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

nded fellow's eye constantly fixed upon me. Not one of my most secret thoughts escape him. I am behaving like an actor, whose steps are ruled by the

leep of a man whose temperature is fluctuating between 102 and 104 degrees

allayed and the wound in my self-respect closed, I always end by saying: 'Laugh away, my lad. Sooner or later, you will be betrayed by your own hand.' For, when all is said, Wilson, wasn't it Lupin

m, with resounding strides, a

appointment on the bank of the Seine, at the spot where Bresson flung his parcel, and we shall find out who he was and what he wanted. As regards the rest, it's a game to be played out between Alice Demun and m

about, said: "Mr. Shears, I shall be very angry with you if you wake my patie

astonished, as on the first day

. You always seem to have something at the back

h her attitude too, her hands joined together, her body bent slightly forward. And so great wa

mitted suici

ithout appearin

mitted suici

underwent no change whatever; no

ot, you would at least have started.... Ah, you

had placed on a table close at ha

missing here, so that I may understand the exact purport of the note w

resson?... The theft

, slowly, as though to

nsis

sed ... on this scrap of paper.

sed...? What was

he burst o

ere is a M. Bresson who stole the Jewish Lamp and killed

day evening, on the second floor of

you mean to imply that my dressmaker and my

almost any feeling in such a way as to put another person off: terro

er, h

Nord the other evening? And why did you beg me to go

way. "To punish you, I will tell you nothing and, in addition, you shall watch the patient

ft the

rs. "I've not only got nothing out o

countered him with the same serenity as the blonde lady and he felt that he was again face to face with one of those creatures who, prote

.... Sh

him. He went to the

old chap? F

unable to speak. At last, after

t wasn't she ... it

lled by him, that I lose my head and behave so foolishly.... She now knows the whole story of the album.... I bet you that Lupin will be tol

st's shop. She came out, ten minutes later, carrying two or three medicine-bottles wrapped up in white paper. But, when she retu

m an alms and then c

," said the Engli

ng enough to induce him to alter his tactics. Leaving

d; and the man hovered long round Bresson's house, sometimes raising his ey

nd the fellow, at some little distance, beside a gentleman whose features were concealed by the newspaper which he was reading. When they

e who followed Bresson. He's been h

new about

ived this morning

been posted yesterday, before the

mise. He wants everything, the first thing as well as those of the second business. If not, he will take

M. Ganimard: on the contrary, I

, bless

ars, with the absence of ceremony with whi

The man climbed down and walked away quietly. Shears f

s round, we

t turn r

you know

in's walks away like that, with his hands in his pockets, proves, in the firs

running him

our fingers in a minute, if he w

or of that café over there. If I decide to call on them and to tackle our

put out by that contingency. An

Ganimard. "The ch

heir bicycles. He spoke a few words to them and then, suddenly, sprang upon a third bicycle,

man burst w

r colleagues, M. Ganimard! Ah, he looks after himself, does Arsène Lupin! With cyc

, angrily. "What could I do

l have our revenge. For the momen

for me at the end of t

him up and join

cks were leading him to the bank of the Seine and that the three men had turned in the same direction as Bresson on the previous evening. He thus came to the gate against which he himself had hidden with Ganima

ent down the incline and saw that, as the bank sloped very gently, and the water wa

t had time ... a quarter of an hour at most

n the boat, fishing

en three men

er shook

ishman i

. They stopped only a few

e-book from his pocket, wrote something on one o

the middle of the page which he held in his hand, h

N O P R

nder the huge brim of his straw hat; his jacket and waistcoat lay folded by his s

ed, a minute of sole

Shears, with an al

e truth bur

f uneasiness, without the least fear as to what will happen.... And who else coul

and that his eyes were fixed on the man's back, just below the neck. One movement and the whole play w

er did n

d have done with it and, at the same time, with horror of a deed aga

end himself.... If not, he will have only hims

urn his head and he saw Ganimard ar

oat, breaking the painter with the force of the jump, fell upon the man a

f us reduces the other to impotence: what will he have gained? You will not kno

oat began to drift. Mingled exclamations r

of things?... Fancy being so silly at your age

d in releas

Shears put his hand in his pocket. An oat

of the oars, in order to pull to the shore, while Lupin made des

And you'll do as much for me.... But there, in life, we strive to act ... without the least reason, for it's always fate that

fact, was d

t!" crie

ducked his head; a shot rang out; a little wate

to fire except in self-defence.... Does poor Arsène make you so furious that you forget your dutie

for Shears and, standing up

in ... you clumsy beggar!... Another shot?... But you're trembling, Ganimard!... At the word of command, eh? An

ive, flat revolver and f

and to his hat: a bullet h

better make! Hats off, gentlemen: this is the re

on to the bank, right

how he seemed to enjoy himself! It was as though the sense of danger gave him a physical delight, as though life had

nd his men were following the craft, which swung down the stream, carrie

, the prologue ... after which we will skip straight to the fifth act, the capture or the escape of Arsène Lupin. Therefore, my dear ma?tre, I have one request to make of you and I beg you to answe

N

his obstinacy was causing him

y own, for I am certain that you will be the first

N

boat and, for a few minutes, worked at something which Shears could not see.

nt, as my scanty costume shows, of effecting a little exploration in the depths of the Seine when my friends gave me notice of your approach. I am bound to confess that I was not surprised, having been kept informed, I venture to s

moved now rose a trifle and water was

I have every reason to think that there's a lea

his shoulders.

at the idea of playing a rubber with you the result of which is certain, seeing that I hold all the trumps. And I wished to give our meeting the greatest possible publicity, so that you

using his half-closed hands as a

shall be lost. Mr. Shears, let me give you one piece of advice: throw yourself upon me, tie me hand and foot and deliver me to the law of my country.

derstood Lupin's operations: he had

ed the soles of their boots. It co

Englishman took his tobacco-pouc

cont

not have selected the field. It is tantamount to recognizing that Holmlock Shears is the only enemy whom I fear and proclaiming my anxiety as long as Shears is not removed from my path. This, my dear ma?tre, is what I wished to tell you, on this one occasion when fate ha

at on which they were sitting and the

world, in the face of that man surrounded by dangers, hemmed in by the crowd, hunted down by a posse of police and yet a

out such trifles? Is it not a daily occurrence to get drowned in

both concealed under the same mask of indifferenc

ute and the

tish Empire.... But, by Jove, how fast they are coming, those champions of the law! Oh, the dear people! It's a pleasure to watch them! What precision of stroke! Ah, is that you, Sergeant Folenfant? Well done! That idea of the man-of-war's cutter was capital. I shall recommend you to your superiors, Sergeant Folenfant.... And wer

wung round and Shears was obl

our jacket. You will be more comfortable for swim

t, buttoned it tightly

a business ... in which you are certainly doing the very best you can, b

lence, "you talk a great deal too much and you oft

serious

owing it, you supplied me, a moment

ome information, an

ree hours' time I shall hand the solut

e to the surface at once, overturned, with her keel in the air. Loud shouts came from the two banks,

Holmloc

he struck out boldly

right!... Keep on ... we'll see about him afterward.... We've got

rew to him. But, while they were dragging

ed that you have not hit upon it already.... And then? What use will

e sides while talking, Arsène Lupin continued his speech with

nothing to be done, absolutely nothing.... You are

t took a

, surr

olenfant; you've interrupted me in the

, surr

renders when in danger! Now surely you have not the

, Lupin, I call on

an to wound me, you're so afraid of my escaping! And supposing that, by accident, the woun

ot wen

moment to the overturned boat

sers too short and a jacket too tight for him, which he had borrowed from an inn-keeper at Neuilly, and wearing a cap and a flannel shirt w

ppressing their inclination to laugh. With a pensive air and a bent back, he walked, like an automaton, from the window to

knack, examined it mechanica

himself in front

emoisel

garden, with

our final conversation, I should l

decide

emerge plainly from the facts which I propose to l

Suzanne, do

un. Mademoiselle, looking a little paler than usual, remained standing, lean

abruptly toward M. d'Imblevalle, made his st

nts for a moment altered my view, I will repeat what I said from the fi

e n

now

evid

I have is enough to

e culprit should be confo

mp? It is in m

cklace? The

short everything that was stolen on th

, claptrap way of ann

ed stupefied and looked at him with a silent cur

heet of paper the sentence formed by the letters which had been cut out, then described Bresson's expedition to the bank of the Seine and h

hed, the baron sa

should reveal the name of th

rs from this alphabet and communicated, by

this person's correspo

upin hi

as the page which Lupin had torn from his note-book i

to compel him to give me this paper and thus make himself known. It was a

" asked the baron.

the letters and

N O P R

"That's the formula which yo

I have done, you would have seen at once that it con

f fact, I did

h remained over from the word Répondez, and you

h mea

munications. 'Send reply to the écho de France, agony column, No. 237.' That was the key for which I had hunted s

t have y

story of the relations between Ar

pers, opened at the fourth page, a

ady impl. p

ng explanat

dominion of

address. Wi

. Mu

k 3 p. m

t. Shall be pa

detailed story!" excl

an inquiry. The lady hesitates for four days-see the dates-and, at last, under the pressure of events and the influence of Bresson's threats, gives the name of her street, the Rue Murillo. The next day, Arsène Lupin advertises that he will be in the Parc Monceau at three o'clock and asks the stranger to wear a bunch of violets as a token. Here follows an interruption of eight days in the correspondence. Arsène Lupin and the lady no longer need write through the med

aid the baron, approvingly,

s con

wish lamp to Bresson. Things then happen as Lupin foresaw. The police, misled by an open window, four holes in

cept this explanation as perfectly

d, some one thought of returning to the attack and seizing hold of everything that had not been carried away.

of cou

idly. Lupin does not fire at pe

who wa

ad been blackmailing. It was Bresson who broke in

u quite

estitution of all the articles stolen from your house. Lupin demanded everything, 'the first thing,' that is to say, the Jewish lamp, 'as well as those of the second busi

n doing at the b

progress of m

ed by

ed, collected into one parcel all that might compromise him and dropped it in a place where it would be possible for him to recover it, once the danger wa

id the parc

amp and your

e not in your

had compelled me to take to drive to the spot chosen by Bresson; and I found y

amp, turned a screw under the foot, pressed with both hands on the receiver, opened it into tw

thing that made it terribly tragic, which was the formal, direct, irrefutable accusation which Shears

r fear had disturbed the serenity of her limpid glance. What was she thinking? And, still more, what would she say at the solemn mome

struck, and the

k!" cried M.

d not

nsis

.... One word of protest

she did

the room, returned, went back a

is opposed to all that I know, all that I have seen for a year." He put his hand on the Englishman

unawares, who does not defend himsel

o the position which she fills in your house, know t

lieve it," mutt

k h

, in the blind confidence which he felt in the girl.

and, looking her s

ke the jewel? Did you correspond with

repl

mons

. Her face expressed neith

never have believed ... you are the last person I shou

sa

, I came down here to the boudoir, took the lamp

the baron; "what yo

sible!

door of the boudoir l

ance and looked at Shears

e, then, no reply to make? Did the confession that confirmed the explanation which he, Shears, had gi

ron co

t way, as you pretend, someone must have opened the door to you from the inside-that is to say, from the b

let. Something resembling too sudden a light had struck him and left him dazed and ill at ease.

mun was

ent which he had felt since the first day at directing the terrible accusation against this young girl. He saw clea

econds, as naturally as he could, tur

ercomes us at the relentless hours of life. Her han

ht Shears, "and she wil

s man and this woman. But, at the sight of the baron, he shuddered to the very depths of his being. The same sudden revelation which had dazzled h

mun strove to resist

of fact, I did not come in this way. I went through th

g true. The voice had lost its assurance and the sweet girl was no longer able to r

id and drawn with anguish and fear. The baron seemed to be still stru

he sta

Explain

iend," she said, in a very low voi

mademois

ugh devotion ... through affect

from what?

that

ess

to him. Oh, there was nothing that you cannot forgive!... But I wrote him two letters ... you shall

You! S

to beat her, ready to kill her. But his a

... You!... Is

infamy, her remorse, her madness; and she also described Alice's admirable conduct: the girl suspecting her mistress's despai

M. d'Imblevalle, bent double,

ater. The night was dark and calm. Peaceful clouds were suggested rather than seen above the boat and, all around, light vei

d down the deck or else dozing under thick rugs in the big rocking-chairs. Here and there the gleam showed of a cigar; and,

ven strides, stopped beside a person stretched out on a

u were asleep

do not feel sleep

s it indisc

Imblevalle. How sad she mu

f those which can never be forgiven. M. d'Imblevalle will forget th

l take long to forget .

very fond

en I was trembling with fear, to look you in

unhappy at

o relations or friends.

setting, "I promise you that.... I have connections.... I have much i

d'Imblevalle will

wo or three more turns along the deck and then came

he clouds seemed to part in th

truck four matches, one after the other, without succeeding in lighting it.

ige me with a

and struck one. A flame blazed up.

might have thought that his presence on board was known to him, so great was the mastery which Sh

well, M

from whom this self-comman

... Wha

d, from pride, from a miraculous pride which I will call essentially British, you give not a moveme

off the boat, I could see that you fell of your own accor

without knowing w

anding the two banks over a distance of three-quarters of

et I'm

e world of whom nothing can astoni

was co

anks to his formidable tenacity, recovered the Jewish lamp, just as he had recovered the blue diamond. Perhaps, this time, the result was less brilliant, especially from the point of view of the public, since Shears was obliged to suppress the circumstances in which the Jewi

ersaries who have laid down their arms and

est, Lupin descr

r remaining a good half-hour under the overturned keel of the boat, I took advantage of a moment when Folenfant and his men were looking for my corpse along the banks and I climb

"Most successful! And now h

ttle.... But I was forgett

nows

ork in my own way? A day or two more and I should have recovered the Jewish lamp and the other things from Bresson and sent t

e muddled everything up and brought discor

! Is it indispensable that one shou

do goo

that, in the present adventure, I should be the good genius who rescu

lle home is broken up and

ave ended by discovering her ... and through her

nion, ma?tre; but

ars said to Lupin, in a voice the to

ho those two g

as the captain

the o

n't k

Gilett occupies in England a post which c

ce me? M. Dudouis is a great friend of mine and I shou

entlemen

e you at your word, M. Lupi

upin's wrist and held

ma?tre? I am quite r

along, without the least resistance. The

pace. His nails dug i

ath, in a sort of fevered haste to settle everyt

ort: Alice Demun

mademoiselle? You nee

upin who

oming of her own free will. I am holding her wrist with a

d w

ccomplice of Arsène Lupin, and of Bresson as well, she too must tell the adventure of the Baronne d'Imblevalle ... which is sure to

his prisoner's wrist. Lupi

g at one another. Then Shears went back to his bench

divided them. T

will always be, Holmlock Shears, detective, and I Arsène Lupin, burglar. And Holmlock Shears will always, more or less spontaneously, more or less seasonably, obey his instinct as a detective, which is to hound down

estable laugh.... Then, suddenly becom

rayed you. Arsène Lupin never betrays, especially those whom he likes and admires. And y

k, tore it in two, gave one-half to the gi

gborough, whose address you can easily find out, hand her this half-card and say,

he girl, "I will go

"let me bid you good night. The mist has delayed us and there is still time to take fo

around the stars and over the sea. It floated upon the water; and sp

deck, which was now covered with people. Mr. Austin Gilett passed in the compa

nch, Lupi