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

e had gone out. He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown

yes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part. Would Shears break silence? Would he reveal the

ontinued

tured upon

There's not a single c

and any one but Wilson would have observed that Shears obtained from this the profound content which we

the gloomy fronts of the houses, under a dark sky whence fell an angry and pouring rain. A cab

eble knock at the door; and, presently, the

id Wilson, when Shears had unseal

ctive proposal. You were worrying

k the lett

Rue M

ri

S

ence. I have been the victim of a serious theft and all the invest

d, if you are inclined to take it up, I shall be pleased if you will accept the hospitality of my house a

m me if I may expect you

very

ctor d'Im

little run to Paris? I haven't been there since my famous duel with Arsène Lup

ered from the injury received in the course of the aforesaid encounter, was inveig

is brow as he read the letter and, when he had finished, h

r?" exclaimed Wil

olded it and read, with ev

ar Ma

nothing to do with the case in which you are asked to assist. Your interference would do a great deal of harm, all

iation and I beg you, in the name of our mutual f

r. Wilson and accept for yourse

most si

ne Lu

repeated Wilson,

d the table

I were a schoolboy! I am publicly to acknowledge my defe

of you," sugg

Lupin is never afraid; and the

e to know of Baron d

re asking silly quest

... I ima

at I am a

seen you perfo

another. I make reflections, deductions, conclusions

striding angrily up and down the room. But, when Shears rang for the servant and asked for his travelling-bag, Wilson thoug

o declare, in the tone of a man who has

you are goi

ssi

ore in reply to Lupin's challenge

ssi

I will go

ing his walk. "Aren't you afraid that your

en to me? You

gentleman that he may have made a mistake in defying us

r the newspapers t

s the

send a

ing and I don't wish him to. This time

. In the express from Calais to Paris, Shears indulged in three hours of the soundest sleep, wh

uel with Arsène Lupin delighted him; and he rubbed his hands w

Wilson, "we shall f

hands with the s

Wilson carrying the bags-each his burden!-handed the ti

shine!... Paris is dressed

a cr

chance of being noticed. No one will reco

ars, I b

aback. Who on earth could

dingly simple dress accentuated her well-bred appearance. He

e Mr. Shear

ion as from the habit of prudence,

speaking to

he asked, crossly, thinking

herself in

very serious matter. I know that

t's

not go.... I assure you, you will regret it. Because I tell you this, you need no

ush her aside

how to convince you! Look into me, look into the depths o

autiful, grave and limpid eyes that seemed to

seems quite si

id beseechingly, "and

, mademoiselle,

lad I am! All will be well!... Oh, what a good idea I had! Listen, Mr. Shears: there's a train for Calais in

strove to make as gentle as possible, said: "Forgive me, mademoiselle, if I am not ab

I entreat you.... O

and walked

d behind and s

e thing through to the end.... He h

ter Shears to

OCK S

RS

NE L

sion of sandwich-men was moving along in single file. In their hands they carried heavy ferruled canes, with which they tapped the

RS-LUPIN

IVA

GLISH

EAT DE

PLES

MURILL

DET

DE

tossed

uldn't be astonished to find the Republican Guard waiting for u

Wilson," snarled Shears, "y

in his powerful hands and tearing him and his advertisement to shreds

s fit of passion, Sh

ere you

morn

ou start on

hour

posters w

here when we came to th

pin proved that he himself wished for the battle and that it formed part of his intentions to measure

e of victory to display such insolence; and was it not falling into a trap to

! Driver, 18, Rue M

ts clenched as though for a box

d Baron d'Imblevalle, who occupies it with his wife and children, has furnished it in the most sumptuous style, as befits an artist and millionaire. There is a co

rd and were admitted by a footman, who showed them in

urvey of the many valuable objec

afely draw the deduction that people who have had the leisure to hunt

The door opened and M. d'Imbleva

young, fashionably dressed and very lively in

f out like this! We are almost glad of this t

hought Wilson, who never shirked the oppo

Mr. Shears. Let us come to the point! What do you think of

isfactory result, I must fi

t you

ain the matter fully, omitting

case of

ay did it

he baron. "On Saturday n

therefore. No

, the beautifying of our home: these make up our existence; and all or nearly all our evenings are spent here, in this room, which is my wife's boudoir and in which we ha

e is

As Suzanne-my wife-was still asleep, I came into this room as gently as possible, so as not to awake

rvant

other door, which leads to the hall. Therefore the window must have been opened from the outside. I had a pr

the w

nd you can see the garden at the back of the house and the railings that separate it from the Parc Monceau. It is certain,

ertain,

the two uprights of the ladder; and there were two similar holes below the balcony. Lastly

rc Monceau cl

house building at No. 14. It would have

flected for a few

You say it was committed in

Virgin and that chased-silver tabernacle, ther

s that

t is

at do you call

days, consisting of a stem and of a receiver to contain the oil

id, objects of

ad made it a practice to keep a magnificent antique jewel, a chimera

r reason for

fficult to tell you! Perhaps we just thought i

ody know

bod

hears. "But for that, he would not have ta

eeing that it was by an accident that we d

y else: a servant ... a visitor to the house.... B

ives attached to all the big newspapers have made theirs. But, as I wrote to you,

y, the balustrade, employed his lens to study the two scratches on

which, in order to preserve the exact marks, they had covered the holes which the uprights of the ladder had left in the ground, below the balcony. He removed the cases, went down on

was

oudoir, where Madame d'Imbl

few minutes longer and

ple side of the offence. To apply a ladder, remove a pane of glass, pick out an object

an to s

the Jewish lamp was committed und

n!" exclaime

ody's entering the house.... Perhaps a servant slipped down to the bal

evidence

not have left the bo

! And what ab

studded with diamonds, or this necklace of old opals. It would require but two movements

marks of t

tage-play to div

hes on the

ndpaper. Look, here are a few b

by the upright

t, whereas they are parallel here, they are not so over there. Measure the space that separates each hole from its neighbo

u conclude

ical, that the four holes were made with

would be the stum

"I picked it up in the ga

ained of all that had been believed so far on the evidence of the apparent facts themselves. The reality, a diffe

ple, Mr. Shears," said the baroness. "They are old family

lain that this letter was able to reach me on the s

letter which Arsène Lu

levalle was

in!... How

l no one of

The idea occurred to us the

the se

even then ... no, Sophie and Henriett

valle reflecte

gone up to m

elle?" as

rness, Al

have her me

hem by herself

had a

to my friend Holmloc

ural

poste

for twenty years," replied the baron. "Any se

ng is never wasted," stat

inquiries and Shears a

spectively. The conversation languished. Shears replied to the pleasant remarks of the baron and his wife in so surly a tone th

ed with a telephone message for

ults obtained by you in so short a time

ne Lu

ure of annoyance and, showin

," he said, "that your w

it," murmured M. d'I

t a movement takes place here unperceived b

than to go to sleep. So he went to sleep very quickly and was visited by beautiful dreams, in which he was hunting down Lupin all

ing his bed. He se

ment, Lupin,

ld chap, s

you, Shears? D

ur eyes. G

im to th

e ... beyond th

the

you see a

not

am sure you

: a shadow .

ailings.... See, they're mov

tairs and came to a room that opened on to the garden steps. Through t

hears. "I seem to hear

Impossible! Eve

n, tho

m the railings and they perceived an undeci

ched on their light," muttered Sh

oubt," said Wilson. "Perhaps t

e, still fainte

n't understand," said She

n I," confe

the door, unbolted it a

and in a different note. And, above their

were on the balcony of the

stifled oath. Wilson looked out in his turn. Close to them, a ladder

one in the boudoir. That's what we hea

swiftly toward the railings, to the place where his accomplices were waiting. Shears and Wilson had darted out. T

?" cried

eplied

man turned, seized him with one hand and, with the other, plunged

rs. "If they've done for

. Too late: the man had run up it and, in company w

not serious, is it? Sa

d'Imblevalle was the first to appear, fol

ed the baron. "Is

eated Shears, endeavouring to

enty minutes later, the doctor declared that the point of the k

always a lucky dog!" said Shears, summi

cky...." grun

ng constitution, he

n bed and two mont

long

complicati

ould there be an

not shown the same discretion. He had laid hands without shame on the diamond-studded snuff-box, on the

nd a summary inquiry held at daybreak showed that the ladder came fro

uch of irony in his voice, "it is an exact

he first version fav

Doesn't this second theft shake

trary, it c

's burglary was committed by somebody from the outside and you sti

e living in

do you e

resemble each other only in appearance, I weigh them sepa

his actions based upon such powerfu

and inform the commi

erly. "On no account whatever! The police are

the sh

mind th

frie

octor hold his tongue.... I will take all

aring onslaught, perpetrated under his eyes, despite his presence and without his being able to prevent its success. He searched the house and garden indefatigably, t

hazard and of reaching, by roads unknown to me, an equally unknown goal. This time I am on the battlefield itself. The enemy is no longer the invisible, elu

so prodigious that the case of the Jewish Lamp may be looked upon as one in which his detecti

was used as a schoolroom for the children, he came upon Henri

, "I make papers too, like the

ther e

with strips on it ... you know, a

Shears himself listened without paying much attention and continued his inspection. But, suddenly, he started running

trips on to pap

very proudl

the words and

ght you that

saw her do it. She takes words out

oes she do

and letters whi

ly puzzled by this confidence and doing his utmost t

eatly cut out. But he had only to read the words that came before or after to ascertain that the missing words had been removed with the scissors at ran

s of a cupboard. And suddenly a cry of joy escaped him. In a corner of the cupboard, under a pile of old exercise-books

ek: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and so on. The word "Saturday" w

e plainest manner possible, when he had hit upon the knotty point of a m

he album, feverishly and confidently. A

of capital letters foll

three of the figures had

in the order which they would have occu

N O P

ere's not much to be made o

etters and, employing them all, to f

mpted to do

pencil and, in the end, appeared to him the right one, because it agreed wit

ble, it was certain that he had to do with incomplete words and that these words had been completed with letters ta

N D .

An E was missing, because the letter E, hav

37, the address which the sender gave to the receiver of the letter. He wa

an incomplete word. Shears turned over the leaves of the album: nothing had been cut from any of the

t it

te had

rep

ny other papers?... Or else some wor

And then mademoisel

moise

elle has scold

hy

d she says you must never tell th

uite right

s bag pinned on to her frock, she took a few strips of stuff, three buttons, two

all the same." It was the

you get t

out of he

he

she was taking out some co

ow not to get scolded. Don't tell m

. d'Imblevalle and asked him s

on gave

Would you think?.

she been in

w no quieter person nor any in

at I have not

away for

at pr

your friend's bedside. She is a first-rate nurse ... gen

quite omitted to inquire

for a momen

go out on Sun

after the

es

ife and put the questi

children to the eleven

efore

that, on the evening before, she asked leave to go out on Sunday morning ... to se

But I should l

linen gown, was stooping over the sick man and giving him a draught. When she turne

mbarrassment. The Englishman wanted to speak, tried to utter a syllable or two and was silent. Then she resumed her task, moved abou

ive him to the yard at Levallois of which the address was marked on the cab-ticket given him by the child. Duprêt, the driver who h

dy near the Parc Monceau, a young lady in black,

carrying

longish

did you dri

Saint-Ferdinand. She stayed for ten minutes or

house again, in th

all I take

first to 36, Qu

had the good fortune to come

sengaged, M

about L

about

shan't

You giv

to have the worst. It's cowardly, it's ridiculous, it's anything you please.... I don'

ot giv

give in like t

ht that can't fai

d, innocently. "And, as you seem t

he came to the house and on the other side of the avenue, in front of a small café. They sa

id Shears. "

nd, calling the w

ouse opposite. It's the man in the c

unced himself as a chief-inspector, Shears asked if a you

o'clock: it's the one who g

see much

r lately: almost every day

ince S

. without cou

s she bee

there

there

cab is waiting on the Place Saint-Ferdinan

e tenant of th

is, and a gentleman who hired a couple of furnish

you say 'und

wife does his rooms: well, he hasn't two artic

oes he

Sometimes, he does not come h

e in on Sat

think.... Yes, he came in on Saturday

sort of a

tall, he's short, he's fat, he's thin ...

Shears exch

ered Ganimard.

a real agitation, which betrayed itself by

aster of himself, felt some

concierge. "Here co

e appeared in the gatewa

e is M.

son? Whi

with a parcel

ice of the girl. She is

e never seen t

e street-lamps, they recognized Lupin's figure, as he

ou follow?" a

course. He'

the young lady," s

veal any part of the case to Ganimard. "I know where to

Shears set off in pursuit of Lupin. It was an easy enough pursuit, for he did not turn round and walked quickly

h, if we could only pick up two or three policemen and pounce

e des Ternes; and, once the fortifications were pa

said Shears. "The

o. They each took a different pavemen

e of the river. He remained there for a few seconds, during which they were unable to distinguish his movements. Then he climbed up the bank again

appeared from behind the corner of a h

id, in a

ms to be foll

I saw him befo

this figure. Lupin followed the same road, passed through the Porte

ng the door for the nig

him, I

the gas on the stairs.

no one w

ep a servant ... he ne

no back

N

said to

Lupin's door, while you go to the Rue Demours and fetch

s obj

e escapes

hall be

ld be an unequal conte

his rooms. I'm not entitl

ugged his

or the particular manner in which you effected the arrest. Besides

s a double door on the left of th

e rang again.

in," mutte

come a

o them, behind that frail partition, which they could smash with a blow of their fists. They both of them knew him too well, demon that he was, to admit that he would allow himself to be nabbed so stupidly. No, no, a th

azed the silence. And they received the impression, the certainty that he was there after all, sepa

as old stagers of the police, they were overcome by so great an excite

silent glance and then struck t

ard, a sound which there was no

irresistible thrust with his shoulder an

nded in the next room. And another, f

e against the marble of the mantel-piece. He gave a co

ad, it was covered with blood, which trickled

cognizing him,

tain," said Shear

? You haven't ev

lishman

ne Lupin is the ma

lieved we kne

wanted to believe. The

one of his

ccomplices do not

who

und an empty note-case; in another, Ganimard found a few

effects. There was a bundle of newspapers on the mantel-piece. Ga

house, they knew no more about the strange indivi

disappearance of the Jewish lamp? Who was it that dogged his steps dur

ad temper. When he woke, he received an

one Bresson and requests the honour of your company at his funeral, whic