Novel Lupin (괴도루팡) - Maurice Leblanc › Arsene Lupin vs Herlock Sholmes › CHAPTER I : NUMBER 514, SERIES 23 --- 7/10
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2024.4.17 07:22:16-3
CHAPTER I : NUMBER 514, SERIES 23 --- 7/10
For a moment, in fact, the advocate lost all his composure. He rose abruptly from his seat:
"We shan't see him.... How can we expect to?... It would be madness on his part! He trusts us, no doubt: we are honest men, incapable of betraying him. But the danger lies elsewhere."
And M. Gerbois, shattered, with his hands on the notes, stammered:
"If he would only come, oh, if he would only come! I would give all this to have Suzanne back."
The door opened.
"Half will do, M. Gerbois."
Some one was standing on the threshold?a young man, fashionably dressed?and M. Gerbois at once recognized the person who had accosted him outside the curiosity-shop. He leapt toward him:
"And Suzanne? Where is my daughter?"
Arsene Lupin closed the door carefully and, quietly unbuttoning his gloves, said to the lawyer:
"My dear maitre, I can never thank you sufficiently for your kindness in consenting to defend my rights. I shall not forget it."
Maitre Detinan could only murmur:
"But you never rang.... I did not hear the door...."
"Bells and doors are things that have to do their work without ever being heard. I am here all the same; and that is the great thing."
"My daughter! Suzanne! What have you done with her?" repeated the professor.
"Heavens, sir," said Lupin, "what a hurry you're in! Come, calm yourself; your daughter will be in your arms in a moment."
He walked up and down the room and then, in the tone of a magnate distributing praises:
"I congratulate you, M. Gerbois, on the skilful way in which you acted just now. If the motor hadn't had that ridiculous accident we should simply have met at the Etoile and saved Maitre Detinan the annoyance of this visit.... However, it was destined otherwise!"
He caught sight of the two bundles of bank-notes and cried:
"Ah, that's right! The million is there!... Let us waste no time.... Will you allow me?"
"But," said Maitre Detinan, placing himself in front of the table, "Mlle. Gerbois is not here yet."
"Well?"
"Well, isn't her presence indispensable?"
"I see, I see! Arsene Lupin inspires only a partial confidence. He pockets his half-million, without restoring the hostage. Ah, my dear maitre, I am sadly misunderstood! Because fate has obliged me to perform acts of a rather ... special character, doubts are cast upon my good faith ... mine! I, a man all scruples and delicacy!... However, my dear maitre, if you're afraid, open your window and call out. There are quite a dozen detectives in the street."
"Do you think so?"
Arsene Lupin raised the blind:
"I doubt if M. Gerbois is capable of throwing Ganimard off the scent.... What did I tell you? There he is, the dear old chap!"
"Impossible!" cried the professor. "I swear to you, though...."
"That you have not betrayed me?... I don't doubt it, but the fellows are clever. Look, there's Folenfant!... And Greaume!... And Dieuzy!... All my best pals, what?"
Maitre Detinan looked at him in surprise. What calmness! He was laughing with a happy laugh, as though he were amusing himself at some child's game, with no danger threatening him.
This carelessness did even more than the sight of the detectives to reassure the lawyer. He moved away from the table on which the bank-notes lay.
For a moment, in fact, the advocate lost all his composure. He rose abruptly from his seat:
"We shan't see him.... How can we expect to?... It would be madness on his part! He trusts us, no doubt: we are honest men, incapable of betraying him. But the danger lies elsewhere."
And M. Gerbois, shattered, with his hands on the notes, stammered:
"If he would only come, oh, if he would only come! I would give all this to have Suzanne back."
The door opened.
"Half will do, M. Gerbois."
Some one was standing on the threshold?a young man, fashionably dressed?and M. Gerbois at once recognized the person who had accosted him outside the curiosity-shop. He leapt toward him:
"And Suzanne? Where is my daughter?"
Arsene Lupin closed the door carefully and, quietly unbuttoning his gloves, said to the lawyer:
"My dear maitre, I can never thank you sufficiently for your kindness in consenting to defend my rights. I shall not forget it."
Maitre Detinan could only murmur:
"But you never rang.... I did not hear the door...."
"Bells and doors are things that have to do their work without ever being heard. I am here all the same; and that is the great thing."
"My daughter! Suzanne! What have you done with her?" repeated the professor.
"Heavens, sir," said Lupin, "what a hurry you're in! Come, calm yourself; your daughter will be in your arms in a moment."
He walked up and down the room and then, in the tone of a magnate distributing praises:
"I congratulate you, M. Gerbois, on the skilful way in which you acted just now. If the motor hadn't had that ridiculous accident we should simply have met at the Etoile and saved Maitre Detinan the annoyance of this visit.... However, it was destined otherwise!"
He caught sight of the two bundles of bank-notes and cried:
"Ah, that's right! The million is there!... Let us waste no time.... Will you allow me?"
"But," said Maitre Detinan, placing himself in front of the table, "Mlle. Gerbois is not here yet."
"Well?"
"Well, isn't her presence indispensable?"
"I see, I see! Arsene Lupin inspires only a partial confidence. He pockets his half-million, without restoring the hostage. Ah, my dear maitre, I am sadly misunderstood! Because fate has obliged me to perform acts of a rather ... special character, doubts are cast upon my good faith ... mine! I, a man all scruples and delicacy!... However, my dear maitre, if you're afraid, open your window and call out. There are quite a dozen detectives in the street."
"Do you think so?"
Arsene Lupin raised the blind:
"I doubt if M. Gerbois is capable of throwing Ganimard off the scent.... What did I tell you? There he is, the dear old chap!"
"Impossible!" cried the professor. "I swear to you, though...."
"That you have not betrayed me?... I don't doubt it, but the fellows are clever. Look, there's Folenfant!... And Greaume!... And Dieuzy!... All my best pals, what?"
Maitre Detinan looked at him in surprise. What calmness! He was laughing with a happy laugh, as though he were amusing himself at some child's game, with no danger threatening him.
This carelessness did even more than the sight of the detectives to reassure the lawyer. He moved away from the table on which the bank-notes lay.
,