The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar
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Maurice Leblanc >> The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar
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"In an hour?"
"Yes; within that time, Arsene Lupin solved the problem that you
placed before him."
"I....placed before him--"
"Yes, Arsene Lupin or Horace Velmont--same thing."
"I thought so. Ah! the scoundrel!"
"Now, let us see," said Holmes, "last night at ten o'clock, you
furnished Lupin with the information that he lacked, and that he
had been seeking for many weeks. During the night, he found time
to solve the problem, collect his men, and rob the castle. I shall
be quite as expeditious."
He walked from end to end of the room, in deep thought, then sat
down, crossed his long legs and closed his eyes.
Devanne waited, quite embarrassed. Thought he: "Is the man asleep?
Or is he only meditating?" However, he left the room to give some
orders, and when he returned he found the detective on his knees
scrutinizing the carpet at the foot of the stairs in the gallery.
"What is it?" he enquired.
"Look....there....spots from a candle."
"You are right--and quite fresh."
"And you will also find them at the top of the stairs, and around
the cabinet that Arsene Lupin broke into, and from which he took
the bibelots that he afterward placed in this armchair."
"What do you conclude from that?"
"Nothing. These facts would doubtless explain the cause for the
restitution, but that is a side issue that I cannot wait to
investigate. The main question is the secret passage. First, tell
me, is there a chapel some two or three hundred metres from the
castle?"
"Yes, a ruined chapel, containing the tomb of Duke Rollo."
"Tell your chauffer to wait for us near that chapel."
"My chauffer hasn't returned. If he had, they would have informed
me. Do you think the secret passage runs to the chapel? What
reason have--"
"I would ask you, monsieur," interrupted the detective, "to furnish
me with a ladder and a lantern."
"What! do you require a ladder and a lantern?"
"Certainly, or I shouldn't have asked for them."
Devanne, somewhat disconcerted by this crude logic, rang the bell.
The two articles were given with the sternness and precision of
military commands.
"Place the ladder against the bookcase, to the left of the word
Thibermesnil."
Devanne placed the ladder as directed, and the Englishman
continued:
"More to the left....to the right....There!....Now, climb up....
All the letters are in relief, aren't they?"
"Yes."
"First, turn the letter I one way or the other."
"Which one? There are two of them."
"The first one."
Devanne took hold of the letter, and exclaimed:
"Ah! yes, it turns toward the right. Who told you that?"
Sherlock Holmes did not reply to the question, but continued his
directions:
"Now, take the letter B. Move it back and forth as you would a
bolt."
Devanne did so, and, to his great surprise, it produced a clicking
sound.
"Quite right," said Holmes. "Now, we will go to the other end of
the word Thibermesnil, try the letter I, and see if it will open
like a wicket."
With a certain degree of solemnity, Devanne seized the letter. It
opened, but Devanne fell from the ladder, for the entire section of
the bookcase, lying between the first and last letters of the
words, turned on a picot and disclosed the subterranean passage.
Sherlock Holmes said, coolly:
"You are not hurt?"
"No, no," said Devanne, as he rose to his feet, "not hurt, only
bewildered. I can't understand now....those letters turn....the
secret passage opens...."
"Certainly. Doesn't that agree exactly with the formula given by
Sully? Turn one eye on the bee that shakes, the other eye will
lead to God."
"But Louis the sixteenth?" asked Devanne.
"Louis the sixteenth was a clever locksmith. I have read a book he
wrote about combination locks. It was a good idea on the part of
the owner of Thibermesnil to show His Majesty a clever bit of
mechanism. As an aid to his memory, the king wrote: 3-4-11, that
is to say, the third, fourth and eleventh letters of the word."
"Exactly. I understand that. It explains how Lupin got out of the
room, but it does not explain how he entered. And it is certain he
came from the outside."
Sherlock Holmes lighted his lantern, and stepped into the passage.
"Look! All the mechanism is exposed here, like the works of a
clock, and the reverse side of the letters can be reached. Lupin
worked the combination from this side--that is all."
"What proof is there of that?"
"Proof? Why, look at that puddle of oil. Lupin foresaw that the
wheels would require oiling."
"Did he know about the other entrance?"
"As well as I know it," said Holmes. "Follow me."
"Into that dark passage?"
"Are you afraid?"
"No, but are you sure you can find the way out?"
"With my eyes closed."
At first, they descended twelve steps, then twelve more, and,
farther on, two other flights of twelve steps each. Then they
walked through a long passageway, the brick walls of which showed
the marks of successive restorations, and, in spots, were dripping
with water. The earth, also, was very damp.
"We are passing under the pond," said Devanne, somewhat nervously.
At last, they came to a stairway of twelve steps, followed by three
others of twelve steps each, which they mounted with difficulty,
and then found themselves in a small cavity cut in the rock. They
could go no further.
"The deuce!" muttered Holmes, "nothing but bare walls. This is
provoking."
"Let us go back," said Devanne. "I have seen enough to satisfy
me."
But the Englishman raised his eye and uttered a sigh of relief.
There, he saw the same mechanism and the same word as before. He
had merely to work the three letters. He did so, and a block of
granite swung out of place. On the other side, this granite block
formed the tombstone of Duke Rollo, and the word "Thibermesnil" was
engraved on it in relief. Now, they were in the little ruined
chapel, and the detective said:
"The other eye leads to God; that means, to the chapel."
"It is marvelous!" exclaimed Devanne, amazed at the clairvoyance
and vivacity of the Englishman. "Can it be possible that those few
words were sufficient for you?"
"Bah!" declared Holmes, "they weren't even necessary. In the chart
in the book of the National Library, the drawing terminates at the
left, as you know, in a circle, and at the right, as you do not
know, in a cross. Now, that cross must refer to the chapel in
which we now stand."
Poor Devanne could not believe his ears. It was all so new, so
novel to him. He exclaimed:
"It is incredible, miraculous, and yet of a childish simplicity!
How is it that no one has ever solved the mystery?"
"Because no one has ever united the essential elements, that is to
say, the two books and the two sentences. No one, but Arsene Lupin
and myself."
"But, Father Gelis and I knew all about those things, and,
likewise--"
Holmes smiled, and said:
"Monsieur Devanne, everybody cannot solve riddles."
"I have been trying for ten years to accomplish what you did in ten
minutes."
"Bah! I am used to it."
They emerged from the chapel, and found an automobile.
"Ah! there's an auto waiting for us."
"Yes, it is mine," said Devanne.
"Yours? You said your chauffeur hadn't returned."
They approached the machine, and Mon. Devanne questioned the
chauffer:
"Edouard, who gave you orders to come here?"
"Why, it was Monsieur Velmont."
"Mon. Velmont? Did you meet him?"
"Near the railway station, and he told me to come to the chapel."
"To come to the chapel! What for?"
"To wait for you, monsieur, and your friend."
Devanne and Holmes exchanged looks, and Mon. Devanne said:
"He knew the mystery would be a simple one for you. It is a
delicate compliment."
A smile of satisfaction lighted up the detective's serious features
for a moment. The compliment pleased him. He shook his head, as
he said:
"A clever man! I knew that when I saw him."
"Have you seen him?"
"I met him a short time ago--on my way from the station."
"And you knew it was Horace Velmont--I mean, Arsene Lupin?"
"That is right. I wonder how it came--"
"No, but I supposed it was--from a certain ironical speech he made."
"And you allowed him to escape?"
"Of course I did. And yet I had everything on my side, such as
five gendarmes who passed us."
"Sacrableu!" cried Devanne. "You should have taken advantage of
the opportunity."
"Really, monsieur," said the Englishman, haughtily, "when I
encounter an adversary like Arsene Lupin, I do not take advantage
of chance opportunities, I create them."
But time pressed, and since Lupin had been so kind as to send the
automobile, they resolved to profit by it. They seated themselves
in the comfortable limousine; Edouard took his place at the wheel,
and away they went toward the railway station. Suddenly, Devanne's
eyes fell upon a small package in one of the pockets of the
carriage.
"Ah! what is that? A package! Whose is it? Why, it is for you."
"For me?"
"Yes, it is addressed: Sherlock Holmes, from Arsene Lupin."
The Englishman took the package, opened it, and found that it
contained a watch.
"Ah!" he exclaimed, with an angry gesture.
"A watch," said Devanne. "How did it come there?"
The detective did not reply.
"Oh! it is your watch! Arsene Lupin returns your watch! But, in
order to return it, he must have taken it. Ah! I see! He took
your watch! That is a good one! Sherlock Holmes' watch stolen by
Arsene Lupin! Mon Dieu! that is funny! Really....you must excuse
me....I can't help it."
He roared with laughter, unable to control himself. After which,
he said, in a tone of earnest conviction:
"A clever man, indeed!"
The Englishman never moved a muscle. On the way to Dieppe, he
never spoke a word, but fixed his gaze on the flying landscape.
His silence was terrible, unfathomable, more violent than the
wildest rage. At the railway station, he spoke calmly, but in a
voice that impressed one with the vast energy and will power of
that famous man. He said:
"Yes, he is a clever man, but some day I shall have the pleasure of
placing on his shoulder the hand I now offer to you, Monsieur
Devanne. And I believe that Arsene Lupin and Sherlock Holmes will
meet again some day. Yes, the world is too small--we will meet--we
must meet--and then--"
--The further startling and thrilling adventures of Arsene Lupin
will be found in the book entitled "Arsene Lupin versus Herlock
Sholmes."--
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