VIII. The Black Pearl - Page 9 of 9

On the following day, this article was published in the `Echo de France,' and was copied by the leading newspapers throughout the world:

"Yesterday, the famous black pearl came into the possession of Arsene Lupin, who recovered it from the murderer of the Countess d'Andillot. In a short time, fac-similes of that precious jewel will be exhibited in London, St. Petersburg, Calcutta, Buenos Ayres and New York.

"Arsene Lupin will be pleased to consider all propositions submitted to him through his agents."

* * * * *

"And that is how crime is always punished and virtue rewarded," said Arsene Lupin, after he had told me the foregoing history of the black pearl.

"And that is how you, under the assumed name of Grimaudan, ex-inspector of detectives, were chosen by fate to deprive the criminal of the benefit of his crime."

"Exactly. And I confess that the affair gives me infinite satisfaction and pride. The forty minutes that I passed in the apartment of the Countess d'Andillot, after learning of her death, were the most thrilling and absorbing moments of my life. In those forty minutes, involved as I was in a most dangerous plight, I calmly studied the scene of the murder and reached the conclusion that the crime must have been committed by one of the house servants. I also decided that, in order to get the pearl, that servant must be arrested, and so I left the wainscoat button; it was necessary, also, for me to hold some convincing evidence of his guilt, so I carried away the knife which I found upon the floor, and the key which I found in the lock. I closed and locked the door, and erased the finger-marks from the plaster in the wardrobe- closet. In my opinion, that was one of those flashes--"

"Of genius," I said, interrupting.

"Of genius, if you wish. But, I flatter myself, it would not have occurred to the average mortal. To frame, instantly, the two elements of the problem--an arrest and an acquittal; to make use of the formidable machinery of the law to crush and humble my victim, and reduce him to a condition in which, when free, he would be certain to fall into the trap I was laying for him!"

"Poor devil--"

"Poor devil, do you say? Victor Danegre, the assassin! He might have descended to the lowest depths of vice and crime, if he had retained the black pearl. Now, he lives! Think of that: Victor Danegre is alive!"

"And you have the black pearl."

He took it out of one of the secret pockets of his wallet, examined it, gazed at it tenderly, and caressed it with loving fingers, and sighed, as he said:

"What cold Russian prince, what vain and foolish rajah may some day possess this priceless treasure! Or, perhaps, some American millionaire is destined to become the owner of this morsel of exquisite beauty that once adorned the fair bosom of Leontine Zalti, the Countess d'Andillot."

이 게시물을...


추천 비추천
한국 Korea Tour in Subkorea.com Road, Islands, Mountains, Tour Place, Beach, Festival, University, Golf Course, Stadium, History Place, Natural Monument, Paintings, Pottery, K-jokes, 중국 China Tour in Subkorea.com History, Idioms, UNESCO Heritage, Tour Place, Baduk, Golf Course, Stadium, University, J-Cartoons, 일본 Japan Tour in Subkorea.com Tour Place, Baduk, Golf Course, Stadium, University, History, Idioms, UNESCO Heritage, E-jokes, 인도 India Tour in Subkorea.com History, UNESCO Heritage, Tour Place, Golf Course, Stadium, University, Paintings,
http://subkorea.com/xe/142252
(*.185.6.74)