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

I get you,

the voice of a man who takes no interest in his

ked away, with

clai

ay that you are s

than ever,"

e? Convict

sons of

never brea

out to dinner, so as no

asionally, in the morning and arranging a meeting of this kind in some corner or other of Paris. He always arrives in the highest spirits, rejoicing in life

ular animation and with that delicate irony which is all his own, an irony devoid of bitterness, light a

, when life bubbles in me like an infinite treasure which I can ne

ch so,

ave the wish-isn't it so?-to become, from one day to the next, anything: an orator, a great manufacturer, a politician.... Well, I swear to you, the idea would never enter my head! Arsène Lupin I am, Arsène Lupin I remain. And I search history in vain for a destiny to com

? The tone of his voice had gr

owing, roaring, lying in wait, approaching!... And, in the midst of the storm, to remain calm ... not to flinch!... If you do, you are lost.... Ther

you would have me believe that you h

smi

ologist," he replied. "There

bler of water, dran

een the Tem

N

ossed the Channel this afternoo

l he did!

phew and the Gerbois fellow. They all met at the Gare du Nord and went

e until he has spoken of them to me himself. It is a matter of discretion on my part, with which I never compound. Besides, at that time, h

said to be my friend, is supposed to have murdered Baron d'Hautrec and tried to steal his famous ring from M

habit of theft, his mode of life, the sheer logic of events had driven this m

with infinite daintiness, were really i

a lunatic,"

rote

! Ganimard is shrewd enough ... s

k-wit

o as to put me on my guard and make Shears's task more difficult. Secondly, he specifies the exact point to which

rsaries to deal with now

f them doe

the o

question of my vanity: they consider that I'm worth asking the famous Englishman to meet. Next, think of the pleasure which a fighter like myself must

a clev

ng, while I'm on the defensive. Mine is the easier game to play. Besides ..." He gave an imperceptible smile before completing his phrase. "Besides,

his fingers and flung out littl

.. Revenge for Trafalgar at last!... Ah, the poor wretch ...

ughing, and hid his face in his napkin, as t

"A crumb?... Why don'

not that,"

t, t

ant

open th

. Quick, give me my ha

does it

just come in? Well, I want you to keep on my

itting beh

asons, I prefer.... I'll

who i

ock Sh

ugh he felt ashamed of it, put down his napkin, drank a gl

not easily excited but th

ize you under all your transformations? I myself, each

and that what he saw was not my appearance, which I can always alter, but the very being that I am....

id I, "sha

.. no

you propo

l be to act frankly

n't be

o know what he knows.... Ah, there, I feel that his eyes are fixed on

elieve, some whim of his frivolous nature rather than the needs of the position

ould have thought it?... Allo

he made an instinctive movement, as though he were ready

o say nothing of the bad taste

ead from side to side, as t

quite sure that you are entitled to la

n this occasion. Nevertheless, it probably appeared to Shears to be th

end and assistant .

streaks across his expansive face, with its skin gleaming and tight-stretched like an

at one of the most natural incidents in the world," grin

n sta

y don't you

g between the door and myself and at two steps from t

stand in your

door, thus placing himself at his mercy. Wilson looked at Shears to see if he might ad

ite

iter c

iskeys a

ders. Soon after, seated all four rou

Maurice Leblanc. Chapter IX: H

lerk who has spent his life keeping books at a desk. He has nothing to distinguish him from the ordinary respectable London

f detective that fiction had invented, Poe's Dupin and Gaboriau's Lecoq, in order to build up one in her own fashion, more extraordinary yet and more unreal. And, upon my word, any one hearing of the adventures which have

ow long he meant to stay, led the convers

upon yoursel

, "if it depended on me, I should a

arly. But I hope in a

in such

se Bank; and Lady Eccleston has been kidnapped, as you

It will just give me time to take my precautions, supposing the solution of those

expect to have gained those adv

e arrested on

th, at the

ted and, sha

cult ... it will

t possible and, the

lf had clearly perceived the long series of operation

k Shear

"Of course, I have not all the cards in my hands, because the case is already a good many mo

arette-ashes," said Wilson,

have at my service all the articles written on the subject, all the evidenc

ither by analysis or hypothesi

ial tone which he adopted toward Shears, "would it be indisc

ely, as though they were trying to solve a steep problem or to come to an agreement on some controversial point. And this was coupled

illed his pipe,

infinitely less complicated th

s," echoed Wil

we may call the puzzle of the blonde lady. Now, in my opinion, what lies before me is simply to discover the link which connects these three phases of the same story, the particular fact which proves the uniformity of

el

est and evident, although hitherto unperceived intention to have the affair performed on a stage which you have previ

give a few

was the place selected by you, the inevitable place at which you were all to meet. No place seemed quite as safe to you,

the professor,"

il to secure the diamond and the sale takes place, amid great excitement, at the H?tel Drouot. Is the sale free? Is the richest bidder sure of getting the diamond? Not at all. At the moment when Herschmann is about to become the owner, a lady has a threatening letter thrust into his ha

wder of Bleichen, the consul

h his fist. "Tell that to the marines. You can ta

do you

hough he wished to save up

tooth-powder is an imitation

nt and then, with his eyes fixed o

a great

on, emphatically and

examining magistrates, not one of the special reporters who have been exciting themselves abou

the compliment paid him by so great an e

are so few who do know. But, now that the field of su

, Rue Clapeyron, at 134, Avenue Henri-Martin and within the walls of the Chateau de Cro

agr

right in saying that I shall have

s, the whole tru

will be a

N

N

of such unlikely circumstances, a series of such stupefyin

e able to effect, M. Lupin, can be brought

ther man do not oppose an invincibl

ing as an invincible

on either side, but calm and fearless. It was the clash of t

dversary is a rara avis at any time; and this o

afraid?" a

s that I am going to hurry to make good my retreat ... else I m

day. It will all be ov

be under lo

he slighte

sent to the right about and a comforting sense of the general sympathy that surrounds me.... We shall have to chang

on behalf of a person whom Shears inspired wit

leased I have been to meet you and how I envy the l

ng-ground who bear each other no hatred, but who are constrained by fa

? There's a dinner that will be wort

the restaurant and, st

ou sm

more do yo

ore d

ay the cigarette, ran across the road and joined two men who had emerged from the shadow, as though sum

owever, that he has not done with Lupin yet.... By Jupiter, I'll show the fellow the stuff I

ed rapi

y other incidents occurred during the hours that followed, events which the confidences of th

eft me, Holmlock Shears took ou

k, I am to meet the count and c

tossing off two glasses

wen

us act as though we don't care whether we are or not.... Tell m

out hesitati

some d

clearly I perceive the constant progress you ar

atisfaction in the da

to Crozon, as Ganimard says I am, in his interview. I shall leave, therefore, so as not

Wilson, n

abs, three cabs. Come back later to fetch the bags which we left in t

to do at the

sleep the sleep of the jus

ears took his ticket at the railway station and entered the Amiens express

second pipe and smoked it placi

s later, he came and sat down

he ring on

es

et me loo

t and exa

t: it is a f

ak

diamond-dust to enormous heat until it melts ... whe

my diamond

but this is

is mine

nds of Ars

this

slipped into Herr Bleichen's toot

's an im

olut

e her husband, refusing to believe the statement, turned the jew

dn't they just simply take i

at I mean to tr

Croz

Arsène Lupin and myself must be played out. The tricks will count the same, where

ill

to you, madame? The main obje

es

n undertaking which will be much more difficult to keep. On the

tation diamond in his pocket and open

that's the

s this way, if he's havin

ster's office. Fifty minutes later, he jumped into a train

refreshment room, went out by the

the Rue

et and began to make a careful examination of the house in which Ma?tre Detinan lived and of the two

the Avenue H

he same performance in front of the house which Baron d'Hautrec had occupied and the two houses by which it was hemmed in on eith

t the thickness of the gloom. One of these lamps threw a pale light upon a part of the house and Shears saw the notice "To Let" hangi

tenant since the baron's death.... Ah, if I co

c lantern from his pocket, as well as a skeleton key which he always carried. To his great surprise, he found that one of the doors of the gate was standing ajar. He, therefore, slippe

thing but a shadow outlined against the walls of the rooms. And the glimmer descended

orning, in the house where Baron d'Hautrec was murd

tate. But the man must have seen him as he crossed the belt of light cast by the gas-jet and

nd, he ventured to penetrate the darkness, felt for the knob of the baluster, foun

e night outside. Through the window, he caught sight of the man, who had doubtless gone down by another staircase and

aimed Shears. "

's retreat. At first, he saw no one; and it was some seconds before he distinguish

ay when he could easily have done so? Was he staying there to spy, in hi

is not Lupin. Lupin would be clev

less too and as the Englishman was not the man to hang about doing nothing, he felt to see if the cylinder of his revolver worked, loosened

ort to draw his knife. But Shears, stimulated by the thought of his coming victory and by the fierce longing to lay hold at once of this accomplice of Arsène Lupin's, felt an irresistible strength welling up within himself. He threw his adversary,

he shouted

!" gasped a holl

r was torn by the horn of a motor-car. A breath of wind rustled through the leaves. And Shears did

let go his friend, but only to seize him

What are you here for?... Who told you

Wilson. "But I didn

e you here? I told

go to

ou to go

d

business t

lett

t le

ich a commissionaire br

from me? Y

sure

is the

paper and, by the light of his l

artin as fast as you can. The house is empty. Go in,

ock Sh

aid Wilson, "when I saw a shadow in

lson," said Shears, helping his friend up and leading him away, "next t

ou?" asked Wilson, who began to

worse

ote it,

ne Lu

th what

ld he take the trouble to disturb your night's rest? If it were my

to get back

I, Wi

who was in front, took hold o

said. "Did y

ot: I left t

t .

en frantically flung himself upo

's locked!... Th

izing the hopelessness of his exertions, let his arm

r me, in case I should come to start my inquiry to-night. In addition, he had the kindness to send you to keep me company in my

y that we are

the prisoners of Arsène Lupin. The adventure is begin

is shoulder. It

d. "Up there .

ht visible through one of th

the same time. A candle-end was burning in the middle of the floor. Beside it stood a baske

ared with

ed palace, a regular fairy-land! Come, Wilson, thr

very amusing?" moan

ou, but he does it so gracefully!... I wouldn't give my seat at this banquet for all the gold in the world.... Wilson, old chap, you disappoint me. Can I have been mistaken in you? Are you really deficient in that nobility of charact

cken and a glass of wine. But, when the candle had gone out and they had to stretch themselves on the floor to sleep, with

r: Holmlock Shears, on his knees, bent in two, was examining grains of dust through his lens and inspe

room and found similar chalk-marks in two of the others. He also observed two circles on

pent in this wa

are correct,

, whose good temper had been restored by these di

Wilson. "They represent the n

O

anels sound hollow, as you can see by trying, and the

s looked at hi

ow all this? Your perspicacity al

marks myself last night, in consequence of your instructions ... or rath

struggle with Shears in the shrubbery. Shears felt a fierce longing to wring his neck.

Have your wonderful powers of analysis and observation been exercised i

at's al

ising! Well, as things are, there i

But

e people usually go

s lo

get it

om

those two policemen wa

t .

t w

when they learn that you, Holmlock Shears, and

ke anything," replied Shears, angrily, with a frowning

t propose to

ot

the garden either in coming or going. There must, therefore, be a

six months and that I myself, while you were asleep, examined the house from top to bottom. Ah, my dear Wils

the nearest police-station, where the commissary, after cross-questioning t

poor opinion of our French hospitality. Lord, what a night you must ha

lace. Wilson went to the office

the visitors' book and re

p your room thi

an? How did I g

a letter by

t fr

ht us your letter.... Here it

e. It was certainly one of his visiting

nother nasty trick." And he added,

riend took i

o you gave

the authority

... jus

-élysèes, slowly and silently. A fine autumn su

s lit his pipe and resum

mly! The man laughs at you, plays with you as a cat

topped a

f your visiting

el

r handwriting and mine and has one of your cards ready in his pocketbook. Have you thought of the amount

an to s

ully equipped-and to beat him-takes ... a man like myself. And, even then, Wils

ance published the following p

ed Messrs. Holmlock Shears and Wilson, who had been confined, by order of Arsène

eir luggage and have laid an i

little lesson this time; but he earnestly begs the

s! That's the only fault I have to find with Lupin ... he's too childi

ue to take it

aking with rage. "What's the use of being ang