Arsène Lupin, gentleman-cambrioleur. English Read online

  Produced by Nathan J. Miller

  Maurice Leblanc

  The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar

  Table of Contents:

  I. The Arrest of Arsene Lupin II. Arsene Lupin in Prison III. The Escape of Arsene Lupin IV. The Mysterious Traveller V. The Queen's Necklace VI. The Seven of Hearts VII. Madame Imbert's Safe VIII. The Black Pearl IX. Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late

  I. The Arrest of Arsene Lupin

  It was a strange ending to a voyage that had commenced in a mostauspicious manner. The transatlantic steamship `La Provence' wasa swift and comfortable vessel, under the command of a mostaffable man. The passengers constituted a select and delightfulsociety. The charm of new acquaintances and improvised amusementsserved to make the time pass agreeably. We enjoyed the pleasantsensation of being separated from the world, living, as it were,upon an unknown island, and consequently obliged to be sociablewith each other.

  Have you ever stopped to consider how much originality andspontaneity emanate from these various individuals who, on thepreceding evening, did not even know each other, and who are now,for several days, condemned to lead a life of extreme intimacy,jointly defying the anger of the ocean, the terrible onslaught ofthe waves, the violence of the tempest and the agonizing monotonyof the calm and sleepy water? Such a life becomes a sort oftragic existence, with its storms and its grandeurs, its monotonyand its diversity; and that is why, perhaps, we embark upon thatshort voyage with mingled feelings of pleasure and fear.

  But, during the past few years, a new sensation had been added tothe life of the transatlantic traveler. The little floatingisland is now attached to the world from which it was once quitefree. A bond united them, even in the very heart of the waterywastes of the Atlantic. That bond is the wireless telegraph, bymeans of which we receive news in the most mysterious manner. Weknow full well that the message is not transported by the mediumof a hollow wire. No, the mystery is even more inexplicable, moreromantic, and we must have recourse to the wings of the air inorder to explain this new miracle. During the first day of thevoyage, we felt that we were being followed, escorted, precededeven, by that distant voice, which, from time to time, whisperedto one of us a few words from the receding world. Two friendsspoke to me. Ten, twenty others sent gay or somber words ofparting to other passengers.

  On the second day, at a distance of five hundred miles from theFrench coast, in the midst of a violent storm, we received thefollowing message by means of the wireless telegraph:

  "Arsene Lupin is on your vessel, first cabin, blonde hair, woundright fore-arm, traveling alone under name of R........"

  At that moment, a terrible flash of lightning rent the stormyskies. The electric waves were interrupted. The remainder of thedispatch never reached us. Of the name under which Arsene Lupin wasconcealing himself, we knew only the initial.

  If the news had been of some other character, I have no doubt thatthe secret would have been carefully guarded by the telegraphicoperator as well as by the officers of the vessel. But it was oneof those events calculated to escape from the most rigorousdiscretion. The same day, no one knew how, the incident became amatter of current gossip and every passenger was aware that thefamous Arsene Lupin was hiding in our midst.

  Arsene Lupin in our midst! the irresponsible burglar whoseexploits had been narrated in all the newspapers during the pastfew months! the mysterious individual with whom Ganimard, ourshrewdest detective, had been engaged in an implacable conflictamidst interesting and picturesque surroundings. Arsene Lupin,the eccentric gentleman who operates only in the chateaux andsalons, and who, one night, entered the residence of BaronSchormann, but emerged empty-handed, leaving, however, his card onwhich he had scribbled these words: "Arsene Lupin, gentleman-burglar,will return when the furniture is genuine." ArseneLupin, the man of a thousand disguises: in turn a chauffer,detective, bookmaker, Russian physician, Spanish bull-fighter,commercial traveler, robust youth, or decrepit old man.

  Then consider this startling situation: Arsene Lupin was wanderingabout within the limited bounds of a transatlantic steamer; inthat very small corner of the world, in that dining saloon, inthat smoking room, in that music room! Arsene Lupin was, perhaps,this gentleman....or that one....my neighbor at the table....the sharer of my stateroom....

  "And this condition of affairs will last for five days!" exclaimedMiss Nelly Underdown, next morning. "It is unbearable! I hope hewill be arrested."

  Then, addressing me, she added:

  "And you, Monsieur d'Andrezy, you are on intimate terms with thecaptain; surely you know something?"

  I should have been delighted had I possessed any information thatwould interest Miss Nelly. She was one of those magnificentcreatures who inevitably attract attention in every assembly.Wealth and beauty form an irresistible combination, and Nellypossessed both.

  Educated in Paris under the care of a French mother, she was nowgoing to visit her father, the millionaire Underdown of Chicago.She was accompanied by one of her friends, Lady Jerland.

  At first, I had decided to open a flirtation with her; but, in therapidly growing intimacy of the voyage, I was soon impressed byher charming manner and my feelings became too deep andreverential for a mere flirtation. Moreover, she accepted myattentions with a certain degree of favor. She condescended tolaugh at my witticisms and display an interest in my stories. YetI felt that I had a rival in the person of a young man with quietand refined tastes; and it struck me, at times, that she preferredhis taciturn humor to my Parisian frivolity. He formed one in thecircle of admirers that surrounded Miss Nelly at the time sheaddressed to me the foregoing question. We were all comfortablyseated in our deck-chairs. The storm of the preceding evening hadcleared the sky. The weather was now delightful.

  "I have no definite knowledge, mademoiselle," I replied, "but cannot we, ourselves, investigate the mystery quite as well as thedetective Ganimard, the personal enemy of Arsene Lupin?"

  "Oh! oh! you are progressing very fast, monsieur."

  "Not at all, mademoiselle. In the first place, let me ask, do youfind the problem a complicated one?"

  "Very complicated."

  "Have you forgotten the key we hold for the solution to theproblem?"

  "What key?"

  "In the first place, Lupin calls himself Monsieur R-------."

  "Rather vague information," she replied.

  "Secondly, he is traveling alone."

  "Does that help you?" she asked.

  "Thirdly, he is blonde."

  "Well?"

  "Then we have only to peruse the passenger-list, and proceed byprocess of elimination."

  I had that list in my pocket. I took it out and glanced throughit. Then I remarked:

  "I find that there are only thirteen men on the passenger-listwhose names begin with the letter R."

  "Only thirteen?"

  "Yes, in the first cabin. And of those thirteen, I find that nineof them are accompanied by women, children or servants. Thatleaves only four who are traveling alone. First, the Marquis deRaverdan----"

  "Secretary to the American Ambassador," interrupted Miss Nelly."I know him."

  "Major Rawson," I continued.

  "He is my uncle," some one said.

  "Mon. Rivolta."

  "Here!" exclaimed an Italian, whose face was concealed beneath aheavy black beard.

  Miss Nelly burst into laughter, and exclaimed: "That gentleman canscarcely be called a blonde."

  "Very well, then," I said, "we are forced to the conclusion thatthe guilty party is the last one on the list."

&
nbsp; "What is his name?"

  "Mon. Rozaine. Does anyone know him?"

  No one answered. But Miss Nelly turned to the taciturn young man,whose attentions to her had annoyed me, and said:

  "Well, Monsieur Rozaine, why do you not answer?"

  All eyes were now turned upon him. He was a blonde. I mustconfess that I myself felt a shock of surprise, and the profoundsilence that followed her question indicated that the otherspresent also viewed the situation with a feeling of sudden alarm.However, the idea was an absurd one, because the gentleman inquestion presented an air of the most perfect innocence.

  "Why do I not answer?" he said. "Because, considering my name, myposition as a solitary traveler and the color of my hair, I havealready reached the same conclusion, and now think that I shouldbe arrested."

  He presented a strange appearance as he uttered these words. Histhin lips were drawn closer than usual and his face was ghastlypale, whilst his eyes were streaked with blood. Of course, he wasjoking, yet his appearance and attitude impressed us strangely.

  "But you have not the wound?" said Miss Nelly, naively.

  "That is true," he replied, "I lack the wound."

  Then he pulled up his sleeve, removing his cuff, and showed us hisarm. But that action did not deceive me. He had shown us hisleft arm, and I was on the point of calling his attention to thefact, when another incident diverted our attention. Lady Jerland,Miss Nelly's friend, came running towards us in a state of greatexcitement, exclaiming:

  "My jewels, my pearls! Some one has stolen them all!"

  No, they were not all gone, as we soon found out. The thief hadtaken only part of them; a very curious thing. Of the diamondsunbursts, jeweled pendants, bracelets and necklaces, the thiefhad taken, not the largest but the finest and most valuablestones. The mountings were lying upon the table. I saw themthere, despoiled of their jewels, like flowers from which thebeautiful colored petals had been ruthlessly plucked. And thistheft must have been committed at the time Lady Jerland was takingher tea; in broad daylight, in a stateroom opening on a muchfrequented corridor; moreover, the thief had been obliged to forceopen the door of the stateroom, search for the jewel-case, whichwas hidden at the bottom of a hat-box, open it, select his bootyand remove it from the mountings.

  Of course, all the passengers instantly reached the sameconclusion; it was the work of Arsene Lupin.

  That day, at the dinner table, the seats to the right and left ofRozaine remained vacant; and, during the evening, it was rumoredthat the captain had placed him under arrest, which informationproduced a feeling of safety and relief. We breathed once more.That evening, we resumed our games and dances. Miss Nelly,especially, displayed a spirit of thoughtless gayety whichconvinced me that if Rozaine's attentions had been agreeable toher in the beginning, she had already forgotten them. Her charmand good-humor completed my conquest. At midnight, under a brightmoon, I declared my devotion with an ardor that did not seem todisplease her.

  But, next day, to our general amazement, Rozaine was at liberty.We learned that the evidence against him was not sufficient. Hehad produced documents that were perfectly regular, which showedthat he was the son of a wealthy merchant of Bordeaux. Besides,his arms did not bear the slightest trace of a wound.

  "Documents! Certificates of birth!" exclaimed the enemies ofRozaine, "of course, Arsene Lupin will furnish you as many as youdesire. And as to the wound, he never had it, or he has removedit."

  Then it was proven that, at the time of the theft, Rozaine waspromenading on the deck. To which fact, his enemies replied thata man like Arsene Lupin could commit a crime without beingactually present. And then, apart from all other circumstances,there remained one point which even the most skeptical could notanswer: Who except Rozaine, was traveling alone, was a blonde, andbore a name beginning with R? To whom did the telegram point, ifit were not Rozaine?

  And when Rozaine, a few minutes before breakfast, came boldlytoward our group, Miss Nelly and Lady Jerland arose and walkedaway.

  An hour later, a manuscript circular was passed from hand to handamongst the sailors, the stewards, and the passengers of allclasses. It announced that Mon. Louis Rozaine offered a reward often thousand francs for the discovery of Arsene Lupin or otherperson in possession of the stolen jewels.

  "And if no one assists me, I will unmask the scoundrel myself,"declared Rozaine.

  Rozaine against Arsene Lupin, or rather, according to currentopinion, Arsene Lupin himself against Arsene Lupin; the contestpromised to be interesting.

  Nothing developed during the next two days. We saw Rozainewandering about, day and night, searching, questioning,investigating. The captain, also, displayed commendable activity.He caused the vessel to be searched from stern to stern; ransackedevery stateroom under the plausible theory that the jewels mightbe concealed anywhere, except in the thief's own room.

  "I suppose they will find out something soon," remarked Miss Nellyto me. "He may be a wizard, but he cannot make diamonds andpearls become invisible."

  "Certainly not," I replied, "but he should examine the lining ofour hats and vests and everything we carry with us."

  Then, exhibiting my Kodak, a 9x12 with which I had beenphotographing her in various poses, I added: "In an apparatus nolarger than that, a person could hide all of Lady Jerland'sjewels. He could pretend to take pictures and no one wouldsuspect the game."

  "But I have heard it said that every thief leaves some clue behindhim."

  "That may be generally true," I replied, "but there is oneexception: Arsene Lupin."

  "Why?"

  "Because he concentrates his thoughts not only on the theft, buton all the circumstances connected with it that could serve as aclue to his identity."

  "A few days ago, you were more confident."

  "Yes, but since I have seen him at work."

  "And what do you think about it now?" she asked.

  "Well, in my opinion, we are wasting our time."

  And, as a matter of fact, the investigation had produced noresult. But, in the meantime, the captain's watch had beenstolen. He was furious. He quickened his efforts and watchedRozaine more closely than before. But, on the following day, thewatch was found in the second officer's collar box.

  This incident caused considerable astonishment, and displayed thehumorous side of Arsene Lupin, burglar though he was, butdilettante as well. He combined business with pleasure. Hereminded us of the author who almost died in a fit of laughterprovoked by his own play. Certainly, he was an artist in hisparticular line of work, and whenever I saw Rozaine, gloomy andreserved, and thought of the double role that he was playing, Iaccorded him a certain measure of admiration.

  On the following evening, the officer on deck duty heard groansemanating from the darkest corner of the ship. He approached andfound a man lying there, his head enveloped in a thick gray scarfand his hands tied together with a heavy cord. It was Rozaine.He had been assaulted, thrown down and robbed. A card, pinned tohis coat, bore these words: "Arsene Lupin accepts with pleasurethe ten thousand francs offered by Mon. Rozaine." As a matter offact, the stolen pocket-book contained twenty thousand francs.

  Of course, some accused the unfortunate man of having simulatedthis attack on himself. But, apart from the fact that he couldnot have bound himself in that manner, it was established that thewriting on the card was entirely different from that of Rozaine,but, on the contrary, resembled the handwriting of Arsene Lupin asit was reproduced in an old newspaper found on board.

  Thus it appeared that Rozaine was not Arsene Lupin; but wasRozaine, the son of a Bordeaux merchant. And the presence ofArsene Lupin was once more affirmed, and that in a most alarmingmanner.

  Such was the state of terror amongst the passengers that nonewould remain alone in a stateroom or wander singly in unfrequentedparts of the vessel. We clung together as a matter of safety.And yet the most intimate acquaintances were estranged by a mutualfeeling of distrust. Arsene Lupin was, now, anybody an
deverybody. Our excited imaginations attributed to him miraculousand unlimited power. We supposed him capable of assuming the mostunexpected disguises; of being, by turns, the highly respectableMajor Rawson or the noble Marquis de Raverdan, or even--for we nolonger stopped with the accusing letter of R--or even such or sucha person well known to all of us, and having wife, children andservants.

  The first wireless dispatches from America brought no news; atleast, the captain did not communicate any to us. The silence wasnot reassuring.

  Our last day on the steamer seemed interminable. We lived inconstant fear of some disaster. This time, it would not be asimple theft or a comparatively harmless assault; it would be acrime, a murder. No one imagined that Arsene Lupin would confinehimself to those two trifling offenses. Absolute master of theship, the authorities powerless, he could do whatever he pleased;our property and lives were at his mercy.

  Yet those were delightful hours for me, since they secured to methe confidence of Miss Nelly. Deeply moved by those startlingevents and being of a highly nervous nature, she spontaneouslysought at my side a protection and security that I was pleased togive her. Inwardly, I blessed Arsene Lupin. Had he not been themeans of bringing me and Miss Nelly closer to each other? Thanksto him, I could now indulge in delicious dreams of love andhappiness--dreams that, I felt, were not unwelcome to Miss Nelly.Her smiling eyes authorized me to make them; the softness of hervoice bade me hope.

  As we approached the American shore, the active search for thethief was apparently abandoned, and we were anxiously awaiting thesupreme moment in which the mysterious enigma would be explained.Who was Arsene Lupin? Under what name, under what disguise wasthe famous Arsene Lupin concealing himself? And, at last, thatsupreme moment arrived. If I live one hundred years, I shall notforget the slightest details of it.

  "How pale you are, Miss Nelly," I said to my companion, as sheleaned upon my arm, almost fainting.

  "And you!" she replied, "ah! you are so changed."

  "Just think! this is a most exciting moment, and I am delighted tospend it with you, Miss Nelly. I hope that your memory willsometimes revert---"

  But she was not listening. She was nervous and excited. Thegangway was placed in position, but, before we could use it, theuniformed customs officers came on board. Miss Nelly murmured:

  "I shouldn't be surprised to hear that Arsene Lupin escaped fromthe vessel during the voyage."

  "Perhaps he preferred death to dishonor, and plunged into theAtlantic rather than be arrested."

  "Oh, do not laugh," she said.

  Suddenly I started, and, in answer to her question, I said:

  "Do you see that little old man standing at the bottom of thegangway?"

  "With an umbrella and an olive-green coat?"

  "It is Ganimard."

  "Ganimard?"

  "Yes, the celebrated detective who has sworn to capture ArseneLupin. Ah! I can understand now why we did not receive any newsfrom this side of the Atlantic. Ganimard was here! and he alwayskeeps his business secret."

  "Then you think he will arrest Arsene Lupin?"

  "Who can tell? The unexpected always happens when Arsene Lupin isconcerned in the affair."

  "Oh!" she exclaimed, with that morbid curiosity peculiar to women,"I should like to see him arrested."

  "You will have to be patient. No doubt, Arsene Lupin has alreadyseen his enemy and will not be in a hurry to leave the steamer."

  The passengers were now leaving the steamer. Leaning on hisumbrella, with an air of careless indifference, Ganimard appearedto be paying no attention to the crowd that was hurrying down thegangway. The Marquis de Raverdan, Major Rawson, the ItalianRivolta, and many others had already left the vessel beforeRozaine appeared. Poor Rozaine!

  "Perhaps it is he, after all," said Miss Nelly to me. "What doyou think?"

  "I think it would be very interesting to have Ganimard and Rozainein the same picture. You take the camera. I am loaded down."

  I gave her the camera, but too late for her to use it. Rozainewas already passing the detective. An American officer, standingbehind Ganimard, leaned forward and whispered in his ear. TheFrench detective shrugged his shoulders and Rozaine passed on.Then, my God, who was Arsene Lupin?

  "Yes," said Miss Nelly, aloud, "who can it be?"

  Not more than twenty people now remained on board. Shescrutinized them one by one, fearful that Arsene Lupin was notamongst them.

  "We cannot wait much longer," I said to her.

  She started toward the gangway. I followed. But we had not takenten steps when Ganimard barred our passage.

  "Well, what is it?" I exclaimed.

  "One moment, monsieur. What's your hurry?"

  "I am escorting mademoiselle."

  "One moment," he repeated, in a tone of authority. Then, gazinginto my eyes, he said:

  "Arsene Lupin, is it not?"

  I laughed, and replied: "No, simply Bernard d'Andrezy."

  "Bernard d'Andrezy died in Macedonia three years ago."

  "If Bernard d'Andrezy were dead, I should not be here. But youare mistaken. Here are my papers."

  "They are his; and I can tell you exactly how they came into yourpossession."

  "You are a fool!" I exclaimed. "Arsene Lupin sailed under thename of R---"

  "Yes, another of your tricks; a false scent that deceived them atHavre. You play a good game, my boy, but this time luck isagainst you."

  I hesitated a moment. Then he hit me a sharp blow on the rightarm, which caused me to utter a cry of pain. He had struck thewound, yet unhealed, referred to in the telegram.

  I was obliged to surrender. There was no alternative. I turnedto Miss Nelly, who had heard everything. Our eyes met; then sheglanced at the Kodak I had placed in her hands, and made a gesturethat conveyed to me the impression that she understood everything.Yes, there, between the narrow folds of black leather, in thehollow centre of the small object that I had taken the precautionto place in her hands before Ganimard arrested me, it was there Ihad deposited Rozaine's twenty thousand francs and Lady Jerland'spearls and diamonds.

  Oh! I pledge my oath that, at that solemn moment, when I was inthe grasp of Ganimard and his two assistants, I was perfectlyindifferent to everything, to my arrest, the hostility of thepeople, everything except this one question: what will Miss Nellydo with the things I had confided to her?

  In the absence of that material and conclusive proof, I hadnothing to fear; but would Miss Nelly decide to furnish thatproof? Would she betray me? Would she act the part of an enemywho cannot forgive, or that of a woman whose scorn is softened byfeelings of indulgence and involuntary sympathy?

  She passed in front of me. I said nothing, but bowed very low.Mingled with the other passengers, she advanced to the gangwaywith my kodak in her hand. It occurred to me that she would notdare to expose me publicly, but she might do so when she reached amore private place. However, when she had passed only a few feetdown the gangway, with a movement of simulated awkwardness, shelet the camera fall into the water between the vessel and thepier. Then she walked down the gangway, and was quickly lost tosight in the crowd. She had passed out of my life forever.

  For a moment, I stood motionless. Then, to Ganimard's greatastonishment, I muttered:

  "What a pity that I am not an honest man!"

  Such was the story of his arrest as narrated to me by Arsene Lupinhimself. The various incidents, which I shall record in writingat a later day, have established between us certain ties....shallI say of friendship? Yes, I venture to believe that Arsene Lupinhonors me with his friendship, and that it is through friendshipthat he occasionally calls on me, and brings, into the silence ofmy library, his youthful exuberance of spirits, the contagion ofhis enthusiasm, and the mirth of a man for whom destiny has naughtbut favors and smiles.

  His portrait? How can I describe him? I have seen him twentytimes and each time he was a different person; even he himselfsaid to me on one occasion: "I no
longer know who I am. I cannotrecognize myself in the mirror." Certainly, he was a great actor,and possessed a marvelous faculty for disguising himself. Withoutthe slightest effort, he could adopt the voice, gestures andmannerisms of another person.

  "Why," said he, "why should I retain a definite form and feature?Why not avoid the danger of a personality that is ever the same?My actions will serve to identify me."

  Then he added, with a touch of pride:

  "So much the better if no one can ever say with absolutecertainty: There is Arsene Lupin! The essential point is that thepublic may be able to refer to my work and say, without fear ofmistake: Arsene Lupin did that!"