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

of accusing those two men? Short of proofs, which he did not possess and

betraying his rage and disappointment before the triumphant Ganimard. He bowed pol

, which marked the entrance to the cellar, and

of the house, the inscription: "Lucien Destange, arc

d 42 communicate. Why did I not think of it before?

e said, pointing to the

out by that door

a lady and

the chief-inspector

earty a laugh to be very angry with

angry with

s can't go on forever and I thin

with

bsolutely necessary that I should

y! I

d I beg you to hold yourself

the same kind?" aske

the sam

will this

in's ca

think

it, on my

e Chalgrin, slipped two louis into the hand of the concierge, made sure that the brothers Leroux were out, learned that the house belonged to

s, he picked up another

or of the cellar that belongs to the ground-floor tenant.... Yes, capital.... Now let's examine these

e-cases. After a few seconds, he noticed that one of the iron bins was turning slowly on a pivot, carrying with it the whole o

es, he straightened himself and threw something into a cardboard box which he carried in his left hand. Next, he re

r of a moment and, in the simplest way possible, the man found himself str

hman stoop

ake to speak?... To

ring his captive's pockets, but his investigations produced nothing more than a bunch of keys, a pocket-handkerchief and the l

ame to his assistance and hand them all over to the police? What

made him come to a decision. It bore the a

door and left the house. He went to a post-office and telegraphed to M. Destange that he c

nes. They came off a piece of

nail on the head. T

telephoned to me. She will

rapped in a thick veil, whose appearance struck him as suspicious. Through the sh

shman did not know. At nightfall, he followed her, unperceived by the concierge, into a five-storeyed house built on eit

one after the other, carefully tried the keys on the bunch of

the light of a lamp filtered through from the end of a passage; and, approaching on tip-toe, through the glass door that separated the drawing-room from

right of the chimney moved from its position and slipped along the wall into the thickness of the next pane

tch, he saw that he was in a little closet filled with dresses and clothes hanging from metal bars. He thrust his way through and stopped before the embrasure of a door clo

he lo

re, before his eyes, wi

s saw her face in the full light. He gave a start. The woman whom he had ended by

e purloiner of the blue diamond! Clotilde Destange the mys

riend is fair and Clotilde dark, I never thought of connecting the two women! As though the blon

motionless, with her head between her hands. And soon he noticed that she was crying. Great tears flowed down her pale cheeks, trickled by her mouth, fell drop by drop on the velvet of her bodice. And more

behind her. Arsè

head to her breast, put his arms round her; and there was infinite tenderness and great pity in the gesture wit

to make you happ

m ha

g. And your tears bre

voice, she listened, greedy of hope and happiness. A smile

you have no reason, you

te, delicate, lissom h

ands are mine, Maxi

t w

ave tak

me c

of that! The past is dead;

d at him with a brighter smile, as though each k

to your orders, but according to your unspoken wishes. I do things against which all my instincts and all my conscience revolt; but I am unable to

d, bit

I ought to have remained the Maxime Bermond whom you loved five

spered

er man too; and

past life, your life

thing as crime, when my eyes see you. What do I care if I am unhappy away from you and if I suffer and cry

e I must, Clotilde, but s

e?" she aske

lde, my life is a violent and feverish one and I ca

ce grew t

fresh danger? T

serious as ye

l wha

is on ou

ear

ho posted the two policemen in the Rue Chalgrin last night. The proof is that

des w

ng more: one of our men

conci

es

n this morning to pick up some garn

bout it, Shears has

were brought to the jewel

s become of J

e, I'm so

very serious. How much does he know? Where is he hiding? His s

have you

Shears is on a trail, we may take it that he is bound to follow that trail to the end. So I have made all my preparations. The removal will take place on the day after to-morrow, Wed

s..

u, Clotilde. Don't go out. I fear nothing for myse

for that English

which contains M. Destange's old ledgers. There is danger there. There is danger everywhere. I feel that the enemy is prowling in the shade and dra

o more about my tears. I shall be brave and I will

ushed him outside. Shears heard the sound o

e. But, just as he was going down, he heard the sound of a conversation below and thought it better to follow a circular corridor which brought him to another staircase. At the foot of th

ight.... Admirable! And now I see how Clotilde Destange slips out to meet her sweetheart while keeping up the reputation of a person who never leaves the house. And I also see how Arsène Lupin popped out close to me, yesterday evening, in the gallery: there must be another communication between th

out the electric lights. An hour later, the Englishman pressed the spring of his lantern and went down to the cupboard. As he knew, it contain

the index-pages, more particularly under the letter H. At last, finding the

t, 40, Rue

s customer, with a view to the installation of a central heat

file

ne I want. When I have been through that, I shall

of the Rue Chalgrin. Another contained a detailed account of works executed for M. Vatinel, the owner of 25, Rue Clapeyron. A third was d

stored the papers to their place, opened a window and jumped out in

to that ceremony and, enveloped in clouds of smoke, studied the conclusions to be drawn fr

he sent Ganimard

son whose capture is of the highest importance. In any case, stay at home to-night and until t

er whose good-humoured but unintelligent face took his fancy and dr

for it's a cold wind, and wait for me patiently. Start your engine in an hour and

so much trouble about the blonde lady, when Lupin was completing his preparations for departure? And would he

nde lady is my prisoner, I sha

rang th

Shears was seeking a pretext to go up to Clotilde's room, when the girl entered, said g

table and, from time to time, meditated with poised pen and a thought

Mlle. Destange asked me to

front of Clotilde, in such a way that

nn, M. Destange'

moving. "Has my father

, and I should lik

onsieur; I have

r papers, took up the telephone, asked to be put on to her dressmaker, begged her t

r. But cannot our conversation

you not to raise your voice. It would be

r for

, mademo

conversation which my

u must perm

heir eyes fixed on eac

, mons

anding,

less important particulars. I will vouch for th

hes, I be

erruption, that the girl was

I am not sure which. In any case, M. Destange took a liking to this young man and, as the state of his health no longer allowed him to attend to his business, he entrusted t

the girl had grown paler. Still, she

you are talking, monsieur, and I am quit

that M. Maxime Bermond's real name, which

st out

n? M. Maxime Bermond's

nless I speak plainly, I will add that Arsène Lupin, to accomplish his designs, has found i

ast, so little emotion that Shears was impre

r, and I have no wish to know it. I will ask you, the

e upon you indefinitely," said Shears, as calmly as herse

going with y

ou

I

house together, and you will accompany

y their attitudes and the tone of their voices, it might have been a courteous discussion betw

e could be seen in the round library, han

light shrug of the shoulders. Ho

t ten. We will star

if I r

hall go to M. Desta

ha

he false life led by Maxime Bermond a

s acco

the blonde lady, the lady

oofs will yo

ne Lupin, when managing the works, made his men construct between Nos. 40

ex

n, with Arsène Lupin, to escape Ganimard. And we will both look for the doubtless similar means of communicati

ex

t passages which Arsène Lupin made his men construct. He will find that these passages enabled the blonde lady to enter Madame de Crozon's room at night and take the blue diamond from the chimney and, a fortnight

ex

shall take M. Destange to 134, Avenue Henri-Martin, and

en dismay. "You must not...! Do you dare

of killing Bar

this is m

service under the name of Antoinette Bréhat, with the inten

breaking down and re

know so much, you must also know

nsuing struggle that you struck at him, in self-defence. Appalled by what you had done, you rang the bell and fled, without even taking from his finger the blue diamond which you had come to secure. A moment later, you returned with one of Lupin's accomplices

elicate hands, and she kept them long like that, motionless. Then, u

o tell all this

nize the blonde lady, S?ur Auguste, who will recognize Antoinette Bréhat, the Com

ecovering her presence of mind,

ep toward the library

ment, m

fully mistress of herse

lock Shears,

es

you want

istant, I am of opinion that a hostage as valuable as yourself will give me a considerable advantage over my adversary. You shall go with me

that

olice of your country and consequently

ay. Her eyelids closed and Shears stood watching her, suddenly g

n to protect her. With Lupin there, nothing can happen to her, she thinks: Lupin is omnipotent, Lupin

oom, monsieur, an

wait for you in the Rue Montchanin. I am a

..!" she said, wi

great ma

. Then I w

t her hat and cloa

departure and the reason must be enough, in case of

sary. I shall be

efiant glance, skeptical,

ust him!" s

ind

e wishes is realized. And you approve of everythi

e said, with a t

eve that he w

lders and, going up t

Stickmann. We are going

be back

y not ... but don't worry

m voice, she

eady, m

eserve?" h

y eyes

you will be arrested and it will mean prison. Don't forg

honour that I will mak

e you. Le

use together, as

his cap, which was almost covered by the upturned collar of his fur. As they approached, Shears hea

eached the outer boulevards, the Avenu

thinking ou

police-station, which would put everything out. As soon as I am alone, I will consult the M. B. list and set out on my chase. An

h and to see that there was no serious obstacle in the way. And, yielding to

much satisfaction. It was a difficult fight a

nsieur, in which you have

unny way we are going! D

rte de Neuilly. What on earth!... After all, the

et down

're going wrong....

ly. Shears repeated

u to go to the

took n

pose?... This isn't where I told you to go.... Rue Pergolèse

be alarmed. He looked at Clotilde: a que

stormed. "This doesn't affect .

he very least

he box. His shoulders were slimmer, his movements easier.... A cold sweat broke out on Shears's forehead, h

what do you think o

ear sir, really deligh

thing that could betray the exasperation that filled his whole being. But, the minute after, he was carried away by a sort of formidable reacti

this minute, this second

if you want to hit the temple," sa

de cal

he pavement is very slippery,

s fixed on the cobbles with which t

rs beside himself with fury. "You can see

the revolver g

she murmured. "We are su

seized the handle of the door, preparing to j

said Clotilde. "There's

car, fierce-looking, with its pointed bonnet, bloo

well guarded! We m

ess, he thought only of discovering by what miracle Arsène Lupin had put himself in the driver's place. That the decent fellow whom he had picked out that morning on the boulevard could be an accomplice, posted there of set purpose, he refused

nterview as M. Destange's new secretary, she had scented danger, guessed the visitor's name and object and, coolly, naturally, as though she were really doing wha

red little. What interested Shears almost to the point of calming his rage was the recollection of that moment in which a mere woman, a woman in love, it is

a man who, by the sheer ascendancy of his authority,

five hundred yards beyond the town, the cab slowed down. The other ca

I trouble you to change cars? O

s, all the more politel

ing pretty fast, and to offer you a couple of sandwiches?... Yes,

oggles which disguised him, Shears recognized the gentleman in the frock-coat

the first wine-shop on the right in the Rue Legendre. Pay him the second thousand

took his seat at the wheel and drove off, wit

shed toward them, as though attracted by a mysterious force, and disappeared at the same moment, as though swallowed up by an abyss i

Secours to Canteleu, Rouen, with her suburbs, her harbour, her miles upon miles of quays, Rouen seemed no more than the high-street of a market-town. And they rushed through Duclair, through Caudebec, through the Pays de Caux, skimming over its hills and plains

had covered over a hun

a-jacket came forward and

" said Lupin. "Did y

s,

Hirondel

ready

ase, Mr. S

ed for a moment and then, realizing that, before any one could interfere, he would be seized, forced on board a

nd shone brightly with its varnis

hout beating about the bush, s

ctly how muc

ryth

ng? I wan

glishman. Instead, it rang with the imperious accent of the master who is accustomed to comm

head to foot as enemies, dec

with a touch

and I am tired of wasting my time avoiding the traps you lay for me. I warn you, therefor

ing, I t

ered his annoyanc

, under the name of Maxime Bermond, I ... 'to

es

teen houses,

es

a list of the

es

t at M. Destange's, l

es

evitably be one which I keep for my own needs and those of my friends,

N

do you

alone and that I intended

fear, seeing that I

fear so long as I r

ay that you wi

d

Shears and placed his hand very g

nt and you, unfortunately for yourself, are not in

, le

r not to attempt to escape from this

all attempt to escape by every means in

reduce you to helplessness! All these men obey me blindly.

can be

rboard at ten mile

an s

mper! Accept my apology, ma?tre ... and let us conclude. Will you allow

ou like. But th

you will not min

your

ork,

w. The latter seized the Englishman and, after searching him, b

hort of your obstinancy and the exceptional gravity of

drew. Lupin said

rself must keep him company as much as you can. Let him be treated with every consid

nutes pa

watch and at a clock whi

watches agree. How long will it

s, without

the Havre at eight in the morning. You understand, captain, do you not? I repeat: it would be exceedingly dangerous for us all

well

rning to Shears. "We shall meet ne

say to-

h increased force. The yacht threw off her moorings. By three o'clock they had left the estuary of the Seine and

of the war between the two great rivals, the éc

k Shears, the English detective. The decree was published at noon and executed