The Crystal Stopper [86]
of all, so that I may do what I have undertaken to do, I want more precise information, fuller details. Where was the paper?"
"In the crystal stopper, as we thought," said Mme. Mergy.
"And where was the crystal stopper?"
"In an object which Daubrecq came and fetched, a few days ago, from the writing-desk in his study in the Square Lamartine, an object which I took from him yesterday."
"What sort of object?"
"Simply a packet of tobacco, Maryland tobacco, which used to lie about on the desk."
Prasville was petrified. He muttered, guilelessly:
"Oh, if I had only known! I've had my hand on that packet of Maryland a dozen times! How stupid of me!"
"What does it matter?" said Clarisse. "The great thing is that the discovery is made."
Prasville pulled a face which implied that the discovery would have been much pleasanter if he himself had made it. Then he asked:
"So you have the list?"
"Yes." "Yes."
"Show it to me."
And, when Clarisse hesitated, he added:
"Oh, please, don't be afraid! The list belongs to you, and I will give it back to you. But you must understand that I cannot take the step in question without making certain."
Clarisse consulted M. Nicole with a glance which did not escape Prasville. Then she said:
"Here it is."
He seized the scrap of paper with a certain excitement, examined it and almost immediately said:
"Yes, yes... the secretary's writing: I recognize it.... And the signature of the chairman of the company: the signature in red.... Besides, I have other proofs.... For instance, the torn piece which completes the left-hand top corner of this sheet..."
He opened his safe and, from a special cash-box, produced a tiny piece of paper which he put against the top left corner:
"That's right. The torn edges fit exactly. The proof is undeniable. All that remains is to verify the make of this foreign-post-paper."
Clarisse was radiant with delight. No one would have believed that the most terrible torture had racked her for weeks and weeks and that she was still bleeding and quivering from its effects.
While Prasville was holding the paper against a window-pane, she said to Lupin:
"I insist upon having Gilbert informed this evening. He must be so awfully unhappy!"
"Yes," said Lupin. "Besides, you can go to his lawyer and tell him."
She continued:
"And then I must see Gilbert to-morrow. Prasville can think what he likes."
"Of course. But he must first gain his cause at the Elysee."
"There can't be any difficulty, can there?"
"No. You saw that he gave way at once."
Prasville continued his examination with the aid of a magnifying-glass and compared the sheet with the scrap of torn paper. Next, he took from the cash-box some other sheets of letter-paper and examined one of these by holding it up to the light:
"That's done," he said. "My mind is made up. Forgive me, dear friend: it was a very difficult piece of work.... I passed through various stages. When all is said, I had my suspicions... and not without cause... " "What do you mean?" asked Clarisse.
"One second.... I must give an order first."
He called his secretary:
"Please telephone at once to the Elysee, make my apologies and say that I shall not require the audience, for reasons which I will explain later."
He closed the door and returned to his desk. Clarisse and Lupin stood choking, looking at him in stupefaction, failing to understand this sudden change. Was he mad? Was it a trick on his part? A breach of faith? And was he refusing to keep his promise, now that he possessed the list?
He held it out to Clarisse:
"You can have it back."
Have it back?"
"And return it to Daubrecq."
"To Daubrecq?"
"Unless you prefer to burn it."
"What do you say?"
"I say that, if I were in your place, I would burn it."
"Why do you say that? It's ridiculous!"
"On the contrary, it is very sensible."
"But why? Why?"
"Why? I will tell you. The list of the Twenty-seven, as we know for absolutely certain, was
"In the crystal stopper, as we thought," said Mme. Mergy.
"And where was the crystal stopper?"
"In an object which Daubrecq came and fetched, a few days ago, from the writing-desk in his study in the Square Lamartine, an object which I took from him yesterday."
"What sort of object?"
"Simply a packet of tobacco, Maryland tobacco, which used to lie about on the desk."
Prasville was petrified. He muttered, guilelessly:
"Oh, if I had only known! I've had my hand on that packet of Maryland a dozen times! How stupid of me!"
"What does it matter?" said Clarisse. "The great thing is that the discovery is made."
Prasville pulled a face which implied that the discovery would have been much pleasanter if he himself had made it. Then he asked:
"So you have the list?"
"Yes." "Yes."
"Show it to me."
And, when Clarisse hesitated, he added:
"Oh, please, don't be afraid! The list belongs to you, and I will give it back to you. But you must understand that I cannot take the step in question without making certain."
Clarisse consulted M. Nicole with a glance which did not escape Prasville. Then she said:
"Here it is."
He seized the scrap of paper with a certain excitement, examined it and almost immediately said:
"Yes, yes... the secretary's writing: I recognize it.... And the signature of the chairman of the company: the signature in red.... Besides, I have other proofs.... For instance, the torn piece which completes the left-hand top corner of this sheet..."
He opened his safe and, from a special cash-box, produced a tiny piece of paper which he put against the top left corner:
"That's right. The torn edges fit exactly. The proof is undeniable. All that remains is to verify the make of this foreign-post-paper."
Clarisse was radiant with delight. No one would have believed that the most terrible torture had racked her for weeks and weeks and that she was still bleeding and quivering from its effects.
While Prasville was holding the paper against a window-pane, she said to Lupin:
"I insist upon having Gilbert informed this evening. He must be so awfully unhappy!"
"Yes," said Lupin. "Besides, you can go to his lawyer and tell him."
She continued:
"And then I must see Gilbert to-morrow. Prasville can think what he likes."
"Of course. But he must first gain his cause at the Elysee."
"There can't be any difficulty, can there?"
"No. You saw that he gave way at once."
Prasville continued his examination with the aid of a magnifying-glass and compared the sheet with the scrap of torn paper. Next, he took from the cash-box some other sheets of letter-paper and examined one of these by holding it up to the light:
"That's done," he said. "My mind is made up. Forgive me, dear friend: it was a very difficult piece of work.... I passed through various stages. When all is said, I had my suspicions... and not without cause... " "What do you mean?" asked Clarisse.
"One second.... I must give an order first."
He called his secretary:
"Please telephone at once to the Elysee, make my apologies and say that I shall not require the audience, for reasons which I will explain later."
He closed the door and returned to his desk. Clarisse and Lupin stood choking, looking at him in stupefaction, failing to understand this sudden change. Was he mad? Was it a trick on his part? A breach of faith? And was he refusing to keep his promise, now that he possessed the list?
He held it out to Clarisse:
"You can have it back."
Have it back?"
"And return it to Daubrecq."
"To Daubrecq?"
"Unless you prefer to burn it."
"What do you say?"
"I say that, if I were in your place, I would burn it."
"Why do you say that? It's ridiculous!"
"On the contrary, it is very sensible."
"But why? Why?"
"Why? I will tell you. The list of the Twenty-seven, as we know for absolutely certain, was