Название: The Arsene Lupin MEGAPACK ®
Автор: Морис Леблан
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Зарубежные детективы
isbn: 9781479405138
isbn:
“Good God!” he cried; “I am lost if this cursed mechanism—”
He pushed with all his strength. Nothing moved—nothing! By some incredible accident, by some evil stroke of fortune, the mechanism, which had worked only a few moments ago, would not work now.
He was furious. The block of marble remained immovable. He uttered frightful imprecations on the senseless stone. Was his escape to be prevented by that stupid obstacle? He struck the marble wildly, madly; he hammered it, he cursed it.
“Ah! what’s the matter, Monsieur Lupin? You seem to be displeased about something.”
Lupin turned around. Sherlock Holmes stood before him!
* * * *
Sherlock Holmes!… Lupin gazed at him with squinting eyes as if his sight were defective and misleading. Sherlock Holmes in Paris! Sherlock Holmes, whom he had shipped to England only the day before as a dangerous person, now stood before him free and victorious!… Ah! such a thing was nothing less than a miracle; it was contrary to all natural laws; it was the culmination of all that is illogical and abnormal.… Sherlock Holmes here—before his face!
And when the Englishman spoke his words were tinged with that keen sarcasm and mocking politeness with which his adversary had so often lashed him. He said:
“Monsieur Lupin, in, the first place I have the honor to inform you that at this time and place I blot from my memory forever all thoughts of the miserable night that you forced me to endure in the house of Baron d’Hautrec, of the injury done to my friend Wilson, of my abduction in the automobile, and of the voyage I took yesterday under your orders, bound to a very uncomfortable couch. But the joy of this moment effaces all those bitter memories. I forgive everything. I forget everything—I wipe out the debt. I am paid—and royally paid.”
Lupin made no reply. So the Englishman continued:
“Don’t you think so yourself?”
He appeared to insist as if demanding an acquiescence, as a sort of receipt in regard to the part.
After a moment’s reflection, during which the Englishman felt that he was scrutinized to the very depth of his soul, Lupin declared:
“I presume, monsieur, that your conduct is based upon serious motives?”
“Very serious.”
“The fact that you have escaped from my captain and his crew is only a secondary incident of our struggle. But the fact that you are here before me alone—understand, alone—face to face with Arsène Lupin, leads me to think that your revenge is as complete as possible.”
“As complete as possible.”
“This house?”
“Surrounded.”
“The two adjoining houses?”
“Surrounded.”
“The apartment above this?”
“The three apartments on the fifth floor that were formerly occupied by Monsieur Dubreuil are surrounded.”
“So that—”
“So that you are captured, Monsieur Lupin—absolutely captured.”
The feelings that Holmes had experienced during his trip in the automobile were now suffered by Lupin, the same concentrated fury, the same revolt, and also, let us admit, the same loyalty of submission to force of circumstances. Equally brave in victory or defeat.
“Our accounts are squared, monsieur,” said Lupin, frankly.
The Englishman was pleased with that confession. After a short silence Lupin, now quite self-possessed, said smiling:
“And I am not sorry! It becomes monotonous to win all the time. Yesterday I had only to stretch out my hand to finish you forever. Today I belong to you. The game is yours.” Lupin laughed heartily and then continued: “At last the gallery will be entertained! Lupin in prison! How will he get out? In prison!… What an adventure!… Ah! Holmes, life is just one damn thing after another!”
He pressed his closed hands to his temples as if to suppress the tumultuous joy that surged within him, and his actions indicated that he was moved by an uncontrollable mirth. At last, when he had recovered his self-possession, he approached the detective and said:
“And now what are you waiting for?”
“What am I waiting for?”
“Yes; Ganimard is here with his men—why don’t they come in?”
“I asked him not to.”
“And he consented?”
“I accepted his services on condition that he would be guided by me. Besides, he thinks that Felix Davey is only an accomplice of Arsène Lupin.”
“Then I will repeat my question in another form. Why did you come in alone?”
“Because I wished to speak to you alone.”
“Ah! ah! you have something to say to me.”
That idea seemed to please Lupin immensely. There are certain circumstances in which words are preferable to deeds.
“Monsieur Holmes, I am sorry I cannot offer you an easy chair. How would you like that broken box? Or perhaps you would prefer the window ledge? I am sure a glass of beer would be welcome…light or dark?… But sit down, please.”
“Thank you; we can talk as well standing up.”
“Very well—proceed.”
“I will be brief. The object of my sojourn in France was not to accomplish your arrest. If I have been led to pursue you, it was because I saw no other way to achieve my real object.”
“Which was?”
“To recover the blue diamond.”
“The blue diamond!”
“Certainly; since the one found in Herr Bleichen’s tooth-powder was only an imitation.”
“Quite right; the genuine diamond was taken by the blonde Lady. I made an exact duplicate of it and then, as I had designs on other jewels belonging to the Countess and as the Consul Herr Bleichen was already under suspicion, the aforesaid blonde Lady, in order to avert suspicion, slipped the false stone into the aforesaid Consul’s luggage.”
“While you kept the genuine diamond?”
“Of course.”
“That diamond—I want it.”
“I am very sorry, but it is impossible.”
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