The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar

M >> Maurice Leblanc >> The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar

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"Well, where are you going, Varin?"

"There is something about this affair I don't like. I am going
home. Good evening."

"One moment!"

"No need of that, Mon. Andermatt. I have nothing to say to you."

"But I have something to say to you, and this is a good time to say
it."

"Let me pass."

"No, you will not pass."

Varin recoiled before the resolute attitude of the banker, as he
muttered:

"Well, then, be quick about it."

One thing astonished me; and I have no doubt my two companions
experienced a similar feeling. Why was Salvator not there? Was he
not a necessary party at this conference? Or was he satisfied to
let these two adversaries fight it out between themselves? At all
events, his absence was a great disappointment, although it did not
detract from the dramatic strength of the situation.

After a moment, Mon. Andermatt approached Varin and, face to face,
eye to eye, said:

"Now, after all these years and when you have nothing more to fear,
you can answer me candidly: What have you done with Louis Lacombe?"

"What a question! AS if I knew anything about him!"

"You do know! You and your brother were his constant companions,
almost lived with him in this very house. You knew all about his
plans and his work. And the last night I ever saw Louis Lacombe,
when I parted with him at my door, I saw two men slinking away in
the shadows of the trees. That, I am ready to swear to."

"Well, what has that to do with me?"

"The two men were you and your brother."

"Prove it."

"The best proof is that, two days later, you yourself showed me the
papers and the plans that belonged to Lacombe and offered to sell
them. How did these papers come into your possession?"

"I have already told you, Mon. Andermatt, that we found them on
Louis Lacombe's table, the morning after his disappearance."

"That is a lie!"

"Prove it."

"The law will prove it."

"Why did you not appeal to the law?"

"Why? Ah! Why---," stammered the banker, with a slight display of
emotion.

"You know very well, Mon. Andermatt, if you had the least certainty
of our guilt, our little threat would not have stopped you."

"What threat? Those letters? Do you suppose I ever gave those
letters a moment's thought?"

"If you did not care for the letters, why did you offer me
thousands of francs for their return? And why did you have my
brother and me tracked like wild beasts?"

"To recover the plans."

"Nonsense! You wanted the letters. You knew that as soon as you
had the letters in your possession, you could denounce us. Oh! no,
I couldn't part with them!"

He laughed heartily, but stopped suddenly, and said:

"But, enough of this! We are merely going over old ground. We
make no headway. We had better let things stand as they are."

"We will not let them stand as they are," said the banker, "and
since you have referred to the letters, let me tell you that you
will not leave this house until you deliver up those letters."

"I shall go when I please."

"You will not."

"Be careful, Mon. Andermatt. I warn you---"

"I say, you shall not go."

"We will see about that," cried Varin, in such a rage that Madame
Andermatt could not suppress a cry of fear. Varin must have heard
it, for he now tried to force his way out. Mon. Andermatt pushed
him back. Then I saw him put his hand into his coat pocket.

"For the last time, let me pass," he cried.

"The letters, first!"

Varin drew a revolver and, pointing it at Mon. Andermatt, said:

"Yes or no?"

The banker stooped quickly. There was the sound of a pistol-shot.
The weapon fell from Varin's hand. I was amazed. The shot was
fired close to me. It was Daspry who had fired it at Varin,
causing him to drop the revolver. In a moment, Daspry was standing
between the two men, facing Varin; he said to him, with a sneer:

"You were lucky, my friend, very lucky. I fired at your hand and
struck only the revolver."

Both of them looked at him, surprised. Then he turned to the
banker, and said:

"I beg your pardon, monsieur, for meddling in your business; but,
really, you play a very poor game. Let me hold the cards."

Turning again to Varin, Daspry said:

"It's between us two, comrade, and play fair, if you please.
Hearts are trumps, and I play the seven."

Then Daspry held up, before Varin's bewildered eyes, the little
iron plate, marked with the seven red spots. It was a terrible
shock to Varin. With livid features, staring eyes, and an air of
intense agony, the man seemed to be hypnotized at the sight 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 come. This morning, you
received an invitation to come here at nine o'clock, and bring with
you all the papers held by you. You are here. Where are the
papers?"

There was in Daspry's voice and manner a tone of authority that I
did not understand; his manner was usually quite mild and
conciliatory. Absolutely conquered, Varin placed his hand on one
of his pockets, and said:

"The papers are here."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

"All that you took from Louis Lacombe and afterwards sold to Major
von Lieben?"

"Yes."

"Are these the copies or the originals?"

"I have the originals."

"How much do you want for them?"

"One hundred thousand francs."

"You are crazy," said Daspry. "Why, the major gave you only twenty
thousand, and that was like money thrown into the sea, as the boat
was a failure at the preliminary trials."

"They didn't understand the plans."

"The plans are not complete."

"Then, why do you ask me for them?"

"Because I want them. I offer you five thousand francs--not a sou
more."

"Ten thousand. Not a sou less."

"Agreed," said Daspry, who now turned to Mon. Andermatt, and said:

"Monsieur will kindly sign a check for the amount."

"But....I haven't got---"

"Your check-book? Here it is."

Astounded, Mon. Andermatt examined the check-book that Daspry
handed to him.

"It is mine," he gasped. "How does that happen?"

"No idle words, monsieur, if you please. You have merely to sign."

The banker took out his fountain pen, filled out the check and
signed it. Varin held out his hand for it.

"Put down your hand," said Daspry, "there is something more."
Then, to the banker, he said: "You asked for some letters, did you
not?"

"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 charge of them."

"They are hidden in this room."

"In that case, you know where they are."

"How should I know?"

"Was it not you who found the hiding-place? You appear to be as
well informed....as Salvator."

"The letters are not in the hiding-place."

"They are."

"Open it."

Varin looked at him, defiantly. Were not Daspry and Salvator the
same person? Everything pointed to that conclusion. If so, Varin
risked nothing in disclosing a hiding-place already known.

"Open it," repeated Daspry.

"I have not got the seven of hearts."

"Yes, here it is," said Daspry, handing him the iron plate. Varin
recoiled in terror, and cried:

"No, no, I will not."

"Never mind," replied Daspry, as he walked toward the bearded king,
climbed on a chair and applied the seven of hearts to the lower
part of the sword in such a manner that the edges of the iron plate
coincided exactly with the two edges of the sword. Then, with the
assistance of an awl which he introduced alternately into each of
the seven holes, he pressed upon seven of the little mosaic stones.
As he pressed upon the seventh one, a clicking sound was heard, and
the entire bust of the King turned upon a pivot, disclosing a large
opening lined with steel. It was really a fire-proof safe.

"You can see, Varin, the safe is empty."

"So I see. Then, my brother has taken out the letters."

Daspry stepped down from the chair, approached Varin, and said:

"Now, no more nonsense with me. There is another hiding-place.
Where is it?"

"There is none."

"Is it money you want? How much?"

"Ten thousand."

"Monsieur Andermatt, are those letters worth then thousand francs
to you?"

"Yes," said the banker, firmly.

Varin closed the safe, took the seven of hearts and placed it again
on the sword at the same spot. He thrust the awl into each of the
seven holes. There was the same clicking sound, but this time,
strange to relate, it was only a portion of the safe that revolved
on the pivot, disclosing quite a small safe that was built within
the door of the larger one. The packet of letters was here, tied
with a tape, and sealed. Varin handed the packet to Daspry. The
latter turned to the banker, and asked:

"Is the check ready, Monsieur Andermatt?"

"Yes."

"And you have also the last document that you received from Louis
Lacombe--the one that completes the plans of the sub-marine?"

"Yes."

The exchange was made. Daspry pocketed the document and the
checks, and offered the packet of letters to Mon. Andermatt.

"This is what you wanted, Monsieur."

The banker hesitated a moment, as if he were afraid to touch those
cursed letters that he had sought so eagerly. Then, with a nervous
movement, he took them. Close to me, I heard a moan. I grasped
Madame Andermatt's hand. It was cold.

"I believe, monsieur," said Daspry to the banker, "that our
business is ended. Oh! no thanks. It was only by a mere chance
that I have been able to do you a good turn. Good-night."

Mon. Andermatt retired. He carried with him the letters written by
his wife to Louis Lacombe.

"Marvelous!" exclaimed Daspry, delighted. "Everything is coming
our way. Now, we have only to close our little affair, comrade.
You have the papers?"

"Here they are--all of them."

Daspry examined them carefully, and then placed them in his pocket.

"Quite right. You have kept your word," he said.

"But---"

"But what?"

"The two checks? The money?" said Varin, eagerly.

"Well, you have a great deal of assurance, my man. How dare you
ask such a thing?"

"I ask only what is due to me."

"Can you ask pay for returning papers that you stole? Well, I
think not!"

Varin was beside himself. He trembled with rage; his eyes were
bloodshot.

"The money....the twenty thousand...." he stammered.

"Impossible! I need it myself."

"The money!"

"Come, be reasonable, and don't get excited. It won't do you any
good."

Daspry seized his arm so forcibly, that Varin uttered a cry of
pain. Daspry continued:

"Now, you can go. The air will do you good. Perhaps you want me
to show you the way. Ah! yes, we will go together to the vacant lot
near here, and I will show you a little mound of earth and stones
and under it---"

"That is false! That is false!"

"Oh! no, it is true. That little iron plate with the seven spots
on it came from there. Louis Lacombe always carried it, and you
buried it with the body--and with some other things that will prove
very interesting to a judge and jury."

Varin covered his face with his hands, and muttered:

"All right, I am beaten. Say no more. But I want to ask you one
question. I should like to know---"

"What is it?"

"Was there a little casket in the large safe?"

"Yes."

"Was it there 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 picked up here and there by the
said brothers."

"And did you take it?"

"Of course I did. Do you blame me?"

"I understand....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 ask that with an idea of seeking revenge."

"Parbleu! The tables may be turned. Today, you are on top.
To-morrow---"

"It will be you."

"I hope so. Your name?"

"Arsene Lupin."

"Arsene Lupin!"

The man staggered, as though stunned by a heavy blow. Those two
words had deprived him of all hope.

Daspry laughed, and said:

"Ah! did you imagine that a Monsieur Durand or Dupont could manage
an affair like this? No, it required the skill and cunning of
Arsene Lupin. And now that you have my name, go and prepare your
revenge. Arsene Lupin will wait for you."

Then he pushed the bewildered Varin through the door.

"Daspry! Daspry!" I cried, pushing aside the curtain. He ran to
me.

"What? What's the matter?"

"Madame Andermatt is ill."

He hastened to her, caused her to inhale some salts, and, while
caring for her, questioned me:

"Well, what did it?"

"The letters of Louis Lacombe that you gave 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 now revived. Daspry took from his pocket a
small package exactly similar to the one that Mon. Andermatt had
carried away.

"Here are your letters, Madame. These are the genuine letters."

"But....the others?"

"The others are the same, rewritten by me and carefully worded.
Your husband will not find anything objectionable in them, and will
never suspect the substitution since they were taken from the safe
in his presence."

"But the handwriting---"

"There is no handwriting that cannot be imitated."

She thanked him in the same words she might have used to a man in
her own social circle, so I concluded that she had not witnessed
the final scene between Varin and Arsene Lupin. But the surprising
revelation caused me considerable embarrassment. Lupin! My club
companion was none other than Arsene Lupin. I could not realize
it. But he said, quite at his ease:

"You can say 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 worthy of him. I may say that
that is his expectation."

"But Arsene Lupin will remain?"

"Oh! Decidedly. Arsene Lupin is simply at the threshold of his
career, and he expects---"

I was impelled by curiosity to interrupt him, and, leading him away
from the hearing of Madame Andermatt, I asked:

"Did you discover the smaller safe yourself--the one that held the
letters?"

"Yes, after a great deal of trouble. I found it yesterday
afternoon while you were asleep. And yet, God knows it was simple
enough! But the simplest things are the ones that usually escape
our notice." Then, showing me the seven-of-hearts, he added: "Of
course I had guessed that, in order to open the larger safe, this
card must be placed on the sword of the mosaic king."

"How did you guess that?"

"Quite easily. Through private information, I knew that fact when
I came here on the evening of 22 June---"

"After you left me---"

"Yes, after turning the subject of our conversation to stories of
crime and robbery which were sure to reduce you to such a nervous
condition that you would not leave your bed, but would allow me to
complete my search uninterrupted."

"The scheme worked perfectly."

"Well, I knew when I came here that there was a casket concealed in
a safe with a secret lock, and that the seven-of-hearts was the key
to that lock. I had merely to place the card upon the spot that
was obviously intended for it. An hour's examination showed me
where the spot was."

"One hour!"

"Observe the fellow in mosaic."

"The old emperor?"

"That old emperor is an exact representation of the king of hearts
on all playing cards."

"That's right. But how does the seven of hearts open the larger
safe at one time and the smaller safe at another time? And why did
you open only the larger safe in the first instance? I mean on the
night of 22 June."

"Why? Because I always placed the seven of hearts in the same way.
I never changed the position. But, yesterday, I observed that by
reversing the card, by turning it upside down, the arrangement of
the seven spots on the mosaic was changed."

"Parbleu!"

"Of course, parbleu! But a person has to think of those things."

"There is something else: you did not know the history of those
letters until Madame Andermatt---"

"Spoke of them before me? No. Because I found in the safe, besides
the casket, nothing but the correspondence of the two brothers
which disclosed their treachery in regard to the plans."

"Then it was by chance that you were led, first, to investigate the
history of the two brothers, and then to search for the plans and
documents relating to the sub-marine?"

"Simply by chance."

"For what purpose did you make the search?"

"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed Daspry, laughing, "how deeply interested you
are!"

"The subject fascinates me."

"Very well, presently, after I have escorted Madame Andermatt to a
carriage, and dispatched a short story to the `Echo de France,' I
will return and tell you all about it."

He sat down and wrote one of those short, clear-cut articles which
served to amuse and mystify the public. Who does not recall the
sensation that followed that article produced throughout the entire
world?

"Arsene Lupin has solved the problem recently submitted by
Salvator. Having acquired possession of all the documents and
original plans of the engineer Louis Lacombe, he has placed them in
the hands of the Minister of Marine, and he has headed a
subscription list for the purpose of presenting to the nation the
first submarine constructed from those plans. His subscription is
twenty thousand francs."

"Twenty thousand francs! The checks of Mon. Andermatt?" I
exclaimed, when he had given me the paper to read.

"Exactly. It was quite right that Varin should redeem his
treachery."

* * * * *

And that is how I made the acquaintance of Arsene Lupin. That is
how I learned that Jean Daspry, a member of my club, was none other
than Arsene Lupin, gentleman-thief. That is how I formed very
agreeable ties of friendship with that famous man, and, thanks to
the confidence with which he honored me, how I became his very
humble and faithful historiographer.

VII. MADAME IMBERT'S SAFE

At three o'clock in the morning, there were still half a dozen
carriages in front of one of those small houses which form only the
side of the boulevard Berthier. The door of that house opened, and
a number of guests, male and female, emerged. The majority of them
entered their carriages and were quickly driven away, leaving
behind only two men who walked down Courcelles, where they parted,
as one of them lived in that street. The other decided to return
on foot as far as the Porte-Maillot. It was a beautiful winter's
night, clear and cold; a night on which a brisk walk is agreeable
and refreshing.

But, at the end of a few minutes, he had the disagreeable
impression that he was being followed. Turning around, he saw a
man sulking amongst the trees. He was not a coward; yet he felt it
advisable to increase his speed. Then his pursuer commenced to
run; and he deemed it prudent to draw his revolver and face him.
But he had no time. The man rushed at him and attacked him
violently. Immediately, they were engaged in a desperate struggle,
wherein he felt that his unknown assailant had the advantage. He
called for help, struggled, and was thrown down on a pile of
gravel, seized by the throat, and gagged with a handkerchief that
his assailant forced into his mouth. His eyes closed, and the man
who was smothering him with his weight arose to defend himself
against an unexpected attack. A blow from a cane and a kick from a
boot; the man uttered two cries of pain, and fled, limping and
cursing. Without deigning to pursue the fugitive, the new arrival
stooped over the prostrate man and inquired:

"Are you hurt, monsieur?"

He was not injured, but he was dazed and unable to stand. His
rescuer procured a carriage, placed him in it, and accompanied him
to his house on the avenue de la Grande-Armee. On his arrival
there, quite recovered, he overwhelmed his saviour with thanks.

"I owe you my life, monsieur, and I shall not forget it. I do not
wish to alarm my wife at this time of night, but, to-morrow, she
will be pleased to thank you personally. Come and breakfast with
us. My name is Ludovic Imbert. May I ask yours?"

"Certainly, monsieur."

And he handed Mon. Imbert a card bearing the name: "Arsene Lupin."

* * * * *

At that time, Arsene Lupin did not enjoy the celebrity which the
Cahorn affair, his escape from the Prison de la Sante, and other
brilliant exploits, afterwards gained for him. He had not even
used the name of Arsene Lupin. The name was specially invented to
designate the rescuer of Mon. Imbert; that is to say, it was in
that affair that Arsene Lupin was baptized. Fully armed and ready
for the fray, it is true, but lacking the resources and authority
which command success, Arsene Lupin was then merely an apprentice
in a profession wherein he soon became a master.

With what a thrill of joy he recalled the invitation he received
that night! At last, he had reached his goal! At last, he had
undertaken a task worthy of his strength and skill! The Imbert
millions! What a magnificent feast for an appetite like his!

He prepared a special toilet for the occasion; a shabby frock-coat,
baggy trousers, a frayed silk hat, well-worn collar and cuffs, all
quite correct in form, but bearing the unmistakable stamp of
poverty. His cravat was a black ribbon pinned with a false
diamond. Thus accoutred, he descended the stairs of the house in
which he lived at Montmartre. At the third floor, without
stopping, he rapped on a closed door with the head of his cane. He
walked to the exterior boulevards. A tram-car was passing. He
boarded it, and some one who had been following him took a seat
beside him. It was the lodger who occupied the room on the third
floor. A moment later, this man said to Lupin:

"Well, governor?"

"Well, it is all fixed."

"How?"

"I am going there to breakfast."

"You breakfast--there!"

"Certainly. Why not? I rescued Mon. Ludovic Imbert from certain
death at your hands. Mon. Imbert is not devoid of gratitude. He
invited me to breakfast."

There was a brief silence. Then the other said:

"But you are not going to throw up the scheme?"

"My dear boy," said Lupin, "When I arranged that little case of
assault and battery, when I took the trouble at three o'clock in the
morning, to rap you with my cane and tap you with my boot at the
risk of injuring my only friend, it was not my intention to forego
the advantages to be gained from a rescue so well arranged and
executed. Oh! no, not at all."

"But the strange rumors we hear about their fortune?"

"Never mind about that. For six months, I have worked on this
affair, investigated it, studied it, questioned the servants, the
money-lenders and men of straw; for six months, I have shadowed the
husband and wife. Consequently, I know what I am talking about.
Whether the fortune came to them from old Brawford, as they
pretend, or from some other source, I do not care. I know that it
is a reality; that it exists. And some day it will be mine."

"Bigre! One hundred millions!"

"Let us say ten, or even five--that is enough! They have a safe
full of bonds, and there will be the devil to pay if I can't get my
hands on them."

The tram-car stopped at the Place de l'Etoile. The man whispered
to Lupin:

"What am I to do now?"

"Nothing, at present. You will hear from me. There is no hurry."

Five minutes later, Arsene Lupin was ascending the magnificent
flight of stairs in the Imbert mansion, and Mon. Imbert introduced
him to his wife. Madame Gervaise Imbert was a short plump woman,
and very talkative. She gave Lupin a cordial welcome.

"I desired that we should be alone to entertain our saviour," she
said.

From the outset, they treated "our saviour" as an old and valued
friend. By the time dessert was served, their friendship was well
cemented, and private confidences were being exchanged. Arsene
related the story of his life, the life of his father as a
magistrate, the sorrows of his childhood, and his present
difficulties. Gervaise, in turn, spoke of her youth, her marriage,
the kindness of the aged Brawford, the hundred millions that she
had inherited, the obstacles that prevented her from obtaining the
enjoyment of her inheritance, the moneys she had been obliged to
borrow at an exorbitant rate of interest, her endless contentions
with Brawford's nephews, and the litigation! the injunctions! in
fact, everything!

"Just think of it, Monsieur Lupin, the bonds are there, in my
husband's office, and if we detach a single coupon, we lose
everything! They are there, in our safe, and we dare not touch
them."

Monsieur Lupin shivered at the bare idea of his proximity to so
much wealth. Yet he felt quite certain that Monsieur Lupin would
never suffer from the same difficulty as his fair hostess who
declared she dare not touch the money.

"Ah! they are there!" he repeated, to himself; "they are there!"

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