The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin,

Gentleman-burglar

By Maurice Leblanc

Translated from the French

By George Morehead

Table of Contents:

I . The Arrest of Arsène Lupin

II . Arsène Lupin in Prison

III . The Escape of Arsène Lupin

IV . The Mysterious Traveller

V. The Queen ’ s Necklace

VI . The Seven of Hearts

VII . Madame Imbert ’ s Safe

VIII . The Black Pearl

IX . Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late

I . The Arrest of Arsène Lupin

It was a ending to a that had commenced in a

auspicious manner . The transatlantic ‘ La Provence ’ was a swift

and comfortable , under the command of a affable man . The

passengers a select and . The charm of

new acquaintances and served to make the time pass

. We the of separated from

the world, living, as it , upon an , and

obliged to be sociable with each other.

Have you ever stopped to consider and spontaneity

emanate from these individuals who, on the ,

even each other, and who are , for ,

condemned to a life of intimacy, defying the anger

of the ocean, the of the waves, the of the

tempest and the monotony of the and sleepy water? Such

a a of existence, with its and its

grandeurs, its monotony and its ; and that is , ,

we upon that with mingled of pleasure and

fear.

But, during the past few years, a new added to the

life of the traveler . The little is

attached to the from which it was free . A bond united

them, in the heart of the watery of the Atlantic . That

bond is the wireless , by means of which we news in

the mysterious manner . We well that the message is

transported by the medium of a wire . No, the mystery is

inexplicable, , and we must have recourse to the wings of

the air in order to this miracle . During the day of

the , we felt that we followed, escorted, preceded

, by that voice, which, from to , to one

of us a words from the world . Two to me . Ten,

others or words of parting to passengers.

On the second , at a of five hundred miles from the French

, in the midst of a storm, we received the following

message by means of the wireless telegraph:

“ Arsène Lupin is on your vessel, cabin, blonde hair, wound right

, under name of ........

At that moment, a flash of the stormy .

The waves were interrupted . The remainder of the

reached us . Of the name under which Arsène Lupin was himself,

we knew only the initial.

If the had been of some character, I no doubt that the

secret would have been by the operator as

as by the officers of the . But it was one of those events

to escape from the rigorous . The same , no

one , the incident a of gossip and every

was that the famous Arsène Lupin was in our

midst.

Lupin in our midst! the whose

had in all the during the past ! the

mysterious individual with whom Ganimard, our detective,

had engaged in an amidst and

picturesque surroundings . Arsène Lupin, the eccentric gentleman who

in the and salons, and who, one night, entered

the residence of Baron , but emerged , leaving,

, his card on which he had scribbled these words: “ Arsène ,

, will return the furniture is ”

Lupin, the man of a disguises: in turn a chauffer, detective,

bookmaker, physician, Spanish , traveler,

robust youth, or decrepit old man.

consider this situation: Lupin was about

within the of a transatlantic steamer; in that small

of the world, in that , in that smoking room, in

that music ! was, , this gentleman or that

one .... my neighbor at the table the of my stateroom ....

“ And this of will for five days! ” exclaimed Miss

, . It is unbearable! I he be

arrested . ”

Then, addressing me, she added:

And you, d ’ Andrézy, you are on intimate with the

captain; surely you know something? ”

I have been delighted had I possessed any that would

interest Miss Nelly . She was one of those who

attention in every assembly . and beauty

an irresistible combination, and Nelly possessed both.

Educated in under the of a mother, she was going

to visit her father, the millionaire Underdown of . She was

by one of her , Lady Jerland.

At , I had decided to open a with her; but, in the

rapidly growing intimacy of the voyage, I was soon by her

and my became deep and for a

mere flirtation . , she my with a certain

of favor . She to laugh at my and display

an interest in my stories . Yet I that I had a in the person

of a young with and refined ; and it me, at

, that she his taciturn to my .

He formed one in the circle of admirers that surrounded Miss Nelly

at the time she addressed to me the foregoing question . We were all

in our . The storm of the preceding

evening cleared the sky . The weather was .

“ I have no definite knowledge, , ” I replied, “ but

we, ourselves, the mystery as as the

Ganimard, the enemy of Arsène Lupin?

Oh! oh! you are , monsieur .

“ at all, mademoiselle . In the , let me ask, do you

the problem a complicated one? ”

“ Very complicated . ”

“ you forgotten the we hold for the solution to the problem? ”

“ What key? ”

“ In the place, Lupin himself Monsieur ------- .

“ Rather vague information, ” she replied.

“ Secondly, he is traveling alone . ”

Does that you? she asked.

“ Thirdly, he is blonde . ”

“ Well? ”

“ we only to the passenger-list, and by process

of elimination . ”

I had that in my pocket . I took it out and glanced through it .

I remarked:

“ I that there are men on the whose

names begin with the letter R . ”

“ Only thirteen? ”

“ Yes, in the first . And of those , I that nine of

them are accompanied by women, or servants . That leaves

four who are . First, the Marquis de ---- ”

to the Ambassador, ” Miss Nelly . “ I

him . ”

“ Major Rawson, ” I continued.

He is my uncle, ” some one said.

“ Mon . Rivolta . ”

“ ! ” exclaimed an , whose face was concealed beneath a

black beard.

Miss Nelly burst into , and : “ That gentleman can

scarcely be called a blonde . ”

, then, ” I said, “ we are forced to the conclusion that the

guilty party is the last one on the .

“ What is his name? ”

. . Does anyone him? ”

No answered . But Miss to the taciturn man, whose

to her me, and said:

“ Well, Monsieur , you not answer? ”

All eyes were turned upon him . He was a . I must confess

that I myself a shock of surprise, and the profound silence that

followed her indicated that the others present viewed

the situation with a of alarm . , the idea was an

one, because the gentleman in question an of the

most perfect innocence.

Why do I not answer? ” he said . “ Because, my , my

position as a traveler and the color of my hair, I

reached the , and think that I be .

He presented a strange as he these words . His thin

lips drawn than usual and his face was ghastly pale,

his eyes streaked with . Of course, he was joking, his

appearance and attitude impressed us strangely.

But you have not the ? ” Miss , .

“ That is , ” he replied, “ I lack the wound . ”

he pulled up his sleeve, removing his cuff, and us his arm.

But that did deceive me . He had shown us his , and

I was on the point of calling his to the , another

incident diverted our attention . , Miss Nelly s friend,

towards us in a of excitement, exclaiming:

“ My , my pearls! Some one has stolen them all!

No, they were all gone, as we out . The had

only part of them; a very . Of the diamond sunbursts,

, and necklaces, the had taken,

the largest but the finest and valuable stones . The

upon the table . I them , of their , like

flowers from which the beautiful petals had been

. And this theft must have been at the Lady

Jerland was her tea; in , in a stateroom

on a frequented ; moreover, the had been to

the door of the stateroom, search for the , which

was hidden at the bottom of a hat-box, open it, select his booty and

remove it from the mountings.

Of course, all the the ; it

was the work of Arsène Lupin.

That day, at the dinner table, the to the right and left of

Rozaine remained ; and, during the evening, it was rumored that

the him under , which information produced a

feeling of safety and relief . We . That , we

our and . Miss Nelly, , displayed a spirit

of thoughtless gayety which convinced me that if

had been to her in the , she had forgotten

them . Her charm and good-humor my conquest . At midnight, under

a , I declared my with an ardor that did to

displease her.

But, next day, to our general amazement, Rozaine was at liberty.

We learned that the against him was . He

that were , which showed that he

was the of a merchant of . Besides, his arms did

bear the slightest trace of a wound.

Documents! of birth! ” the of ,

“ of course, Arsène Lupin will you as you . And as

to the , he had it, or he has removed it . ”

it was that, at the of the theft, Rozaine was

on the deck . To which fact, his enemies replied that a

like Arsène Lupin could commit a without being .

And then, apart from all , there one point

which even the could : Who except , was

traveling , was a blonde, and bore a name beginning with R? To whom

did the telegram , if it were Rozaine?

And , a minutes before breakfast, boldly toward our

group, and Lady arose and .

An hour , a manuscript was from hand to hand

amongst the sailors, the stewards, and the passengers of all classes.

It announced that Mon . Louis Rozaine a of ten thousand

francs for the of Lupin or person in

of the stolen jewels.

“ And if no one me, I will unmask the scoundrel myself,

Rozaine.

against , or , to opinion,

Lupin himself against Lupin; the contest promised to be

interesting.

Nothing developed during the two days . We saw

, and , , questioning, investigating . The

captain, , . He the vessel to

searched from to stern; ransacked every under the

that the jewels might concealed , except in

the thief ’ s own room.

“ I they will out something , ” remarked Nelly to

me . “ He may be a , but he and pearls become

invisible . ”

“ , I replied, “ but he examine the lining of our

hats and and everything we with us . ”

, exhibiting my , a 9x12 with which I had

her in poses, I : “ In an apparatus than that, a

person could hide all of Lady s jewels . He could pretend to

pictures and no one would suspect the .

“ But I have heard it said that every thief leaves some clue behind him . ”

That may true, ” I replied, “ but there is one :

Arsène Lupin . ”

“ Why? ”

“ Because he his not only on the theft, but on all

the with it that serve as a to his

identity . ”

“ A few days , you were confident .

Yes, but since I seen him at . ”

And what do you think about it ? ” she asked.

Well, in my , we are wasting our time .

And, as a matter of fact, the investigation had produced no result . But,

in the meantime, the captain had stolen . He was furious . He

quickened his efforts and Rozaine more closely than before . But,

on the day, the was in the second officer ’ s collar

box.

This incident caused considerable astonishment, and displayed the

of Arsène Lupin, burglar though he was, but as

. He combined with . He us of the

author who in a fit of laughter by his play.

, he was an artist in his line of work, and whenever

I , gloomy and reserved, and thought of the role that

he was playing, I accorded him a measure of .

On the evening, the on deck duty heard groans

emanating from the corner of the . He approached and found a

man lying , his head enveloped in a gray and his hands

tied with a . It was . He had been ,

thrown and robbed . A card, pinned to his , bore these words:

Lupin accepts with the thousand francs by

Mon . Rozaine. ” As a of fact, the pocket-book contained

twenty thousand francs.

Of , some accused the of this

on himself . But, apart from the that he not have bound

himself in that , it was that the writing on the

card was from that of , but, on the ,

the handwriting of Arsène Lupin as it was reproduced in an

newspaper found on board.

Thus it appeared that Rozaine was not Arsène Lupin; but was Rozaine, the

son of a Bordeaux merchant . And the presence of Lupin was

more affirmed, and that in a most alarming .

was the state of terror amongst the passengers that none

in a or wander in parts of

the vessel . We together as a of . And yet the most

acquaintances were by a feeling of distrust.

Arsène Lupin was, , anybody and everybody . Our

attributed to him and . We supposed him

capable of assuming the ; of being, by ,

the Major or the de Raverdan,

or --for we no with the of --or even

such or a known to all of us, and having , children

and servants.

The wireless dispatches from America no news; at

, the did any to us . The was

reassuring.

Our last day on the steamer interminable . We in constant

fear of some disaster . This , it be a theft or a

assault; it would a crime, a . No one

imagined that Arsène Lupin would confine himself to those two trifling

. Absolute master of the ship, the powerless, he

could do whatever he pleased; our and were at his mercy.

those for me, since they secured to me the

of . by those events and

of a nature, she spontaneously sought at my

a protection and that I was to give her . , I

blessed Arsène Lupin . Had he been the of bringing me and

Miss Nelly closer to each ? to him, I indulge in

dreams of love and happiness--dreams that, I felt, were

to Miss Nelly . Her eyes authorized me to make them;

the softness of her voice bade me hope.

As we approached the American shore, the for the thief was

apparently abandoned, and we were anxiously awaiting the

in which the enigma be explained . Who was Arsène

Lupin? Under what name, under what disguise was the Arsène Lupin

himself? And, at last, that supreme arrived . If I

one hundred years, I shall the details of it.

“ you are, Miss Nelly, ” I said to my companion, as she

upon my arm, almost fainting.

“ And you! she , ! you are changed . ”

Just ! this is a , and I am delighted to

spend it with you, Miss Nelly . I hope that your memory will

revert--- ”

But she was listening . She was nervous and excited . The was

placed in position, but, before we could use it, the

officers came on board . Miss Nelly murmured:

“ I shouldn t be surprised to hear that Arsène Lupin escaped from the

vessel during the voyage . ”

he preferred death to , and plunged into the

rather than be arrested . ”

“ , not laugh, ” she said.

I , and, in to her question, I said:

“ Do you that little standing at the bottom of the gangway? ”

With an umbrella and an coat?

“ It is Ganimard . ”

“ Ganimard? ”

Yes, the celebrated detective who has sworn to capture Arsène Lupin.

Ah! I understand now why we did not receive any news from this

of the Atlantic . Ganimard was ! and he his business

secret . ”

you think he will arrest Arsène ? ”

“ Who tell? The happens Lupin is

concerned in the affair . ”

Oh! she , with that morbid curiosity peculiar to women, I

should like to see him arrested . ”

“ You will have to be . No , Lupin has

his enemy and be in a to leave the .

The passengers leaving the steamer . on his ,

with an of , Ganimard to be paying no

attention to the crowd that was down the . The Marquis

de Raverdan, Rawson, the , and many

left the before . Poor !

“ it is he, after all, ” Miss to me . “ What do you

think? ”

I think it would be to have Ganimard and Rozaine in

the . You take the camera . I am loaded down . ”

I her the camera, but for her to it . Rozaine was

the . An , behind

, leaned and in his ear . The

shrugged his shoulders and passed on . , my God, who was

Arsène Lupin?

Yes, ” Miss Nelly, aloud, “ who can it be? ”

Not than people now remained on . She scrutinized them

one by one, fearful that Lupin was them.

“ We can much longer, ” I said to her.

She started toward the gangway . I followed . But we had taken

steps when Ganimard barred our passage.

“ Well, what is it? ” I .

“ One moment, . What ’ s your hurry? ”

“ I am escorting mademoiselle . ”

“ One moment, ” he repeated, in a tone of authority . , gazing into my

eyes, he said:

“ Arsène Lupin, is it not? ”

I , and replied: “ No, ’ . ”

Bernard d Andrézy in Macedonia three years . ”

“ If Bernard Andrézy were dead, I should not be here . But you are

mistaken . Here are my papers . ”

“ They are his; and I can tell you how they came into your

possession . ”

“ You are a fool! ” I exclaimed . Lupin sailed under the name of

R--- ”

“ Yes, another of your ; a false scent that them at Havre.

You a game, my boy, but this time luck is against you . ”

I hesitated a . he hit me a on the ,

which caused me to utter a cry of pain . He had struck the wound,

unhealed, referred to in the telegram.

I was obliged to . There was no . I turned to Miss

, who had heard everything . Our met; she glanced at the

Kodak I had placed in her hands, and made a that to me

the impression that she everything . Yes, there, between the

folds of black leather, in the centre of the small object

that I taken the to place in her hands before Ganimard

arrested me, it was I had ’ s twenty

francs and Lady Jerland ’ pearls and diamonds.

Oh! I pledge my that, at that , I was in the

grasp of and his two assistants, I was to

, to my , the hostility of the , everything

except this one : what will do with the things I had

confided to her?

In the absence of that material and proof, I

to fear; but Miss decide to furnish that ? Would she

betray me? Would she the of an who forgive, or

that of a woman whose scorn is by of indulgence and

involuntary sympathy?

She passed in front of me . I said nothing, but bowed .

with the , she to the gangway with my Kodak

in her . It occurred to me that she would dare to me

publicly, but she might so when she a more .

However, when she only a feet down the , with

a movement of awkwardness, she the camera fall into the

water between the vessel and the pier . she the gangway,

and was lost to sight in the . She had passed out of my

life forever.

For a , I motionless . , to Ganimard ’

astonishment, I muttered:

What a that I am an man!

was the story of his arrest as narrated to me by Arsène

himself . The , which I in writing at a

, have established between us shall I say of

friendship? Yes, I to that Arsène Lupin me with

his , and that it is through friendship that he

calls on me, and brings, into the of my library, his youthful

exuberance of spirits, the of his enthusiasm, and the of

a man for whom naught but favors and .

His portrait? can I describe him? I him and

each he was a person; he himself said to me on one

: I who I am . I cannot myself in the

mirror. ” , he was a great , and possessed a

faculty for himself . Without the , he could

the voice, and mannerisms of another .

“ , ” said he, “ should I retain a form and ? Why

avoid the danger of a personality that is the ? My actions

will serve to identify me . ”

he , with a of pride:

“ the better if no can ever with :

There is Lupin! The point is that the public may be

to refer to my work and , without of : Arsène Lupin

did that! ”

II . Arsène Lupin in Prison

There is no worthy of the name who know the of

the Seine, and , in passing, the little castle of

the Malaquis, upon a rock in the of the . An

bridge it with the shore . All around it, the waters of the

river the reeds, and the flutter

over the moist crests of the stones.

The history of the castle is like its name, like

its . It has passed through a series of combats, sieges,

assaults, rapines and massacres . A recital of the crimes that have been

there would the to tremble . There are

many mysterious connected with the , and they us of

a famous tunnel that to the abbey of Jumieges

and to the of Sorel, mistress of Charles .

In that habitation of heroes and brigands, the Baron Nathan

Cahorn now ; or as he was formerly on the

, he a fortune with rapidity . The

lords of Malaquis, ruined, had been obliged to sell

the ancient at a . It an

collection of , , carvings, and faience . The Baron

lived there , by three . No one ever enters

the . No one beheld the three that he possessed,

his two Watteau, his Jean Goujon pulpit, and the other treasures

that he had by a vast expenditure of money at public sales.

Baron Satan in , for himself, but for the

treasures that he had with an earnest and with

so perspicacity that the shrewdest could not say that

the Baron had erred in his taste or judgment . He loved them--his

bibelots . He them , like a miser; , like a

. Every day, at sunset, the at either end of the bridge

and at the entrance to the of are closed and barred . At

the least touch on these , electric will ring throughout the

castle.

One in September, a himself at the

gate at the head of the bridge, and, as , it was the Baron himself

who the . He scrutinized the man as

as if he a , although the face and

twinkling eyes of the had been to the Baron for

. The laughed, as he :

“ It is I, Monsieur le Baron . It is another wearing my

and blouse . ”

“ One , ” muttered the .

The man him a number of , and :

“ And , Monsieur le , is something .

“ Something new? ”

“ Yes, a . A . ”

as a recluse, without friends or business relations, the baron

never any , and the one now presented to him immediately

within him a feeling of suspicion and distrust . It was like an

. Who was this mysterious that dared to disturb

the tranquility of his retreat?

“ You for it, le Baron . ”

He signed; took the letter, waited until the had

beyond the bend in the road, and, after to

and fro for a minutes, he against the of the bridge

and opened the envelope . It contained a sheet of paper, bearing this

: de la Santé, . He at the signature: _Arsène

Lupin_ . Then he read:

“ Monsieur le Baron:

“ There is, in the gallery in your , a of Philippe

de , of finish, which me beyond

. Your Rubens are also to my taste, as well as your

Watteau . In the salon to the right, I the

Louis XIII , the tapestries of Beauvais, the

gueridon ‘ , and the Renaissance chest . In the salon

to the left, all the cabinet of jewels and .

For the , I will myself with those articles that

can be removed . I therefore you to pack

them and ship them to me, , to the

at Batignolles, within eight days, I

obliged to them myself during the of 27 September;

but, under those , I content myself with

the articles above mentioned.

“ Accept my for any inconvenience I may cause you, and

believe me to be your humble servant,

“ Arsène Lupin . ”

“ P . --Please do send the largest . Although you

thousand francs for it, it is a , the

burned, under the by ,

during a night of debauchery . the of Garat.

I do care for the chatelaine, as I its

authenticity . ”

That letter the baron . it borne any

signature, he have been --but signed by

Lupin!

As an reader of the newspapers, he was in the history

of , and was therefore acquainted with the exploits of

the burglar . Of , he knew that Lupin been arrested

in America by his enemy Ganimard and was at in the

de la . But he knew that any miracle might be expected

from Arsène Lupin . , that knowledge of the castle, the

location of the pictures and furniture, the affair an

aspect . could he acquired that information concerning things

that no one had ever seen?

The baron raised his eyes and contemplated the of the

, its pedestal, the depth of the water,

and his . , there was no danger . No in

the could force an entrance to the that contained his

priceless treasures.

No , , but Arsène Lupin! For him, gates, walls and

not exist . What use the or the most

, if Arsène Lupin to effect an ?

That evening, he to the Procurer of the Republique at Rouen . He

the letter and solicited and protection.

The reply at to the effect that Arsène Lupin was in in

the la Santé, under surveillance, with no opportunity

to write such a letter, which was, no doubt, the work of some .

But, as an act of precaution, the Procurer the letter

to an in handwriting, who that, in of

resemblances, the writing was that of the .

But the words “ in of resemblances ” caught the attention of

the ; in them, he read the of a which to

him to the intervention of the law . His fears

increased . He Lupin ’ over and over again . I shall be

obliged to remove them myself. And there was the date: the

night of 27 September.

To in his servants was a proceeding repugnant to his nature; but

, for the time in years, he the of

seeking counsel with some one . Abandoned by the official of

his , and feeling to himself with his own

, he was on the of to to engage the services

of a detective.

Two days passed; on the day, he was filled with hope and joy as

he the following in the Reveil de Caudebec , a

published in a neighboring town:

“ We have the pleasure of in our city, at the time,

the veteran . who a world-wide

by his capture of Arsène Lupin . He come for rest and

recreation, and, being an , he threatens to

capture all the fish in our river . ”

Ganimard! , is the assistance desired by ! Who could

baffle the schemes of Lupin than , the and

astute detective? He was the man for the place.

The did not hesitate . The of was only six kilometers

from the castle, a distance to a man whose step was accelerated by

the hope of safety.

After fruitless attempts to the ’ s address,

the the office of the ‘ , situated on the quai.

There he the of the article who, approaching the ,

exclaimed:

“ ? Why, you are to see him on the quai with his

. I met him and chanced to his engraved on

his rod . Ah, there he is , under the trees . ”

“ That man, a straw hat?

. He is a , with to say . ”

Five , the baron the Ganimard,

introduced himself, and sought to commence a , but that

was a failure . he broached the object of his ,

and his case . The listened, motionless, with his

attention riveted on his fishing-rod . the his

, the , with an air of profound pity, and :

“ Monsieur, it is customary for thieves to warn people they are about

to . , , would not a folly . ”

“ But--- ”

Monsieur, if I had the doubt, believe me, the pleasure of

capturing Arsène Lupin would place me at your disposal . But,

, that young man is under lock and key . ”

“ He may have escaped . ”

“ No from the Santé . ”

“ But, he--- ”

He, than any .

“ Yet--- ”

Well, if he , much the . I will catch him again.

Meanwhile, you go and soundly . That will do for the .

You frighten the fish . ”

The conversation was ended . The returned to the castle, reassured

to some by Ganimard ’ s indifference . He the ,

watched the , and, during the , he

persuaded that his . Certainly, as Ganimard

, thieves do warn they are about to rob.

The was at hand . It was now the twenty-sixth of

September and nothing had . But at three o ’ the rang.

A boy brought this telegram:

No goods at Batignolles station . Prepare everything for tomorrow night.

Arsène . ”

This telegram the into a of excitement that he

the advisability of to Lupin ’ s demands.

, he hastened to . was at the

, seated on a . Without a word, he him the

telegram.

, what of it? ” the .

What of it? But it is tomorrow .

“ What is tomorrow? ”

“ The ! The pillage of my ! ”

laid down his , to the baron, and exclaimed,

in a tone of impatience:

! Do you think I am going to bother myself about such a silly

as that! ”

“ you ask to pass tomorrow night in the castle? ”

“ Not a . , me alone . ”

“ Name your . I am rich and can pay it . ”

This offer disconcerted , who replied, calmly:

“ I am on a vacation . I have no right to undertake work . ”

No . I to it .

“ Oh! nothing will happen . ”

Come! three thousand . that ? ”

The detective, after a moment ’ reflection, :

well . But I must warn you that you are throwing your out of

the window . ”

“ I do not care . ”

“ In that case...but, after all, what do we about this !

He may a of robbers with him . Are you of

your servants? ”

“ My faith--- ”

“ count on them . I will for two of my men to help

me . And now, ! It is better for us to be seen together .

evening about nine o ’ clock . ”

* * * * *

The day--the date fixed by Arsène --Baron Cahorn arranged

all his panoply of war, his weapons, and, like a sentinel,

paced to and fro in of the castle . He saw nothing, nothing.

At eight ’ in the evening, he his servants.

They in a of the building, in a spot,

from the of the . Shortly thereafter, the

heard the sound of approaching . It was Ganimard and his

two assistants--, powerful with hands, and necks

like bulls . After a questions to the of the

entrances and rooms, Ganimard and

all the and through which one gain access to the

threatened rooms . He the walls, raised the tapestries, and

his assistants in the which was

located between the two salons.

“ No ! We are to . At the sound, the

windows of the court and call me . Pay attention to the .

Ten metres of rock is no obstacle to those . ”

his assistants in the gallery, carried away the keys,

and said to the baron:

“ And now, to our post . ”

He had chosen for himself a room located in the thick ,

between the two doors, and which, in , had been

the watchman . A peep-hole upon the ; another on

the . In one corner, there was an to a tunnel.

I believe you me, Monsieur le Baron, that this tunnel is the

entrance to the and that it been closed up for

time immemorial? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ Then, unless there is some entrance, to Arsène ,

we are quite safe . ”

He placed three , stretched himself upon them,

his pipe and sighed:

“ , le Baron, I feel ashamed to accept your money for

a as this . I will tell the story to my friend Lupin . He will

enjoy it immensely . ”

The not . He was anxiously listening, but heard nothing

the beating of his heart . From time to time, he leaned over the

tunnel and cast a into its . He heard the

eleven, twelve, one.

Suddenly, he seized Ganimard s arm . The leaped , awakened from

his sleep.

“ Do you hear? ” asked the baron, in a whisper.

“ Yes . ”

“ What is it? ”

“ I was snoring, I suppose . ”

“ No, no, listen . ”

Ah! yes, it is the horn of an automobile . ”

“ Well? ”

“ Well! it is very that Lupin would an automobile like a

battering-ram to your castle . Come, le Baron,

to your post . I am to sleep . Good-night . ”

That was the only alarm . Ganimard his interrupted slumbers, and

the heard nothing except the snoring of his . At

break of day, they the room . The castle was in a

calm; it was a dawn on the bosom of a tranquil . They

the , Cahorn radiant with , Ganimard calm as .

They no ; they nothing to suspicion.

What did I tell you, Monsieur le Baron? Really, I should have

accepted your offer . I am ashamed . ”

He unlocked the door and entered the . Upon two , with

drooping heads and pendent , the ’ s two assistants

asleep.

“ Tonnerre de nom d ’ chien! ” Ganimard . At the same ,

the baron cried out:

“ The pictures! The credence! ”

He , choked, with arms outstretched toward the ,

toward the walls naught but the useless nails

and . The Watteau, disappeared! The , ! The

taken ! The , of their !

And my Louis XVI candelabra! And the !...And my

twelfth-century Virgin! ”

He ran from one to another in despair . He recalled the

price of each , added up the , counted his

losses, , in words and . He

with rage; he groaned with grief . He like a man whose

hope is suicide.

If anything could have consoled him, it would have been the

displayed by Ganimard . The detective did . He appeared

to be ; he examined the in a manner . The

windows? .... . The on the ? intact . a break in

the ; a hole in the . Everything was in order.

The been carried out , to a and

inexorable plan.

Lupin Lupin, he .

, as if by anger, he rushed upon his two and

shook them violently . They did not awaken.

“ The devil! he . “ Can it be ? ”

He leaned over them and, in , them . They

asleep; but their response was unnatural.

They have drugged, ” he said to the .

“ By whom? ”

By him, of , or his men under his discretion . That bears his

stamp . ”

In that case, I am lost--nothing can be done . ”

“ Nothing, ” assented Ganimard.

“ It is ; it is . ”

“ Lodge a complaint . ”

“ What good will that do? ”

Oh; it is to try it . The law has some .

The ! Bah! it is . You represent the , and, at this

moment, you should be for a clue and trying to discover

something, you do not even stir . ”

“ something with Arsène Lupin! , my , Arsène

leaves any behind him . He leaves nothing to chance.

Sometimes I think he himself in my and simply me to

arrest him in America . ”

, I must renounce my pictures! He taken the of my

. I would give a fortune to recover them . If there is no

way, him his price . ”

Ganimard regarded the baron , as he :

“ , that is . Will you stick to it? ”

“ Yes, yes . But why? ”

“ An idea that I have . ”

“ What is it? ”

We will discuss it --if the examination does not succeed.

But, one word about me, if you my . ”

He added, between his teeth:

“ It is I to boast of in this affair . ”

The assistants were gradually regaining consciousness with the

bewildered air of people who out of an sleep . They

their eyes and looked about them in . questioned

them; they remembered nothing.

“ But you have seen some one? ”

“ No . ”

“ Can ’ t you remember? ”

“ No, no . ”

“ Did you drink anything? ”

They a , and one of them :

, I a . ”

“ Out of that carafe? ”

“ Yes . ”

So did I, ” declared the .

Ganimard smelled and tasted it . It had no taste and no odor.

Come, he said, “ we are wasting our time . One can t decide an

Arsène problem in five minutes . But, ! I I

catch him again . ”

The day, a of was by Baron Cahorn

against Arsène Lupin, a in the Prison de la .

* * * * *

The baron afterwards making the charge against Lupin he

his castle over to the gendarmes, the procureur, the

instruction, the reporters and photographers, and a throng

of idle curiosity-seekers.

The affair a topic of discussion, and the name of

Arsène Lupin the imagination to such an that the

newspapers their with the stories of his

exploits which found ready credence amongst their readers.

But the of Arsène Lupin that was in the de

(no once how the it), that letter

in which Cahorn was of the , caused

. The fabulous theories . Some

the existence of the subterranean tunnels, and that was

the line of research pursued by the officers of the , who

the house from to bottom, questioned every , studied the

wainscoting and the chimneys, the and the in the

ceilings . By the of , they the cellars

the lords of Malaquis to store their and

. They the to its . But it

was all in vain . They no trace of a . No

secret passage existed.

But the eager declared that the and furniture could

vanish like many ghosts . They are substantial, things and

require doors and for their and their , and

do the that remove them . Who those people? did they gain

access to the ? And they it?

The officers of , of their ,

the assistance of the Parisian detective force . Mon . ,

of the , the sleuths of the . He

himself spent hours at the castle, but met with no .

Then he for , whose past had proved when

all else failed.

, in silence, to the instructions of his superior;

then, shaking his head, he said:

“ In my opinion, it is to ransack the castle . The solution of the

problem lies elsewhere . ”

“ Where, then? ”

“ With Arsène Lupin . ”

“ With Arsène Lupin! To support that theory, we must admit his

intervention . ”

“ I admit it . In fact, I consider it . ”

, , that is . Arsène Lupin is in . ”

“ I grant you that Lupin is in , guarded; but he

must have on his , on his wrists, and in his

mouth before I change my opinion . ”

“ Why so obstinate, Ganimard? ”

Because Arsène is the man in France of to

and out a of that magnitude . ”

“ Mere words, Ganimard . ”

“ But ones . ! What are they doing? Searching for subterranean

, stones on , and nonsense of that .

But doesn t such old-fashioned methods . He is a modern

cracksman, right up to date . ”

“ And how would you proceed? ”

“ I should your permission to an hour with him . ”

“ In his cell? ”

Yes . During the trip from America we friendly, and

I to that if he give me any information without

himself he will to save me from

useless trouble . ”

It was shortly after when Ganimard entered the cell of Arsène

Lupin . The latter, who was on his bed, raised his head and

a cry of apparent joy.

Ah! This is a real surprise . My dear , ! ”

“ Ganimard himself . ”

“ In my chosen retreat, I felt a desire for things, but my

fondest wish was to receive you here . ”

“ Very kind of you, I am .

“ at all . You I you in the .

“ I am proud of it . ”

“ I have always said: is our . He is ,--you

how candid I am!--he is almost as . But I

am sorry that I can you anything than this stool.

And no refreshments! Not a glass of beer! Of , you

excuse me, as I am here temporarily . ”

Ganimard , and accepted the seat . the prisoner

continued:

“ Mon , how pleased I am to see the of an honest . I am so

tired of those devils of spies who a day to

my pockets and my cell to satisfy themselves that I am preparing to

. The government is on my . ”

“ It is quite right . ”

? I should be quite contented if they would allow me to live in

my own quiet way . ”

“ On other people ’ s money . ”

. That would be so . But here, I am joking, and you are,

no , in a hurry . So let us to business, Ganimard . To what I

owe the honor of this visit?

“ The Cahorn affair, Ganimard, .

Ah! , one . You I have had many ! First, let me

fix in my mind the circumstances of this case ! yes,

I it . The Cahorn affair, Malaquis castle, .... Two

Rubens, a Watteau, and a articles . ”

“ Trifling! ”

Oh! , all that is of importance . But it suffices to know

that the affair interests you . I you, ?

Must I explain to you what steps the authorities taken in the

matter? ”

at all . I read the newspapers and I frankly state that

you have made very little progress . ”

And that is the I have to see you . ”

“ I am entirely at your service . ”

“ In the place, the Cahorn was managed by you?

“ From A to Z . ”

“ The letter of ? the telegram? ”

“ All mine . I ought to the . ”

Arsène the drawer of a small table of plain white wood which,

with the bed and stool, all the furniture in his cell, and

took two scraps of paper which he to .

Ah! ” exclaimed the detective, in surprise, “ I thought you

and searched, and I find that you read the and

collect postal receipts . ”

“ ! these people are stupid! They the lining of my vest, they

examine the soles of my , they sound the of my cell, but they

never imagine that Arsène to choose such a

simple hiding place . ”

Ganimard laughed, as he said:

What a you are! Really, you bewilder me . But, come ,

tell me about the Cahorn affair . ”

Oh! oh! not quite so fast! You me of all my ; expose

all my . That is a serious . ”

Was I to count on your ? ”

“ No, Ganimard, and since you --- ”

his two or three , , stopping before

Ganimard, he asked:

“ What do you think of my letter to the ? ”

“ I think you were amusing yourself by playing to the . ”

Ah! playing to the gallery! , Ganimard, I thought you me

better . Do I, Lupin, my on ?

Would I have written that letter if I have robbed the baron

without writing to him? I want you to that the was

; it was the motor that the in .

, let us discuss a scheme for the of the

castle . Are you willing? ”

“ Yes, proceed . ”

“ Well, us suppose a closed and barricaded like

that of the Cahorn . Am I to abandon my scheme and renounce the

that I covet, upon the that the castle which holds

them is inaccessible? ”

“ Evidently not . ”

Should I an assault upon the at the head of a of

adventurers as they did in ancient times? ”

“ That would be foolish . ”

“ I gain admittance by stealth or cunning? ”

“ Impossible . ”

“ there is one way to me . I must the of the

castle invite me to it . ”

“ That is surely an original method . ”

“ And ! us suppose that one day the owner receives a letter

warning him that a burglar known as is plotting

to rob him . What will he do? ”

“ Send a letter to the Procureur . ”

“ Who laugh at him, _because the said is in

. , in his anxiety and fear, the man ask the

of the first-comer, he ?

“ Very likely . ”

“ And if he to in a newspaper that a

detective is his vacation in a town--- ”

“ He will seek that detective . ”

Of . But, on the , let us that, foreseen

that state of affairs, the said Arsène Lupin has requested one of his

friends to visit Caudebec, make the of the editor of the

‘ , ’ a newspaper to which the is a , and let said

that is the celebrated --,

what will happen? ”

“ The editor will in the Réveil the presence in Caudebec of

said detective . ”

“ Exactly; and one of two will : either the --I mean

Cahorn-- not , and nothing happen; or, what is more ,

he will run and greedily swallow the bait . , my Cahorn

imploring the assistance of one of my friends against me .

“ Original, indeed! ”

Of course, the at first refuses to any

assistance . On top of that the from Arsène Lupin . The

baron rushes to my and offers him a definite

sum of money for his services . My accepts and summons two

of our band, who, during the night, Cahorn is under the watchful

eye of his protector, by of the window

and them with into a little launch for the

occasion . , ’ t it?

Marvelous! ! exclaimed Ganimard . The of the scheme

and the of all its details are beyond criticism . But who is

the detective whose and fame served as a magnet to attract the

baron and draw him into your net? ”

There is one name could do it--only one . ”

“ And that is? ”

“ Lupin ’ personal enemy--the . ”

“ I? ”

“ Yourself, Ganimard . And, really, it is very . If you go , and

the decides to , you will find that it will be your duty to

arrest yourself, as you me in America . ! the revenge

is : I cause to arrest Ganimard .

Arsène Lupin heartily . The detective, greatly , bit his

lips; to him the was of . The of a prison

guard gave Ganimard an opportunity to recover himself . The man brought

Arsène Lupin ’ luncheon, by a restaurant . After

depositing the tray upon the table, the guard retired . Lupin broke his

bread, a , and continued:

“ But, easy, my Ganimard, you will go to Malaquis . I

tell you something that will astonish you: the Cahorn affair is on the

point of being settled . ”

“ Excuse me; I the of the . ”

What of that? Does Mon . Dudouis know my business than I

do myself? You learn that --excuse me--that the

still on terms with the baron . The

latter authorized him to negotiate a transaction with

me, and, at the present moment, in consideration of a , it

is that the baron possession of his and

treasures . And on their return, he will withdraw his .

, there is no any theft, and the must the case . ”

Ganimard regarded the prisoner with a bewildered air.

And do you know all that?

I have received the telegram I was expecting .

“ You have just received a telegram? ”

“ This very , my friend . Out of politeness, I not wish to

read it in your . But if you will permit me---

“ You are joking, Lupin . ”

My friend, if you kind as to break that , you will

learn for yourself that I am . ”

, obeyed, and the egg-shell with the blade

of a knife . He uttered a cry of surprise . The shell contained nothing

but a small of paper . At the request of Arsène he

it . It was a telegram, or a portion of a telegram from which the

had been . It read as follows:

“ closed . Hundred thousand . All .

“ One hundred thousand balls? said Ganimard.

, one hundred thousand francs . , but then, you ,

these are times .... And I have some heavy bills to meet . If you

knew my budget .... living in the city comes . ”

Ganimard arose . His humor had . He reflected for a

, over the affair in an effort to a weak

point; , in a tone and manner that his of the

prisoner, he said:

“ Fortunately, we a as you to deal with; if we

did, we have to close up shop .

Arsène a air, as he :

Bah! a person must have some diversion to occupy his hours,

especially when he is in prison . ”

What! ” Ganimard, your trial, your defense, the

--isn ’ t that sufficient to your ? ”

“ No, because I have decided to at my trial . ”

“ Oh! oh! ”

Arsène Lupin repeated, positively:

I shall at my trial .

“ Really! ”

“ Ah! my , do you I am going to upon the wet

straw? You me . remains in prison just long as it

pleases him, and not one minute more .

Perhaps it would been more if you had avoided getting

there, ” said the detective, ironically.

! jests? Monsieur must remember that he had the honor to

effect my . Know then, my , that no one,

you, could placed a hand upon me if a event had

my attention at that moment .

“ You astonish me . ”

“ A was looking at me, , and I her . Do you

understand what that means: to under the of a that one

loves? I cared for in the but that . And that is I am

here . ”

“ Permit me to say: you have been a long . ”

“ In the place, I wished to . not laugh; it was a

adventure and it is a memory . Besides, I have

been from neurasthenia . is these that it

is to the ‘ cure ’ , and I this spot

a sovereign remedy for my tired nerves . ”

“ Arsène Lupin, you are a fellow, after all . ”

“ Thank you, ” said Lupin . Ganimard, this is Friday . On Wednesday next,

at four ’ clock in the afternoon, I will my at your house in

the rue Pergolese . ”

Lupin, I will expect you . ”

They like two old friends who valued each other at their

worth; the to the door.

“ Ganimard! ”

What is it? ” , as he back.

“ You have forgotten your watch . ”

“ My watch? ”

Yes, it into my pocket .

He returned the watch, excusing himself.

“ Pardon me .... a . Because they taken is no reason

I take yours . Besides, I have a that satisfies

me fairly well . ”

He from the drawer a large gold watch and .

“ From whose pocket did that come? ” asked .

Arsène gave a at the on the .

J.B Who the devil that be? .... Ah! yes, I remember .

, the who my examination . A fellow! ....

III . The Escape of Arsène Lupin

Lupin had finished his repast and taken from his pocket an

cigar, with a gold band, which he was with

care, the door of his cell was . He had barely time to

throw the cigar into the drawer and move from the . The

entered . It was the hour for exercise.

“ I was waiting for you, my , ” exclaimed Lupin, in his

good humor.

They went out together . As soon as they had disappeared at a in the

corridor, two the cell and a examination

of it . One was Inspector ; the was Inspector Folenfant . They

to verify their suspicion that Arsène Lupin was in communication

with his outside of the . On the evening,

the ’ had published these lines to its court

reporter:

“ Monsieur:

“ In a article you to me in

terms . Some days before the opening of my trial I call you to

account . Arsène Lupin . ”

The was certainly that of Arsène Lupin . , he

letters; and, no doubt, letters . It was that he

was preparing for that arrogantly announced by him.

The had . Acting in conjunction with the

examining judge, the chief of the Sûreté, . , had visited the

prison and the gaoler in regard to the precautions

to insure Lupin s . At the time, he sent the two men to

the prisoner ’ cell . They raised every stone, ransacked the bed,

everything customary in a , but they discovered nothing,

and were about to their investigation when the guard

hastily and said:

“ The .... in the table-drawer . I just now he was

closing it . ”

They opened the drawer, and Dieuzy exclaimed:

Ah! we have him this .

Folenfant stopped him.

a . The chief will to make an inventory . ”

“ This is a very choice cigar . ”

“ it , and the chief . ”

Two minutes Mon . Dudouis the of the drawer.

he discovered a bundle of newspaper clippings relating to Arsène

Lupin from the _Argus la Presse_, a tobacco-box, a pipe,

some paper called “ onion-peel, ” and two books . He read the titles of the

. One was an of Carlyle “ ; the

was a charming , in binding, the “ Manual of Epictetus, ” a

translation at in 1634 . On examining the books,

he found that all the were and annotated . they

as a for correspondence, or did they the

character of the reader? he the tobacco-box and

the pipe . , he up the cigar with its gold band.

“ ! he . Our friend a cigar . It ’ a Henry

Clay . ”

With the action of an habitual smoker, he the cigar

close to his and squeezed it to make it crack . Immediately he

a cry of . The cigar yielded under the pressure

of his . He examined it closely, and quickly discovered

something between the leaves of . , with the aid

of a pin, he a of thin paper, scarcely larger than

a toothpick . It was a letter . He it, and found these words,

written in a feminine handwriting:

“ The basket has the place of the others . Eight out of ten are

ready . On the the plate . From twelve

to every day, . But where? at once .

; your is over you .

. a moment, said:

It is .... the basket .... the eight compartments .... From

twelve to means from twelve to four o ’ clock . ”

“ But this H-P, that wait? ”

mean automobile . H-P, horsepower, is the way they

strength of the . A H-P is an automobile of

horsepower . ”

Then he rose, and asked:

“ Had the prisoner finished his breakfast? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ And as he has read the , which is proved by the

condition of the , it is that he had received it . ”

“ How? ”

“ In his food . in his bread or in a potato, . ”

“ . His was allowed to in to trap him,

but we in it . ”

We will look for ’ s reply this evening . Detain him for a

. I shall this to the examining judge, and, if he agrees

with me, we will have the at , and in an hour

you can replace the letter in the drawer in a to this . The

prisoner must have no cause for suspicion . ”

It was without a that . Dudouis returned to

the in the evening, by Inspector Dieuzy . Three

plates were sitting on the in the corner.

“ He has eaten? ”

“ Yes, ” replied the guard.

Dieuzy, please that into , and open that

bread-roll .... Nothing? ”

“ No, chief . ”

Mon . Dudouis the plates, the fork, the spoon, and the knife--an

ordinary with a rounded . He the handle to the left;

to the right . It and unscrewed . The knife was , and

as a hiding-place for a of paper.

Peuh! ” he , “ that is clever for a man like . But we

mustn ’ t lose any time . You, Dieuzy, and the restaurant .

Then he read the note:

“ I trust to you, will at a distance every day . I will go

ahead . Au revoir, dear friend . ”

“ At last, Mon . Dudouis, rubbing his hands , I think we

the affair in our hands . A little on our part, and the

escape will be a in as the arrest of his confederates are

concerned . ”

“ But if slips through your fingers? suggested the guard.

We a number of to prevent that . If, ,

he too much cleverness, ma foi, the worse for him! As

to his of robbers, since the refuses to , the others

must . ”

* * * * *

And, as a matter of fact, Arsène Lupin to . For

, Mon . Jules , the judge,

exerted himself in . The had been to a

between the judge and the advocate, Maître

Danval, one of the of the bar . From to , through

, Arsène Lupin would speak . One day he said:

Yes, , judge, I with you: the robbery of the

Lyonnais, the in the de Babylone, the issue of

the counterfeit bank-notes, the burglaries at the châteaux,

, Gouret, , Groseillers, , all my work,

monsieur, I did it all . ”

you to me---

“ It is . I everything in a lump, everything and ten

times more than you know nothing about . ”

Wearied by his fruitless task, the had his ,

but he resumed them after the two were brought to

his attention; and , at , Arsène Lupin was taken from

the prison to the Dépôt in the prison-van with a number of other

. They about three or four o clock.

, one , this return trip was under conditions.

The having been examined, it was to take

Lupin first, he himself alone in the vehicle.

These prison-vans, salade ”--or

salad-baskets--are lengthwise by a corridor from which

ten , five on either side . Each is

arranged that the occupant must assume and retain a sitting posture,

and, , the five are one upon the ,

and one from the by partitions . A guard,

at one , over the corridor.

Arsène was in the cell on the right, and the heavy vehicle

. He calculated when they left the quai de l ’ ,

and they the Palais de Justice . , about the centre of

the bridge Saint Michel, with his foot, that is to say, his

foot, he pressed upon the metal plate that closed his cell .

something clicked, and the plate moved . He was to ascertain

that he was located between the two wheels.

He , keeping a look-out . The vehicle was proceeding

along the boulevard Saint Michel . At the corner of Saint Germain it

. A truck horse fallen . The traffic having been ,

a of fiacres and omnibuses had . Arsène Lupin

looked out . Another had stopped to the one he occupied.

He the still , put his foot on one of the spokes

of the wheel and to the ground . A saw him, with

, tried to raise an outcry, but his voice was lost in the

noise of the that had commenced to move again . Moreover, Arsène

Lupin was already far away.

He run for a ; but, upon the , he turned

and looked ; he seemed to scent the like a who is

which to take . , having decided, he his

in his pockets, and, with the careless air of an stroller,

he up the boulevard . It was a , bright autumn day, and

the cafés . He took a seat on the of one of them . He

ordered a bock and a of . He his glass ,

one cigarette and lighted a . he asked the to

the proprietor to him . the , Arsène spoke to

him in a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone:

“ I to say, monsieur, I my pocketbook . , on

the strength of my name, you will be pleased to give me credit for a

days . I am Arsène Lupin . ”

The looked at him, thinking he was joking . But

repeated:

Lupin, prisoner at the , but a fugitive . I to

that the you with confidence in me . ”

And he , shouts of laughter, whilst the proprietor

stood amazed.

Lupin along the Soufflot, and turned into the rue Saint

. He his way , his and looking

into the . At the Boulevard de Port Royal he his

, discovered he was, and then in the of

the de la Santé . The forbidding walls of the prison

now before him . He his hat forward to shade his face; ,

approaching the sentinel, he asked:

Is this the prison de la Santé?

“ Yes . ”

“ I wish to regain my cell . The left me on the way, and I would

abuse--”

“ Now, young man, --! ” the .

“ me, but I must through that . And if you Arsène

Lupin from entering the prison it will cost you , my friend . ”

Arsène Lupin! What are you talking about! ”

“ I am sorry I haven ’ t a with me, said Arsène, in his

pockets.

The him from head to foot, in astonishment . , without

a , he a . The iron gate was , and Arsène

stepped . Almost he the of the

prison, gesticulating and feigning a anger . Arsène and

said:

, , don ’ t that game with me . What! they take

the precaution to carry me in the , a little

, and imagine I am to take to my heels and rejoin

my . , and what about the of the Sûreté who

us on foot, in fiacres and on ? No, the arrangement

did not please me . I should not have got away . Tell me, ,

did they count on that? ”

He shrugged his shoulders, and added:

I of you, monsieur, not to worry about me . When I wish to escape I

shall not require any assistance . ”

On the day , the _Echo de France_, which apparently

the reporter of the exploits of Arsène ,--it was

that he was one of its --published a

complete of this escape . The exact of the

messages between the prisoner and his , the

by which correspondence was , the complicity of the

police, the on the Boulevard Saint Michel, the incident at the

café , everything was . It was that the search of

the and its waiters by Inspector Dieuzy .

And the public an which demonstrated

the variety of resources that Lupin : the ,

in which he was being carried, was for the and

substituted by his for one of the six vans which

at the prison.

The escape of Lupin was doubted by anyone . He announced

it himself, in terms, in a reply to . on the

his escape . The judge having made a jest about

the , was annoyed, and, eyeing the , he said,

emphatically:

Listen to me, monsieur! I give you my of honor that this

flight was to my general plan of . ”

“ I understand, ” said the judge.

It is that you should understand .

And the , in the of that examination which was reported

at in the of the _Echo de , the judge

to resume his investigation, Arsène Lupin exclaimed, with an

of lassitude:

Mon , Mon Dieu, what s the use! All these questions are of no

importance! ”

What! No ? ” cried the .

No; because I shall present at the trial . ”

“ You will not be present? ”

; I have on that, and nothing will change my . ”

Such assurance combined with the inexplicable indiscretions that Arsène

every day served to and the officers of the .

There secrets known only to Lupin; secrets that he alone

could divulge . But for what did he reveal them? And ?

Arsène Lupin was changed to another cell . The judge closed his

investigation . No further proceedings taken in his case

for a period of two months, during which time Arsène was

on his bed with his face turned toward the wall . The

changing of his seemed to discourage him . He refused to see his

. He a necessary words with his .

During the fortnight preceding his trial, he resumed his life.

He of of air . , every morning he was

allowed to exercise in the courtyard, guarded by two .

Public curiosity died out; every it to be regaled

with of his escape; and, it is true, he gained a

amount of by reason of his verve, his gayety, his

diversity, his and the of his .

must escape . It was his fate . The public expected it,

and was surprised that the event been delayed so . Every

the Préfect of Police asked his secretary:

“ Well, has he escaped yet? ”

“ No, Monsieur le Préfect . ”

“ To-morrow, probably . ”

And, on the day before the trial, a gentleman at the office of

the , to the court reporter, threw his card in

the reporter ’ face, and walked . These written

on the card: his promises . ”

* * * * *

It was under these conditions that the . An

crowd gathered at the court . to see the Arsène

. They had a that the prisoner would some

pranks upon the . and magistrates, reporters

and of the world, actresses and society women were crowded

on the benches provided for the public.

It was a dark, day, with a steady downpour of rain . a

dim pervaded the courtroom, and the spectators caught a

of the prisoner the him in . But his

, , the manner in which he dropped into his seat, and

his passive, appearance at all prepossessing . Several

times his advocate--one of Mon . ’ s assistants-- to him, but

he simply shook his head and said nothing.

The read the indictment, the judge :

Prisoner at the bar, up . Your name, age, and occupation? ”

Not receiving any reply, the judge repeated:

“ Your name? I ask you your name? ”

A thick, slow voice muttered:

“ Baudru, Désiré . ”

A of surprise pervaded the courtroom . But the proceeded:

“ Baudru, Désiré? Ah! a alias! , as you have a

dozen different names and this one is, no doubt, as the

others, we will to the name of Arsène Lupin, by which you are

more generally known . ”

The judge to his notes, and continued:

“ For, despite the search, your remains

unknown . Your case is in the annals of . We whom

you are, whence you came, your and breeding--all is a mystery

to us . Three years ago you in our as Arsène Lupin,

to us a combination of and perversion,

immorality and generosity . Our of your life to that

is and . It may that the called Rostat who,

eight years , worked with Dickson, the prestidigitator, was none

other than Arsène Lupin . It is that the who,

six years , the laboratory of Altier at the Saint

Louis Hospital, and who the doctor by the

of his hypotheses on subjects of and the boldness of his

experiments in of the skin, was none than Arsène Lupin.

It is , , that Arsène was the who introduced

the Japanese art of to the public . We some

reason to believe that Arsène was the who won the Grand

Prix de l ’ Exposition, received his thousand francs, and was

heard of again . Lupin may have been, , the person who

lives through the dormer-window at the Charity Bazaar;

and, at the , their . ”

The paused for a moment, :

is that which seems to been by you in a

preparation for the you have since waged against

society; a apprenticeship in which you your

, energy and skill to the highest point . you

acknowledge the accuracy of these facts? ”

During this the had stood balancing himself,

on one foot, on the , with shoulders and arms inert.

Under the one could his extreme , his

cheeks, his cheek-bones, his

with small red spots and in a rough, straggling .

Prison had caused him to age and wither . He had the

face and figure we had portrayed in the

newspapers.

It appeared as if he heard the propounded by the

judge . Twice it was repeated to him . he raised his , seemed to

, , making a , he :

“ Baudru, Désiré . ”

The judge smiled, as he said:

I the of your defense, Arsène Lupin . If you

are seeking to avoid responsibility for your crimes on the ground of

imbecility, such a of defense is to you . But I

with the and no heed to your vagaries . ”

He at length the thefts, and forgeries

against Lupin . he the prisoner, but the

latter or . The examination of

commenced . Some of the evidence was ;

of it , but through all of it there a of

contradictions and inconsistencies . A wearisome obscurity enveloped

the proceedings, until Ganimard was as a witness;

interest was revived.

From the beginning the of the veteran detective strange

and . He was nervous and ill at ease . Several times he

at the prisoner, with doubt and anxiety . , with his

hands resting on the rail in front of him, he recounted the events in

which he participated, including his of the

across and his arrival in America . He was to with

avidity, as his capture of Arsène Lupin was known to everyone

through the medium of the press . Toward the close of his testimony,

after referring to his conversations with Arsène Lupin, he stopped,

, embarrassed and . It was apparent that he was possessed

of some which he feared to . The judge said to him,

sympathetically:

“ If you are , you retire for the . ”

“ No, no, but--- ”

He , at the , and said:

“ I ask permission to the prisoner at range . There is

some about him that I must .

He the accused , examined him for several

minutes, then to the witness-stand, and, in an almost

voice, he said:

“ I , on oath, that the prisoner now before me is not Arsène

Lupin . ”

A silence followed the . The judge, nonplused for a

moment, exclaimed:

Ah! What do you mean? That is absurd!

The detective continued:

At first there is a , but if you

the nose, the mouth, the hair, the of , you will

that it is not Lupin . And the eyes! Did he ever have those

alcoholic eyes! ”

Come, , witness! What do you ? Do you to say that we

are trying the wrong man? ”

In my , yes . Arsène Lupin has, in some , to

this devil in his , unless this man is a accomplice . ”

This dénouement laughter and excitement the

spectators . The judge adjourned the trial, and sent for . Bouvier,

the gaoler, and guards in the prison.

the trial was , Mon . and the gaoler examined the

accused and declared that there was only a

between the prisoner and Arsène Lupin.

“ Well, then! exclaimed the judge, “ who is this ? Where he come

from? What is he in for? ”

Two of the were called and both of them that the

was Arsène Lupin . The judged breathed .

But one of the guards then said:

, yes, I it is he . ”

“ What! the judge, , “ you think * it is he! What do you

mean by that? ”

Well, I saw very of the prisoner . He was placed in my charge in

the and, for two months, he stirred, but laid on his

with his face to the wall . ”

What about the time to those two months?

Before that he occupied a cell in another part of the . He was

not in cell 24 . ”

Here the head gaoler interrupted, and said:

“ We him to another cell after his . ”

“ But you, monsieur, you have seen him during those two ? ”

I had no to see him . He was quiet and orderly . ”

“ And this prisoner is Arsène ? ”

“ No . ”

“ who is he? ” the .

“ I do not know . ”

we have before us a who was substituted for Arsène Lupin, two

ago . do you that? ”

“ I cannot . ”

In despair, the turned to the accused and him

in a conciliatory tone:

, can you tell me how, and since when, you an inmate of

the Prison de la Santé? ”

The of the was calculated to the mistrust

and awaken the understanding of the . He tried to reply.

, under and questioning, he in a

from which the following was : Two months ago

he had been taken to the , examined and released . As he was leaving

the , a man, he was seized by two and in the

. Since he occupied cell 24 . He was contented there,

to , and he slept --so he complain.

All that ; and, the and excitement of the

spectators, the judge the trial until the could

investigated and verified.

* * * * *

The facts were at established by an examination of the

prison records: Eight weeks before a man named Désiré had slept

at the Dépôt . He was released the day, and left the Dépôt at two

’ clock in the afternoon . On the same day at two o clock, been

examined for the time, Lupin left the in a prison-van.

Had the guards made a ? they by the resemblance

and carelessly substituted this man for their prisoner?

Another question itself: Had the been arranged in

? In that Baudru must have been an accomplice and have

caused his arrest for the express purpose of Lupin ’

. But , by what miracle had such a plan, based on a series of

improbable chances, been carried to success?

Désiré was over to the service; they

had seen like him . , they easily traced his past

history . He was at Courbevois, at Asnières and at Levallois.

He on and in one of those huts near the

de . He had from there a .

Had he been enticed away by Arsène Lupin? There was no evidence to that

effect . And even if that was so, it did the flight of the

prisoner . That a mystery . Amongst theories which

sought to it, one was . Of the itself,

there was no ; an escape that was , ,

in which the public, as well as the officers of the law, could

a , a combination of circumstances

dove-tailed, whereof the dénouement fully justified the confident

prediction of Arsène Lupin: I be at my trial . ”

After a month of patient investigation, the problem unsolved.

The devil of a Baudru kept in , and

to place him on trial would . There was no charge against

him . , he was ; but the of the Sûrété

to keep him under . This originated with Ganimard . From

his of view there was neither complicity nor chance . was

an upon which Lupin had played with his

skill . Baudru, at , would them to or,

at , to some of his accomplices . The two inspectors, and

Dieuzy, were assigned to assist Ganimard.

One morning in January the gates and Baudru Désiré

stepped --a . At he appeared to embarrassed,

and walked like a who has no whither he is going.

He the rue de la and the Jacques . He in

of an , removed his jacket and his vest, sold his

on which he realized a few ; , his , he

on his . He crossed the Seine . At the Châtelet an

passed him . He wished to enter it, but there was no .

The controller advised him to secure a number, so he entered the

waiting-room.

to his two assistants, and, without his

from the waiting , he to them:

Stop a carriage , two . That will be . I will go with one of

you, and we will follow him . ”

The men . Yet Baudru did appear . Ganimard entered the

waiting-room . It was empty.

that I am! ” he muttered, “ I forgot was another .

There was an from the to the

Saint Martin . Ganimard through it and arrived in to

upon the of the Batignolles-Jardin de omnibus

as it was the of the de Rivoli . He ran and caught

the omnibus . But he had lost his two . He must the

pursuit . In his he was inclined to seize the man by the

collar without ceremony . Was it with premeditation and by means of

an that his imbecile him from his

assistants?

He looked at Baudru . The latter was on the bench, his head

rolling from to side, his half-opened, and an

expression of on his face . No, such an adversary was

of deceiving Ganimard . It was a stroke of luck--nothing

more.

At the Galleries-Lafayette, the man from the and

the La Muette , the boulevard Haussmann and the

avenue Victor Hugo . Baudru at La Muette ; and, with a

, into the Bois de Boulogne.

He through one after another, and retraced his

steps . What was he ? he any object? At the end of

an hour, he appeared to be faint from fatigue, and, noticing a , he

down . The spot, not far from , on the edge of a

amongst the trees, was deserted . After the lapse of another

half-hour, became and to speak to the man.

He approached and took a seat Baudru, lighted a cigarette,

some figures in the with the of his , and :

“ It ’ s a pleasant day . ”

No response . But, the into , a ,

mirthful laugh, spontaneous and . Ganimard his

on end in and surprise . It was that laugh, that

laugh he knew so well!

With a , he seized the man by the collar and looked at

him with a , penetrating gaze; and that he the

man Baudru . To be sure, he saw Baudru; but, at the same time, he saw the

, the real man, . He the intense life in the eyes,

he filled up the shrunken , he the flesh beneath

the skin, the through the that it.

Those the eyes and of the , and his ,

alert, , so clear and youthful!

Arsène , Arsène , ” he .

, in a fit of , he seized Lupin by the throat and

to hold him down . In spite of his years, he possessed

strength, whilst his adversary was in a weak

condition . But the was a one . Arsène a

movement, and, as he the attack, Ganimard

released his hold . His , useless.

“ If you had taken lessons in jiu-jitsu at the quai des Orfèvres, ” said

, you would that that blow is called udi-shi-ghi in .

A second , and I would broken your and that would have

what you . I am surprised that you, an old whom I

and before whom I expose my incognito, should abuse

my confidence in that violent manner . It is --Ah! What s the

matter? ”

did . That escape for which he deemed himself

--was it he, Ganimard, who, by his sensational ,

had led the court into error? That escape appeared to him like

a dark cloud on his professional career . A tear down his cheek to

his gray moustache.

“ Oh! mon Dieu, Ganimard, don ’ it to heart . If you had spoken,

I arranged for some one to do it . I couldn allow poor

Baudru Désiré to be convicted . ”

Then, ” murmured Ganimard, “ it was you that was there? And now you are

here? ”

It is I, always I, I . ”

“ Can it be possible? ”

“ Oh, it is the of a sorcerer . Simply, as the judge at

the , the of a dozen that equips a man to

successfully with all the obstacles in life . ”

“ But your face? Your eyes? ”

“ You that if I worked months with

at the Saint-Louis hospital, it was out of love for the . I

considered that he, who would one day the of calling himself

Arsène Lupin, ought to exempt from the laws

appearance and . Appearance? That be modified at . For

, a injection of paraffine will puff up the at

the spot . change your skin to that of an

Indian . The juice of the greater will adorn you with the

eruptions and tumors . Another the growth of

your beard and hair; another the tone of your voice . Add to that

two of in 24; exercises repeated a thousand to

me to my features in a , to carry my head

at a , and my back and shoulders to a stooping

posture . five of atropine in the eyes to make them

and , and the is done .

“ I do not how you deceived the guards . ”

“ The was progressive . The was that they

failed to notice it . ”

“ But Baudru Désiré? ”

“ . He is a poor, fellow whom

I met year; and, , he a resemblance to me.

Considering my arrest as a event, I charge of Baudru and

studied the points wherein we in with a view to

correct them in my . My friends him to at the

overnight, and to there day about the same hour as I

did--a arranged . Of course, it was to have

a record of his detention at the Dépôt in order to the fact

that such a person was a ; , the have

sought to find out my . But, in offering to them this

, it was , you , inevitable that

they seize upon him, and, despite the

of a substitution, they would prefer to believe in a than

confess their ignorance . ”

Yes, yes, of , ” .

“ And , ” Lupin, I held in my hands a trump-card: an

anxious public watching and waiting for my escape . And that is the fatal

error into which you , you and the others, in the course of that

game between me and the of the law

the was my liberty . And you supposed that I was to the

gallery; that I was with my success . I, Arsène ,

of weakness! Oh, no! And, than the affair, you

said: “ Arsène from the housetops that he ,

he has some in ” But, , you must understand that

in to I must create, in , a belief in

that , a belief to an article of , an

conviction, a glittering as the sun . And I create that

belief that Arsène Lupin would escape, that Arsène Lupin would be

at his trial . And you gave your evidence and : That

man is Lupin, ” everybody was prepared to believe you . Had one

person it, had any one uttered this restriction: Suppose

it is Arsène Lupin?--from that , I was . If anyone had

scrutinized my face, not imbued with the that I was not Arsène

Lupin, as you and the at my trial, but with the idea that I

be Arsène Lupin; , despite all my precautions, I should have

recognized . But I no . Logically, psychologically, no once

could entertain the that I was Lupin .

He grasped Ganimard ’ s hand.

, Ganimard, confess that on the Wednesday after our conversation in

the de la , you me at your at four o ’ clock,

exactly as I said I would go . ”

And your prison-van? Ganimard, evading the .

A ! Some of my secured that and

to make the . But I it without the

concurrence of a number of circumstances . , I

it useful to carry out that attempted and give it the

publicity . An audaciously planned , though completed, to

the one the character of reality by . ”

“ So that the cigar .... ”

by myself, as well as the knife . ”

“ And the letters? ”

“ Written by me . ”

“ And the mysterious correspondent? ”

“ Did not exist . ”

Ganimard reflected a moment, then said:

the service had Baudru ’ case under consideration,

did they not that his with those of

Arsène Lupin? ”

“ My measurements are not in existence . ”

“ Indeed! ”

“ At least, they are false . I given considerable to

that question . In the place, the Bertillon system records the

marks of --and you seen that they are

--and, after that, the of the head, the

, the , etc . Of course, are or

infallible . ”

“ Absolutely . ”

; but it costs to get around them . Before we left America, one

of the employees of the service there accepted so to insert

figures in my measurements . , Baudru ’ s measurements

agree with those of Arsène .

After a short silence, Ganimard asked:

“ What are you going to do ?

“ Now, ” , I am going to a rest, enjoy the of

and and my . It is all

well to Baudru or some person, on , and to

change your personality as you do your , but you grow of

the change . I feel as I imagine the man who lost his shadow must

have felt, and I shall be to be Arsène Lupin once . ”

He to and for a , , stopping in front of

Ganimard, he said:

“ You nothing to say, I suppose?

. I should like to know if you intend to reveal the true state of

facts with your . The mistake that I made--- ”

Oh! no know that it was Lupin who was .

It is to my interest to myself with mystery, and

I shall my to its almost character . So,

have no on that score, my friend . I say nothing . And

, . I am going out to dinner this , and

sufficient time to dress . ”

“ I though you wanted a rest . ”

! there are duties to that one can avoid . To-morrow, I

shall rest . ”

“ Where do you dine to-night? ”

“ With the British Ambassador! ”

IV . The Mysterious Traveller

The evening before, I had my to Rouen by the highway.

I was to travel to Rouen by , on my way to some that

live on the banks of the Seine.

At Paris, a before the train , seven gentlemen

entered my compartment; five of them were smoking . No that the

was a one, the thought of with such a company

was to me, as the was on the old

model, without a corridor . I up my overcoat, my newspapers and my

, and refuge in a .

It was by a lady, who, at sight of me, made a gesture of

annoyance that did escape my , and she leaned toward a

gentleman who was standing on the step and was, no doubt, her husband.

The gentleman scrutinized me , and, apparently, my appearance

displease him, for he smiled as he spoke to his with the air

of one who a . She , and gave me a

friendly as if she that I was one of those gallant

men with whom a woman can remain shut up for two hours in a box,

six , and nothing to fear.

Her husband said to her:

“ I have an appointment, my , and can any .

Adieu . ”

He kissed her and went . His threw him a

kisses and waved her handkerchief . The whistle sounded, and the train

started.

At that moment, and despite the protests of the guards, the door

was opened, and a man rushed into our compartment . My , who

was standing and arranging her luggage, a cry of terror and fell

upon the seat . I am a --far from it--but I confess that

at the are . They have a

suspicious, unnatural aspect.

However, the appearance of the arrival greatly the

produced by his . He was

and elegantly dressed, a , correct ,

and his was and . But, the had I

seen that face before? Because, beyond all doubt, I had seen

it . And the of it was so vague and indistinct that I felt it

would be to try to recall it at that .

, my to the lady, I was at the pallor

and I saw in her . She was at her --they

on the side of the --with an expression

of , and I that one of her trembling hands was

gliding toward a traveling that was lying on the

about from her . She finished by it and

drawing it to her . Our met, and I read in hers and

that I could refrain from speaking to her:

“ Are you , madame? Shall I open the window? ”

Her only was a that she was afraid of our

. I , as her husband had done, shrugged my , and

explained to her, in pantomime, that she had to fear, that I

was there, and, , the appeared to be a

. At that , he toward us, scrutinized both of us

from to foot, then settled in his corner and paid us no more

attention.

After a , the , as if she mustered all her energy

to perform a act, to me, in an inaudible voice:

“ Do you who is on our train? ”

“ Who? ”

He .... he .... I assure you

“ Who is he? ”

“ Arsène Lupin! ”

She had her off our , and it was to him rather

than to me that she uttered the syllables of that name.

He drew his hat over his . Was that to his agitation or,

, to himself for ? I said to her:

“ , through , Arsène Lupin was sentenced to

’ at . Therefore it is that he

be imprudent, to-day, as to show himself in . ,

the his appearance in Turkey since his escape

from the Santé . ”

“ But he is on this train at the moment, ” the lady proclaimed,

with the of by our ; “ my

is one of the in the , and it was the

himself who us that a was being made for

Arsène Lupin . ”

“ They may have been mistaken--- ”

No; he was seen in the waiting-room . He a first-class ticket for

Rouen . ”

He has disappeared . The guard at the door did see him

, and it is that he had got into the express that leaves

ten minutes after us . ”

In that case, they will to catch him . ”

“ Unless, at the , he from that train to come ,

into our .... which is probable .... which is certain .

If , he will the ; for the employees and guards

would no doubt observe his passage from one train to the , and,

when we arrive at Rouen, they arrest him there . ”

“ Him--! He find some of escape . ”

“ In that case, I him bon voyage . ’ ”

“ But, in the , think what he may do! ”

“ What? ”

“ I don know . He may .

She was greatly , and, truly, the justified, to some

, her excitement . I was to say to her:

“ Of course, there are many coincidences, but you have no

fear . that Arsène Lupin is on this train, he will commit

any indiscretion; he will be only to escape the that

already threatens him . ”

My words did reassure her, but she remained for a . I

unfolded my newspapers and read reports of Arsène trial, but, as

they contained that was to me, I was not greatly interested.

Moreover, I was tired and . I my eyelids and my head

drop.

But, monsieur, you are to sleep!

She my , and looked at me with indignation.

“ Certainly not, ” I said.

“ That would be very imprudent . ”

“ Of course, ” I assented.

I to keep awake . I through the window at the landscape

and the fleeting , but in a short time all that

and ; the image of the and the drowsy

effaced from my memory, and I was in the depths of

a sleep . The tranquility of my response was by

dreams, wherein a creature that played the part and bore

the name of Arsène Lupin an place . He to me

with his back laden with articles of value; he over , and

castles . But the of that creature, who was no

Arsène Lupin, assumed a form . He toward me,

and larger, into the with ,

and on my chest . With a of fright and pain, I awoke.

The man, the traveller, our companion, with his on my ,

me by the throat.

My was , for my suffused with blood.

I could see the , in a corner of the compartment,

with . I tried not to resist . Besides, I not have the

strength . My ; I was strangled . One minute ,

and I my . The must realized it, for he

relaxed his grip, but did his . he took a , in

which he had a , and tied my . In an

instant, I was bound, , and helpless.

, he the trick with an ease and skill that

the hand of a master; he was, no doubt, a thief.

a word, a movement; and . And I

was , on the , bound like a mummy, I-- !

It was anything but a matter, and , despite the gravity

of the , I the humor and that it

involved . and bound like a novice! robbed as if I

were an --for, you , the

had me of my purse and ! Arsène , a victim, ,

vanquished .... What an adventure!

The did not move . He did even her . He himself

with up her that had fallen to the floor and

from it the jewels, purse, and and silver trinkets that it

contained . The lady opened her , with fear, drew the

from her and handed them to the man as if she wished to

him trouble . He the and looked at her . She

swooned.

, , he resumed his , lighted a , and

proceeded to examine the that he had acquired . The examination

appeared to give him perfect satisfaction.

But I was so . I do of the twelve

of which I had been unduly deprived: that was only a

loss, because I was that I would recover of that

money after a very brief delay, with the papers

in my wallet: plans, specifications, addresses, of

correspondents, and letters . But, for the moment, a

immediate and troubled me: How would this

? What would the outcome of this adventure?

As you , the disturbance by my passage through the

escaped my . Going to visit friends

who me under the name of , and whom my

resemblance to Lupin was a subject of many innocent jests, I

could assume a disguise, and my presence had been .

, beyond question, the commissary of police at , by

, and assisted by , be awaiting the train,

would all , and to search the

cars.

Of , I had foreseen all that, but it had me, as I

was certain that the of would any shrewder than the

police of Paris and that I escape ; would it

for me to my card as “ député, thanks

to which I in the at

?--But the was greatly changed . I was no

free . It was to one of my . In one of

the compartments, the commissary of police find Mon . Lupin,

bound hand and foot, docile as a lamb, up, all to

dumped into a prison-van . He would to accept of the

parcel, the as if it much merchandise or a basket of

and . , to avoid that dénouement, what I

?-- and , as I was? And the was rushing on toward

Rouen, the next and only station.

Another was presented, in which I was , but

the of which my . What were the

intentions of my companion? Of course, if I had been , he

could, on our arrival at Rouen, the slowly and . But

the lady? As soon as the door of the , the

lady, now quiet and , would scream and call for help . That was

the dilemma that perplexed me! had he reduced her to a

condition to ? That would have given him time to

disappear before his double crime was discovered.

He was smoking, with his fixed upon the that was

being streaked with of rain . he turned, picked up my

time-table, and consulted it.

The lady to a lack of consciousness in order to

deceive the enemy . But of coughing, provoked by the smoke,

her true . As to me, I was very , and very tired.

And I meditated; I plotted.

The was on, , intoxicated with its .

Saint Etienne! .... At that moment, the man arose and two

toward us, which the to utter a cry of alarm and fall into

a swoon . What was the man about to ? He lowered the window

on our side . A rain was falling, and, by a gesture, the man

expressed his at his having an umbrella or an . He

at the . The lady ’ s umbrella was . He took it . He also

took my overcoat and put it on.

We crossing the . He turned up the bottoms of his

trousers, over and the latch of the door.

Was he to himself upon the track? At that speed, it would

have been death . We entered a . The man opened the

door and stood on the step . What ! The darkness, the

smoke, the noise, all a appearance to his actions . But

, the train diminished its speed . A moment later it

its speed, then slowed up . , some were being made

in that of the which the trains to their

speed, and the man was of the . He stepped to

the step, closed the behind him, and leaped to the . He

was gone.

The lady recovered her wits, and her act was to

the loss of her jewels . I her an look . She understood,

and removed the that stifled me . She wished to untie the

that bound me, but I her.

“ , no, the police see everything as it . I want

them to see what the to us . ”

“ Suppose I pull the alarm-bell? ”

“ . You should have that when he made the attack on me . ”

“ But he would have killed me . Ah! , didn t I tell you that he

was on this train . I recognized him from his portrait . And he

gone off with my jewels . ”

Don ’ t worry . The police will catch him . ”

“ Catch Arsène Lupin! Never . ”

That depends on you, madame . . we arrive at Rouen, at the

and . Make a noise . The police and the railway employees

. Tell what you have seen: the assault on me and the flight of

Arsène Lupin . a description of him-- hat, umbrella--yours--gray

overcoat .... ”

“ Yours, ” said she.

“ What! mine? at all . It was his . I didn t have any . ”

It seems to me he didn t have one he came in .

Yes, yes unless the coat was one that some one had and

in the . At all events, he had it when he went , and that

is the essential . A overcoat--remember! ! I forgot.

You your name, thing you do . Your ’ s

position the zeal of the police . ”

We arrived at the station . I gave her some instructions in a

rather imperious tone:

“ them my name--Guillaume Berlat . If , that you know

me . That will save . We must expedite the investigation.

The thing is the pursuit of Arsène Lupin . Your ,

remember! Let there be no . Berlat, a of your

husband . ”

“ I understand .... Guillaume Berlat . ”

She was already calling and gesticulating . As soon as the stopped,

several men entered the . The critical had .

Panting for breath, the lady exclaimed:

“ .... he attacked us .... he my jewels I am Madame

.... my husband is a director of the .... Ah!

is my brother, Georges Ardelle, of the

Rouennais .... you must know .... ”

She embraced a man who had us, and whom the commissary

saluted . Then she continued, weeping:

Yes, Arsène Lupin while was sleeping, he seized him by the

.... . Berlat, a friend of my .

The commissary asked:

“ But where is Arsène Lupin? ”

“ He leaped from the , through the tunnel . ”

Are you that it was he? ”

Am I ! I recognized him . Besides, he was at the

. He a soft hat--- ”

No, a felt, like that, ” said the commissary, to my .

“ He had a hat, I am sure, ” repeated Madame Renaud, and a gray

overcoat . ”

Yes, that is , ” the , the telegram he wore

a gray overcoat with a black velvet collar .

“ Exactly, a velvet , ” Renaud, .

I breathed . Ah! the friend I had in that little .

The agents released me . I bit my lips until they ran

blood . over, with my over my mouth, an attitude

in a who remained for a time in an

, and whose the marks of the

, I the , in a :

Monsieur, it was Arsène Lupin . There is no doubt about that . If we make

haste, he can be . I think I may be of some service to you . ”

The railway , in which the crime occurred, was from the

train to as a mute witness at the . The

train continued on its to Havre . We were to the

’ s through a crowd of curious spectators.

, I a access of and discretion . Under some pretext

or , I must gain my , and . To was

. Something ; for instance, a telegram from ,

and I would be lost.

Yes, but what about my thief? to my resources, in an

, I could hope to him.

! I must the attempt, ” I said to myself . It be a

game, but an one, and the is worth the trouble .

And the commissary us to repeat the story of the robbery, I

exclaimed:

Monsieur, , is the start of us . My

automobile is in the courtyard . If you will be as to use

it, we can try .... ”

The commissary smiled, and replied:

The is a good one; so good, indeed, that it is being

carried out . Two of my men have set out on . They been

for some time . ”

“ Where did they go? ”

“ To the of the . There, they will gather evidence, secure

witnesses, and on the track of Arsène Lupin .

I refrain from shrugging my , as I :

“ Your men any evidence or any witnesses . ”

“ Really! ”

Arsène Lupin will anyone to see him emerge from the tunnel.

He will take the first road--- ”

To Rouen, we him . ”

“ He will not go to Rouen . ”

“ Then he in the vicinity, where his will be even

more certain . ”

He will remain in the vicinity . ”

Oh! oh! And he hide?

I looked at my watch, and said:

At the moment, Arsène is prowling around the station at

Darnétal . At fifty, that is, in minutes from , he

take the that from Rouen to Amiens .

you think ? you it? ”

Oh! it is . While we were in the car, Arsène Lupin

consulted my guide . did he do it? Was there, not from

the he , another line of , a station

upon that line, and a train at that station? On my

railway , I to be the case . ”

“ Really, monsieur, ” said the , “ that is a deduction.

I congratulate you on your skill . ”

I was that I had made a in displaying so

. The commissary regarded me with , and I

a slight his official .... ! that, for

the distributed by the police were

; they an Arsène Lupin from the one he

before him, that he not possibly me by it . But, all

the , he was , and ill-at-ease.

Mon ! nothing the so as the of a

and the to recover it . And it seems to me that if you

give me two of your , we be .... ”

Oh! I beg of you, monsieur le commissaire, ” cried Madame Renaud,

“ listen to Mon . Berlat . ”

The intervention of my excellent was decisive . Pronounced by her,

the of an official, the name of Berlat

my , and me an identity that no suspicion could affect . The

commissary arose, and said:

“ Believe me, Berlat, I be delighted to see you succeed . I

am as much as you are in the of Arsène Lupin .

He accompanied me to the , and introduced two of his men,

Honoré Massol and , who were assigned to assist me . My

chauffer up the car and I took my place at the . A

seconds , we left the station . I was saved.

! I must that in rolling over the boulevards that surrounded

the old Norman city, in my swift thirty-five horse-power Moreau-Lepton,

I experienced a feeling of pride, and the motor responded,

to my desires . At and , the trees flew past

us with rapidity, and I, free, out of danger, to

arrange my little with the two honest

of the Rouen police who behind me . was

in search of Arsène Lupin!

Modest guardians of social order--Gaston Delivet and Massol--

was your ! What would I have done without you?

Without you, times, at the cross-roads, I the

! Without you, Arsène Lupin would made a , and

the other would have escaped!

But the end was not yet . from it . I yet to capture the thief and

recover the stolen . Under no circumstances must my two acolytes

be permitted to see those , to them . That was a

point that might give me some difficulty.

We at three minutes after the departure of the train.

, I the consolation of that a man a gray

overcoat with a collar taken the train at the station.

He had bought a second-class ticket for Amiens . , my as

detective was a promising one.

Delivet said to me:

“ The is express, and the is Montérolier-Buchy in

minutes . If we do reach there before Arsène , he

proceed to Amiens, or change for the train to , and, from

that point, reach Dieppe or Paris . ”

“ How far to Montérolier? ”

“ Twenty-three kilometres . ”

in nineteen .... We will be there ahead

of him . ”

We again! had my responded to

my impatience with ardor and regularity . It in my

anxiety . It my determination . It my animosity

against that Arsène Lupin . The knave! The traitor!

to the right, ” cried , to the left . ”

We fairly flew, touching the ground . The mile-stones

like timid beasts that at our . , at a

of the road, we a vortex of smoke . It was the Northern Express.

For a , it was a struggle, side by side, but an

struggle in which the issue was . We the race by twenty

lengths.

In three seconds we on the platform before the

second-class . The doors opened, and some passengers

alighted, but my thief . We a search through the .

No sign of Arsène Lupin.

Sapristi! ” I , “ he must have recognized me in the automobile as we

were racing, by , and he leaped from the train . ”

Ah! there he is ! crossing the track . ”

I started in pursuit of the man, followed by my two , or

followed by one of them, for the , , himself to a

runner of exceptional speed and endurance . In a few moments, he made

an gain upon the . The it, over

a hedge, across a meadow, and entered a grove . we

this grove, Massol was waiting for us . He no farther, for

fear of losing us.

Quite right, my , ” I . After such a run, our victim

must be out of wind . We will catch him . ”

I the with the idea of proceeding in the

arrest of the , in order to my , concerning which

the authorities would doubtless ask disagreeable . I

returned to my companions, and said:

“ It is all . You, , your at the left; you,

Delivet, at the right . From , you observe the posterior

line of the , and he can escape without you him, except by

that , and I shall it . If he does come out ,

I will enter and drive him out toward one or the of you . You

to . Ah! I : in I need you, a pistol shot .

Massol and Delivet away to their posts . As soon as

they had disappeared, I the with the

as to seen nor heard . I encountered ,

through which had been , but the overhanging boughs

me to a . One of these to a

clearing in which I found upon the grass . I them;

they me to the of a mound which was by a deserted,

dilapidated hovel.

“ He , I said to myself . It is a . ”

I to the side of the building . A noise

me that he was ; and, , through an opening, I saw him . His

was toward me . In two , I was upon him . He tried to fire

a revolver that he held in his . But he had no time . I threw him to

the ground, in such a manner that his arms him, twisted and

helpless, whilst I him down with my knee on his breast.

“ , my boy, ” I whispered in his ear . “ I am Lupin . You are

to over to me, and gracefully, my and the

’ s jewels, and, in therefore, I will save you from the

and you my friends . One word: or no? ”

“ Yes, ” he murmured.

“ Very good . Your escape, this , was well . I congratulate

you . ”

I arose . He in his , drew out a knife and to

strike me with it.

“ Imbecile! ” I exclaimed.

With one , I the ; with the other, I gave him a sharp

on the carotid artery . He fell--!

In my , I my papers and . Out of

curiosity, I his . Upon an , addressed to him, I read his

name: Onfrey . It me . Onfrey, the assassin of the

Lafontaine at Auteuil! Pierre Onfrey, he who had cut the throats of

Madame Delbois and her two daughters . I leaned over him . Yes, those were

the features which, in the compartment, had in me the of a

face I could not then recall.

But was passing . I placed in an envelope two bank-notes of one

francs each, with a these : Arsène

to his Massol and Delivet, as a

token of his gratitude. I it in a spot in the ,

they be to find it . Beside it, I placed Madame Renaud ’ s

. I return it to the lady who me?

I must confess that I had from it that possessed any

interest or value, there a shell , a of rouge

for the lips, and an purse . But, you , business

is business . And then, , her husband is in a

dishonorable vocation!

The was conscious . What was I to ? I was to save

him or him . So I took his revolver and fired a shot in the air.

“ My two acolytes will and attend to his , ” I said to myself, as

I by the road through the . Twenty minutes later, I

was seated in my automobile.

At four o ’ clock, I to my friends at Rouen that an

would prevent me from my visit . Between ourselves,

what my must know, my is

indefinitely . A cruel disillusion for them!

At six ’ I was in Paris . The evening newspapers informed me that

Pierre Onfrey had been captured at last.

day,--let us despise the of

,--the _Echo de this item:

Yesterday, near Buchy, after incidents,

the arrest of Pierre Onfrey . The assassin of the Lafontaine

had robbed , of the director in the penitentiary

, in a railway carriage on the line . Arsène Lupin

restored to the hand-bag that contained her jewels, and

gave a to the two detectives who had assisted him in

making that dramatic arrest . ”

V. The Queen ’ s Necklace

Two or three each year, on occasions of importance,

such as the balls at the Embassy or the soirées of

Billingstone, the Countess de Dreux-Soubise wore upon her

shoulders “ The Queen ’ s Necklace . ”

It was, , the famous necklace, the legendary that

and Bassenge, court jewelers, had made for Madame Du Barry; the

that the Cardinal de Rohan-Soubise intended to

to Marie-Antoinette, of France; and the that the adventuress

Jeanne de Valois, Countess de la Motte, to pieces one evening

in February, 1785, with the of her husband and their accomplice,

Rétaux de Villette.

To tell the , the was . de Villette

kept it, whilst the Count de la Motte and his wife scattered to the

four winds of heaven the so by Bohmer.

, he the mounting to Gaston de Dreux-Soubise, nephew and

of the Cardinal, who the that in

the possession of the English jeweler, Jeffreys; them with

other of the same size but of much inferior , and

restored the necklace to the form in which it had come from

the hands of Bohmer and Bassenge.

For a century, the house of Dreux-Soubise prided itself upon

the possession of this historic jewel . Although adverse circumstances

reduced their , they preferred to curtail their

than with this relic of royalty .

, the count clung to it as a man to the

home of his ancestors . As a matter of prudence, he had a

safety-deposit at the Crédit Lyonnais in which to keep it . He went

for it himself on the of the day on which his wife to

wear it, and he, himself, it back .

On this evening, at the reception at the

de Castille, the a success; and

, in whose honor the fête was given, on her

and beauty . The facets of the diamond and like

flames of fire about her shapely neck and shoulders, and it is to

say that none but she could have borne the weight of an ornament

with so much ease and grace.

This was a , and the Count de Dreux was elated

they to their in the house of the

Saint-Germain . He was of his wife, and quite as proud, perhaps,

of the that had added to his house

for generations . His wife, also, the with an almost

vanity, and it was without regret that she it

from her and handed it to her who admired it as

passionately as if he never seen it before . Then, having placed it

in its case of leather, stamped with the Cardinal ’ , he

into an adjoining room which was an alcove or cabinet that

cut off from their , and which could entered by

means of a door at the foot of their bed . As he had done on

occasions, he it on a shelf amongst and piles of

. He the door, and .

morning, he arose about nine ’ clock, intending to go to the Crédit

Lyonnais before . He , drank a cup of coffee, and went

to the stables to his orders . The condition of one of the horses

him . He it to exercised in his . he

returned to his wife, who had not yet left the . Her was

her hair . her entered, she asked:

“ Are you going out? ”

, as the bank .

“ Of course . That is wise . ”

He the ; but, after a seconds, and without any sign

of astonishment, he asked:

“ you it, my dear?

“ What? No, I have taken . ”

“ You must have moved it . ”

Not at all . I not even opened that door . ”

He at the , disconcerted, and stammered, in a

intelligible voice:

“ You ’ t .... It ’ t you? .... ....

She hastened to his , and, , they a

search, the to the and the piles of

linen . Then the count , :

“ It is to look any more . I it , on this shelf . ”

“ You must be mistaken . ”

“ , no, it was on this shelf-- else .

They lighted a , as the was quite , and then carried out

all the linen and articles that the . And, the

room was emptied, they confessed, in despair, that the necklace

had . Without losing time in lamentations, the

the commissary of police, . Valorbe, who came at , and,

after hearing their story, inquired of the :

“ Are you that no through your during the night? ”

“ Absolutely , as I am a light sleeper . Besides, the chamber

door was , and I remember unbolting it this my

rang for her maid . ”

“ And there is no entrance to the cabinet?

“ None . ”

“ No windows? ”

Yes, but it is closed up .

“ I will look at it . ”

were lighted, and Mon . Valorbe observed at that the

half of the was covered by a press which was, , so

narrow that it did the casement on either side.

“ On what does this window open? ”

“ A small inner court . ”

And you a floor above this? ”

“ Two; but, on a level with the servant floor, there is a grating

over the court . That is why this is so . ”

the press was moved, they that the window was , which

would have the case if anyone had that .

, ” the count, “ they went out through our chamber . ”

“ In that case, you would have found the door . ”

The commissary the for a , the

countess:

Did any of your servants that you wore the necklace ?

Certainly; I didn t the . But nobody knew that it was

hidden in that cabinet . ”

“ No one? ”

“ No one .... unless .... ”

“ Be quite , , as it is a important .

She turned to her husband, and said:

“ I was thinking of Henriette . ”

Henriette? She didn know we kept it . ”

“ Are you sure? ”

“ Who is this woman Henriette? ” Mon . .

“ A , who was by her for marrying beneath her.

After her husband ’ , I an apartment in this for

her and her son . She is with her needle and has done some work

for me . ”

“ What floor is she on? ”

as ours at the end of the corridor and I think .... the

window of her kitchen .... ”

Opens on this court, does it ? ”

“ Yes, just opposite ours . ”

Mon . Valorbe asked to see Henriette . They went to her ;

she was , whilst her son Raoul, about six years , was

beside her, . The was surprised to see the

that had been provided for the . It of one room

without a , and a that as a kitchen . The

proceeded to question her . She appeared to be overwhelmed on

of the theft . she had herself the countess

and placed the necklace upon her shoulders.

“ God! ” she exclaimed, “ it can ’ be ! ”

“ And you no idea? the suspicion? Is it that the

thief may have passed through your room? ”

She laughed heartily, supposing that she could be an of

suspicion.

But I have not left my room . I never go out . And, perhaps, you have not

seen? ”

She opened the kitchen window, and said:

“ , it is at three to the of the opposite window . ”

Who told you that we supposed the have been in

that way? ”

“ But .... the necklace was in the , wasn ’ t it? ”

“ How do you know that? ”

“ Why, I have always known that it was kept at . It had been

mentioned in my presence . ”

Her , though still young, bore unmistakable traces of sorrow and

. And it an expression of as if some

her . She her toward her . The child her

hand, and kissed it affectionately.

When they were again, the count to the :

“ I do you . I can answer for her . She is

honesty itself . ”

“ I agree with you, ” replied Mon . Valorbe . “ At , I

might been an . But I that even

that must abandoned, as it not help solve the problem

before us . ”

The commissary of police the investigation, which was

up and by the examining . He questioned the

servants, the condition of the bolt, with the

opening and closing of the cabinet window, and the court

from to bottom . All was in vain . The was intact . The

could be or from the .

The inquiries , for, in of

, they in her . They a

of her past life, and that, during the

three , she left the house four , and her business,

on those occasions, was explained . As a matter of fact,

she as chambermaid and seamstress to the , who her

with great strictness and even severity.

At the of a , the judge had

information than the of . The judge :

that we know the , which we , we are

confronted by the fact that we do not know how the was

committed . We are to face with two : a and a

--both and fastened . It is a double mystery . How

enter, and, , how could any one escape, leaving behind

him a door and a window? ”

At the end of four months, the of the judge was that the

and countess, being pressed for money, which was their

, had sold the Queen ’ s Necklace . He closed the investigation.

The loss of the famous jewel was a severe to the Dreux-Soubise.

Their credit being no longer propped up by the reserve fund that such a

constituted, they found themselves confronted by exacting

creditors and money-lenders . They to down to the quick,

to or mortgage every that possessed any value.

In brief, it would been their , if two legacies from some

distant relatives had not saved them.

Their pride a downfall, as if they had a quartering

from their . And, strange to , it was upon her former

, Henriette, that the countess her spleen . Toward

her, the countess the most feelings, and even openly

her . , Henriette was to the servants ,

and, next day, discharged.

For some time, the count and countess an . They

a . one incident of during that

period . Some after the departure of Henriette, the countess was

surprised she received and the , by

Henriette:

“ Madame, ”

I know how to thank you; for it was you, was it not,

who sent me that? It could not have anyone . No but you

I live . If I am wrong, excuse me, and accept my sincere

thanks for your past favors .... ”

What the letter mean? The present or past of the countess

principally of and neglect . Why, then, this letter

of thanks?

asked for an , replied that she had

a letter, through the mails, two bank-notes of one thousand

each . The , which she enclosed with her reply, bore the

Paris , and was addressed in a that was

disguised . , whence those two ? Who sent

them? And why had they sent them?

Henriette a similar letter and a like sum of money twelve

months . And a third time; and a ; and each for a period

of six , with this difference, that in the fifth and years

the sum was doubled . There was another : the

authorities having one of the letters under the pretext that it

was not registered, the two duly sent according to the

regulations, the first from , the other from

Suresnes . The writer signed the first one, Anquety ; and the ,

” The addresses that he gave were .

At the end of six years, Henriette , and the mystery

unsolved.

* * * * *

All these are known to the public . The case was one of those

which excite interest, and it was a that this

, which caused such a commotion in at the close

of the eighteenth century, should a commotion a

. But what I am about to relate is known to the

and a from whom the a

promise of . As it is probable that some day or that

promise will be , I no hesitation in the veil and

the to the mystery, the explanation of the letter

in the two days ; an letter

which increased, if , the mists and that envelope this

inscrutable drama.

Five days , a of guests were dining with the Count de

Dreux-Soubise . There several present, his two

and his cousin, and the gentlemen: the president of

Essaville, the , the chevalier , whom the

in , and General de Rouzières, an .

After the repast, coffee was served by the , who the

gentlemen permission to smoke their , provided they

the . The conversation was , and one of the

guests chanced to speak of crimes . And that gave the

de , who delighted to tease the , an opportunity to

mention the of the Queen ’ Necklace, a subject that the count

detested.

Each one his opinion of the affair; and, of course, their

various theories were not only contradictory but impossible.

And you, monsieur, the countess to the chevalier Floriani, “ what

is your opinion? ”

Oh! I--I no , madame . ”

All the guests protested; for the chevalier related in an

entertaining manner adventures in which he had with

his father, a magistrate at , and which his judgment

and taste in such manners.

“ I , he, “ I in unraveling

that the cleverest detectives have renounced; yet I

claim to . Moreover, I know very about the

affair of the Queen ’ s Necklace . ”

Everybody now turned to the , who was obliged, quite

, to all the circumstances with the .

The listened, reflected, asked a questions, and :

“ It is strange at , the problem appears to be a very

simple one . ”

The shrugged his . The drew to the

chevalier, who , in a tone:

“ As a , in to the of a crime or a ,

it is to determine that crime or theft was committed, or,

at , it could have been committed . In the present ,

is , because we are to face, with ,

but with one , that is to say: the thief enter

by the chamber or the window of the . , a person not

open a door from the outside . , he must

through the window . ”

But it was closed and fastened, and we found it , ”

declared the count.

In order to do that, continued Floriani, without the

interruption, he had to a , a or a ,

between the balcony of the kitchen and the ledge of the window, and as

the jewel-case--- ”

“ But I repeat that the window was , ” exclaimed the count,

impatiently.

This , was obliged to . He did with the

tranquility, as if the objection was the affair in

the world.

“ I admit that it was; but is a transom in the

of the window? ”

“ How do you know that? ”

“ In the first place, that was customary in houses of that ; and,

in the , without such a transom, the can be

explained . ”

Yes, there is one, but it was closed, the same as the .

, we did pay to it .

“ That was a mistake; for, if you examined it, you have found

that it had been opened . ”

“ But how? ”

“ I presume that, like all others, it by means of a wire with a

ring on the lower end . ”

Yes, but I ---

Now, through a in the window, a person , by the aid of some

, let us say a poker with a hook at the , grip the ring,

pull down, and open the transom . ”

The count laughed and said:

! ! Your is very cleverly , but you

one , monsieur, there is no hole in the . ”

“ There was a hole . ”

“ Nonsense, we would have it . ”

“ In to see it, you look for it, and no has . The

hole is there; it be , at the of the window, in the

putty . In a , of course . ”

The count arose . He was greatly . He paced up and down the room,

two or three times, in a manner; , Floriani,

said:

“ has been in that since; nothing has been changed . ”

Very well, , you can satisfy yourself that my

explanation is correct . ”

It agree with the established by the examining judge.

You , and you all that we have seen and

all that we know . ”

Floriani paid no attention to the petulance . He smiled

and said:

Mon , monsieur, I my ; that is all . If I am ,

you can easily prove it . ”

“ I do so at I confess that your assurance--- ”

The count muttered a words; to the door

and passed out . a word was uttered in his absence; and this

silence the an air of almost importance . ,

the count . He was and . He to his friends, in

a trembling voice:

“ I beg your pardon .... the revelations of the chevalier were

unexpected .... I should never have thought .... ”

His wife questioned him, eagerly:

“ Speak .... what is it? ”

He stammered: “ The hole is , at the spot, at the of the

window--- ”

He seized the chevalier s , and to him in an :

, monsieur, proceed . I that you are so far, but

.... that is not all go on us the rest of it . ”

Floriani his arm , and, after a moment, :

, in my opinion, this is what . The thief, knowing that the

countess was going to wear the necklace that , had prepared his

gangway or bridge during your absence . He you through the window

and saw you the . Afterward, he cut the glass and pulled

the ring . ”

! but the distance was great that it would be impossible for him

to reach the window-fastening through the transom . ”

“ Well, , if he could the by reaching through the

transom, he must crawled through the transom . ”

“ ; it is . No man through it . ”

Then it was not a man, ” .

“ What! ”

“ If the transom is to a , it been a child . ”

“ A child! ”

“ you say that your friend a son? ”

“ Yes; a son named Raoul . ”

“ , in all probability, it was who the . ”

“ What proof have you of that? ”

What ! Plenty of it For ---

He stopped, and reflected for a , :

“ For instance, that gangway or bridge . It is that the

could have brought it in from outside the and carried it away

again without being observed . He have close at hand.

In the room used by as a kitchen, there some

against the wall on which she her pans and dishes?

Two , to the of my memory . ”

“ Are you that those shelves are fastened to the wooden

that support them? For, if they are , we be justified

in that the them, them , and

thus his bridge . Perhaps, also, since there was a stove, we might

find the bent poker that he to the . ”

Without saying a word, the count left the room; and, this , those

present did feel the they had the

time . They were that was , and no one was

surprised when the count returned and declared:

“ It was the child . Everything proves it . ”

“ You have seen the and the poker?

Yes . The shelves have unnailed, and the poker is yet .

But the countess exclaimed:

“ You had say it was his mother . Henriette is the party.

She must have compelled her son--- ”

“ No, declared the chevalier, the mother had to do with it . ”

“ Nonsense! they occupied the same room . The child could done it

without the mother ’ s knowledge . ”

“ , they lived in the , but all this in the

adjoining room, during the night, while the mother was . ”

“ And the necklace? said the count . “ It would have been found amongst

the child ’ s things . ”

“ Pardon me! He had been out . That morning, on which you found him

reading, he had from school, and the commissary of

, of his on the mother,

been employed in searching the child ’ s desk amongst his

school-books . ”

“ But do you those two thousand francs that Henriette

received each year? Are they evidence of her complicity? ”

“ If she had been an , she thanked you for that

? And then, was she not ? But the , being ,

go to a city, with some dealer and

sell him one diamond or two diamonds, as he might , upon condition

that the should be from Paris, and that proceeding could be

repeated from year to year . ”

An anxiety the Dreux-Soubise and their .

There was something in the tone and of Floriani--something

than the chevalier ’ which, from the beginning,

the count . There was a touch of irony, that seemed than

. But the affected to , as he :

“ All that is ingenious and , and I congratulate you upon

your vivid imagination . ”

, at all, ” Floriani, with the , I imagine

nothing . I describe the events as they must have occurred .

But what do you know about them? ”

“ What you yourself have told me . I to the of the

and down in the ; the of the ,

the schemes of and inventions of the to the stones in

order to save his mother ’ s life, or, at , her moments.

Her overcomes her . She dies . Years roll on . The

a man; and then--and now I my imagination a --

us that the man feels a desire to to the home of his

childhood, that he does so, and that he people who

suspect and accuse his mother .... do you realize the sorrow and anguish

of such an interview in the the drama was

played? ”

His seemed to echo for a in the ensuing silence,

and one read upon the faces of the Count and Countess de a

to comprehend his meaning and, at the , the

fear and anguish of such a comprehension . The at , and

said:

“ Who are you, monsieur? ”

“ I? The Floriani, whom you at Palermo, and whom you

to to your on occasions .

“ Then what does this story mean? ”

“ Oh! nothing at all! It is simply a , so far as I am . I

to depict the that Henriette ’ s son, if he ,

would have in telling you that he was the , and that he did

it because his was , as she was on the of losing

the place of a .... servant, by which she , and because the

at sight of his mother ’ s sorrow .

He spoke with suppressed , and toward

the . There could be no doubt that the Floriani was

Henriette s son . His attitude and proclaimed it . Besides, was it

his obvious intention and to recognized as such?

The . What would he take against the

? Ring? Provoke a ? Unmask the who had robbed him?

But that was a long time ago! And who believe that story

about the child? No; better far to the situation, and

to comprehend the of it . So the count,

to Floriani, exclaimed:

“ Your is very curious, entertaining; I it much . But

what you think has become of this , this model son? I

hope he has the in which he made such a

début . ”

“ Oh! certainly not . ”

After a ! To the ’ at six of ;

the that was by Marie-Antoinette!

“ And to steal it, ” , in with the count ’ mood,

without him the slightest , without thinking to

the of the window, or to that the window-sill

was --that window-sill which he had wiped in order to

the he had made in the . We must admit that it was

sufficient to turn the head of a boy at that age . It was all . He

to desire the thing, and reach out his hand to it .

“ And he reached out his hand . ”

“ Both hands, ” the chevalier, .

His a shock . What mystery surrounded the life of

the so-called Floriani? wonderful have been the of that

, a at six years of age, and who, , in search of

excitement or, at , to gratify a feeling of , come to

his victim in her , audaciously, , and with

all the and delicacy of a !

He and the countess to bid her . She recoiled,

unconsciously . He smiled.

Oh! Madame, you are of me! I my role of

parlor-magician a step too far? ”

She controlled herself, and , with her :

“ Not at all, . The legend of that son me

, and I am pleased to know that my necklace such a

destiny . But you that the son of that woman, that

Henriette, was the victim of influence in the choice of his

vocation? ”

He shuddered, feeling the , and :

“ I am sure of it; and, , his tendency to crime must

or he would have been . ”

“ Why so? ”

Because, as you know, the majority of the were . The

genuine the few purchased from the jeweler, the

having been sold, one by one, to the necessities of

life . ”

“ It was the Necklace, monsieur, replied the countess,

, “ and that is something that he, s , could

appreciate . ”

“ He was able to , , that, whether true or false,

the necklace was that an of , an of

senseless pride . ”

The count made a , but his wife him.

Monsieur, ” she said, “ if the to whom you has the slightest

sense of honor--- ”

She stopped, intimidated by Floriani ’ manner.

If that man has the sense of honor, ” he repeated.

She felt that she would by speaking to him in that

manner, and in spite of her anger and , as she was

from , she said to him, almost politely:

, the legend that de Villette, in possession

of the ’ s Necklace, the mounting . He understood

that the the ornament, the accessory, and that

the was the , the creation of the , and

he respected it . Do you that this the

feeling? ”

“ I have no that the mounting exists . The child respected

it . ”

, , if you should happen to meet him, will you tell him

that he possession of a relic that is the property and

pride of a family, and that, although the stones

been , the Queen ’ s necklace belongs to the house of

Dreux-Soubise . It to us as much as our or our honor .

The chevalier replied, simply:

“ I shall tell him, madame . ”

He to her, saluted the and the guests, and .

* * * * *

Four days , the countess de Dreux upon the in her

a leather case bearing the cardinal ’ s . She opened it,

and found the Queen ’ s Necklace.

But as all things must, in the life of a man who for unity and

logic, converge toward the same goal--and as a advertising

does any --on the day, the de France_

these sensational lines:

“ The ’ s , the historical jewelry from

the family of Dreux-Soubise, recovered by Arsène Lupin, who

hastened to restore it to its . We cannot highly

commend such a delicate and chivalrous act . ”

VI . The Seven of Hearts

I am asked this : “ did you make the acquaintance

of Arsène Lupin? ”

My with Arsène Lupin was . The details that I

gather that man, the that I

present, the evidence that I , the interpretation that I

place on acts of which the seen the exterior

without being to discover the reasons or

the , all , if an intimacy, at least

amicable relations and regular confidences.

But how I make his ? was I to his

historiographer? Why I, and not some one else?

The answer is : chance presided over my choice; my merit was

. It was chance that put me in his way . It was by chance

that I was in one of his strangest and

adventures; and by chance that I was an actor in a drama of which he was

the stage ; an and drama,

with events that I a certain in

undertaking to describe it.

The first act place during that of 22 June, of

which so much already been said . And, for my , I attribute the

conduct of which I was guilty on that to the unusual

frame of mind in which I found myself on my . I had dined

with some at the Cascade restaurant, and, the ,

we and the orchestra , we

of crimes and , and dark and intrigues . That is

a overture to a night ’ s .

The Saint-Martins in an automobile . Daspry--that

delightful, Daspry who, six , was in a

on the frontier of Morocco--Jean Daspry and I

on foot through the dark, night . we in front of

the house in which I had for a year at Neuilly, on the

boulevard Maillot, he said to me:

“ Are you afraid? ”

“ What an idea! ”

But this is so isolated .... no neighbors .... vacant lots Really,

I am a , and --- ”

“ , you are very , I must .

Oh! I say that as I would . The Saint-Martins have

me with their stories of brigands and thieves .

We shook and said . I took out my and opened the

door.

, that is good, ” I , “ Antoine forgotten to light a

candle . ”

I recalled the that Antoine was ; I him a

of absence . Forthwith, I was oppressed by the

darkness and silence of the night . I the on tiptoe,

and my as quickly as possible; then, contrary to my usual

, I turned the and pushed the bolt.

The light of my candle restored my . Yet I was to my

from its --a , powerful weapon--and place it beside

my . That precaution completed my reassurance . I and, as

, a from my to read myself to sleep . I

received a . of the paper-knife with which I

my on the preceding, I found an envelope, with

five seals of wax . I seized it . It was to me, and

marked: “ Urgent . ”

A ! A to me! Who could have put it in that place?

, I the envelope, and read:

“ From the moment you open this , whatever happens, whatever you

may hear, do move, do utter one cry . Otherwise you are doomed .

I am not a , and, quite as well as another, I can face

, or at the perils of imagination . But, me

repeat, I was in an of mind, with my nerves set on

by the of the evening . Besides, was there not, in my

, something startling and , calculated to disturb the

most courageous spirit?

My feverish fingers the sheet of paper, and I read and

those words: “ Do not move, not utter one cry . ,

you are doomed . ”

“ ! ” I . “ It is a ; the of some cheerful idiot .

I was to laugh--a laugh . Who me? What haunting

fear compressed my throat?

At , I would blow out the candle . No, I could not do it . “ not

, or you are doomed, ” the words he had written.

These auto-suggestions are frequently more imperious than the most

; but should I against them? I had simply

to close my eyes . I did so.

At that moment, I a , followed by crackling sounds,

from a large room used by me as a library . A room or

antechamber was between the library and my bedchamber.

The of an danger excited me, and I a

to get up, seize my revolver, and into the library . I did ;

I saw one of the curtains of the left window move . There was no doubt

about it: the had moved . It was . And I --oh! I

saw quite distinctly--in the between the and the

window, a human form; a bulky mass that the curtains from

hanging straight . And it is that the man me through

the of the curtain . , I the .

His mission was to me while the others carried away their .

Should I and seize my ? ! He was ! At the

least , at the , I was doomed.

came a noise that the ; this was followed

by , two or three , like those of a that

rebounded . At , that was the formed in my confused

brain . These with sounds, creating a

which that the only , but

themselves secure from interruption.

They were . I did not move . Was it cowardice? No, ,

a inability to move any portion of my , with

discretion; for should I struggle? Behind that man, there ten

others who would to his assistance . Should I my life to a

few tapestries and bibelots?

Throughout the night, my . Insufferable torture,

anguish! The stopped, but I was in fear of their

. And the man! The who was guarding me, weapon in hand . My

cast in his . And my heart beat! And a

perspiration from every pore of my body!

, I an relief; a milk-wagon, whose was

to me, passed along the ; and, at the , I

an that the of a day was trying to steal through

the closed window-blinds.

At last, the room; other vehicles passed along the

boulevard; and all the phantoms of the night vanished . I one

out of the bed, and cautiously . My were fixed upon the

curtain, the exact at which I must fire; I an exact

calculation of the movements I make; then, quickly, I seized my

revolver and fired.

I leaped from my bed with a cry of deliverance, and rushed to the

window . The bullet passed through the curtain and the window-glass,

but it had not touched the --for the that there was

none . Nobody! , during the , I had been

by a fold of the . And, during that time, the

malefactors , with an enthusiasm that nothing have

stopped, I the key, opened the , crossed the antechamber,

opened another door, and rushed into the library . But amazement stopped

me on the threshold, , astounded, than I

by the of the man . All the that I

, furniture, , pictures, tapestries, was in

its proper place.

It was . I believe my . Notwithstanding that

uproar, those noises of removal .... I a tour, I inspected the ,

I a mental inventory of all the . was

missing . And, what was , there was no to the

, not a sign, a chair disturbed, the trace of a

footstep.

“ ! Well! ” I said to myself, pressing my hands on my ,

“ I am ! I heard something!

Inch by inch, I a examination of the . It was in vain.

Unless I consider this as a : Under a Persian rug,

I a --an card . It was the seven of hearts;

it was like any other seven of hearts in French playing-cards, with this

but exception: The extreme point of each of the seven

spots or hearts was pierced by a , round and as if with

the point of an awl.

. A card and a found in a book . But was that

sufficient to that I been the of a ?

* * * * *

Throughout the , I continued my searches in the library . It was a

room, large for the of a , and the

decoration of which the of its founder . The

floor was a mosaic of multicolored stones, formed into symmetrical

designs . The walls were covered with a , arranged in

panels, allegories, Byzantine compositions, of the

Ages . Bacchus a cask . An emperor a

crown, a , and holding a in his hand.

high, after the of an artist s studio, there was a large

--the one in the room . That being open at

night, it was that the through it, by the aid

of a . But, , there was no . The bottom of the ladder

would have some marks in the beneath the ; but

there none . Nor were there any traces of footsteps in any of

the yard.

I no of informing the police, because the facts I before me

so absurd and inconsistent . They would laugh at me . , as I

was a reporter on the staff of the Gil Blas, ’ I a

account of my adventure and it was in the paper on the

day . The article attracted some attention, but no one took it

seriously . They it as a of than a story

of life . The Saint-Martins me . But Daspry, who took an

in matters, came to see me, made a study of the affair,

but reached no conclusion.

A , the door-bell , and came to inform

me that a gentleman desired to see me . He would give his . I

to him up . He was a of about of

age with a complexion, lively , and whose correct

dress, slightly frayed, a that contrasted strangely

with his . Without any , he to me--in

a rough voice that my suspicion as to his :

Monsieur, whilst in a café, I up a copy of the ‘ Gil , ’ and

your . It me very .

“ Thank you . ”

“ And here I am . ”

“ Ah! ”

Yes, to talk to you . Are all the by you ?

“ Absolutely so . ”

“ Well, in that case, I can, perhaps, you some information . ”

“ Very well; proceed . ”

“ , not . First, I must be that the facts are exactly as you

have related them . ”

“ I given you my . What you ? ”

I must remain in this room . ”

“ I do understand, ” I said, with .

It ’ an idea that occurred to me your article . Certain

details established an extraordinary coincidence with another case that

came under my . If I am , I shall say nothing . And

the of ascertaining the is by my remaining in the

alone . ”

What was at the bottom of this ? Later, I recalled that the

was ; but, at the same time, although

, I found nothing about the man or the

he had made . , my curiosity was ; so I :

“ Very . do you require? ”

Oh! three minutes-- longer . Three minutes from now, I will

you . ”

I left the room, and downstairs . I out my watch . One minute

passed . Two . Why did I feel ? Why did those

seem solemn and weird? Two minutes and a .... Two minutes and

three . I a pistol shot.

I bounded up the stairs and entered the room . A cry of horror

me . In the of the , the was lying on his ,

motionless . was from a wound in his forehead . Near his

hand was a revolver, still smoking.

But, in addition to this , my attention was

by another . At two from the body, upon the floor, I

a playing-card . It was the seven of hearts . I picked it up . The

extremity of each of the seven was with a round

hole.

* * * * *

A later, the commissary of police , the coroner

and the of the Sûreté, Mon . Dudouis . I had to

the corpse . The preliminary inquiry was , and disclosed

nothing . There were no papers in the of the ; no name

upon his clothes; no upon his linen; nothing to any clue

to his identity . The room was in the same perfect order as . The

furniture had not been disturbed . Yet this man not come to my

for the of himself, or because he my

place the one for his ! There must a

motive for his act of despair, and that was, no , the result

of some by him during the three minutes he was

alone.

What was that ? What he seen? What had been

to him? There was no to these . But, at the

, an occurred that to us of considerable

importance . As two policemen were raising the to place it on a

stretcher, the thus , a from

it . The card bore these words: Georges Andermatt, 37 de . ”

What that mean? Andermatt was a banker in , the

founder and president of the Exchange which had such an

impulse to the in France . He in

; was the possessor of automobiles, coaches, and an

expensive racing-stable . His affairs select, and

Andermatt was noted for her grace and beauty.

“ Can that be the ? ” I asked.---------------

The chief of the Sûreté leaned over him.

“ It is not he . Mon . is a man, and slightly grey . ”

“ But why this card? ”

“ Have you a telephone, monsieur? ”

, in the . Come with me .

He in the , and for number 415.21.

Is Mon . Andermatt at home? Please tell him that . Dudouis

him to at to 102 Boulevard Maillot . . ”

Twenty , . Andermatt in his . After

the had been explained to him, he was taken in to the

corpse . He emotion, and , in a tone, and

apparently unwillingly:

“ Etienne Varin, ” he said.

“ You know him? ”

No .... or, at least, yes by sight . His brother ”

“ Ah! he has a brother? ”

Yes, Alfred Varin . He to see me on some of

business .... I forget what it was . ”

“ Where does he live? ”

The two live --rue de , I think .

“ Do you know any reason he should suicide? ”

“ None . ”

“ He a card in his hand . It was your card with your address . ”

“ I do understand that . It must have been there by some that

will be disclosed by the investigation . ”

A , I thought; and I felt that the others entertained

the same impression.

I the in the papers next day, and

all my friends with whom I the . Amid the that

enveloped it, after the discovery of the seven of hearts

with seven , after the two that happened in

my , that card promised to throw some light on the

affair . Through it, the be . But, to our

expectations, . furnished no . He said:

I told you all I . What I do? I am

that my card be found in a , and I hope the

point will be cleared up . ”

It was . The that the

brothers were of Swiss origin, had led a under

, frequenting gambling , associating with a of

foreigners who been by the police after a series of

robberies in which their participation was by their

. At number 24 rue de Provence, the Varin brothers

six before, no one knew what become of them.

I that, for my , the to me so complicated and so

that I did the be solved, so

I concluded to no time upon it . But Jean Daspry, whom I

frequently met at that , more and in it

each . It was he who pointed out to me that from a

newspaper which was and commented upon by the .

It was as follows:

The first trial of a new of submarine boat, which is expected

to warfare, will be given in of the former

at a that will secret until the last minute . An

indiscretion has revealed its ; it is called ‘ The Seven-of-Hearts . ’ ”

The ! That presented a problem . Could a

between the of the and the which

we related? But a connection of what ? What had happened

could have no possible relation with the sub-marine.

What do you know about it? ” Daspry to me . “ The

effects often proceed from the same cause . ”

Two days , the following news item was and

published:

“ It is said that the plans of the sub-marine ‘ Seven-of-Hearts ’ were

prepared by engineers, who, sought, in , the support

of their , into with the

British Admiralty, without success . ”

I wish to give publicity to delicate matters which

excitement . Yet, since all danger of injury

therefrom has to an , I speak of the article that

appeared in the _Echo de France_, which at

that time, and which light upon the mystery of

the Seven-of-Hearts . This is the as it was published over the

signature of Salvator:

“ THE AFFAIR OF THE SEVEN-OF-HEARTS.

“ A CORNER OF THE VEIL RAISED.

We be brief . Ten years , a mining ,

Lacombe, wishing to his and to studies,

resigned his he held, and number 102 boulevard

, a house that had and decorated

for an count . Through the agency of the Varin brothers of

Lausanne, one of whom in the and

the acted as financial , the young engineer was

to , the founder of the Metal Exchange.

“ After interviews, he succeeded in interesting the banker

in a on which he was working, and it was

that as soon as the was perfected, . Andermatt would

use his influence with the Minister of Marine to obtain a of

under the direction of the government . For two years,

was a at ’ s , and he

submitted to the banker the he made upon his

plans, until one day, satisfied with the

of his , he asked Mon . Andermatt to with the

Minister of Marine . That day, Louis Lacombe at Mon.

’ s house . He there about half-past at night.

He has not been seen since.

“ A perusal of the newspapers of that date will show that the

man s family every possible inquiry to be made, but

without success; and it was the that Louis Lacombe --

who was as an and visionary -- left

for parts unknown.

“ Let us accept that theory--improbable, though it ,--and us

another , which is a for our

country: What has become of the plans of the ?

Lacombe carry them away? Are they destroyed?

“ After making a thorough , we are to assert,

, that the plans are in existence, and are now in the

possession of the two . did they such a

possession? That is a ; nor we know

they have tried to them at an . they

fear that their title to them would be in question? If ,

they have that , and we , that the

of Louis are the property of , and

we are in a position to publish the that passed

between the Varin brothers and the of that .

The by Louis Lacombe been

constructed by our neighbor.

Will the the expectations of those

who were concerned in that treacherous act? ”

And a post-script adds:

Later.--Our special informs us that the

trial of the ’ has been . It is

that the and by the

brothers did include the carried by Louis

Lacombe to Mon . Andermatt on the of his , a

that was indispensable to a understanding of the

. It a summary of the conclusions of the

, and and in the

papers . Without this document, the plans are ; on the

, without the , the document is worthless.

is the time to and recover what belongs to us . It may

a matter, but we upon the assistance of Mon.

. It will be to his interest to explain his conduct which

hitherto been so and inscrutable . He will explain

why he these facts at the of the suicide of

Etienne , but also he has never the

of the --a well known to him . He will tell , during

the six years, he paid spies to the of the

brothers . We from him, only , but acts . And

at once . Otherwise--- ”

The was expressed . But of what did it consist? What

was Salvator, the of the article, holding over the head

of Mon . Andermatt?

An army of reporters the banker, and announced

the in which they . , the _Echo de

France_ announced its position in these words:

“ Mon . is or , he be, henceforth, our

collaborator in the work we have undertaken . ”

* * * * *

Daspry and I on the day on which that announcement

appeared . That , with the over my , we

discussed the affair and examined it from every point of view with that

that a feels in the dark and finding

himself over the . , without

any warning , the door and a entered . Her face was

hidden behind a . I at and approached her.

Is it you, monsieur, who lives ? ” she asked.

Yes, , but I understand---

“ The was locked, ” she .

“ But the vestibule door? ”

She reply, and it occurred to me that she used the ’

. did she know the ? Then there was a that was

. She looked at , and I was to introduce

him . I asked her to be seated and the object of her visit . She

raised her , and I saw that she was a with features

and, though , she was --, on of

her sad, dark eyes.

“ I am Andermatt, she said.

Andermatt! ” I , with astonishment.

After a , she continued with a voice and manner that were

quite easy and natural:

I have come to see you about that affair--you know . I I might

be able to obtain some information--- ”

, madame, I nothing but what has appeared in the

papers . But if you point out in what way I can help you .... ”

“ I not know .... I not know . ”

Not until then did I that her was assumed, and

that some was beneath that air of tranquility.

For a moment, we were silent and . Daspry stepped

forward, and said:

Will you me to ask you a questions? ”

, yes, ” she cried . “ I .

“ You will answer .... whatever those may ? ”

“ Yes . ”

you know Louis Lacombe? ” he .

“ Yes, through my husband . ”

“ did you see him for the time?

“ The evening he dined with us . ”

“ At that time, was anything to lead you to that you would

never see him again? ”

No . But he had spoken of a to Russia--in a vague . ”

Then you expected to see him again?

. He was to dine with us, two . ”

“ How do you explain his disappearance? ”

“ I cannot explain it . ”

“ And Mon . Andermatt? ”

“ I do not know . ”

“ Yet the in the _Echo de France_ indicates--- ”

Yes, that the Varin brothers had something to with his

disappearance . ”

“ Is that your opinion? ”

“ Yes . ”

On what do you your opinion?

he left our house, Louis Lacombe carried a satchel containing all

the to his invention . Two days , my husband, in

a with one of the Varin , that the

were in their possession . ”

“ And he did not denounce them? ”

“ No . ”

“ Why not? ”

Because there was something in the satchel-- besides the

papers of Louis Lacombe . ”

“ What was it? ”

She hesitated; was on the of , but, , remained

silent . Daspry continued:

“ I presume that is your husband has kept a watch over their

movements of informing the police . He hoped to recover the

papers and, at the time, that which has

enabled the two to over him of exposure and

blackmail . ”

“ Over him, and over me . ”

“ Ah! over you, also? ”

“ Over me, in particular . ”

She the words in a hollow voice . Daspry it; he

paced to and for a , , turning to her, asked:

“ Had you written to Louis Lacombe? ”

“ Of course . My husband with him--”

Apart from those business letters, you written to

Lacombe .... letters? my insistence, but it is

that I should know the . Did you write letters? ”

“ Yes, ” she replied, blushing.

“ And those into the possession of the Varin ?

“ Yes . ”

“ Does Mon . Andermatt know it? ”

He has seen them, but Alfred Varin him of their existence

and threatened to publish them if my husband should take any steps

against him . My was .... of a .

“ But he has tried to the ? ”

I think so; but I know . You see, after that interview with

Varin, and after some words between me and my husband in

which he me to --we live as strangers .

In that case, as you have nothing to lose, what you fear? ”

“ I may be to him , but I am the that he has ,

the he would still love--oh! I am of that, ” she ,

in a , “ he would still love me if he had got hold of

those cursed letters---- ”

What! Did he ? But the two defied him?

Yes, and they of a hiding-place . ”

“ Well? ”

“ I my husband discovered that hiding-place . ”

“ Ah! where was it? ”

“ Here . ”

“ Here! ” I cried in alarm.

“ Yes . I always that suspicion . Lacombe was very ingenious

and amused himself in his leisure hours, by safes and locks . No

doubt, the brothers aware of that fact and utilized one of

Lacombe safes in which to conceal the letters and ,

perhaps . ”

“ But they , ” I said.

“ Before you came, four , the had been for some

time . And they may thought that your presence here

interfere with them when they wanted to get the . But they did

on my husband, who came on the of 22 June, the

, what he was seeking, and left his to inform the two

that he them no , and that their

reversed . Two days , after reading the article in the ‘ Blas, ’

Etienne Varin came here, remained alone in this , found the

empty, and .... killed himself . ”

After a moment, Daspry said:

A very theory .... Has Mon . spoken to you since then?

“ No . ”

Has his toward you in any way? Does he appear

gloomy, more anxious? ”

“ No, I t any change . ”

And you think he has secured the letters . Now, in my opinion, he

has not got those , and it was not he who came here on the

of 22 June . ”

“ Who was it, then? ”

“ The who is managing this affair, who holds all

the threads in his hands, and whose but we

have felt from the beginning . It was he and his who entered

this on 22 June; it was he who the hiding-place of the

; it was he who left Mon . Andermatt s card; it is he who

the correspondence and the evidence of the treachery of the Varin

brothers . ”

Who is he? ” I asked, .

“ The man who letters to the de .... !

we of that ? Does he mention in his

that no one know, except the man who

the secrets of the two brothers?

“ , then, ” , in , “ he my

letters also, and it is he who now my husband . Mon Dieu! What

am I to do? ”

Write to him, declared . Confide in him without reserve . Tell

him all you and all you may . Your and his

are the . He is working against Mon . , but

against Alfred Varin . Help him . ”

“ How? ”

“ Has your husband the that the of Louis

Lacombe? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ Tell that to Salvator, and, if , the document for him.

Write to him at . You nothing .

The advice was bold, at first , but Madame Andermatt

had no . Besides, as had , she no risk . If

the writer an enemy, that step would aggravate the

situation . If he were a seeking to accomplish a

purpose, he would attach to those letters a importance.

Whatever might happen, it was the to her, and

she, in her , was only to act on it . She thanked us

effusively, and promised to keep us informed.

In fact, two , she sent us the letter that she had

received from Salvator:

the letters, but I will get them . Rest . I am

watching everything . S . ”

I at the letter . It was in the handwriting as the I

in my on the night of 22 June.

Daspry was . Salvator was, , the originator of that .

* * * * *

We were to see a coming out of the darkness that

surrounded us, and an unexpected was thrown on certain ; but

points obscure--for instance, the finding of the two

seven-of-hearts . Perhaps I was unnecessarily concerned about those

two cards whose seven spots appeared to me under

startling ! Yet I could from asking myself:

What they play in the ? What importance do they

bear? What conclusion must drawn from the fact that the submarine

from the of Louis bore the name of

‘ Seven-of-Hearts ’?

Daspry gave little thought to the two cards; he devoted all his

to another problem which he considered ; he was

seeking the famous hiding-place.

And who , said he, I find the letters that Salvator did

find--by inadvertence, . It is that the brothers

would removed from a , which they deemed , the

weapon which was so valuable to them . ”

And he to search . In a short time, the room held no

secrets for him, he his investigations to the rooms.

He the interior and the exterior, the stones of the foundation,

the bricks in the walls; he the slates of the roof.

One day, he came with a pickaxe and a spade, me the spade, kept the

, to the adjacent lots, and said: . ”

I followed him, but I lacked his . He divided the land

into sections which he in . At last, in a corner,

at the angle by the of two , a

pile of earth and gravel, covered with and , his

. He attacked it . I was obliged to him . For an , under

a sun, we labored without success . I was , but Daspry

me on . His was as as .

At , Daspry ’ pickaxe some --the remains of a

skeleton to which some scraps of still hung . , I turned

pale . I discovered, in the earth, a piece of iron cut

in the form of a rectangle, on which I thought I could spots . I

and picked it up . That iron plate was the exact size of a

playing-card, and the spots, with red , were arranged upon

it in a manner to the , and each spot was pierced

with a round to the in the two .

“ , Daspry, I have had enough of this . You if it interests

you . But I am going . ”

Was that the expression of my ? Or was it the

result of a task executed under a burning sun? I that

I as I walked , and that I to , where I remained

forty-eight hours, restless and , by skeletons that

around me and their bleeding at my head.

Daspry was to me . He came to my every day, and remained

three or four hours, which he in the room, ,

thumping, tapping.

“ The letters are , in this , he , from to , “ they

are . I will my on it . ”

On the of the third I arose-- , but cured . A

me up . But a that I received that

, more than anything , to my complete recovery,

and aroused in me a curiosity . This was the :

“ Monsieur,

“ The drama, the act of which on the night of 22

, is to a close . Force of compel me

to the two actors in that to face, and I

that meeting to in your , if you will be

as to me the use of it for this evening from nine ’

to eleven . It advisable to your servant of

absence for the evening, and, perhaps, you will so kind as to

leave the to the two adversaries . You remember

that I visited your on the of 22 , I took

of your . I that I would you an

injustice if I should , for one moment, your

discretion in this affair . Your devoted,

“ SALVATOR . ”

I was amused at the of his and at the

nature of his . There was a charming display of

confidence and candor in his language, and nothing in the world

have induced me to deceive him or repay his with .

I my servant a theatre , and he the house at eight

’ clock . A , Daspry arrived . I showed him the .

“ Well? ” said he.

Well, I have left the garden unlocked, so anyone can enter .

“ And you--are you going ? ”

Not at all . I intend to right here . ”

But he asks you to ---

But I am . I will , but I am resolved to see what

takes place . ”

“ Ma foi! ” exclaimed , , “ you are , and I stay

with you . I like to it .

We were interrupted by the of the .

“ Here already? Daspry, twenty minutes of time! ! ”

I went to the door and in the visitor . It was Madame Andermatt.

She was faint and , and in a stammering , she :

My .... is he has an appointment .... they intend to

give him the letters .... ”

“ do you ? I asked.

“ By . A message for my while we at dinner . The

gave it to me by mistake . My husband it , but he

was . I had read it .

“ You read it? ”

“ Yes . It was like this: ‘ At nine o ’ clock this evening, be

at Boulevard Maillot with the with the affair . In

exchange, the letters. , after , I hastened .

“ Unknown to your husband? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ What do you think about it? ” , turning to me.

“ I think as you , that Mon . is one of the guests . ”

“ Yes, but for what purpose? ”

That is what we are to find out . ”

I them to a . The three of us could hide

behind the , and all that should happen

in the room . We ourselves , with Madame Andermatt in the

centre.

The clock struck nine . A minutes , the garden gate upon

its . I confess that I was greatly . I was about to learn

the key to the mystery . The events of the last

about to be explained, and, under my , the battle was going to

fought . seized the hand of Madame Andermatt, and said to her:

“ a , a movement! Whatever you or , keep !

Some one . It was Alfred . I recognized him at , owing

to the resemblance he to his brother Etienne . There was

the same gait; the cadaverous face with a

beard.

He entered with the air of a man who is accustomed to the

of traps and ambushes; who and avoids them . He

about the room, and I had the impression that the chimney, with

a velvet , did please him . He took three steps in our

, something caused him to turn and walk toward the

mosaic king, with the beard and , which he

examined , on a and following with his fingers

the of the and head and feeling parts of the

. , he from the chair and walked away from it . He

the of approaching footsteps . . Andermatt at the

door.

“ You! You! ” exclaimed the banker . “ Was it you who me ? ”

I? By no means, ” protested Varin, in a , jerky voice that reminded

me of his brother, “ on the , it was your letter that brought me

here . ”

“ My letter? ”

“ A by you, in which you offered--- ”

I to you, ” Mon . Andermatt.

“ You did not write to me! ”

Instinctively, Varin was put on his guard, against the banker, but

against the enemy who had him into this trap . A

time, he looked in our direction, toward the door . But .

Andermatt barred his passage.

“ Well, where are you going, Varin?

“ There is something about this affair I don like . I am going home.

Good evening . ”

“ One moment! ”

“ No need of that, . Andermatt . I have nothing to say to you . ”

But I have something to to you, and this is a to say it . ”

“ Let me pass . ”

“ No, you will not pass . ”

before the of the , as he

muttered:

“ , then, be about it . ”

One thing me; and I no doubt my two companions

a feeling . Why was Salvator not ? Was he not a

party at this ? Or was he satisfied to these two

adversaries it out between themselves? At all events, his

was a , although it did detract from the

dramatic strength of the situation.

After a , Mon . Andermatt Varin and, to , eye

to eye, said:

Now, after all these years and when you nothing to , you

can answer me : What have you done with Louis Lacombe? ”

What a question! As if I anything about him! ”

You do ! You and your brother were his companions,

with him in this . You all about his and his

work . And the night I saw Lacombe, I parted with

him at my door, I two men in the of the .

That, I am to swear to . ”

, what has that to with me?

The two men were you and your brother . ”

“ Prove it . ”

“ The proof is that, two , you yourself showed me the

and the plans that to Lacombe and offered to them.

did these come into your possession? ”

I have told you, Mon . Andermatt, that we found them on Louis

Lacombe ’ s , the morning after his disappearance . ”

“ That is a lie! ”

“ Prove it . ”

“ The law will prove it . ”

Why did you appeal to the ? ”

? Ah! Why---, ” the , with a of

emotion.

“ You know very well, Mon . , if you the certainty of

our , our would have you . ”

What threat? Those letters? Do you suppose I gave those a

moment ’ s thought? ”

“ If you did care for the letters, you offer me thousands of

francs for their return? And did you my brother and me

like wild beasts? ”

“ To recover the plans . ”

Nonsense! You wanted the letters . You knew that as you had the

in your , you us . Oh! no, I couldn t

part with them! ”

He heartily, but stopped suddenly, and said:

But, enough of this! We are going over ground . We make no

headway . We had let stand as they are .

“ We will let them stand as they are, ” said the banker, and since

you have referred to the , me tell you that you will

leave this house until you deliver up those . ”

“ I shall go when I please . ”

“ You will not . ”

Be , Mon . . I you---

I say, you shall .

“ We will see about that, ” cried Varin, in such a rage that Madame

suppress a cry of fear . Varin must have heard it,

for he tried to his way out . Mon . Andermatt pushed him .

I him put his into his coat pocket.

For the time, me pass, he .

“ The letters, first! ”

Varin drew a and, pointing it at Mon . Andermatt, said:

“ Yes or no? ”

The banker stooped . There was the of a . The

weapon fell from Varin hand . I was amazed . The was fired

to me . It was who had fired it at , causing him to drop the

. In a moment, was between the two men, facing

Varin; he to him, with a sneer:

You were , my , lucky . I fired at your hand and struck

only the revolver . ”

Both of them looked at him, . he to the , and

said:

“ I your pardon, monsieur, for meddling in your business; but,

, you a very . Let me hold the . ”

Turning again to Varin, Daspry said:

“ It between us two, comrade, and play fair, if you please . Hearts are

trumps, and I play the seven . ”

Daspry up, before ’ s bewildered eyes, the iron

, marked with the seven red . It was a terrible shock to

Varin . With livid , eyes, and an of intense ,

the man to at the of it.

“ Who are you? ” he gasped.

“ One who meddles in other people s business, down to the very bottom .

“ What do you want? ”

“ What you brought here tonight . ”

“ I brought nothing . ”

“ Yes, you did, or you wouldn t have . This morning, you

an invitation to come at nine ’ , and with you all the

held by you . You are here . are the papers? ”

There was in Daspry voice and a tone of authority that I did

not understand; his manner was usually quite and conciliatory.

, his on one of his pockets, and

said:

“ The papers are here . ”

“ All of them? ”

“ Yes . ”

All that you from and sold to Major von

Lieben? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ Are these the copies or the ?

“ I have the originals . ”

“ do you want for them? ”

“ One hundred thousand francs . ”

“ You are , ” Daspry . “ Why, the gave you only twenty

thousand, and that was like into the sea, as the was a

failure at the preliminary trials . ”

“ They t the plans . ”

“ The plans are not complete . ”

Then, do you me for them? ”

Because I want them . I you five francs-- a sou more .

“ Ten thousand . a . ”

Agreed, ” said , who turned to Mon . Andermatt, and :

Monsieur will a check for the amount . ”

“ But .... I t got--- ”

“ Your check-book? Here it is . ”

Astounded, . Andermatt examined the check-book that to

him.

“ It is , ” he . does that ? ”

No idle words, monsieur, if you . You have to sign . ”

The banker took out his fountain , filled out the check and signed

it . Varin out his hand for it.

Put down your hand, ” said , “ there is something , to

the , he said: “ You asked for some , did you ? ”

“ Yes, a package of letters . ”

“ Where are they, Varin? ”

“ I haven ’ t got them . ”

“ Where are they, Varin? ”

I don t know . My brother had of them .

“ They are hidden in this room . ”

“ In that case, you they are .

“ How should I know? ”

Was it you who found the ? You appear to be as well

informed .... as Salvator . ”

“ The letters are in the hiding-place .

“ They are . ”

“ Open it . ”

Varin at him, . Were Daspry and the

person? Everything to that conclusion . If , Varin

nothing in disclosing a hiding-place already known.

“ Open it, ” repeated Daspry.

I the seven of .

Yes, it is, said Daspry, handing him the plate .

recoiled in terror, and cried:

, no, I .

“ Never , ” Daspry, as he toward the ,

on a chair and applied the seven of hearts to the part of

the in a manner that the edges of the iron plate

exactly with the two edges of the sword . , with the assistance of

an which he into each of the seven , he

upon seven of the little . As he pressed upon the

seventh one, a clicking sound was heard, and the entire of the King

turned upon a pivot, disclosing a opening with steel . It was

really a fire-proof safe.

“ You can see, , the is .

So I see . , my taken out the letters . ”

Daspry stepped from the , approached Varin, and said:

Now, no with me . There is another hiding-place . is

it? ”

“ There is none . ”

Is it money you ? ? ”

“ Ten thousand . ”

Andermatt, are those worth thousand francs to

you? ”

Yes, ” the banker, .

closed the , took the seven of hearts and it on

the sword at the spot . He the awl into each of the seven

. There was the clicking , but this time, strange to

, it was a of the that revolved on the pivot,

disclosing quite a small that was within the of the

one . The of letters was , tied with a tape, and

sealed . Varin handed the to Daspry . The turned to the

banker, and asked:

Is the check , Monsieur ? ”

“ Yes . ”

And you the document that you from

--the that the of the sub-marine? ”

“ Yes . ”

The was made . Daspry the document and the checks, and

the packet of letters to . Andermatt.

“ This is what you wanted, Monsieur . ”

The a , as if he were to those

cursed that he sought . Then, with a nervous

, he took them . Close to me, I a . I grasped Madame

Andermatt ’ s hand . It was cold.

I believe, monsieur, ” Daspry to the banker, “ that our business is

. Oh! no . It was by a mere chance that I have been

to you a turn . Good-night . ”

Mon . Andermatt retired . He with him the written by his

wife to Louis Lacombe.

! exclaimed Daspry, delighted . “ is our

way . Now, we only to our , comrade . You have the

papers? ”

they are--all of them .

Daspry examined them carefully, and then placed them in his .

Quite right . You kept your word, ” he said.

“ But--- ”

“ But what? ”

“ The two checks? The ? ” said Varin, .

“ Well, you have a deal of assurance, my . How dare you ask such

a thing? ”

I what is to me . ”

Can you ask for returning papers that you stole? Well, I think

not! ”

Varin was himself . He trembled with ; his were

bloodshot.

The money .... the twenty thousand .... ” he stammered.

“ Impossible! I need it myself . ”

“ The money! ”

“ Come, be reasonable, and don t get . It ’ you any .

seized his , that a of pain.

Daspry continued:

, you can go . The do you . Perhaps you want me to show

you the way . Ah! yes, we together to the vacant lot near ,

and I will show you a mound of and stones and under it--- ”

That is false! That is !

“ Oh! no, it is . That little plate with the seven spots on it

came from . always carried it, and you it with

the body--and with some things that will interesting to

a judge and jury . ”

Varin his face with his hands, and muttered:

“ , I am . Say no more . But I want to ask you one

. I like to know---

“ What is it? ”

“ Was there a little casket in the safe? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ Was it on the night of 22 June? ”

“ Yes . ”

“ What did it contain? ”

“ Everything that the Varin brothers had put in it--a very pretty

collection of diamonds and pearls and there by the

brothers . ”

“ And did you take it? ”

Of course I did . Do you me? ”

I .... it was the disappearance of that casket that caused my

brother to kill himself . ”

“ Probably . The disappearance of your correspondence was not a sufficient

motive . But the disappearance of the casket .... Is that all you wish to

ask me? ”

“ One thing more: your name? ”

“ You that with an idea of revenge .

! The may be turned . , you are on . To-morrow--- ”

“ It will be you . ”

“ I hope so . Your name? ”

“ Arsène Lupin . ”

“ Arsène Lupin! ”

The staggered, as though by a . Those two words

had deprived him of all hope.

Daspry laughed, and said:

Ah! did you that a Monsieur Durand or Dupont could an

affair like this? No, it the and cunning of Arsène Lupin.

And that you have my name, go and your revenge .

will wait for you . ”

he the through the door.

! Daspry! ” I cried, pushing aside the . He to me.

What? What ’ s the ? ”

“ Madame Andermatt is ill . ”

He hastened to her, caused her to some , and, while caring

for her, questioned me:

“ Well, what did it? ”

The letters of Lacombe that you to her husband .

He struck his forehead and said:

“ Did she think that I could do such a thing!...But, of course she would.

Imbecile that I am! ”

Madame Andermatt was revived . Daspry from his pocket a

to the one that . Andermatt had away.

“ are your , Madame . These are the letters . ”

“ But .... the others? ”

“ The are the , rewritten by me and . Your

will not anything in them, and will

the substitution since they were taken from the in his

presence . ”

“ But the handwriting--- ”

There is no handwriting that can be imitated . ”

She thanked him in the she might have to a man in her

own , so I concluded that she had the final

between and Arsène . But the revelation

caused me . Lupin! My club was none

than Lupin . I realize it . But he said, quite at

his ease:

“ You farewell to Jean Daspry . ”

“ Ah! ”

“ Yes, Jean Daspry is going on a long journey . I shall send him to

Morocco . There, he may find a death of him . I say that that

is his expectation . ”

“ But Arsène Lupin will remain? ”

Oh! . Lupin is at the threshold of his career,

and he expects--- ”

I was impelled by to interrupt him, and, him from

the hearing of Madame Andermatt, I asked:

“ Did you the smaller safe yourself--the one that the

letters? ”

, after a great deal of trouble . I it yesterday afternoon

while you were asleep . And yet, knows it was enough! But

the are the that usually our notice. ” Then,

showing me the seven-of-hearts, he added: “ Of course I guessed that,

in order to the , this must on the sword

of the mosaic king . ”

“ How did you guess that? ”

easily . Through information, I knew that I came

on the evening of 22 June--- ”

“ After you left me--- ”

Yes, after the subject of our conversation to stories of

and which were to reduce you to such a nervous condition

that you would your , but would allow me to my

search uninterrupted . ”

“ The scheme worked perfectly . ”

, I I came here that there was a concealed in a

with a lock, and that the seven-of-hearts was the key

to that lock . I had to place the upon the spot that was

for it . An hour s examination me where the

spot was . ”

“ One hour! ”

“ Observe the fellow in mosaic . ”

“ The old emperor? ”

“ That old emperor is an representation of the of hearts on

all playing cards . ”

That ’ right . But the seven of hearts open the larger at

one and the at another ? And why you open only

the larger safe in the instance? I on the night of 22 June . ”

“ Why? Because I the seven of hearts in the . I

changed the position . But, , I that by reversing

the , by it , the arrangement of the seven spots

on the mosaic was changed . ”

“ Parbleu! ”

Of course, parbleu! But a person to think of those . ”

“ There is something else: you did not know the of those

until Madame Andermatt--- ”

“ of them before me? No . Because I in the , besides

the , nothing but the of the two which

their treachery in regard to the plans .

“ Then it was by chance that you were led, , to investigate the

history of the two brothers, and to for the plans and

documents relating to the sub-marine? ”

“ Simply by chance . ”

“ For what purpose you the search?

“ Mon Dieu! ” exclaimed Daspry, laughing, “ interested you are! ”

“ The subject fascinates me . ”

well, presently, after I escorted Madame Andermatt to a

carriage, and a story to the _Echo de , I

return and tell you all about it . ”

He and wrote one of those short, clear-cut which

served to amuse and mystify the . Who does recall the

sensation that followed that article produced throughout the entire

world?

Arsène Lupin solved the problem by .

acquired possession of all the documents and plans

of the engineer Louis Lacombe, he has them in the of

the of Marine, and he has headed a subscription list for the

of to the the submarine from

those plans . His subscription is thousand francs .

Twenty thousand francs! The checks of Mon . Andermatt? I ,

he had given me the to read.

“ Exactly . It was that should redeem his . ”

* * * * *

And that is how I the acquaintance of Arsène Lupin . That is how

I learned that Jean Daspry, a of my club, was none than

, gentleman-thief . That is how I formed ties

of friendship with that , and, thanks to the confidence

with which he me, I his humble and faithful

historiographer.

VII . Madame Imbert ’ s Safe

At three in the morning, there were half a dozen

in front of one of those houses which the side of the

. The door of that house , and a number of

, male and female, emerged . The of them their

and were away, leaving behind two men who

walked , they , as one of them lived in that

street . The decided to on as far as the Porte-Maillot.

It was a beautiful winter s night, clear and ; a night on which a

brisk walk is agreeable and refreshing.

But, at the of a , he the

that he was being followed . Turning , he saw a skulking

the . He was a coward; yet he felt it to increase his

speed . his pursuer commenced to run; and he deemed it prudent to

draw his revolver and him . But he had no time . The man at

him and him violently . , they engaged in a

, he that his unknown assailant had the

advantage . He called for , struggled, and was thrown down on a

of gravel, seized by the throat, and with a handkerchief that his

forced into his mouth . His eyes closed, and the man who

was smothering him with his weight arose to defend himself against an

. A blow from a cane and a from a boot; the

man two cries of , and , and . Without

to pursue the , the arrival over the

prostrate man and inquired:

“ Are you hurt, monsieur? ”

He was injured, but he was dazed and unable to stand . His

a carriage, placed him in it, and him to his

on the avenue de la . On his arrival there, ,

he overwhelmed his saviour with thanks.

I you my life, , and I shall not it . I do not wish

to alarm my wife at this time of , but, , she will be

to thank you . Come and breakfast with us . My name is

Ludovic Imbert . May I ask yours? ”

“ Certainly, monsieur . ”

And he Mon . Imbert a the name: “ Arsène Lupin .

* * * * *

At that time, Lupin the celebrity which the Cahorn

affair, his from the Prison de la Santé, and brilliant

exploits, gained for him . He not even used the name of

. The name was invented to designate the

of Mon . ; that is to say, it was in that affair that

Lupin was baptized . Fully and for the , it is , but

the resources and which success, Arsène

was an apprentice in a he soon became a

master.

With what a thrill of joy he the he that

night! At last, he had reached his ! At , he had

a task worthy of his and skill! The Imbert millions! What a

magnificent feast for an appetite like his!

He a toilet for the occasion; a frock-coat,

baggy trousers, a frayed silk , and cuffs, all

in form, but the stamp of poverty . His

cravat was a black pinned with a false diamond . ,

he descended the stairs of the house in which he at Montmartre . At

the , without stopping, he rapped on a closed with the

head of his cane . He to the boulevards . A tram-car was

. He it, and some one who had been following him took a

beside him . It was the who the room on the

. A moment , this man to Lupin:

“ Well, governor? ”

“ Well, it is all fixed . ”

“ How? ”

“ I am going there to breakfast . ”

“ You breakfast--there! ”

“ Certainly . Why ? I . Imbert from

at your hands . Mon . Imbert is of gratitude . He invited me to

breakfast . ”

There was a brief . the other said:

“ But you are to throw up the scheme? ”

“ My boy, ” Lupin, “ I arranged that little case of assault

and battery, I the at three o ’ clock in the morning, to

rap you with my cane and you with my boot at the risk of

my friend, it was my to the advantages to be

gained from a arranged and executed . Oh! no, not at all . ”

But the rumors we about their ? ”

“ Never about that . For six , I on this ,

investigated it, studied it, the , the

and of ; for six months, I the and wife.

, I know what I am talking about . Whether the came

to them from old Brawford, as they , or from some other source,

I do care . I that it is a reality; that it . And some day

it will be mine . ”

“ Bigre! One hundred millions! ”

“ Let us say , or five--that is enough! They have a safe full

of , and there be the devil to pay if I ’ my hands on

them . ”

The tram-car stopped at the Place de l ’ Etoile . The man to

Lupin:

“ What am I to do now? ”

“ Nothing, at . You from me . There is no hurry .

Five minutes , Lupin was ascending the flight

of in the Imbert mansion, and . Imbert him to

his wife . Madame Gervaise Imbert was a , and

talkative . She gave Lupin a cordial welcome.

“ I desired that we should be to entertain our , ” she .

From the outset, they treated our saviour ” as an and valued friend.

By the time dessert was , their friendship was cemented, and

were exchanged . related the story of

his life, the life of his as a , the of his

, and his difficulties . Gervaise, in turn, spoke of

her , her , the kindness of the Brawford, the hundred

that she had inherited, the obstacles that prevented her from

obtaining the of her inheritance, the she had

to at an rate of , her endless

with Brawford s nephews, and the ! the

injunctions! in fact, everything!

Just think of it, Monsieur Lupin, the are , in my husband ’

, and if we detach a coupon, we lose everything! They are

, in our , and we dare not them . ”

Monsieur Lupin at the of his to

wealth . Yet he felt quite that Monsieur suffer

from the same difficulty as his fair hostess who she dare

touch the money.

! they are ! he repeated, to himself; “ they are there! ”

A under to closer

. discreetly questioned, Arsène confessed his

poverty and distress . , the young man was

secretary to the Imberts, husband and wife, at a

salary of one hundred francs a . He was to to the house every

and receive for his , and a on the floor

was set as his . This room was over Mon . ’ s

office.

soon that his position as was essentially

a sinecure . During the two months, he four important

letters to recopy, and was only to . Imbert ’ office;

, he one to , officially,

the Imbert . , he noticed that the secretary was not invited

to the of the . But he complain, as he

to , , in the shade and his and

freedom.

, he was wasting any . From the beginning, he

visits to Mon . Imbert ’ , and his respects to the

safe, which was closed . It was an of iron and

, and in appearance, which could be forced

by the ordinary tools of the burglar ’ . But Arsène was

discouraged.

Where fails, cunning , ” he said to himself . “ The

thing is to be on the the opportunity . In the

meantime, I must watch and wait . ”

He made immediately some preliminary preparations . After careful

soundings made upon the floor of his , he a lead pipe

which the ceiling of Mon . Imbert ’ at a point between

the two screeds of the cornice . By of this pipe, he to see

and hear what transpired in the room below.

Henceforth, he passed his days at upon the floor.

He the a consultation in front of the

, books and papers . they the combination

lock, he tried to learn the figures and the number of turns they made to

the right and left . He their movements; he sought to catch their

words . There was a key to the opening of the

. What did they do with it? they it?

One , he saw them leave the without locking the . He

descended the quickly, and boldly entered the . But they had

returned.

Oh! excuse me, ” he said, I made a mistake in the door . ”

in, Lupin, come in, ” cried Madame , “ are you at

? We want your . What should we sell? The

securities or the government annuities? ”

“ But the injunction? ” Lupin, with surprise.

“ Oh! it doesn ’ t cover all the bonds . ”

She opened the door of the and a package of bonds . But her

husband protested.

“ No, , , it foolish to sell the foreign bonds . They

are up, whilst the are as they ever will be.

What you think, my friend? ”

The no ; yet he the of the

. she another package and, from it, she

a at random . It proved to a annuity worth two

thousand . Ludovic the package of in his .

That , by his secretary, he sold the annuities to a

stock-broker and realized forty-six thousand francs.

Whatever Madame might said about it, Arsène Lupin did

at home in the house . On the , his position

was a one . He learned that the did not know his

name . They called him “ Ludovic spoke of him in the

same way: You will tell . Has monsieur arrived? that

mysterious appellation?

, after their of , the seldom

to him, and, although him with the consideration to

a benefactor, they him or no attention . They to

him as an who did like to be disturbed,

and they his isolation as if it were a on his

. On one , while passing through the , he

Madame Imbert say to the two gentlemen:

“ He is such a barbarian! ”

Very , ” he said to himself, “ I am a barbarian .

And, without to solve the of their , he

proceeded with the of his plans . He had decided that he

on chance, nor on the negligence of Madame Imbert, who

carried the of the safe, and who, on the safe,

scattered the letters forming the combination of the lock . ,

he must act for himself.

, an incident precipitated matters; it was the vehement campaign

instituted against the Imberts by certain newspapers that accused

the Imberts of . Lupin was present at family

this vicissitude was . He that if

he waited much longer, he lose . During the five

days, of leaving the house about six ’ clock, to his

habit, he locked himself in his room . It was that he had

gone out . But he was on the floor surveying the office of Mon.

Imbert . During those five , the opportunity that he

awaited did place . He left the house about by a side

door to which he held the key.

But on the day, he learned that the Imberts, by the

insinuations of their enemies, proposed to make an inventory

of the contents of the safe.

They do it , thought Lupin.

And , after dinner, Imbert and his wife to the office and

to examine the books of and the securities contained

in the . Thus, one after another away . He the

to their . No one now remained on the

. Midnight! The at work.

I must get to work, murmured .

He opened his window . It opened on a court . Outside, was

dark and . He took from his a knotted , fastened it to

the in front of his window, and far as the

window below, which was that of the of Imbert ’ office . He stood upon

the balcony for a , motionless, with ear and watchful

, but the curtains the interior of the

. He pushed on the window . If no one had

it, it to to the , for, during the

, he had the bolt that it would not enter the .

The window to his . , with care, he pushed

it open to admit his head . He parted the curtains a

inches, looked in, and Mon . Imbert and his sitting in

of the , deeply in their and speaking softly to each

other at rare intervals.

He the between him and them, considered the

movements he would require to make in to overcome them, one after

the , before they could call for , and he was to rush

upon them, when Madame Imbert said:

! the is getting cold . I am going to bed . And you, my

dear? ”

“ I shall stay and finish . ”

! , that take you all . ”

at all . An hour, at the .

She . Twenty , passed . Arsène pushed the

window a little farther open . The curtains shook . He more.

. Imbert , and, seeing the blown by the wind, he

to close the window.

There was a cry, the trace of struggle . With a precise

moments, and without him the injury, him,

the curtain about his head, bound him hand and foot, and it

all in such a manner that Mon . Imbert no to

his assailant.

, he the , seized two that he placed

under his , left the office, and opened the servants . A

carriage was stationed in the street.

“ Take that, --and follow me, he to the coachman . He

to the , and, in two trips, they the safe .

to his , removed the , and all of his

clandestine work.

A hours , Arsène Lupin and his the

goods . Lupin was , as he foreseen that the wealth of

the Imberts had been greatly . It not of

of millions, nor tens of millions . Yet it to a very

respectable sum, and Lupin expressed his satisfaction.

Of , he , there will be a we come

to sell the , as we will have to of them

at prices . In the meantime, they rest in my desk

awaiting a propitious moment . ”

Arsène saw no why he go to the Imbert the

. But a perusal of the this :

Ludovic and Gervaise Imbert had disappeared.

the officers of the seized the and it, they found

there what Arsène Lupin had left--nothing.

* * * * *

are the ; and I the sequel to them, one day,

Lupin was in a . He was to and fro in my

room, with a and a feverish eye that unusual to him.

After all, ” I to him, “ it was your venture . ”

Without making a direct reply, he said:

There are some secrets with that affair; some

points that my comprehension . For : What

caused their flight? they not take of the I

unconsciously gave them? It would been so to say: ‘ The

hundred in the . They are no longer , because

they have been stolen . ’ ”

“ They lost their nerve . ”

Yes, that is it--they lost their nerve...On the , it is

true--- ”

“ What is true? ”

“ Oh! nothing . ”

What was the of Lupin ’ reticence? It was that he

had told me ; there was he was to .

His conduct me . It must be a very matter to cause

such a man as Arsène Lupin a hesitation . I out a

few questions at random.

“ Have you seen them since? ”

“ No . ”

“ And have you the degree of pity for those

unfortunate people? ”

“ I! ” he , with a .

His excitement me . I him on a sore spot? I

continued:

Of . If you had left them alone, they might have to

face the danger, or, at least, their escape with full pockets . ”

“ What do you ? ” he said, . I suppose you an idea

that my should filled with remorse?

Call it remorse or --anything you --- ”

“ They are not worth it . ”

you no regrets or remorse for having their fortune?

“ What fortune? ”

“ The of bonds you from their . ”

Oh! I stole their bonds, did I? I deprived them of a of their

wealth? Is that my crime? Ah! my boy, you do the truth.

You imagined that those bonds were not the they

on . Those bonds --they counterfeit--every one of

them--do you understand? THEY ! ”

I looked at him, astounded.

Counterfeit! The four or five millions? ”

“ Yes, counterfeit! he , in a of rage . “ scraps

of paper! I t a on the of them! And you me if

I have any remorse . _They_ are the ones who have remorse and pity.

They me for a simpleton; and I into their trap . I was their

latest victim, their most stupid gull! ”

He was affected by anger--the result of malice and wounded

pride . He continued:

“ start to finish, I the of it . Do you the part I

in that , or the part they made me play? That of

André Brawford! Yes, my boy, that is the truth, and I

it . It was until afterwards, on reading the , that the

in my stupid brain . I was posing as his

saviour, ” as the gentleman who had his life to Mon.

from the clutches of an , they were me off as

Brawford . Wasn ’ that ? That individual who had a

room on the , that barbarian that was exhibited at a

, was Brawford, and Brawford was I! to me, and to the

confidence that I under the of Brawford, they were

to money from the and money-lenders . Ha! what an

for a ! And I swear to you that I shall profit by the

lesson! ”

He stopped, my , and to me, in a of :

My dear fellow, at this moment, Imbert owes me

hundred francs . ”

I could not refrain from laughter, his was . He was

a out of a molehill . In a moment, he himself,

and said:

“ Yes, my boy, fifteen hundred . You that I had

one sou of my promised , and, than that, she had

from me the sum of francs . All my youthful

savings! And you know ? To the to ! I am

giving you a straight story . She wanted it for some people she was

--unknown to her . And my hard-earned was wormed

out of me by that pretense! ’ t it amusing, hein? Arsène Lupin

done out of fifteen hundred by the lady from whom he

four millions in ! And what a vast of and

patience and cunning I expended to that ! It was the

time in my life that I was played for a fool, and I frankly confess that

I was fooled that time to the ’ s !

VIII . The Black Pearl

A ringing of the the of number nine,

Hoche . She the doorstring, grumbling:

I thought everybody was in . It must be three ’ ! ”

“ it is some one for the doctor, her .

At that moment, a voice inquired:

“ Doctor Harel .... what floor? ”

Third floor, . But the doctor t go out at night . ”

“ He must go to-night . ”

The visitor the vestibule, to the floor, the

, the third, and, without at the doctor ’ s , he

to the . There, he tried two . One of them

fitted the lock.

Ah! ! ” he murmured, “ that simplifies the business .

But before I commence I had arrange for my . Let me

see I had time to rouse the and dismissed

by him? yet a more .

At the end of minutes, he the stairs, grumbling

about the doctor . The concierge opened the door for him and heard it

click behind him . But the lock, as the man had quickly

a piece of in the in a that the

could not enter . Then, quietly, he entered the , to

the concierge . In case of , his retreat was . ,

he to the . In the antechamber, by the

light of his lantern, he his and overcoat on one

of the chairs, took a seat on another, and his with

felt slippers.

Ouf! I am--and how simple it was! I wonder why more people do not

the and of . With a little

care and , it a most . Not too

and , of , as it wearisome .

He unfolded a detailed plan of the apartment.

me commence by myself . , I see the in which

I am . On the street front, the drawing-room, the boudoir and

. to any time , as it that the

countess a taste .... not a bibelot of any value!...Now,

let s to business!...Ah! here is a corridor; it must to

the bed chambers . At a of three metres, I should come to the

door of the wardrobe-closet which with the chamber of the

” He folded his , extinguished his , and proceeded

down the , his distance, :

“ One metre .... two metres .... three metres .... is the door .... Mon

Dieu, how easy it is! Only a small, me from

the chamber, and I know that the is located one metre,

forty-three , from the floor . So that, thanks to a

incision I am about to make, I get of the bolt .

He drew from his pocket the instruments . the

idea occurred to him:

“ Suppose, by chance, the door is bolted . I will it . ”

He the knob, and the door .

“ My brave Lupin, favors you What s to be done now?

You know the of the rooms; you the place in which the

the black pearl . , in order to secure the

pearl, you have simply to be more than silence, more invisible

than darkness itself . ”

Arsène Lupin was employed a in opening the

--a glass door that to the countess . But he

accomplished it with so and , that

the countess , she would have heard the .

According to the plan of the rooms, that he holds, he has to pass

around a reclining chair and, beyond that, a to the

bed . On the , there was a box of letter-paper, and the black pearl

was concealed in that . He stooped and over the

carpet, the of the . he reached

the of it, he in to repress the of

his heart . Although he was moved by any sense of , he found it

impossible to overcome the that one feels in the

midst of silence . That him, because he

had through more without the slightest

of . No danger him . why his heart like

an ? Was it that sleeping who affected him? Was it the

proximity of another pulsating heart?

He listened, and he could discern the of a

person . It him confidence, like the presence of a .

He sought and found the armchair; , by , movements,

toward the , feeling of him with .

His had touched one of the of the table . Ah! , he had

to rise, take the , and . That was , as his

heart was leaping in his breast like a wild , and made much

noise that he feared it would waken the countess . By a

of the , he subdued the of his , and was about

to rise from the his hand , on the

floor, an object which he as a candlestick--an

. A moment , his hand another object:

a clock--one of those traveling clocks, with

leather.-------

! What had happened? He could not understand . That , that

clock; why those articles in their ? Ah! what

had in the of the ?

a him . He touched--oh! some ,

! “ No! no! he thought, “ it be . It is some

fantasy of my brain. ” For twenty seconds, thirty seconds, he

motionless, , his forehead bathed with ,

and his fingers the sensation of that contact.

a effort, he ventured to extend his arm . Once

, his hand encountered that strange, thing . He felt

it . He must it and find out what it is . He that it was ,

human hair, and a human face; and that face was cold, .

the circumstances be, a like Arsène Lupin

himself and commands the as he what it

is . , Lupin his into . A woman

was lying before him, with blood . Her neck and shoulders

were with gaping wounds . He leaned over her and a

examination . She was dead.

“ Dead! ! ” he , with a bewildered .

He stared at those fixed eyes, that grim mouth, that livid flesh,

and that blood--all that blood which flowed over the and

congealed there in thick, . He arose and turned on the

electric lights . he all the marks of a desperate .

The was in a of . On the floor, the candlestick,

and the , with the to minutes after ;

then, further away, an ; and, , there was

, of and pools of blood.

“ And the ? ” he .

The box of was in its place . He it, . The

jewel-case was there, but it was empty.

Fichtre! ” he muttered . “ You boasted of your much soon,

my friend Lupin . With the and dead, and the black

vanished, the situation is anything but pleasant . out of

as you can, or you get into . ”

Yet, he did not move.

“ Get out of ? Yes, of course . Any person would, except Arsène .

He to do . , to proceed in an . At

all events, you have a . Let us that you are

the of and that you are to make an inquiry

concerning this ---- Yes, but in to do that, I require a

clearer . is muddled like a ragout . ”

He tumbled into an , with his pressed against his

burning forehead.

* * * * *

The murder of the avenue Hoche is one of those which have

and the Parisian , and, , I should

never have mentioned the if the veil of had not been

removed by himself . No one knew the truth of the

case.

Who did know--from met her in the --the Léotine

Zalti, the cantatrice, wife and widow of the

d Andillot; the , whose luxury all Paris some twenty

; the who an for the magnificence

of her diamonds and pearls? It was said that she wore upon her

the capital of several banking houses and the gold mines of

Australian companies . jewelers worked for Zalti as they had

wrought for kings and queens . And who does the

catastrophe in which all that wealth was swallowed up? Of all that

, nothing except the famous black pearl.

The pearl! That is to say a fortune, if she had wished to

with it.

But she preferred to it, to live in a apartment with

her , her , and a , than that

jewel . There was a for it; a reason she was

afraid to disclose: the pearl was the of an ! Almost

ruined, and reduced to the , she remained

to the companion of her happy and brilliant . The

pearl left her . She it during the day, and, at

night, it in a place known to her alone.

All these , being republished in the columns of the press,

served to ; and, strange to say, but

to those who the key to the mystery, the of the presumed

assassin the and prolonged the excitement . Two

days , the newspapers the item:

“ Information us of the arrest of , the

of the Countess d ’ . The against him is and

. On the silken sleeve of his waistcoat, which

Dudouis in his garret between the mattresses of his bed,

spots of were . In addition, a cloth-covered

was from that garment, and this button was found beneath

the bed of the victim.

“ It is supposed that, after dinner, in place of going to his ,

Danègre into the wardrobe-closet, and, through the glass door,

seen the hide the black . This is

a , as unverified by any . There is, , another

obscure . At seven o in the morning, Danègre to the

on the Boulevard de Courcelles; the concierge and the

both affirm this fact . On the other hand, the countess ’

companion and cook, who at the of the , both declare that,

they at eight ’ clock, the door of the antechamber and the

door of the kitchen were locked . These two persons been in the

service of the for twenty years, and are above . The

is: leave the apartment? Did he have another

key? These are matters that the investigate . ”

As a matter of fact, the police investigation no light on the

mystery . It was learned that Danègre was a criminal, a

drunkard and a debauchee . But, as they with the investigation,

the mystery deepened and . In the place,

a , . , the cousin and heiress of the

countess, declared that the countess, a before her death, had

written a to her and in it the in which the

pearl was . The letter the day after she

received it . Who had stolen it?

Again, the related she had opened the for a

who had inquired for . On being questioned, the

that no one had his . who was that ? An

accomplice?

The of an accomplice was adopted by the and

, and by Ganimard, the famous .

Lupin is at the of this , he said to the .

Bah! ” the , “ you have on the brain . You see him

everywhere . ”

I see him , because he is . ”

“ Say that you see him every time you something you

can . Besides, you overlook the fact that the was

committed at twenty past eleven in the evening, as is

by the , while the , by the concierge,

occurred at three ’ in the morning . ”

Officers of the law a conviction as to the guilt

of a suspected person, and all subsequent

to to their . The of

Victor Danègre, criminal, drunkard and ,

the judge, and despite the fact that nothing was in

of the early clues, his official firm and

unshaken . He his investigation, and, a , the trial

. It proved to be slow and . The was ,

and the public prosecutor the case in a careless . Under

those , Danègre ’ an task . He out

the defects and of the case for the prosecution, and

argued that the was to convict the .

Who had the , the key without which Danègre, on

leaving the , could locked the door behind him? Who

such a , and what of it? Who had the

assassin s knife, and is it now?

In any , ” argued the prisoner ’ counsel, the prosecution must

, beyond any doubt, that the prisoner the

murder . The prosecution must that the individual who

entered the house at three o in the morning is the

party . To , the clock indicated o clock . But what of that?

I , that . The could turn the hands of the

clock to any hour he , and us in regard to the exact

hour of the crime . ”

Victor Danègre was acquitted.

He the on Friday about dusk in the evening, and

by his six months . The inquisition, the

solitude, the trial, the deliberations of the , combined to fill

him with a nervous . At , he had been with

and by weird visions of the . He was a

and physical wreck.

Under the assumed name of Anatole Dufour, he a small room on the

of Montmartre, and by doing jobs wherever he could

find them . He led a pitiful existence . Three , he obtained

, only to recognized and . Sometimes, he

had an idea that men following him--, no doubt, who were

to and him . He feel the

of the law clutching him by the collar.

One , as he was eating his dinner at a restaurant,

a man entered and a seat at the table . He was a person about

forty years of age, and a of . He

soup, vegetables, and a of wine . After he had

his , he turned his eyes on , and at him .

. He was that this was one of the men who had

been him for . What did he want?

to rise, but failed . His to support him . The man poured

himself a glass of wine, and Danègre ’ . The man raised

his glass, and said:

“ To your health, Victor Danègre . ”

Victor started in alarm, and stammered:

“ I! .... I! .... no, no .... I to you ”

“ You swear what? That you are yourself? The of the

countess? ”

“ What servant? My name is . the proprietor .

Yes, Dufour to the proprietor of this , but Victor

Danègre to the officers of the law . ”

That ’ ! Some one has lied to you . ”

The took a card from his pocket and it to Victor, who

read on it: Grimaudan, of the detective force .

business transacted. ” Victor shuddered as he said:

“ You are connected with the police? ”

No, not , but I have a for the business and I continue to

work at it in a more--profitable . From time to I upon

a opportunity-- as your case presents .

“ My case? ”

“ Yes, yours . I assure you it is a promising affair, you

are inclined to be reasonable . ”

“ But if I am not reasonable? ”

Oh! my , you are in a position to refuse me I

may ask . ”

“ What is it .... you ? ” , .

, I will inform you in a words . I am sent by Mademoiselle de

, the heiress of the Countess d ’ Andillot . ”

“ What for? ”

“ To recover the black pearl . ”

“ Black pearl? ”

“ That you stole . ”

“ But I haven t got it . ”

“ You have it . ”

“ If I had, I would be the assassin . ”

“ You are the assassin . ”

Danègre showed a forced smile.

“ for me, monsieur, the Assizecourt was not of your opinion.

The jury returned an unanimous verdict of . And a man

a conscience and in his favor--”

The seized him by the and :

No fine phrases, my . , to me and my

carefully . You will find they are of your . ,

, three weeks before the murder, you the cook ’

to the servants door, and had a duplicate key made by a locksmith named

Outard, 244 rue Oberkampf . ”

“ It ’ a lie--it ’ s a ! ” Victor . “ No person has that .

There is no such key . ”

“ Here it is . ”

After a silence, Grimaudan continued:

“ You the countess with a knife by you at the de

la Republique on the day as you ordered the key . It has a

blade with a groove running from to end . ”

That is all nonsense . You are guessing at something you don

know . No one the knife .

“ Here it is . ”

Victor Danègre recoiled . The ex-inspector continued:

“ There are some of upon it . I you they

there? ”

Well! .... you have a and a . Who can prove that they belong to

me? ”

“ The , and the from whom you the knife . I

already their , and, when you confront them, they

cannot fail to recognize you . ”

His speech was and hard, with a tone of firmness and precision.

was trembling with , and he struggled desperately to

maintain an air of indifference.

“ Is that all the evidence you ? ”

Oh! no, at all . I plenty more . For , after the crime,

you went out the you . But, in the centre of the

, being seized by some , you leaned against the

wall for support . ”

“ do you that? No could such a thing, ” the

desperate man.

“ The police nothing about it, of course . They of

lighting a and examining the walls . But if they had done , they

would found on the plaster a faint red spot, distinct,

, to in it the of your which you pressed

against the while it was with . Now, as you are well

, under the system, thumb-marks are one of the principal

means of identification . ”

Victor Danègre was ; great drops of down his

and upon the table . He gazed, with a look, at the strange

who had the story of his crime as faithfully as if he had

been an to it . and powerless, Victor bowed

his . He felt that it was useless to struggle against this

man . So he said:

you give me, if I give you the pearl? ”

“ Nothing . ”

Oh! you are joking! Or do you mean that I you an

thousands and hundreds of thousands and nothing in ?

“ You will get your life . Is that nothing? ”

The man . Grimaudan , in a tone:

Come, Danègre, that pearl has no value in your hands . It is

for you to sell it; so what is the of your it? ”

“ There are pawnbrokers .... and, some day, I will be to get something

for it . ”

“ But that day be .

“ Why? ”

Because by that time you in the hands of the , and,

with the evidence that I --the knife, the key, the

thumb-mark--what will become of you? ”

his head on his and reflected . He felt that he was

, , and, at the , a of and

depression overcame him . He murmured, faintly:

must I give it to you? ”

“ To-night---within an hour . ”

“ If I refuse? ”

“ If you refuse, I this letter to the Procureur of the

; in which letter Mademoiselle de Sinclèves denounces you as the

assassin . ”

Danègre out two of wine which he in

succession, then, rising, said:

“ the , and let us go . I have of the affair .

Night had . The two men down the Lepic and followed

the boulevards in the direction of the Place de l ’ .

They their way in silence; had a carriage and a

. they the Parc Monceau, he said:

“ We are near the house . ”

! You the house , before your , and that was

to go to the tobacco-shop . ”

it is, ” Danègre, in a voice.

They along the garden wall of the countess house, and crossed a

on a corner of which the tobacco-shop . A steps

on, Danègre stopped; his limbs shook beneath him, and he to a

bench.

“ Well! what now? ” his .

“ It is there . ”

“ ? Come, , no ! ”

“ There--in front of us . ”

“ Where? ”

“ Between two paving-stones . ”

“ Which? ”

“ Look for it . ”

“ Which stones? ”

Victor made no reply.

Ah; I see! exclaimed , you me to pay for the

information . ”

No .... but .... I am afraid I starve to . ”

So! that is why you hesitate . Well, I ’ not be hard on you .

do you want? ”

Enough to a steerage to . ”

“ All right . ”

And a francs to me until I get work . ”

You shall have two . , speak . ”

“ the to the right from the . The pearl is

between the twelfth and thirteenth . ”

“ In the gutter? ”

“ Yes, close to the sidewalk . ”

glanced around to see if anyone looking . Some tram-cars

and were passing . But, bah, they will .

He his and thrust it between the and

thirteenth stones.

And if it is not ? he to Victor.

“ It be , unless saw me stoop down and hide it . ”

Could it possible that the pearl had been cast into the mud

and of the to picked up by the first ? The black

pearl--a fortune!

“ How far down? ” he asked.

“ About ten centimetres . ”

He dug up the earth . The point of his knife . He

enlarged the with his finger . he the pearl

from its filthy hiding-place.

“ Good! are your two francs . I will send you the for

America . ”

On the , this article was published in the _Echo de

France_, and was copied by the leading newspapers throughout the world:

“ Yesterday, the black pearl into the possession of

Arsène Lupin, who it from the murderer of the

d Andillot . In a time, fac-similes of that jewel

be exhibited in London, , , Ayres

and New York.

Arsène will be pleased to consider all propositions

submitted to him through his agents . ”

* * * * *

“ And that is is punished and rewarded, ” said

Arsène Lupin, after he had told me the of the

pearl.

“ And that is you, under the name of ,

of detectives, chosen by fate to deprive the criminal of the

benefit of his crime . ”

“ . And I that the me satisfaction

and pride . The forty minutes that I in the apartment of the

d ’ , after learning of her , the

thrilling and moments of my life . In those ,

involved as I was in a , I calmly studied the scene

of the murder and reached the that the crime must been

by one of the house servants . I decided that, in order

to get the , that servant must be , and I left the

wainscoat button; it was , , for me to some

of his guilt, so I carried the knife which I found upon

the floor, and the which I in the lock . I closed and

locked the door, and erased the finger-marks from the plaster in the

. In my , that was one of those flashes--

“ Of genius, I , .

“ Of genius, if you wish . But, I myself, it have

to the . To , , the two of

the problem--an arrest and an acquittal; to of the

of the law to crush and humble my victim, and him to a

condition in which, , he would be to fall into the trap

I was laying for him! ”

“ Poor devil--”

devil, do you ? Victor , the assassin! He might have

descended to the depths of vice and , if he retained the

black . , he ! Think of that: Victor is !

“ And you have the black pearl . ”

He it out of one of the pockets of his , it,

gazed at it , and it with loving , and sighed,

as he said:

“ What cold prince, what and rajah may some

this treasure! Or, , some American millionaire

is to the owner of this morsel of beauty that

the bosom of Zalti, the Countess ’ Andillot . ”

IX . Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late

“ It is remarkable, Velmont, what a resemblance you to

Arsène Lupin! ”

“ How do you know? ”

Oh! like , from photographs, no two of which are alike,

but each of them the of a face something like

yours . ”

Horace Velmont displayed some vexation.

“ , my . And, me, you are not the first one

who has noticed it . ”

It is so , persisted Devanne, “ that if you had not been

to me by my d Estevan, and if you the

whose beautiful marine views I admire, I no

I should have the of your presence in . ”

This was with an outburst of laughter . The

of the de Thibermesnil on this occasion,

besides Velmont, the guests: Father Gélis, the ,

and a dozen officers whose regiments were quartered in the and

who accepted the invitation of the banker Georges Devanne and his

mother . One of the officers then remarked:

“ I that an description of Arsène Lupin has been

to all the police along this coast since his daring on

the Paris-Havre express . ”

I so, ” said Devanne . “ That was three months ago; and a

, I the acquaintance of our friend Velmont at the , and,

since , he me with several --an agreeable preamble

to a visit that he will pay me one of these days--or,

rather, one of these nights . ”

This speech evoked another round of laughter, and the

into the ancient Hall of the , a room with a ,

which the entire part of the Tour Guillaume--

--and wherein Georges Devanne had collected the

treasures which the lords of Thibermesnil had accumulated through

many centuries . It chests, , andirons and

chandeliers . The stone walls with tapestries.

The embrasures of the four windows were furnished with benches, and

the Gothic were composed of panes of glass set

in a frame . Between the and the window to the left

an of style, on the pediment of which, in

letters of gold, was the word “ Thibermesnil, and, below it, the

family device: “ Fais ce que ” (Do what thou wishest). the

guests had lighted their cigars, Devanne resumed the .

“ And remember, Velmont, you no to lose; in fact, is

the last chance you will have . ”

“ ? ” asked the painter, who appeared to regard the affair as a

joke . was about to , his mother mentioned to him to

, but the of the occasion and a desire to interest

his guests urged him to speak.

Bah! he murmured . “ I can it . It won ’ t do any harm . ”

The guests closer, and he commenced to speak with the

of a man who an to .

To-morrow at four o clock, Sherlock Holmes, the famous

detective, for whom such a as mystery exist;

, the solver of enigmas the world

known, that man who seem to be the of a

novelist--Sherlock Holmes will be my guest!

, Devanne was the target of eager questions . Is

Sherlock Holmes coming? ” “ Is it serious as that? ” “ Is

Lupin really in this neighborhood? ”

Arsène Lupin and his band are not away . Besides the robbery of the

Baron Cahorn, he is credited with the thefts at , and

Crasville . And it is my .

“ Has he sent you a warning, as he did to ? ”

No, ” replied Devanne, “ he ’ t work the same . ”

“ What then? ”

“ I will show you . ”

He , and to a empty between the two enormous

on one of the shelves of the bookcase, he :

“ There used to be a --a book of the century

Chronique de , which the history of the castle

since its by on the of a feudal

fortress . There were three plates in the book; one of which was

a general view of the whole estate; another, the plan of the buildings;

and the --I call your attention to it, --the was

the sketch of a passage, an entrance to which is outside

the first line of ramparts, while the other of the passage is ,

in this . Well, that book a ago . ”

“ The deuce! ” said Velmont, “ that looks . But it ’ t seem to be a

sufficient reason for sending for Sherlock Holmes . ”

“ Certainly, that was in itself, but another

happened that the of the a

significance . There was another copy of this book in the National

Library at , and the two books in

to the ; for instance, each of them

drawings and , , but in ink and or

. I those , and I knew that the exact location of

the could be determined by a of the two books.

, the after my book disappeared, the book was called for in the

National Library by a reader who it , and no one knows how

the theft was effected . ”

The guests uttered many exclamations of surprise.

, the affair looks , ” said one.

, the the matter, and, as , discovered no

clue whatever . ”

“ They do, Lupin is concerned in it . ”

; and so I decided to ask the assistance of Holmes,

who replied that he was and anxious to enter the with

Lupin . ”

“ What glory for Arsène Lupin! ” said Velmont . “ But if our ,

as they him, has no on your castle, Holmes

will have his trip in vain . ”

“ There are that interest him, as the discovery of

the subterranean passage . ”

But you us that one end of the passage was outside the ramparts

and the was in this ! ”

Yes, but in what part of the room? The which the

passage on the ends , with a circle marked with the

letters ‘ T.G., which no doubt stand for Tour Guillaume. ’ But the

is , and who can tell the at which the passage touches

the tower? ”

a cigar and himself a of

. His guests him with questions and he was to

observe the interest that his had created . he continued:

“ The secret is lost . No one it . The is to the effect that

the lords of the castle transmitted the from to

on their deathbeds, until Geoffroy, the of the , was

during the Revolution in his nineteenth year . ”

“ That is over a century ago . Surely, someone has looked for it since

that time? ”

Yes, but they failed to it . After I the , I made a

diligent for it, but without success . You must remember that this

is surrounded by water and connected with the castle by a

; , the passage underneath the moat . The

plan that was in the book in the Library showed a of

with a total of steps, which a of

than . You see, the lies within the of this

, and I to tear them down . ”

“ Is nothing to where it is? ”

“ Nothing . ”

. , we our attention to the two quotations, ”

suggested Father Gélis.

“ Oh! ” exclaimed . Devanne, , our worthy father is fond

of and into the archives of the .

relating to interests him . But the

that he serve to complicate the . He

has read that two kings of France have known the key to the

puzzle . ”

Two kings of France! Who they? ”

the Fourth and Louis the Sixteenth . And the like

this: On the eve of the battle of Arques, Henry the Fourth the

night in this castle . At eleven o ’ in the evening, de

Tancarville, the woman in Normandy, was into the

castle through the passage by Edgard, who, at the

time, the of the secret . Afterward, the king

confided the secret to his Sully, who, in turn, the

story in his book, Royales d ’ Etat, without any

comment upon it, but with it this :

Turn one eye on the bee that , the eye will lead to God! ’ ”

After a silence, and said:

“ , it doesn t throw a dazzling light upon the .

No; but Father Gélis that the key to the

in this sentence in to the from the

secretaries to whom he dictated his memoirs . ”

“ That is an theory, ” said .

, and it may be more; I that it any light

on the mysterious riddle . ”

And was it to receive the of a lady that the

caused the passage to be opened? ”

I don t know, ” said Mon . Devanne . “ All I can say is that the king

stopped one in 1784, and that the Casket

in the contained a these words in the king s

writing: ‘ Thibermesnil 3-4-11 . ’ ”

Horace Velmont laughed heartily, and exclaimed:

“ At ! And now that we the key, is the man who can

fit it to the invisible lock? ”

“ Laugh as as you please, , said Father , but I am

the is contained in those two sentences, and some

we will find a to them . ”

Sherlock Holmes is the man, ” . Devanne, “ unless Arsène Lupin

of him . What is your opinion, Velmont? ”

arose, his hand on Devanne shoulder, and declared:

“ I that the information by your book and the of the

Library was deficient in a detail which you have

supplied . I you for it . ”

“ What is it? ”

“ The missing key . that I have it, I can to at ,

Velmont.

“ Of course; without a minute, said Devanne, smiling.

Not a ! ” Velmont . “ To-night, before the arrival of

Sherlock Holmes, I plunder your . ”

“ You no time to lose . Oh! by the way, I can you over this

evening . ”

“ To Dieppe? ”

“ Yes . I am to meet Monsieur and Madame d ’ Androl and a young lady

of their who are to by the midnight train . ”

Then addressing the officers, Devanne added:

Gentlemen, I shall to see all of you at .

The invitation was . The dispersed, and a moments

Devanne and Velmont speeding toward Dieppe in an automobile.

Devanne dropped the artist in front of the Casino, and to the

railway . At o ’ clock his friends from the train.

A hour the automobile was at the to the .

At one o ’ , after a , they . The were

, and the castle was enveloped in the darkness and silence

of the night.

* * * * *

The moon through a in the , and filled the

with its bright white light . But for a . Then

the moon behind its draperies, and and

reigned . No sound be , the

ticking of the . It struck two, and its endless

repetitions of the . , three o .

, something , like the and closing of a

that warns the passing . A of flashed

to every corner of the , like an arrow that behind it a

trail of light . It from the fluting of a column that

the pediment of the bookcase . It for a moment on

the panel like a of silver,

flashed in all like a eye that scrutinizes every

shadow . It for a , but burst forth again as a

whole section of the bookcase on a pivot and disclosed a

opening like a vault.

A man entered, carrying an electric lantern . He was followed by a

man, who carried a coil of and tools . The leader inspected

the , a , and said:

“ Call the others . ”

eight , with resolute , the room,

and commenced to the furnishings . Lupin passed

from one of to another, each, and,

to its size or value, he directed his to take it

or leave it . If ordered to be taken, it was to the

of the , and into the bowels of the earth .

was the fate of six , six Louis XV chairs, a quantity

of Aubusson tapestries, some candelabra, by Fragonard and

, a by Houdon, and some statuettes . , Lupin

linger before a beautiful chest or a superb picture, and sigh:

That is heavy too large .... what a pity! ”

In forty the room was ; and it been accomplished

in such an orderly manner and with as if the

had been packed and for the .

Lupin to the man who departed by of the tunnel:

You need not come . You , that as as the auto-van is

, you are to proceed to the grange at .

“ But you, patron? ”

“ Leave me the motor-cycle . ”

the man had disappeared, Lupin pushed the section of the

bookcase back into its , effaced the traces of the ’ s

footsteps, raised a portière, and entered a gallery, which was the

of between the tower and the castle . In the center

of this gallery was a cabinet which had Lupin

attentions . It a collection of watches, snuff-boxes,

rings, chatelaines and of rare and workmanship . He

the lock with a small jimmy, and experienced a great pleasure in

those and silver ornaments, those exquisite and

works of art.

He a large linen bag, prepared for the of

knick-knacks . He it . he the pockets of his ,

waistcoat and . And he was placing over his a

number of pearl reticules he heard a sound . He . No,

he was deceived . The continued . he that, at

one end of the , there was a stairway leading to an

, but which was occupied that night by the lady

whom Mon . Devanne brought from Dieppe with his .

Immediately he his , and had gained the

shelter of a , the door at the top of the

was opened and a illuminated the gallery . He could

feel--for, by a curtain, he see--that a woman was

the steps of the stairs . He hoped she would

come no . Yet, she continued to descend, and some

distance into the room . she uttered a cry . No doubt she

discovered the broken and dismantled cabinet.

She advanced . he the , and hear the

of her as she drew to the window he was

. She passed that her brushed against the

window-curtain, and Lupin that she the presence of

another, behind her, in the shadow, within of her hand . He

: She is . She will away. But she did . The

candle, that she in her trembling hand, brighter . She

, hesitated a , appeared to listen, then suddenly drew aside

the curtain.

They face to . Arsène was astounded . He murmured,

involuntarily:

“ You--you--mademoiselle . ”

It was Miss Nelly . Miss ! his fellow passenger on the

steamer, who had the subject of his on that

voyage, who a witness to his arrest, and who, than

betray him, had dropped into the water the Kodak in which he had

the bank-notes and . Miss ! that charming

creature, the of whose sometimes ,

saddened the long hours of imprisonment.

It was an unexpected that brought them face to in

that at that of the night, that they move,

nor a ; they amazed, hypnotized, each at the

of the . Trembling with , staggered to

a . He remained in of her.

, he the situation and conceived the he

have produced at that moment with his laden with ,

and his and a sack overflowing with . He was

overcome with confusion, and he to find himself in

the position of a thief in the act . To her, henceforth, he was

a , a who puts his in another ’ s , who steals into

houses and robs people while they sleep.

A watch upon the ; another . These followed by

which from his grasp one by one . , actuated by a

, he dropped the articles into an ,

his pockets and his . He in ’ s

presence, and toward her with the intention of to her,

but she , rose and fled toward the salon . The portière

closed behind her . He her . She was standing and

at the of the . He said to her, at :

“ To-morrow, at three ’ clock, everything be returned . The furniture

will be brought back . ”

She made no reply, so he repeated:

“ I it . , at three ’ clock . Nothing in the

induce me to break that promise .... To-morrow, at three . ”

Then followed a that he , the

agitation of the girl him a feeling of genuine regret.

, without a word, he turned away, thinking: I hope she go

. I can t endure her presence. ” But the young girl suddenly spoke,

and stammered:

Listen .... footsteps I .... ”

He at her with . She seemed to be overwhelmed by the

thought of approaching peril.

“ I hear anything, ” he said.

But you go--you escape!

“ Why should I go? ”

Because--you must . Oh! do remain another . Go! ”

She ran, , to the to the and . No,

there was no one . the was . She waited a

moment, then returned reassured.

But Arsène Lupin had disappeared.

* * * * *

As as Mon . was of the of his castle, he

said to himself: It was Velmont who it, and is Lupin.

That theory explained everything, and there was no plausible

. And the seemed . It was to

that Velmont was anyone than , the artist,

and club-fellow of his cousin d ’ . So, the captain of the

arrived to investigate the , Devanne did even think

of mentioning his absurd theory.

Throughout the there was a at the .

The gendarmes, the police, the chief of police from , the

villagers, circulated to and fro in the , examining every

and corner that was to their inspection . The approach of the

maneuvering , the rattling of the musketry, added to the

picturesque character of the scene.

The search no . Neither the doors nor windows

any signs of having . , the of

the must have been by of the . Yet,

there no of footsteps on the floor, nor any

marks upon the walls.

Their investigations revealed, , one that

the whimsical of Arsène : the famous Chronique of the

sixteenth had been to its accustomed place in the

library and, it, there was a book, which was none

than the volume stolen from the National Library.

At o ’ clock the military officers arrived . Devanne them

with his usual gayety; for, no chagrin he suffer

from the loss of his artistic treasures, his great wealth him to

bear his loss . His guests, Monsieur and Madame d ’ Androl

and Nelly, ; and it was that one of the

expected guests . It was Horace Velmont . Would he come?

His absence had awakened the of . Devanne . But at twelve

o ’ clock he arrived . Devanne exclaimed:

“ Ah! here you are! ”

Why, am I ? ” asked .

“ Yes, and I am surprised that you are .... after such a busy ! I

suppose you know the news? ”

“ What news? ”

“ You have robbed the castle . ”

“ Nonsense! ” exclaimed Velmont, smiling.

“ as I . But, escort Underdown to the

dining-room . Mademoiselle, allow me--”

He stopped, as he remarked the extreme of the young girl.

Then, recalling the incident, he said:

! of , you Lupin on the steamer, before his arrest,

and you are at the . Is that it? ”

She reply . before her, smiling . He . She

took his arm . He escorted her to her , and took his

her . During the , the

to Arsène Lupin, the goods, the , and Sherlock

Holmes . It was at the close of the repast, the conversation

had to subjects, that took any part in it .

he was, by , amusing and , and . And all

his remarks seemed to be to the . But she,

absorbed, did not appear to hear them.

was on the overlooking the court of honor and

the garden in front of the principal . The regimental

played on the lawn, and scores of soldiers and peasants wandered through

the park.

Nelly had , for one moment, s :

“ To-morrow, at three o clock, will be returned .

At three clock! And the hands of the in the right of

the castle twenty minutes to three . In spite of , her

eyes wandered to the clock every . She watched Velmont, who

was to and in a .

Ten to three! .... Five minutes to three! .... Nelly was

and . Was it that Lupin carry out his

promise at the hour, the castle, the , and the

park were filled with people, and at the very moment when the officers

of the law their investigations? And Arsène Lupin

had her his solemn promise . “ It will be as he said,

thought she, so was she impressed with the authority, energy and

assurance of that man . To her, it the form

of a , but, on the contrary, a that

in the course of . She blushed, and turned her head.

Three o ’ ! The great :

one .... two .... three .... Horace Velmont took out his watch, glanced at the

clock, the watch to his pocket . A seconds in

silence; and the crowd in the courtyard parted to give passage

to two , that had the park-gate, each by two

. They were army-wagons, as are used for the

of provisions, tents, and necessary military stores . They

in front of the entrance, and a commissary-sergeant leaped from

one of the and for . . A , that

from the house, the steps, and, under

the canvas covers of the , beheld his furniture, pictures and

ornaments carefully packaged and arranged.

questioned, the sergeant an order that he had received

from the officer of the day . By that order, the company of the

were to proceed to the of Halleux

in the of Arques, up the and articles

deposited , and to Monsieur Devanne, owner of

the Thibermesnil castle, at three . : Col. .

At the crossroads, ” explained the sergeant, “ we ready,

lying on the grass, by some passers-by . It seemed ,

but the order was imperative . ”

One of the officers the . He it a forgery;

but a clever . The wagons , and the goods restored

to their proper places in the castle.

During this commotion, Nelly remained at the of

the terrace, by confused and thoughts . , she

observed approaching her . She would have avoided him, but the

that surrounded the terrace cut off her retreat . She was

cornered . She could move . A of sunshine, passing through the

scant foliage of a , up her beautiful golden hair . Some

one spoke to her in a low voice:

“ Have I not kept my promise? ”

stood to her . No one was near . He repeated, in a

calm, soft voice:

“ Have I not kept my promise? ”

He a word of thanks, or at some slight that

betray her interest in the of his promise . But she

remained silent.

Her annoyed ; and he realized the vast

distance that separated him from Miss Nelly, that she had learned

the truth . He would himself in her , or at

pleaded , but he perceived the absurdity

and futility of an attempt . , by a

of memories, he murmured:

“ Ah! how long that was! You remember the long hours on the deck of

the ‘ Provence. ’ , you carried a in your , a rose like

the one you carry . I asked you for it . You pretended you

not me . After you , I found the rose--forgotten, no

doubt--and I kept it . ”

She made no . She to away . He continued:

“ In memory of those hours, what you have learned since.

Separate the from the . Do regard me as the man you saw

, but look at me, if for a , as you did in those

far-off days I was d ’ Andrezy, for a . you,

please? ”

She her and at him as he had . , without

a word, she pointed to a he was on his forefinger.

the ring was ; but the , which was toward the

palm of his hand, consisted of a . Arsène .

The belonged to Georges . He smiled , and said:

You are . Nothing be changed . Arsène Lupin is now and always

will be Lupin . To you, he cannot be even so as a memory.

Pardon me I should have known that any I offer you

is simply an insult . Forgive me . ”

He aside, hat in . passed before him . He was inclined

to detain her and beseech her . But his failed, and

he contented himself by following her with his , as he had done

she the to the pier at New York . She mounted the

to the , and disappeared within the . He her no

more.

A the sun . Arsène Lupin stood the imprints of

her feet in the . , he a . Upon the box which

the , beside which Nelly had been standing, he saw

the , the which he but dared ask

for . , no doubt--it, also! But --designedly or through

? He seized it . Some of its petals to the

. He them up, one by one, like .

Come! he said to himself, “ I have nothing to do . I must

think of my safety, before Holmes arrives . ”

* * * * *

The park was deserted, but some gendarmes stationed at the

park-gate . He a grove of pine trees, leaped over the wall,

and, as a to the railroad station, a path across the

fields . After walking about minutes, he at a spot where the

road grew narrower and between two steep banks . In this , he

met a man traveling in the direction . It was a man about fifty

years of age, , smooth-shaven, and clothes of a foreign cut.

He carried a heavy cane, and a satchel was strapped across his

shoulder . they met, the stranger , with a

accent:

“ me, , is this the way to the ? ”

, monsieur, ahead, and to the when you to

the wall . They are expecting you . ”

“ Ah! ”

“ Yes, my friend Devanne us last night that you coming, and I

am to be the to welcome you . no

ardent admirer than .... myself . ”

There was a of in his voice that he , for

Sherlock scrutinized him from to foot with such a keen,

that Arsène Lupin experienced the sensation of being

seized, imprisoned and registered by that and

precisely than he had ever been by a .

“ My negative is , ” he thought, “ and it will be useless to use

a with that man . He look through it . But, I wonder,

has he recognized me? ”

They to each as if about to part . But, at that , they

a sound of horses ’ feet, by a clinking of steel . It

was the gendarmes . The two obliged to draw against the

, amongst the , to the horses . The gendarmes

passed by, but, as they followed each other at a ,

they were minutes in doing . And was thinking:

It all on that : has he me? If , he

take advantage of the . It is a trying . ”

the horseman had , stepped and

brushed the dust from his . , for a moment, he and Arsène

Lupin gazed at each ; and, if a person could have seen them at that

, it would been an interesting , and as the

first meeting of two men, so strange, powerfully ,

both of , and by fate, through their

attributes, to themselves one at the like two equal forces

that nature , one against the , in the realms of space.

the Englishman : “ Thank you, monsieur . ”

You are , ” Arsène .

They parted . toward the station, and Sherlock Holmes

continued on his way to the castle.

The local up the investigation after several

of , and the people at the castle were the

arrival of the English detective with a lively curiosity . At

sight, they a little disappointed on of his commonplace

appearance, which differed from the they

of him in their own minds . He did in any way resemble the

hero, the mysterious and personage that the name of Sherlock

Holmes had evoked in their . , Mon . Devanne exclaimed

with much gusto:

“ Ah! monsieur, you are ! I am to you . It is a

. Really, I scarcely what ,

since it affords me the to meet you . But, did you come? ”

“ By the train . ”

“ But I sent my automobile to you at the station . ”

An reception, eh? with music and fireworks! Oh! no, for

me . That is the way I , the Englishman.

This disconcerted Devanne, who , with a forced :

“ , the has been simplified since I to

you . ”

“ In what way? ”

“ The robbery took place last night . ”

“ If you had my intended visit, it is probable the

would not have been committed last night . ”

“ When, then? ”

“ To-morrow, or some other day . ”

“ And in that case? ”

trapped, ” said the detective.

“ And my furniture? ”

“ Would not have been carried away . ”

! but my goods are here . They at three o ’ clock . ”

“ By Lupin . ”

“ By two army-wagons . ”

Holmes put on his cap and his . Devanne

exclaimed, anxiously:

“ But, , what are you going to ? ”

“ I am going home . ”

“ Why? ”

“ Your goods have returned; Arsène Lupin is away--there is

nothing for me to do . ”

Yes, there is . I need your assistance . What happened , may

, as we do know how he entered, or how he

, or , a hours , he returned the . ”

“ ! you don --”

The idea of a problem to be quickened the interest of Sherlock

Holmes.

Very well, us a search--at once--and , if .

understood, and the Englishman to the . In a dry,

voice, in sentences that seemed to have been prepared in ,

Holmes a number of about the events of the

, and enquired concerning the guests and the members of the

household . he the two of the “ Chronique, ” compared

the of the , a of the

sentences by Gélis, and :

Was the time you spoken those two sentences to any

one? ”

“ Yes . ”

You communicated to Velmont? ”

“ No . ”

“ Well, order the . I in an hour . ”

“ In an hour? ”

; within that time, the problem that you

before him . ”

“ I .... placed before him--”

Yes, Lupin or -- thing . ”

“ I . Ah! the scoundrel! ”

Now, let us see, ” Holmes, night at ten ’ clock, you

furnished with the that he , and that he had

been for . During the night, he found time to

the problem, his , and rob the . I be as

expeditious . ”

He from end to end of the room, in , then ,

crossed his long legs and closed his eyes.

waited, embarrassed . Thought he: “ Is the man ? Or is

he ? However, he left the room to give some , and

he returned he the on his knees the

at the foot of the in the gallery.

“ What is it? ” he enquired.

Look .... there .... spots from a . ”

You are right--and fresh . ”

“ And you them at the top of the stairs, and around

the cabinet that Arsène Lupin broke into, and from which he took the

bibelots that he in this armchair . ”

“ What do you conclude from that? ”

“ Nothing . These facts would doubtless the for the

restitution, but that is a that I wait to investigate.

The main question is the . First, tell me, is a

some two or three hundred metres from the castle? ”

Yes, a chapel, the tomb of Duke Rollo . ”

Tell your to for us near that chapel . ”

My chauffer hasn ’ t . If he had, they would have informed me . Do

you think the passage to the chapel? What reason have--”

“ I would you, monsieur, interrupted the detective, to furnish me

with a ladder and a lantern . ”

What! you require a ladder and a ?

, or I shouldn t have asked for them . ”

Devanne, disconcerted by this crude logic, rang the . The

two articles were given with the and of

commands.

the ladder against the bookcase, to the left of the

Thibermesnil . ”

Devanne placed the as , and the Englishman continued:

to the left .... to the .... There! Now, up .... All the

letters are in relief, t they? ”

“ Yes . ”

First, the letter I one way or the . ”

“ one? There are two of them . ”

“ The first one . ”

Devanne took of the letter, and :

Ah! yes, it toward the . Who told you that? ”

Sherlock Holmes did reply to the question, but continued his

directions:

“ Now, the letter B . Move it back and forth as you would a bolt . ”

did , and, to his surprise, it produced a

sound.

Quite right, ” said Holmes . “ , we will go to the end of the

, try the I, and see if it will like a

wicket . ”

With a degree of solemnity, Devanne the . It

opened, but Devanne fell from the , for the section of the

bookcase, lying between the first and letters of the words, turned

on a pivot and disclosed the subterranean passage.

Sherlock Holmes said, coolly:

“ You are not hurt? ”

“ No, no, ” , as he rose to his , “ not hurt,

bewildered . I can .... those .... the secret

passage opens .... ”

“ . ’ that with the formula given by Sully?

Turn one on the that , the eye lead to God . ”

But Louis the sixteenth? ” .

the sixteenth was a . I have read a book he wrote

about combination . It was a on the of the of

Thibermesnil to His Majesty a bit of mechanism . As an aid

to his , the king wrote: , that is to , the third, fourth

and eleventh letters of the word . ”

“ Exactly . I that . It explains how Lupin got out of the room,

but it does not explain he . And it is he came from

the outside . ”

his , and into the passage.

! All the mechanism is , like the of a ,

and the of the letters can be . Lupin worked the

from this --that is all . ”

“ What proof is there of that? ”

“ Proof? , look at that puddle of oil . Lupin that the

would require oiling . ”

“ he about the entrance? ”

“ As as I know it, ” said Holmes . “ Follow me . ”

“ Into that dark passage? ”

“ Are you afraid? ”

“ No, but are you you the way out? ”

“ With my eyes closed . ”

At , they descended twelve , twelve , and, farther

on, two of steps each . they through a

passageway, the walls of which the marks of successive

restorations, and, in spots, were dripping with water . The earth, ,

was very damp.

“ We are passing under the pond, ” said Devanne, somewhat .

At , they to a of steps, followed by three

others of steps each, which they with difficulty, and

themselves in a cut in the . They could

no further.

“ The ! muttered Holmes, “ but bare . This is

provoking . ”

Let us go , said Devanne . “ I to satisfy me . ”

But the his eye and uttered a sigh of . There,

he saw the same and the as . He merely to

the three . He , and a block of granite swung out of

. On the other side, this granite block the tombstone of

Duke Rollo, and the word “ Thibermesnil ” was engraved on it in relief.

, they in the ruined , and the said:

“ The to God; that means, to the chapel . ”

“ It is ! ” Devanne, amazed at the clairvoyance and

vivacity of the Englishman . Can it possible that those words

were sufficient for you? ”

! ” declared Holmes, “ they weren t . In the in

the of the National Library, the at the , as

you know, in a circle, and at the right, as you know, in a cross.

Now, that cross must to the chapel in which we now stand .

Poor believe his ears . It was all so new, so novel to

him . He exclaimed:

“ It is incredible, miraculous, and of a childish ! How is

it that no has solved the ?

“ Because no one united the , that is to

, the two books and the two . No one, but Arsène Lupin and

myself . ”

But, Father and I all about those things, and, --”

Holmes smiled, and said:

Monsieur , everybody can solve riddles . ”

“ I have been trying for to accomplish what you in

minutes . ”

! I am to it . ”

They emerged from the chapel, and an .

Ah! there ’ s an waiting for us .

“ Yes, it is , said .

Yours? You said your chauffeur hadn t . ”

They the , and . Devanne questioned the chauffer:

“ , who gave you orders to come here? ”

“ Why, it was Monsieur Velmont . ”

. ? Did you him? ”

Near the station, and he told me to come to the . ”

To to the chapel! What for? ”

“ To for you, , and your friend . ”

Devanne and Holmes exchanged looks, and . Devanne :

He the would a one for you . It is a delicate

compliment . ”

A smile of lighted up the detective ’ features for

a moment . The compliment him . He his head, as he said:

“ A clever ! I knew that I saw him .

“ Have you seen him? ”

“ I him a time --on my way from the station . ”

“ And you knew it was Horace Velmont--I mean, Arsène ?

That is . I wonder it --

“ No, but I supposed it was--from a certain ironical he .

“ And you allowed him to escape? ”

“ Of course I . And I had on my side, as five

gendarmes who passed us . ”

Sacrableu! cried Devanne . You should have advantage of the

opportunity . ”

, monsieur, ” said the Englishman, haughtily, “ I encounter

an like , I advantage of chance

opportunities, I create them . ”

But time pressed, and since Lupin kind as to send the

, they resolved to by it . They themselves in

the limousine; Edouard his place at the wheel, and

they went toward the railway station . , Devanne ’ eyes upon

a package in one of the pockets of the carriage.

! what is that? A package! is it? , it is for you . ”

“ For me? ”

Yes, it is addressed: Sherlock Holmes, from Lupin . ”

The the package, opened it, and found that it contained

a watch.

“ Ah! ” he , with an gesture.

“ watch, ” said Devanne . “ did it ? ”

The detective did not reply.

Oh! it is your watch! returns your watch! But, in to

it, he must have it . Ah! I see! He your ! That

is a one! Holmes watch stolen by ! Mon Dieu!

that is ! .... you must excuse me .... I ’ t it . ”

He roared with , to himself . After which, he

said, in a tone of earnest conviction:

“ A clever man, indeed! ”

The Englishman a . On the way to Dieppe, he

spoke a word, but fixed his gaze on the flying landscape . His silence

was , unfathomable, violent than the wildest . At the

railway station, he , but in a voice that impressed one with

the vast and will power of that . He :

“ Yes, he is a clever , but some I shall have the of

placing on his the hand I offer to you, Monsieur .

And I believe that and Sherlock will

some . Yes, the is --we meet--we meet--and

then--”

* * * * *

-- The startling and thrilling adventures of will

in the book entitled Arsène Lupin versus Herlock ” --