The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar

e balls at the Austrian Embassy or the soirées of Lady Billingstone, the Cou

necklace that the Cardinal de Rohan-Soubise intended to give to Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France; and the same that the adventuress Jeanne de Val

osen by Bohmer. Later, he sold the mounting to Gaston de Dreux-Soubise, nephew and heir of the Cardinal, who re-purchased the few diamonds that remained in the possession of the English jeweler, Jeff

their household expenses rather than part with this relic of royalty. More particularly, the present count clung to it as a man clings to the home of his ancestors. As a matter of prudence, he had rent

hose honor the fête was given, commented on her grace and beauty. The thousand facets of the diamond sparkled and shone like flames of fire about

rded the necklace with an almost childish vanity, and it was not without regret that she removed it from her shoulders and handed it to her husband who admired it as passionately as if he had never seen it before. Then, having placed it in its case of red leather, stamped with the Cardinal's arms, he passed in

and went to the stables to give his orders. The condition of one of the horses worried him. He caused it to be exercised in his presenc

ou goi

far as

se. That

er a few seconds, and without an

take it,

I have not t

t have m

have not even o

oncerted, and stammered, in a

..It wasn't yo

orough search, throwing the boxes to the floor and overturnin

k any more. I put it

st be m

s on this shel

hen the room was emptied, they confessed, in despair, that the famous necklace had disappeared. Without losing time in vain lamentations

e passed through your ch

es, the chamber door was bolted, and I remember unbol

other entrance

on

wind

it is cl

l look

ower half of the window was covered by a large press which was, ho

oes this w

l inner

ve a floor

floor, there is a close grating over the

e window was fastened, which would not have

ount, "they went out

would have found

the situation for a moment

s know that you wore the

he fact. But nobody knew that

on

.... un

dam, as it is a ve

o her husban

nking of H

didn't know wh

you s

an Henriette?" a

After her husband's death, I furnished an apartment in this house for her

loor is

the corridor.... and I think..

little court,

st oppos

surprised to see the wretched apartment that had been provided for the woman. It consisted of one room without a fireplace, and a very small room that served as a kitchen. The commi

exclaimed, "it c

suspicion? Is it possible that the th

r supposing that she could

om. I never go out. And, p

e kitchen win

ree metres to the ledge

osed the theft might have

lace was in the c

you kn

t was kept there at night. It ha

And it now assumed an expression of anxiety as if some danger threatened her. Sh

again, the count sa

t Henriette. I can answer fo

ight have been an unconscious complicity. But I confess that even that theo

he servants, examined the condition of the bolt, experimented with the opening and closing of the cabinet window, and explored the

r past life, and ascertained that, during the last three years, she had left the house only four times, and her business, on those occasions, was satisf

ad secured no more definite information tha

committed. We are brought face to face with two obstacles: a door and a window-both closed and fastened. It is thus a double my

count and countess, being hard pressed for money, which was their norm

ituted, they found themselves confronted by more exacting creditors and money-lenders. They were obliged to cut down to the quick, to sell or mortgage ever

upon her former schoolmate, Henriette, that the countess vented her spleen. Toward her, the countess displayed the most spite

one incident of record occurred during that period. Some months after the departure of Henriette

me that? It could not have been anyone else. No one but you knows where I live.

rs of the countess consisted principally of injust

one thousand francs each. The envelope, which she enclosed with her reply, bore the Paris post-mark, and was addressed in a hand

years the sum was doubled. There was another difference: the post-office authorities having seized one of the letters under the pretext that it was not registered, the last two letters were duly sent ac

Henriette died, and the m

ilar commotion a century later. But what I am about to relate is known only to the parties directly interested and a few others from whom the count exacted a promise of secrecy. As it is probable that some day or other that promise will be broken, I have no he

ncluding his two nieces and his cousin, and the following gentlemen: the president of Essaville, the deputy Bochas,

t the salon. The conversation was general, and finally one of the guests chanced to speak of celebrated crimes. And that gave the Marquis de

fair; and, of course, their various theories

countess to the chevalier Fl

ve no opini

manner various adventures in which he had participated with his father, a magi

t the cleverest detectives have renounced; yet I do not claim to be Sherlock

llingly, to narrate all the circumstances connected with the theft.

irst sight, the problem appe

e others drew closer to the chevalie

en committed. In the present case, nothing is more simple, because we are face to face, not with several theories, but with one positive fact, that is to say: the thief coul

ed, and we found it fastened

n, "he had simply to construct a bridge, a plank or a ladder, between the

dow was fastened," exclaim

o with the greatest tranquility, as if the objecti

t is there not a transom in t

you kn

s of that date; and, in the second place, withou

d, the same as the window. Consequen

had examined it, you would have

t h

rs, it opens by means of a wir

t I do n

aid of some instrument, let us say a poker with a hook at

laughed

everly constructed, but you overlook one thin

was a

we would ha

oked. The hole is there; it must be there, at the side of th

d up and down the room, two or three times, in a

hat room since; nothi

n easily satisfy yourself th

examining judge. You have seen nothing, and yet you c

to the count's petulance.

theory; that is all. If I am mi

ce....I confess tha

uttered in his absence; and this profound silence gave the situation an air of almost tragic importan

ns of the chevalier were so unexpect

estioned hi

... wha

there, at the very spot,

r's arm, and said to h

are right so far, but now.... that is not

s arm gently, and, aft

the necklace that evening, had prepared his gangway or bridge during your absence. He watched you

it would be impossible for him to reach

ndow by reaching through the transom, he

oo small. No man cou

ot a man," dec

ha

mall to admit a man, it

chi

hat your friend He

son name

lity, it was Raoul wh

f have you

lenty of it...

flected for a mome

se and carried it away again without being observed. He must have used something close at hand. In the little room u

to the best

not, we could be justified in presuming that the child removed them, fastened them together, and thus formed his

feel the nervous anxiety they had experienced the first time. They were confident th

hild. Everyth

the shelves a

been unnailed, and th

ountess e

her. Henriette is the guilty party

alier, "the mother had

oom. The child could not have done

l this happened in the adjoining room, dur

ount. "It would have been foun

om school, and perhaps the commissary of police, instead of wasting his time on the innocent m

francs that Henriette received each year?

, being free, could easily go to a neighboring city, negotiate with some dealer and sell him one diamond or two diamonds, as he

e of Floriani-something more than the chevalier's assurance which, from the beginning, had so annoyed the count. T

interesting, and I congratulate

tmost gravity, "I imagine nothing. I simply de

o you know

s life, or, at least, soothe her dying moments. Her illness overcomes her. She dies. Years roll on. The child becomes a man; and then-and now I will give my imagination a free rein-let us suppose that the man feels a desire to return to

faces of the Count and Countess de Dreux a bewildered effort to comprehend his meaning and, at

you, mo

lermo, and whom you have been gracious enough

does this s

still lives, would have in telling you that he was the guilty party, and that he did it because his mother was unhappy, as she was on

ould be no doubt that the chevalier Floriani was Henriette's son. His attitude and words p

once robbed him? But that was a long time ago! And who would believe that absurd story about the guilty child? No; better fa

what do you think has become of this young man, this model son? I hope

ertain

cklace at six years of age; the celebrated n

n of the window, or to observe that the window-sill was too clean-that window-sill which he had wiped in order to efface the marks he had made in the thick dust. W

ached out

eplied the chev

that adventurer, a thief at six years of age, and who, to-day, in search of excitement or, at most, to gratify a feeling of resentment

ntess to bid her adieu. She rec

me! Did I pursue my role of p

lf, and replied, wit

to know that my necklace had such a brilliant destiny. But do you not think that the son of th

eeling the poin

ral tendency to crime must have been very

y s

nly genuine stones were the few purchased from the English jeweler, the ot

lied the countess, haughtily, "and that is somethi

true or false, the necklace was nothing more that

atening gesture, but

man to whom you allude has t

midated by Floria

slightest sense of

hat manner, and in spite of her anger and indignation, trembling

ounting. He understood that the diamonds were simply the ornament, the accessory, and that the mounting was the essenti

e mounting still exists.

lic that is the property and pride of a certain family, and that, although the stones have been removed, the Q

ier replie

tell him,

d the count and the oth

ble in her chamber a red leather case bearing the cardin

converge toward the same goal-and as a little advertising never does any har

eux-Soubise, has been recovered by Arsène Lupin, who hastened to restore it to it