The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar

lmont, what a close resembla

o you

o of which are alike, but each of them leaves th

t displayed s

d, believe me, you are not the

cousin d'Estevan, and if you were not the celebrated artist whose beautiful marine views

on, besides Velmont, the following guests: Father Gélis, the parish priest, and a dozen officers whose regiments were quartered in

n has been furnished to all the police along this coas

our friend Velmont at the casino, and, since then, he has honored me with several visits-an agreeable p

accumulated through many centuries. It contained ancient chests, credences, andirons and chandeliers. The stone walls were overhung with magnificent tapestries. The deep embrasures of the four windows were furnished with benches, and the Gothic windows were composed of small panes of colored glass set in a leaden frame. B

o time to lose; in fact, to-night

e was about to reply, when his mother mentioned to him to keep silent, but the e

"I can tell it now.

to speak with the satisfied air of a man

s mystery does not exist; Sherlock Holmes, the most remarkable solver of enigmas the world has ever known, t

tions. "Is Sherlock Holmes really coming?" "Is it so serio

s the robbery of the Baron Cahorn, he is credited w

warning, as he di

e, "he can't work th

t th

l show

ace between the two enormous folios on on

l fortress. There were three engraved plates in the book; one of which was a general view of the whole estate; another, the plan of the buildings; and the third-I call your attention to it, particularly-the th

d. But it doesn't seem to be a sufficient

d in certain details relating to the subterranean passage; for instance, each of them contained drawings and annotations, not printed, but written in ink and more or less effaced. I knew those facts, and I knew that the exact location of

ed many exclamat

affair looks ser

d the matter, and, as usual,

en Arsène Lupin is

of Sherlock Holmes, who replied that he was ready

national thief, as they call him, has no evil designs on

interest him, such as the discov

e passage was outside the ramparts

e, with a small circle marked with the letters `T.G.,' which no doubt stand for `Tour Guillaume.

ctine. His guests pressed him with questions and he was pleased to

of the castle transmitted the secret from father to son on their deathbeds, until Geof

o. Surely, someone has loo

onnected with the castle only by a bridge; consequently, the passage must be underneath the old moat. The plan that was in the book in the National Library showed a series of stair

hing to show

thi

our attention to the two quota

ives of the castle. Everything relating to Thibermesnil interests him greatly. But the quotations that he mentions on

f France! Wh

t woman in Normandy, was brought into the castle through the subterranean passage by Duke Edgard, who, at the same time, informed the king of the secret passage. Afterward, the king confided the secret to his minister Sully, who

lence, Velmont l

t throw a dazzling li

the mystery in this strange sentence in order to keep the s

genious theory

; I cannot see that it throws an

it of a lady that Louis the Sixteen

one night in 1784, and that the famous Iron Casket found in the Louvre contain

laughed heartil

e magic key, where is the man who

ut I am confident the solution is contained in those two sente

Devanne, "unless Arsène Lupin gets ahead

his hand on Devanne's

book of the National Library was deficient in a very import

t is

I have it, I can go to wo

losing a minute," sa

"To-night, before the arrival of Sherl

Oh! by the way, I can dri

Diep

d'Androl and a young lady of their acquaint

g the officers

ect to see all of you a

in front of the Casino, and proceeded to the railway station. At twelve o'clock his friends alighted from the train. A half hour later the automobile was at the entran

en the moon again retired behind its ethereal draperies, and darkness and silence reigned supreme. No sound could be heard, save t

ight. It shot forth from the central fluting of a column that supported the pediment of the bookcase. It rested for a moment on the panel opposite like a glittering circle of burnished silver, then flashed in all

by a second man, who carried a coil of rope and various tools

the ot

or artistic value, he directed his men to take it or leave it. If ordered to be taken, it was carried to the gaping mouth of the tunnel, and ruthlessly thrust into the bowels of the earth. Such was the fate of six armchairs, six sma

vy.... too large

lished in such an orderly manner and with as little noise as if

st man who departed

hat as soon as the auto-van is loaded, you

ou, pa

the moto

of communication between the tower and the castle. In the center of this gallery there was a glass cabinet which had attracted Lupin's attentions. It contained a valuable collection of watches, snuff-boxes, rings, cha

ng over his left arm a number of pearl reticules when he heard a slight sound. He listened. No, he was not deceived. The noise continued. Then he remembered that, at one end of the galle

illuminated the gallery. He could feel-for, concealed by a curtain, he could not see-that a woman was cautiously descending the upper steps of the stairs. He hoped she would come n

shed against the window-curtain, and Lupin felt that she suspected the presence of another, behind her, in the shadow, within reach of her hand. He thought: "She is afraid. She will g

Arsène was astounded. H

u-madem

ho had been a witness to his arrest, and who, rather than betray him, had dropped into the water the Kodak in which he had concealed the bank-notes

t, that they could not move, nor utter a word; they were amazed, hypnotized, each at the sudden apparition

ckets and a linen sack overflowing with plunder. He was overcome with confusion, and he actually blushed to find himself in the position of a thief caug

into an armchair, emptied his pockets and unpacked his sack. He felt very uncomfortable in Nelly's presence, and stepped toward her with the intention of speaking to her, but she shuddered,

verything will be returned. The

reply, so

othing in the world could induce me to break

sed him a feeling of genuine regret. Quietly, without a word, he turned away, thinking: "I hope

otsteps....I h

t. She seemed to be overwhelmed b

ar anything

st go-you m

hould

h! do not remain her

listened. No, there was no one there. Perhaps the noise w

Lupin had d

, and there was no other plausible explanation. And yet the idea seemed preposterous. It was ridiculous to suppose that Velmont was anyone else than Velmont, the famous artist

Dieppe, the villagers, all circulated to and fro in the halls, examining every nook and corner that was open to their inspecti

en disturbed. Consequently, the removal of the goods must have been effected by means of the secret p

n: the famous Chronique of the sixteenth century had been restored to its accustomed place in the library an

s, his great wealth enabled him to bear his loss philosophically. His guests, Monsieur and Madame d'Androl and Miss Nelly, were introduced; and it was then noticed that one of the

ere yo

t punctual?"

u are.... after such a busy nigh

t ne

robbed t

xclaimed Velm

t escort Miss Underdown to the din

eme agitation of the young girl. Th

e steamer, before his arrest, and you are

ed exclusively to Arsène Lupin, the stolen goods, the secret passage, and Sherlock Holmes. It was only at the close of the repast, when the conversation had drifted to other subjects, that Velmont t

ower garden in front of the principal fa?ade. The regimental band played o

t, Lupin's solemn promise: "To-morrow, at t

d twenty minutes to three. In spite of herself, her eyes wandered to the clock every minute.

ople, and at the very moment when the officers of the law were pursuing their investigations? And yet....Arsène Lupin had given her his solemn promise. "It will be exactly as he said," thought she, so deeply was she impressed with th

two wagons, that had just entered the park-gate, each drawn by two horses. They were army-wagons, such as are used for the transportation of provisions, tents, and other necessary military stores. They stopped in front of the main entrance, and a commissary-serg

fourth battalion were commanded to proceed to the crossroads of Halleux in the forest of Arques, gather up the furniture and other articl

rything ready, lying on the grass, guarded by some passers

forgery; but a clever imitation. The wagons were unloaded,

Velmont approaching her. She would have avoided him, but the balustrade that surrounded the terrace cut off her retreat. She was cornered. She could n

ot kept m

r. No one else was near. He re

ot kept m

ht movement that would betray her interest in the f

e had learned the truth. He would gladly have justified himself in her eyes, or at least pleaded extenuating circumstances, b

ried a rose in your hand, a white rose like the one you carry to-day. I asked you for it. You preten

She seemed to be fa

present. Do not regard me as the man you saw last night, but look at me, if only for a moment, a

earing on his forefinger. Only the ring was visible; but the setting, which was turned toward the palm of his hand, co

sène Lupin. To you, he cannot be even so much as a memory. Pardon me....I should

s courage failed, and he contented himself by following her with his eyes, as he had done when she descended the gangway

e bamboo, beside which Nelly had been standing, he saw the rose, the white rose which he had desired but dared not ask for. Forgotten, no doubt-it, also! B

ing more to do here. I must think of my

After walking about ten minutes, he arrived at a spot where the road grew narrower and ran between two steep banks. In this ravine, he met a man traveling in the opposite direction. It was a man about fifty year

eur, is this the

d turn to the left when you come t

A

oming, and I am delighted to be the first to welcome you.

m head to foot with such a keen, penetrating eye that Arsène Lupin experienced the sensation of being seiz

useless to use a disguise with that man. He would look

. It was the gendarmes. The two men were obliged to draw back against the embankment, amongst the brushes, to avoid the horses. The genda

ized me? If so, he will probably take advantage

have seen them at that moment, it would have been an interesting sight, and memorable as the first meeting of two remarkable men, so strange, so powerfully equipped, both of superior qua

man said: "Thank

railway station, and Sherlock Holme

ty. At first sight, they were a little disappointed on account of his commonplace appearance, which differed so greatly from the pictures they had formed of him in their own minds. He did not i

-deferred pleasure. Really, I scarcely regret what has happened, sin

he tr

omobile to meet yo

ireworks! Oh! no, not for me. That is not th

ed Devanne, who replie

s has been greatly simpli

what

took place

visit, it is probable the robbery woul

n, t

, or some

n that

been trapped," s

y furn

have been c

ere. They were brought

Lu

army-w

ap and adjusted his satchel.

, what are you

going

hy

d; Arsène Lupin is far away-t

may happen again to-morrow, as we do not know how he entered, or

u don't

be solved quickened the i

ke a search-at once-a

number of questions about the events of the preceding evening, and enquired also concerning the guests and the members of the household. Then he examined the tw

time you have spoken hose

es

mmunicated then t

N

utomobile. I must

an h

ne Lupin solved the problem

laced be

in or Horace Vel

so. Ah! the

ation that he lacked, and that he had been seeking for many weeks. During the night, he found t

, in deep thought, then sat down, cro

ting?" However, he left the room to give some orders, and when he returned he found the

it?" he

re.... spots

ight-and q

und the cabinet that Arsène Lupin broke into, and from which h

u conclude

s a side issue that I cannot wait to investigate. The main question is the secret passa

el, containing the

er to wait for us

would have informed me. Do you think the secre

rrupted the detective, "to furnis

equire a ladder

shouldn't have

c, rang the bell. The two articles were given wit

the bookcase, to the left

der as directed, and t

..There!....Now, climb up.... All th

es

letter I one wa

There are

first

ld of the lette

toward the right.

eply to the question, but

. Move it back and fort

his great surprise, it p

the other end of the word Thibermesnil, try the

fell from the ladder, for the entire section of the bookcase, lying between the first

Holmes sa

re not

t hurt, only bewildered. I can't understand now....

formula given by Sully? Turn one eye on the be

e sixteenth?"

good idea on the part of the owner of Thibermesnil to show His Majesty a clever bit of mechanism. As an aid

ot out of the room, but it does not explain how he e

d his lantern, and ste

a clock, and the reverse side of the letters can be reache

f is there

e of oil. Lupin foresaw that th

about the oth

ow it," said Hol

at dark

you a

sure you can fi

y eyes

e steps each. Then they walked through a long passageway, the brick walls of which showed the marks

the pond," said Devann

s of twelve steps each, which they mounted with difficulty, and then foun

lmes, "nothing but bare

Devanne. "I have seen

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

ds to God; that me

airvoyance and vivacity of the Englishman. "Can it be

l Library, the drawing terminates at the left, as you know, in a circle, and at the right, as

his ears. It was all so new,

of a childish simplicity! How is it t

ements, that is to say, the two books and the tw

I knew all about those

miled, a

, everybody canno

en years to accomplish wh

am use

the chapel, and fo

an auto wai

s mine," s

your chauffeur

hine, and Mon. Devanne

gave you order

as Monsieu

nt? Did you

tion, and he told me

the chapel

u, monsieur, an

exchanged looks, an

be a simple one for you. It

ve's serious features for a moment. The compli

I knew that w

you se

time ago-on my wa

s Horace Velmont-I

ht. I wonder

was-from a certain ir

llowed him

everything on my side, such as

"You should have taken adv

en I encounter an adversary like Arsène Lupin, I do not

ey seated themselves in the comfortable limousine; Edouard took his place at the wheel, and away they went towa

package! Whose is it?

r m

ed: Sherlock Holmes

ckage, opened it, and foun

imed, with an

Devanne. "How di

tive did

ave taken it. Ah! I see! He took your watch! That is a good one! Sherlock Holmes' watch stole

control himself. After which, he sa

er man,

g landscape. His silence was terrible, unfathomable, more violent than the wildest rage. At the railway station,

an, but some day I sha

the hand I now offer t

ène Lupin and Sherlock

ld is too small-we wil

en

and thrilling adventure

tled "Arsène Lupin ver