the crystal stopper-第9节

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It　seemed　to　embarrass　her　too；　for　she　sat　down　with　lowered　lids。　Then　Daubrecq　leant　over　her　and　it　appeared　as　though　he　were　ready　to　fling　his　long　arms；　with　their　huge　hands；　around　her。　　And；　suddenly；　Lupin　perceived　great　tears　rolling　down　the　woman's　sad　face。

Whether　or　not　it　was　the　sight　of　those　tears　that　made　Daubrecq　lose　his　head；　with　a　brusque　movement　he　clutched　the　woman　and　drew　her　to　him。　　She　repelled　him；　with　a　violence　full　of　hatred。　　And；　after　a　brief　struggle；　during　which　Lupin　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　man's　bestial　and　contorted　features；　the　two　of　them　stood　face　to　face；　railing　at　each　other　like　mortal　enemies。

Then　they　stopped。　　Daubrecq　sat　down。　　There　was　mischief　in　his　face；　and　sarcasm　as　well。　　And　he　began　to　talk　again；　with　sharp　taps　on　the　table；　as　though　he　were　dictating　terms。

She　no　longer　stirred。　She　sat　haughtily　in　her　chair　and　towered　over　him；　absent…minded；　with　roaming　eyes。　　Lupin；　captivated　by　that　powerful　and　sorrowful　countenance；　continued　to　watch　her；　and　he　was　vainly　seeking　to　remember　of　what　or　of　whom　she　reminded　him；　when　he　noticed　that　she　had　turned　her　head　slightly　and　that　she　was　imperceptibly　moving　her　arm。

And　her　arm　strayed　farther　and　farther　and　her　hand　crept　along　the　table　and　Lupin　saw　that；　at　the　end　of　the　table；　there　stood　a　water…bottle　with　a　gold…topped　stopper。　　The　hand　reached　the　water…bottle；　felt　it；　rose　gently　and　seized　the　stopper。　　A　quick　movement　of　the　head；　a　glance；　and　the　stopper　was　put　back　in　its　place。　　Obviously；　it　was　not　what　the　woman　hoped　to　find。

〃Dash　it！〃　said　Lupin。　　〃She's　after　the　crystal　stopper　too！　　The　matter　is　becoming　more　complicated　daily；　there's　no　doubt　about　it。〃

But；　on　renewing　his　observation　of　the　visitor；　he　was　astounded　to　note　the　sudden　and　unexpected　expression　of　her　countenance；　a　terrible；　implacable；　ferocious　expression。　　And　he　saw　that　her　hand　was　continuing　its　stealthy　progress　round　the　table　and　that；　with　an　uninterrupted　and　crafty　sliding　movement；　it　was　pushing　back　books　and；　slowly　and　surely；　approaching　a　dagger　whose　blade　gleamed　among　the　scattered　papers。

It　gripped　the　handle。

Daubrecq　went　on　talking。　　Behind　his　back；　the　hand　rose　steadily；　little　by　little；　and　Lupin　saw　the　woman's　desperate　and　furious　eyes　fixed　upon　the　spot　in　the　neck　where　she　intended　to　plant　the　knife：

　〃You're　doing　a　very　silly　thing；　fair　lady；〃　thought　Lupin。

And　he　already　began　to　turn　over　in　his　mind　the　best　means　of　escaping　and　of　taking　Victoire　with　him。

She　hesitated；　however；　with　uplifted　arm。　　But　it　was　only　a　momentary　weakness。　　She　clenched　her　teeth。　　Her　whole　face；　contracted　with　hatred；　became　yet　further　convulsed。　　And　she　made　the　dread　movement。

At　the　same　instant　Daubrecq　crouched　and；　springing　from　his　seat；　turned　and　seized　the　woman's　frail　wrist　in　mid…air。

Oddly　enough；　he　addressed　no　reproach　to　her；　as　though　the　deed　which　she　had　attempted　surprised　him　no　more　than　any　ordinary；　very　natural　and　simple　act。　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　like　a　man　accustomed　to　that　sort　of　danger；　and　strode　up　and　down　in　silence。

She　had　dropped　the　weapon　and　was　now　crying；　holding　her　head　between　her　hands；　with　sobs　that　shook　her　whole　frame。

He　next　came　up　to　her　and　said　a　few　words；　once　more　tapping　the　table　as　he　spoke。

She　made　a　sign　in　the　negative　and；　when　he　insisted；　she；　in　her　turn；　stamped　her　foot　on　the　floor　and　exclaimed；　loud　enough　for　Lupin　to　hear：

〃Never！。。。　Never！。。。　〃

Thereupon；　without　another　word；　Daubrecq　fetched　the　fur　cloak　which　she　had　brought　with　her　and　hung　it　over　the　woman's　shoulders；　while　she　shrouded　her　face　in　a　lace　wrap。

And　he　showed　her　out。

Two　minutes　later；　the　garden…gate　was　locked　again。　　〃Pity　I　can't　run　after　that　strange　person；〃　thought　Lupin；　〃and　have　a　chat　with　her　about　the　Daubrecq　bird。　　Seems　to　me　that　we　two　could　do　a　good　stroke　of　business　together。〃

In　any　case；　there　was　one　point　to　be　cleared　up：　Daubrecq　the　deputy；　whose　life　was　so　orderly；　so　apparently　respectable；　was　in　the　habit　of　receiving　visits　at　night；　when　his　house　was　no　longer　watched　by　the　police。

He　sent　Victoire　to　arrange　with　two　members　of　his　gang　to　keep　watch　for　several　days。　　And　he　himself　remained　awake　next　night。　

As　on　the　previous　morning；　he　heard　a　noise　at　four　o'clock。　　As　on　the　previous　morning；　the　deputy　let　some　one　in。

Lupin　ran　down　his　ladder　and；　when　he　came　to　the　free　space　above　the　shutters；　saw　a　man　crawling　at　Daubrecq's　feet；　flinging　his　arms　round　Daubrecq's　knees　in　frenzied　despair　and　weeping；　weeping　convulsively。

Daubrecq；　laughing；　pushed　him　away　repeatedly；　but　the　man　clung　to　him。　　He　behaved　aimost　like　one　out　of　his　mind　and；　at　last；　in　a　genuine　fit　of　madness；　half　rose　to　his　feet；　took　the　deputy　by　the　throat　and　flung　him　back　in　a　chair。　　Daubrecq　struggled；　powerless　at　first；　while　his　veins　swelled　in　his　temples。　　But　soon；　with　a　strength　far　beyond　the　ordinary；　he　regained　the　mastery　and　deprived　his　adversary　of　all　power　of　movement。　　Then；　holding　him　with　one　hand；　with　the　other　he　gave　him　two　great　smacks　in　the　face。

The　man　got　up；　slowly。　　He　was　livid　and　could　hardly　stand　on　his　legs。　He　waited　for　a　moment；　as　though　to　recover　his　self…possession。　　Then；　with　a　terrifying　calmness；　he　drew　a　revolver　from　his　pocket　and　levelled　it　at　Daubrecq。

Daubrecq　did　not　flinch。　　He　even　smiled；　with　a　defiant　air　and　without　displaying　more　excitement　than　if　he　had　been　aimed　at　with　a　toy　pistol。

The　man　stood　for　perhaps　fifteen　or　twenty　seconds；　facing　his　enemy；　with　outstretched　arm。　　Then；　with　the　same　deliberate　slowness；　revealing　a　sell…control　which　was　all　the　more　impressive　because　it　followed　upon　a　fit　of　extreme　excitement；　he　put　up　his　revolver　and；　from　another　pocket；　produced　his　note…case。

Daubrecq　took　a　step　forward。

The　man　opened　the　pocketbook。　　A　sheaf　of　banknotes　appeared　in　sight。

Daubrecq　seized　and　counted　them。　　They　were　thousand…franc　notes；　and　there　were　thirty　of　them。

The　man　looked　on；　without　a　movement　of　revolt；　without　a　protest。　　He　obviously　understood　the　futility　of　words。　　Daubrecq　was　one　of　those　who　do　not　relent。　　Why　should　his　visitor　waste　time　in　beseeching　him　or　even　in　revenging　himself　upon　him　by　uttering　vain　threats　and　insults？　　He　had　no　hope　of　stricking　that　unassailable　enemy。　　Even　Daubrecq's　death　would　not　deliver　him　from　Daubrecq。

He　took　his　hat　and　went　away。

At　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　Victoire；　on　returning　from　her　shopping；　handed　Lupin　a　note　from　his　accomplices。

He　opened　it　and　read：

〃The　man　who　came　to　see　Daubrecq　last　night　is　Langeroux　the　deputy；　leader　of　the　independent　left。　　A　poor　man；　with　a　large　family。〃

〃Come；〃　said　Lupin；　〃Daubrecq　is　nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　blackmailer；　but；　by　Jupiter；　he　has　jolly　effective　ways　of　going　to　work！〃

Events　tended　to　confirm　Lupin's　supposition。　　Three　days　later　he　saw　another　visitor　hand　Daubrecq　an　important　sum　of　money。　　And；　two　days　after　that；　one　came　and　left　a　pearl　necklace　behind　him。

The　first　was　called　Dachaumont；　a　senator　and　excabinet…minister。　　The　second　was　the　Marquis　d'Albufex；　a　Bonapartist　deputy；　formerly　chief　political　agent　in　France　of　Prince　Napoleon。

The　scene；　in　each　of　these　cases；　was　very　similar　to　Langeroux　the　deputy's　interview；　a　violent　tragic　scene；　ending　in　Daubrecq's　victory。

〃And　so　on　and　so　forth；〃　thought　Lupin；　when　he　received　these　particulars。　　〃I　have　been　present　at　four　visits。　　I　shall　know　no　more　if　there　are　ten；　or　twenty；　or　thirty。。。　It　is　enough　for　me　to　learn　the　names　of　the　visitors　from　my　friends　on　sentry…go　outside。　　Shall　I　go　and　call　on　them？。。。　What　for？　　They　have　no　reason　to　confide　in　me。。。　On　the　other　hand；　am　I　to　stay　on　here；　delayed　by　investigations　which　lead　to　nothing　and　which　Victoire　can　continue　just　as　well　without　me？〃

He　was　very　much　perplexed。　　The　news　of　the　inquiry　into　the　case　of　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray　was　becoming　worse　and　worse；　the　days　were　slipping　by；　and　not　an　hour　passed　without　his　asking　himself；　in　anguish；　whether　all　his　efforts　…　granting　that　he　succeeded　…　would　not　end　in　farcical　results；　absolutely　foreign　to　the　aim　which　he　was　pursuing。

For；　after　all；　supposing　that　he　did　fathom　Daubrecq's　underhand　dealings；　would　that　give　him　the　means　of　rescuing　Gilbert　and　Vaucheray？

That　day　an　incident　occurred　which　put　an　end　to　his　indecision。　　After　lunch　Victoire　heard　snatches　of　a　conversation　which　Daubrecq　held　with　some　one　on　the　telephone。　　Lupin　gathered；　from　what　Victoire　reported；　that　the　deputy　had　an　appointment　with　a　lady　for　half…past　eight　and　that　he　was　going　to　take　her　to　a　theatre：

〃I　shall　get　a　pit…tier　box；　like　the　one　we　had　six　weeks　ago；〃　Daubrecq　had　said。　And　he　added；　with　a　laugh；　〃I　hope　that　I　shall　not　have　the　burglars　in　during　that　time。〃

There　was　not　a　doubt　in　Lupin's　mind。　　Daubrecq　was　about　to　spend　his　evening　in　the　same　manner　in　which　he　had　spe