the crystal stopper-第45节

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he　ought　not　to　ring　for　help。

M。　Nicole　drew　his　chair　close　to　the　desk；　put　his　two　elbows　on　the　table；　looked　Prasville　straight　in　the　face　and　jeered：

〃So；　M。　Prasvilie；　you　know　who　I　am　and　you　have　the　assurance　to　play　this　game　with　me？〃

〃I　have　that　assurance；〃　said　Prasvllle；　accepting　the　sneer　without　flinching。

〃Which　proves　that　you　consider　me；　Arsene　Lupin　…　we　may　as　well　use　the　name：　yes；　Arsene　Lupin　…　which　proves　that　you　consider　me　fool　enough；　dolt　enough　to　deliver　myself　like　this；　bound　hand　and　foot　into　your　hands。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　Prasville；　airily；　patting　the　waistcoat…pocket　in　which　he　had　secreted　the　crystal　ball；　〃I　don't　quite　see　what　you　can　do；　M。　Nicole；　now　that　Daubrecq's　eye　is　here；　with　the　list　of　the　Twenty…seven　inside　it。〃

〃What　I　can　do？〃　echoed　M。　Nicole；　ironically。

〃Yes！　　The　talisman　no　longer　protects　you；　and　you　are　now　no　better　off　than　any　other　man　who　might　venture　into　the　very　heart　of　the　police…office；　among　some　dozens　of　stalwart　fellows　posted　behind　each　of　those　doors　and　some　hundreds　of　others　who　will　hasten　up　at　the　first　signal。〃

M。　Nicole　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　gave　Prasville　a　look　of　great　commiseration：

〃Shall　I　tell　you　what　is　happening；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general？　Well；　you　too　are　having　your　head　turned　by　all　this　business　　Now　that　you　possess　the　list；　your　state　of　mind　has　suddenly　sunk　to　that　of　a　Daubrecq　or　a　d'Albufex。　　There　is　no　longer　even　a　question；　in　your　thoughts；　of　taking　it　to　your　superiors；　so　that　this　ferment　of　disgrace　and　discord　may　be　ended。　　No；　no；　a　sodden　temptation　has　seized　upon　you　and　intoxicated　you；　and；　losing　your　head；　you　say　to　yourself；　'It　is　here；　in　my　pocket。　　With　its　aid；　I　am　omnipotent。　　It　means　wealth；　absolute；　unbounded　power。　　Why　not　benefit　by　it？　　Why　not　let　Gi1hert　and　Clarisse　Mergy　die？　　Why　not　lock　up　that　idiot　of　a　Lupin？　　Why　not　seize　this　unparalleled　piece　of　fortune　by　the　forelock？〃'

He　bent　toward　Prasville　and；　very　softly；　in　a　friendly　and　confidential　tone；　said：

〃Don't　do　that；　my　dear　sir；　don't　do　it。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃It　is　not　to　your　interest；　believe　me。〃

〃Really！〃

〃No。　　Or；　if　you　absolutely　insist　on　doing　it；　have　the　kindness　first　to　consult　the　twenty…seven　names　on　the　list　of　which　you　have　just　robbed　me　and　reflect；　for　a　moment；　on　the　name　of　the　third　person　on　it。〃

〃Oh？　And　what　is　the　name　of　that　third　person？〃

〃It　is　the　name　of　a　friend　of　yours。〃

〃What　friend？

〃Stanislas　Vorenglade；　the　ex…deputy。〃

〃And　then？〃　said　Prasville；　who　seemed　to　be　losing　some　of　his　self…confidence。

〃Then？　Ask　yourself　if　an　inquiry；　however　summary；　would　not　end　by　discovering；　behind　that　Stanislas　Vorenglade；　the　name　of　one　who　shared　certain　little　profits　with　him。〃

〃And　whose　name　is？〃

〃Louis　Prasville。〃

M。　Nicole　banged　the　table　with　his　fist。

〃Enough　of　this　humbug；　monsieur！　　For　twenty　minutes；　you　and　I　have　been　beating　about　the　bush。　　That　will　do。　　Let　us　understand　each　other。　And；　to　begin　with；　drop　your　pistols。　　You　can't　imagine　that　I　am　frightened　of　those　playthings！　　Stand　up；　sir；　stand　up；　as　I　am　doing；　and　finish　the　business：　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃

He　put　his　hand　on　Prasville's　shoulder　and；　speaking　with　great　deliberation；　said：

〃If；　within　an　hour　from　now；　you　are　not　back　from　the　Elysee；　bringing　with　you　a　line　to　say　that　the　decree　of　pardon　has　been　signed；　if；　within　one　hour　and　ten　minutes；　I；　Arsene　Lupin；　do　not　walk　out　of　this　building　safe　and　sound　and　absolutely　free；　this　evening　four　Paris　newspapers　will　receive　four　letters　selected　from　the　　correspondence　exchanged　between　Stanislas　Vorenglade　and　yourself；　the　correspondence　which　Stanislas　Vorenglade　sold　me　this　morning。　　Here's　your　hat；　here's　your　overcoat；　here's　your　stick。　　Be　off。　　I　will　wait　for　you。〃

Then　happened　this　extraordinary　and　yet　easily　understood　thing；　that　Prasville　did　not　raise　the　slightest　protest　nor　make　the　least　show　of　fight。　　He　received　the　sudden；　far…reaching；　utter　conviction　of　what　the　personality　known　as　Arsene　Lupin　meant；　in　all　its　breadth　and　fulness。　　He　did　not　so　much　as　think　of　carping；　of　pretending　　…　as　he　had　until　then　believed　…　that　the　letters　had　been　destroyed　by　Vorenglade　the　deputy　or；　at　any　rate；　that　Vorenglade　would　not　dare　to　hand　them　over；　because；　in　so　doing；　Vorenglade　was　also　working　his　own　destruction。　　No；　Prasville　did　not　speak　a　word　He　felt　himsell　caught　in　a　vise　of　which　no　human　strength　could　force　the　jaws　asunder。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　yield。　　He　yielded。　

〃Here；　in　an　hour；〃　repeated　M。　Nicole。

〃In　an　hour；〃　said　Prasville；　tamely。　　Nevertheless；　in　order　to　know　exactly　where　he　stood；　he　added；　〃The　letters；　of　course；　will　be　restored　to　me　against　Gilbert's　pardon？〃

〃No。〃

〃How　do　you　mean；　no？　　In　that　case；　there　is　no　object　in。。。　〃

〃They　will　be　restored　to　you；　intact；　two　months　after　the　day　when　my　friends　and　I　have　brought　about　Gilbert's　escape。。。　thanks　to　the　very　slack　watch　which　will　be　kept　upon　him；　in　accordance　with　your　orders。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃No；　there　are　two　further　conditions：　first；　the　immediate　payment　of　a　cheque　for　forty　thousand　francs。〃

〃Forty　thousand　francs？〃

〃The　sum　for　which　Stanislas　Vorenglade　sold　me　the　letters。　　It　is　only　fair。。。　〃

〃And　next？〃

〃Secondly；　your　resignation；　within　six　months；　of　your　present　position。〃

〃My　resignation？　　But　why？〃

M。。　Nicole　made　a　very　dignified　gesture：

〃Because　it　is　against　public　morals　that　one　of　the　highest　positions　in　the　police…service　should　be　occupied　by　a　man　whose　hands　are　not　absioutely　clean。　　Make　them　send　you　to　parliament　or　appoint　you　a　minister；　a　councillor　of　State；　an　ambassador；　in　short；　any　post　which　your　success　in　the　Daubrecq　case　entitles　you　to　demand。　　But　not　secretary…general　of　police；　anything　but　that！　　The　very　thought　of　it　disgusts　me。〃

Prasville　reflected　for　a　moment。　　He　would　have　rejoiced　in　the　sudden　destruction　of　his　adversary　and　he　racked　his　brain　for　the　means　to　effect　it。　　But　he　was　helpless。

He　went　to　the　door　and　called：

〃M。　Lartigue。〃　　And；　sinking　his　voice；　but　not　very　low；　for　he　wished　M。　Nicole　to　hear；　〃M。　Lartigue；　dismiss　your　men。　　It's　a　mistake。　　And　let　no　one　come　into　my　office　while　I　am　gone。　　This　gentleman　will　wait　for　me　here。〃

He　came　back；　took　the　hat；　stick　and　overcoat　which　M。　Nicole　handed　him　and　went　out。

〃Well　done；　sir；〃　said　Lupin；　between　his　teeth；　when　the　door　was　closed。　〃You　have　behaved　like　a　sportsman　and　a　gentleman。。。　So　did　I；　for　that　matter。。。　perhaps　with　too　obvious　a　touch　of　contempt。。。　and　a　little　too　bluntly。　　But；　tush；　this　sort　of　business　has　to　be　carried　through　with　a　high　hand！　　The　enemy's　got　to　be　staggered！　　Besides；　when　one's　own　conscience　is　clear；　one　can't　take　up　too　bullying　a　tone　with　that　sort　of　individual。　　Lift　your　head；　Lupin。　　You　have　been　the　champion　of　outraged　morality。　　Be　proud　of　your　work。　　And　now　take　a　chair；　stretch　out　your　legs　and　have　a　rest。　　You've　deserved　it。〃

When　Prasville　returned；　he　found　Lupin　sound　asleep　and　had　to　tap　him　on　the　shoulder　to　wake　him。

〃Is　it　done？　〃　asked　Lupin。

〃It's　done。　　The　pardon　will　be　signed　presently。　　Here　is　the　written　promise。〃

〃The　forty　thousand　francs？〃

〃Here's　your　cheque？〃

〃Good。　　It　but　remains　for　me　to　thank　you；　monsieur。〃

〃So　the　correspondence。。。　〃

〃The　Stanislas　Vorenglade　correspondence　will　be　handed　to　you　on　the　conditions　stated。　　However；　I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　give　you；　here　and　now；　as　a　sign　of　my　gratitude；　the　four　letters　which　I　meant　to　send　to　the　papers　this　evening。〃

〃Oh；　so　you　had　them　on　you？〃　said　Prasville。

〃I　felt　so　certain；　monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　that　we　should　end　by　coming　to　an　understanding。〃

He　took　from　his　hat　a　fat　envelope；　sealed　with　five　red　seals；　which　was　pinned　inside　the　lining；　and　handed　it　to　Prasville；　who　thrust　it　into　his　pocket。　　Then　he　said：

〃Monsieur　le　secretaire…general；　I　don't　know　when　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　again。　　If　you　have　the　least　communication　to　make　to　me；　one　line　in　the　agony　column　of　the　Journal　will　be　sufficient。　　Just　head　it；　'M。　Nicole。'　　Good…day　to　you。〃

And　he　withdrew。

Prasville；　when　he　was　alone；　felt　as　if　he　were　waking　from　a　nightmare　during　which　he　had　performed　incoherent　actions　over　which　his　conscious　mind　had　no　control。　　He　was　almost　thinking　of　ringing　and　causing　a　stir　in　the　passages；　but；　just　then；　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door　and　one　of　the　office…messengers　came　hurrying　in。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Prasville。

〃Monsieur　le　se　cretaire…generaI；　it's　Monsieur　le　Depute　Daubrecq　asking　to　see　you。。。　on　a　matter　of　the　highest　importance。〃

〃Daubrecq　！〃　exclaimed　Prasville；　in　bewilderment。　　〃Daubrecq　here！　Show　him　in。〃

Daubrecq　had　not　waited　for　the　order。　　He　ran　up　to　Prasville；　out　of　breath；　with　his　clothes　in　disorder；　a　bandage　over　his　left　eye；　no　tie；　no　collar；　looking　like　an　escaped　lunatic；　and　the　door　was　not　closed　b