The Crystal Stopper [88]
He went away, through the passages, down the stairs, with a jerky step, holding Clarisse under the arm, as he might have held a lay-figure, supporting her, carrying her almost. A court-yard, another court-yard, then the street.
Meanwhile, Prasville, surprised at first, bewildered by the course of events, was gradually recovering his composure and thinking. He thought of that M. Nicole, a mere supernumerary at first, who played beside Clarisse the part of one of those advisers to whom we cling in the serious crises of our lives and who suddenly, shaking off his torpor, appeared in the full light of day, resolute, masterful, mettlesome, brimming over with daring, ready to overthrow all the obstacles that fate placed on his path.
Who was there that was capable of acting thus?
Prasville started. The question had no sooner occurred to his mind than the answer flashed on him, with absolute certainty. All the proofs rose up, each more exact, each more convincing than the last.
Hurriedly he rang. Hurriedly he sent for the chief detective-inspector on duty. And, feverishiy:
"Were you in the waiting-room, chief-inspector?"
"Yes, monsieur le secretaire-generaL"
"Did you see a gentleman and a lady go out?"
"Yes."
"Would you know the man again?"
"Then don't lose a moment, chief-inspector. Take six inspectors with you. Go to the Place de Cichy. Make inquiries about a man called Nicole and watch the house. The Nicole man is on his way back there."
"And if he comes out, monsieur le secretaire-general?"
Arrest him. Here's a warrant."
He sat down to his desk and wrote a name on a form:
"Here you are, chief-inspector. I will let the chief-detective know."
The chief-inspector seemed staggered:
"But you spoke to me of a man called Nicole, monsieur le secretaire-general."
"Well?"
"The warrant is in the name of Arsene Lupin."
"Arsene Lupin and the Nicole man are one and the same individual."
CHAPTER XII
THE SCAFFOLD
I will save him, I will save him," Lupin repeated, without ceasing, in the taxicab in which he and Clarisse drove away. "I swear that I will save him."
Clarisse did not listen, sat as though numbed, as though possessed by some great nightmare of death, which left her ignorant of all that was happening outside her. And Lupin set forth his plans, perhaps more to reassure himself than to convince Clarisse. "No, no, the game is not lost yet. There is one trump left, a huge trump, in the shape of the letters and documents which Vorenglade, the ex-deputy, is offering to sell to Daubrecq and of which Daubrecq spoke to you yesterday at Nice. I shall buy those letters and documents of Stanislas Vorenglade at whatever price he chooses to name. Then we shall go back to the police-office and I shall say to Prasville, 'Go to the Elysse at once ... Use the list as though it were genuine, save Gilbert from death and be content to acknowledge to-morrow, when Gilbert is saved, that the list is forged.
Be off, quickly!... If you refuse well, if you refuse, the Vorenglade letters and documents shall be reproduced to-morrow, Tuesday, morning in one of the leading newspapers. Vorenglade will be arrested. And M. Prasville will find himself in prison before night."
Lupin rubbed his hands:
"He'll do as he's told!... He'll do as he's told!... I felt that at once, when I was with him. The thing appeared to me as a dead certainty. And I found Vorenglade's address in Daubrecq's pocket-books, so... driver, Boulevard Raspail!"
They went to the address given. Lupin sprang from the cab, ran up three flights of stairs.
The servant said that M. Vorenglade was away and would not be back until dinner-time next evening.
"And don't you know where he is?"
"M. Vorenglade is in London, sir."
Lupin did not utter a word on returning to the cab. Clarisse, on her side, did not even ask him any questions, so indifferent had she become to everything, so absolutely did she look upon her son's death as an accompllshed fact.
They drove to the Place de Cichy.