet　of　tobacco。　　Whereas　all　I　had　to　do。。。　〃

〃Was　what？〃　asked　Prasville；　greatly　puzzled。

M。　Nicole　burst　into　a　fresh　fit　of　laughter：

〃Was　simply　to　go　for　Daubrecq's　eye；　that　eye　'emptied　within　so　as　to　leave　a　void　which　it　is　impossible　to　suspect；'　the　eye　which　you　see　before　you。

And　M。　Nicole　once　more　took　the　thing　from　his　pocket　and　rapped　the　table　with　it；　producing　the　sound　of　a　hard　body　with　each　rap。

Prasville　whispered；　in　astonishment：

〃A　glass　eye！〃

〃Why；　of　course！〃　cried　M。　Nicole；　laughing　gaily。　　〃A　glass　eye！　　A　common　or　garden　decanter…stopper；　which　the　rascal　stuck　into　his　eyesocket　in　the　place　of　an　eye　which　he　had　lost　　…　　a　decanter…stopper；　or；　if　you　prefer；　a　crystal　stopper；　but　the　real　one；　this　time；　which　he　faked；　which　he　hid　behind　the　double　bulwark　of　his　spectacles　and　eye…glasses；　which　contained　and　still　contains　the　talisman　that　enabled　Daubrecq　to　work　as　he　pleased　in　safety。〃

Prasville　lowered　his　head　and　put　his　hand　to　his　forehead　to　hide　his　flushed　face：　he　was　almost　possessing　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven。　　It　lay　before　him；　on　the　table。

Mastering　his　emotion；　he　said；　in　a　casual　tone：

〃So　it　is　there　still？〃

〃At　least；　I　suppose　so；〃　declared　M。　Nicole。

〃Whatl　You　suppose　so？〃

〃I　have　not　opened　the　hiding…place。　　I　thought；　monsieur　le　　secreaire…general；　I　would　reserve　that　honour　for　you。〃

Prasville　put　out　his　hand；　took　the　thing　up　and　inspected　it。　　It　was　a　block　of　crystal；　imitating　nature　to　perfection；　with　all　the　details　of　the　eyeball；　the　iris；　the　pupil；　the　cornea。

He　at　once　saw　a　movable　part　at　the　back；　which　slid　in　a　groove。　　He　pushed　it。　　The　eye　was　hollow。

There　was　a　tiny　ball　of　paper　inside。　　He　unfolded　it；　smoothed　it　out　and；　quickly；　without　delaying　to　make　a　preliminary　examination　of　the　names；　the　hand…writing　or　the　signatures；　he　raised　his　arms　and　turned　the　paper　to　the　light　from　the　windows。

〃Is　the　cross　of　Lorraine　there？〃　asked　M。　Nicole。

〃Yes；　it　is　there；〃　replied　Prasville。　　〃This　is　the　genuine　list。〃

He　hesitated　a　few　seconds　and　remained　with　his　arms　raised；　while　reflecting　what　he　would　do。　　Then　he　folded　up　the　paper　again；　replaced　it　in　its　little　crystal　sheath　and　put　the　whole　thing　in　his　pocket。　M。　Nicole；　who　was　looking　at　him；　asked：

〃Are　you　convinced？〃

〃Absolutely。〃

〃Then　we　are　agreed？〃

〃We　are　agreed。〃

There　was　a　pause；　during　which　the　two　men　watched　each　other　without　appearing　to。　M。　Nicole　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　the　conversation　to　be　resumed。　　Prasville；　sheltered　behind　the　piles　of　books　on　the　table；　sat　with　one　hand　grasping　his　revolver　and　the　other　touching　the　push　of　the　electric　bell。　　He　felt　the　whole　strength　of　his　position　with　a　keen　zest。　　He　held　the　list。　　He　held　Lupin：

〃If　he　moves；〃　he　thought；　〃I　cover　him　with　my　revolver　and　I　ring。　　If　he　attacks　me；　I　shoot。〃

And　the　situation　appeared　to　him　so　pleasant　that　he　prolonged　it；　with　the　exquisite　relish　of　an　epicure。

In　the　end；　M。　Nicole　took　up　the　threads：

〃As　we　are　agreed；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　think　there　is　nothing　left　for　you　to　do　but　to　hurry。　　Is　the　execution　to　take　place　to…morrow？〃

〃Yes；　to　…　morrow。〃

〃In　that　case；　I　shall　wait　here。〃

〃Wait　for　what？〃　　　　　　　　　　〃The　answer　from　the　Elysee。〃

〃Oh；　is　some　one　to　bring　you　an　answer？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You；　monsieur　le　secretaire…geneal。〃

rasville　shook　his　head：

You　must　not　count　on　me；　M。　Nicole。〃

〃Really？〃　said　M。　Nicole；　with　an　air　of　surprise。

May　I　ask　the　reason？〃

〃I　have　changed　my　mind。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃That's　all。　　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that；　as　things　stand；　after　this　last　scandal；　it　is　impossible　to　try　to　do　anything　in　Gilbert's　favour。　　Besides；　an　attempt　in　this　direction　at　the　Elysee；　under　present　conditions；　would　constitute　a　regular　case　of　blackmail；　to　which　I　absolutely　decline　to　lend　myself。〃

〃You　are　free　to　do　as　you　please；　monsieur。　　Your　scruples　do　you　honour；　though　they　come　rather　late；　for　they　did　not　trouble　you　yesterday。　But；　in　that　case；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　as　the　compact　between　us　is　destroyed；　give　me　back　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃So　that　I　may　apply　to　another　spokesman。〃

〃What's　the　good？　　Gilbert　is　lost。〃

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all。　　On　the　contrary；　I　consider　that；　now　that　his　accomplice　is　dead；　it　will　be　much　easier　to　grant　him　a　pardon　which　everybody　will　look　upon　as　fair　and　humane。　　Give　me　back　the　list。〃

〃Upon　my　word；　monsieur；　you　have　a　short　memory　and　none　too　nice　a　conscience。　　Have　you　forgotten　your　promise　of　yesterday？〃

〃Yesterday；　I　made　a　promise　to　a　M。　Nicole。〃

〃Well？〃

〃You　are　not　M。　Nicole。〃

〃Indeed！　　Then；　pray；　who　am　I？〃

〃Need　I　tell　you？〃

M。　Nicole　made　no　reply；　but　began　to　laugh　softly；　as　though　pleased　at　the　curious　turn　which　the　conversation　was　taking；　and　Prasville　felt　a　vague　misgiving　at　observing　that　fit　of　merriment。　　He　grasped　the　butt…end　of　his　revolver　and　wondered　whether　he　ought　not　to　ring　for　help。

M。　Nicole　drew　his　chair　close　to　the　desk；　put　his　two　elbows　on