The Blonde Lady / Being a Record of the Duel of Wits between Arsène Lupin and the English Detective

ond Empire, was sleeping comfortably in an easy-chair in the house which his brother had left him six months before, at 134, Avenu

her convent that evening, to spend the night with th

, Mlle. Antoinett

well,

eping out to-night and that you are al

baron: I shall sleep in the next room

, the man-servant, came in for his orders.

e if it rings in your bedroom properly, and, if you hear it du

ill anxious

el at all well. Come, Mlle. Antoi

ng to bed, mons

to bed till very late; bes

man dozed off again and Anto

the bolt of the door that led to the garden and, in the front hall, he not only locked the double door, but put up

d: the bell was ringing. It went on for quite a long time, seve

recovering his wits. "Some fresh

irs, stopped before the door and, from habi

earth have they put the light out for?" An

rep

le?... What's the matter?

t a chair and, on touching it, he perceived that it was overturned. And thereupon his hand came upon other objects on the floor: a smal

ble and the looking-glass wardrobe, lay t

ammered. "Is

, a great crystal candlestick smashed into a thousand pieces, the clock lying on the marble hearth-stone, all signs of a fierce and hideous struggle. The h

stretched itself in one last effort and then shrunk u

ound in the neck and spotting the carpet with dark st

," he stammered, "t

ime: was not the companion sleeping in the next room?

e concluded that either Antoinette had been ca

saw a handful of louis d'or on the table, beside the bunch of keys and the pocketbook which the baron placed there every evening. Charles took up t

ven take part in the movement of his hand, he took the thirteen notes, hid them in his jacket, rushed do

influence of the fresh air, with his face cooled by the rain, he stopped. The deed of wh

d. He haile

n and bring back the commissary...

to go in again, he could not: he had closed the gate hi

s which, at the La Muette end, line the avenue with a pleasant border of trim green shrubs. And it was not until he had waited f

cceeded in forcing the gate of the garden and the front door. The commiss

at the room was in t

s usual place! The little table was standing between the two windows, the chairs were on their legs a

stupor, he

. Monsieur l

commissary, "wher

'Hautrec, late French Ambassador in Berlin. His body was covered with his general's cloak,

vant st

must ha

ch w

steel dagger there, on the floor.... And then, on the table, a blood-stained handkerchief.

t w

murde

all the do

e remained i

re still, as you nev

lected and

and I did not go far from t

the last person you

inette, the

s become

taken advantage of S?ur Auguste's absence to go out also. It woul

uld she hav

gh the

bolt and faste

y that time, she must

committed, you thin

cour

? When? Was it he or an accomplice who had thought proper to return to the scene of the crime and do away w

. Next came the turn of the public prosecutor and the examining magistrate. In addition, the house was

discovered nothing. At most, S?ur Auguste was surprised at the disappearance of Antoinette Bréhat. She had engaged the girl twelve days before, on the st

in that case, she would have been in before now. We there

arles, "she has been car

nd fitted in with certain details. Th

pon my word, it

lutely opposed to the facts, to the results of th

ised to recognize Ganimard. He alone, besides, would be fo

nimard?" cried M. Dudou

n here for

ides number 514, series 23, the Rue Clapeyro

as nothing to do with the case we're engaged on.... But let us dismiss the story of

us that illumine a Dupin, a Lecoq or a Holmlock Shears. But he possesses first-rate average qualities: perspicacity, sagacity, perseverance and even a certain amount of intuition. His greatest merit

did not lack brilliancy and his assistance was of

n one point: were all the objects which, on the first occasion, he saw up

act

y have been put back by a person to whom the

ed the bystanders.

ou were woke by a ring.... Who was i

le baron,

hat moment do you ta

gle ... at the m

ing, lifeless, at a spot more than fo

ng during t

interruption, and went on for seven or eight seconds. Do you thin

, at the moment whe

elapsed, at most. If, therefore, the baron had rung before, it would be necessary for the struggle, the murder, the

agistrate, "some one rang. If i

murde

what o

e must have known that the bell communicated with a servant's bedroom. Now

animard placed the question in its true light; and, as the old inspector allowed his thoughts

words, you suspect

pect her; I

er of being t

killing General

e! And wha

in the victim's right hand, dug into

illiant fairness, gleaming like so many

"Besides ... there's something more.... I believe the knife ... the one I didn't se

ugh the crime increased in horror through having been

till have to explain what way she can have taken to go out after committing the crime, to return after Charles's de

N

en.

rassment. At last, he spoke,

omenon which one might call the faculty of disappearance. Antoinette Bréhat appears and disappears in this house as my

h mea

d by S?ur Auguste twelve days ago, that is to say, on the day after that on which the blonde lady slipped through my fingers. In the second pl

ing to you, Anto

er than the

sequently, plot

hink

. It was the chief of the detectiv

Lupin is in everything

e he is," said G

douis, "and, in this case, his reasons seem to me obscure. The writing-desk has not b

rd, "but what about

diam

he Duc d'Alais to Léonide Latouche and, on her death, was bought by Baron d'Hautrec in memory of the brilliant actres

"that, if the blue diamond is not found, the t

replied Charles. "The blue diam

, going up to the corpse, "and, as you can see

the palm," sa

e bezel was turned inward and, contained w

imard, absolutely nonplus

p suspecting that unfortunate Arsène

reflected and retorted

gets beyond me that I s

ted neither consistency nor certainty. The movements of Antoinette Bréhat remained as absolutely inexplicable as those of the blonde lady, nor was any light thrown upon the

e murder above the level of a sordid crime to that of a mighty, if

n the house itself, on the scene of the crime, prior to the sale at the Salle Drouot. The furniture was modern and in indifferent taste, the knicknacks had no artistic valu

aptures over it ... and cast terrified glances round the victim's room, at the spot where the corpse had lain, at the floor stripped of its blood-stained carpet and especially at the walls, those solid walls through which the criminal had pa

on the thirtieth of January. The auction-roo

ociety, two members of the Government, an Italian tenor, a king in exile who, in order to re?stablish his credit, with great self-possession and in a resounding voice, permitted himself the luxury of running up the price t

only two bidders remained: Herschmann, the financial magnate, known as the Gold-mine King; and a wealthy Americ

ighty," said the auctioneer, with a questioning glance at either competitor in turn. "Two h

thousand," mutt

he back of the chair before her. In reality, she knew and everybody present knew that there was no doubt about the finish of the duel: it was logic

red and fiv

e Gold-mine King, in expectation of the inevitable advance.

es fixed on a sheet of paper which he held in his right han

" repeated the auctioneer. "Going

ne s

: going ..

move. A last paus

ann, starting up, as though the tap of t

The diamon

ded round him. What had happene

ve a

rd, I don't know. My thoug

n't mea

ne brought m

that en

ff? Yes, for

ched the sale of the ring. He

d M. Herschm

es

ave it

lad

e is

there she is ... the lady

goin

es

taircase. He ran after her. A stream of people stopped him at

im about the letter. Herschmann gave it to him. It contained the following si

ings ill-luck. Remem

c and the incidents at the H?tel Drouot, it attained the height of its celebrity six months later. In t

y stirring, dramatic and exciting episodes, upon

nificent chateau overlooking the Bay of Somme. There was a request for some music. The countess sat down to the pian

lles, and Madame de Réal, an intimate friend of the Comtesse de Crozon,

arkness and groping; then the consul lit a candle and they all three went to their rooms. But, the instant the countess reached hers, she remembered her jewels and told her maid to go and fetch them

the same conclusion: the maid being above suspi

nged discreetly for the house to be constantly watched, so as to prevent the Austrian consul

mal accusation was laid against him. The commissary made an official visit and ordered the luggage to be examined. In a small

inted. Her husba

nable, he said, to explain the presence of the ring, unless it was t

tion with her and warmly urged her to sue for a divorce. The count must have heard of this and re

n and the consul's: both were equally probable. No new fact came to weigh down either scale. A m

to justify their accusation, M. and Madame de Crozon wrote to Paris for a dete

chauffeur, the gardeners, the people of the nearest post-offices, and examined the rooms occupied by the Bleichen co

er, they receiv

-morrow, Friday afternoon at Th

nim

9, Rue Boissy-d'Anglas. The old inspector was waiting for them on the pavement and

found two persons, whom G

ember, Arsène Lupin robbed of half a million.... M. Léonce d'Hau

later, a fifth arrived. It was th

be in a rather bad te

y gave me your telephone message

entures in which I have assisted will come to an issue h

sence of Dieuzy and Folenfant, whom

, ch

ted? What a melodramatic display! Well

s and then, with the evident intent

hat Herr Bleichen had nothing to

"that's a mere statemen

e coun

the only thing that has

Two of them went on to visit the famous battlefield, while the third hurried to the post-office and sent off a

rozon o

ing out of the

r gave the name of Rousseau and that the addressee, a M. Beloux, residing in Paris, changed his l

elle cousins, by any ch

either of tho

was Mme.

es

, in amazeme

e my friend M

d Ganimard. "Was Mme. de Réal prese

ent part of the room.

ise you to b

s collected

ct.... I think she was the

is quite certain that it was Mme. de Réal who first

y friend is

suspicion from her. You have only known her since last winter. Now I can undertake to prove to you that all that she has told you about herself, her past,

M. Dudouis,

t?" echoe

de Réal took the ring, why was it found in Herr Bleichen's tooth-powder? Come, Ganimard! A pe

ut Mme. de Réa

she ex

ion and certain clues which I gathered, this Mme. de Réal was indeed the person whom I was looking for, but she had gone from the hotel, leaving her address in Paris, 3, Rue du Colisée. On Wednesday, I called at that address and learnt that there was no Madame de Réal, but just a woman called Réal, who lived on the second floor, followed the occupat

you expe

lf-pas

e you s

de Crozon? I have indisputable proofs.

ounded. Ganimar

se. You too, M. d'Hautrec ... and you also, M. Gerbois.... The door will remain ope

else comes in?"

prietor, who is a friend of mine, will not let a livi

lady? What d

blonde lady, against whom I have positive proofs, but against whom I want, over and above

out of th

cape now: Folenfant and Dieuzy are guarding the doo

on the threshold, a tall, thin woman, with

What a victory over Arsène Lupin! And what a revenge! And, at the same time, that victory seemed to him to have been won with such ease that he wo

ed at the silence, and looked around

l disappear!" thought

between her and the door. Sh

he said.

n't understand your

, madame, and every reason, on th

t .

e, you are

she sank into a c

do you

d got the blonde lady. Ma

the one who would like to buy some jewels ... especia

I don't know...

d diamond.... 'Something like the blue diamond,' I said, laughing, an

in her hand fell to the ground. She picked it up quick

rust us, Madame de Réal. I will set you a good

aper from his pocket

in the dead man's hand. I have seen Mlle. de Gerbois: she has most positively recognized the colour of

pression, as though she really did not gr

Mlle. Gerbois, this very morning, to recognize the perfume of the blonde lady who accompanied her on her fortnight's excursion. Now, one of these bot

t?... The blonde lady ...

eplying, spread four she

schmann during the sale of the blue diamond, another of Mme. de Réal, at the time of her stay at Crozon, and the fourth ... your own, madame ... your name a

r, you are mad! What

tburst, "that the blonde lady, the friend and accom

ed at M. Gerbois, shoved him along by the shou

erson who took away your daughter a

N

ich every one felt the shoc

ssible?... Come,

he blonde lady ... and pale, like her ...

that is inconceivable.... M. d'Hautre

e Bréhat at my uncle's

de Réal, either," decl

less, with hanging head and shifting eyes. Of all his contrivances,

douis

of identities, which I will ask you to forget. But what I cannot well understa

hundred thousand francs' worth of jewels in my bag ..

ontinual ab

ccupation de

ply to make. He turn

oughness, Ganimard, and your behaviour toward madame just no

ce was about to take his leave, when a really disconcerting

e to be M. Ganimard?... D

es

ee: 'M. Justin Ganimard, care of Mme. Réal.' I thought it was a joke, as I did not know yo

ng it. He dared not do so, however, before his superior and he tore open the envelope. T

nd her features pale. And the good Lupin said to himself, 'If ever the naughty Ganimard is on the track of the Blonde Lady, how useful it will be for me to shunt him on to the track of the honest tradeswoman!' A wise precaution, which has borne fruit. A little note sent to the naughty Ganimard's newspaper, a bottle of scent forgotten on purpose at the H?tel Beaurivage by the r

my dear friend, and kind regar

ne Lu

gs that I have not told to a soul! How could he know that I would ask you to come, chief?

his hair, a prey to t

s took pi

e yourself. We must try

ive went away, accom

M. and Mme. de Crozon, M. d'Hautrec and M. Gerbois sustained an animated conve

y dear sir, is that we are

londe lady is the undoubted heroine of these adventures an

till. The blonde lady commits murder to steal the blue diamond and does not

can

t some one e

do you

d, but the countes

be capable of fighting Lupin and reducing him to cry for mercy. M. Ganimard,

taken

y ... I don't exac

to know where I am. M. Gerbois and M. d'Hautrec have the same wish and

nimard is not clever enough to fight against Arsène Lupin. The question is, will Holmlock Shears be mor

ikely that he

tween Holmlock Shears and Arsène Lupin can only

e, can he r

will assist him to the

know his

9, Parke

ithdrew the charge against Herr Bleichen and a c