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01 - Arsène Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes by Maurice Leblanc · Arsène Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes

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Speaker 1: Lupin versus Herlock Schomes by Maurice LeBlanc, translated by George Morehead,
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Speaker 1: Chapter one, lottery ticket number five fourteen. On the eighth
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Speaker 1: day of last December, Monsieur geos Bois, professor of mathematics
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Speaker 1: at the College of Versailles, while rummaging in an old
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Speaker 1: curiosity shop, unearthed a small mahogany writing desk, which pleased
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Speaker 1: him very much on account of the multiplicity of its drawers.
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Speaker 1: Just the thing for Suzanne's birthday present, thought he, And
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Speaker 1: as he always tried to furnish some simple pleasures for
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Speaker 1: his daughter consistent with his modest income, he inquired the price, and,
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Speaker 1: after some keen bargaining, purchased it for sixty five francs.
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Speaker 1: As he was giving his address to the shopkeeper, a
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Speaker 1: young man dressed with elegance and taste, who had been
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Speaker 1: exploring the stock of antiques, caught sight of the writing
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Speaker 1: desk and immediately inquired its price. It is sold, replied
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Speaker 1: the shopkeeper. Ah to this gentleman, I presume, Monsieur Geerbois
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Speaker 1: bowed and left the store, quite proud to be the
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Speaker 1: possessor of an article which had attracted the attention of
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Speaker 1: a gentleman of quality. But he had not taken a
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Speaker 1: dozen steps in the street when he was overtaken by
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Speaker 1: the young man, who hat in hand, and in a
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Speaker 1: tone of perfect courtesy, thus addressed him. I beg your pardon, monsieur.
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Speaker 1: I am going to ask you a question that you
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Speaker 1: may deem impertinent.
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Speaker 2: It is this.
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Speaker 1: Did you have any special object in view when you
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Speaker 1: bought that writing desk?
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Speaker 2: No.
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Speaker 1: I came across it by chance, and it struck my fancy.
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Speaker 1: But you do not care for it particularly. Oh I
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Speaker 1: shall keep it, that is all because it is an antique. Perhaps, No,
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Speaker 1: because it is convenient, declared monsieur Geerbois. In that case,
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Speaker 1: you would consent to exchange it for another desk that
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Speaker 1: would be quite as convenient and in better condition.
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Speaker 2: Oh, this one is.
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Speaker 1: In good condition, and I see no object in making
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Speaker 1: an exchange. But Monsieur Gevois is a man of irritable
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Speaker 1: disposition and hasty temper, so he replied testily. I beg
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Speaker 1: of you, monsieur, do not insist. But the young man
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Speaker 1: firmly held his ground. I don't know how much you
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Speaker 1: paid for it, monsieur, but I offer you double No
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Speaker 1: three times the amount. Oh, that will do, exclaimed the
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Speaker 1: professor impatiently.
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Speaker 2: I don't wish to sell it.
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Speaker 1: The young man stared at him for a moment in
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Speaker 1: a manner that Monsieur geur Bois would not readily forget,
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Speaker 1: then turned and walked rapidly away. An hour later, the
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Speaker 1: desk was delivered at the professor's house on the Viroflet road.
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Speaker 1: He called his daughter and said, here is something for you, Suzanne,
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Speaker 1: provided you like it. Suzanne was a pretty girl with
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Speaker 1: a gay and affectionate nature. She threw her arms around
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Speaker 1: her father's neck and kissed him rapturously. To her had
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Speaker 1: all the semblance of a royal gift. That evening, assisted
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Speaker 1: by Hortense the servant, she placed the desk in her room.
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Speaker 1: Then she dusted it, cleaned the drawers and pigeon holes,
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Speaker 1: and carefully arranged within it her papers, writing material, correspondence,
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Speaker 1: a collection of postcards, and some souvenirs of her cousin
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Speaker 1: Philippe that she kept in secret. Next morning, at half
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Speaker 1: past seven, Monsieur Geerbois went to the college.
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Speaker 2: At ten o'clock.
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Speaker 1: In pursuance of her usual custom, Suzanne went to meet him,
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Speaker 1: and it was a great pleasure for him to see
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Speaker 1: her slender figure and childish smile waiting for him at
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Speaker 1: the college gate.
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Speaker 2: They returned home together.
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Speaker 1: And your writing desk, how is it this morning? Marvelous hortense?
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Speaker 1: And I have polished the brass mountings until they look
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Speaker 1: like gold.
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Speaker 2: So you are pleased with it?
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Speaker 3: Pleased with it?
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Speaker 2: Why?
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Speaker 1: I don't see how I managed to get on without
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Speaker 1: it for such a long time. As they were walking
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Speaker 1: up the path way to the house, Monsieur Geobois said,
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Speaker 1: shall we go and take a look at it before breakfast?
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Speaker 3: Oh?
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Speaker 1: Yes, that's a splendid idea. She ascended the stairs ahead
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Speaker 1: of her father, but on arriving at the door of
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Speaker 1: her room, she uttered a cry of surprise and dismay.
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Speaker 1: What's the matter, stammered Monsieur Geerbois.
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Speaker 3: The writing desk is gone. When the police were.
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Speaker 1: Called in, they were astonished at the admirable simplicity of
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Speaker 1: the means employed by the thief. During Suzanne's absence, the
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Speaker 1: servant had gone to market, and while the house was
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Speaker 1: left unguarded, a dray man wearing a badge some of
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Speaker 1: the neighbors saw it, stopped his cart in front of
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Speaker 1: the house and rang twice, not knowing that Hortense was absent.
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Speaker 1: The neighbors were not suspicious. Consequently, the man carried on
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Speaker 1: his work in peace and tranquility. Apart from the desk,
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Speaker 1: not a thing in the house had been disturbed. Even
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Speaker 1: Suzanne's purse, which she had left upon the writing desk,
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Speaker 1: was found upon an adjacent table, with its contents untouched.
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Speaker 1: It was obvious that the thief had come with a
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Speaker 1: set purpose, which rendered the crime even more mysterious, because
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Speaker 1: why did he assume so great a risk for such
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Speaker 1: a trifling object. The only clue the professor could furnish
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Speaker 1: was the strange incident of the preceding evening. He declared,
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Speaker 1: the young man was greatly provoked at my refusal, and
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Speaker 1: I had an idea that he threatened me as he
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Speaker 1: went away. But the clue was a vague one. The
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Speaker 1: shopkeeper could not throw any light on the affair. He
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Speaker 1: did not know either of the gentlemen. As to the
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Speaker 1: desk itself. He had purchased it for forty francs at
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Speaker 1: an executor's sale at Chevrouse, and believed he had resold
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Speaker 1: it at its fair value. The police investigation disclosed nothing more,
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Speaker 1: but Monsieur Geerbois entertained the idea that he had suffered
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Speaker 1: an enormous loss. There must have been a fortune concealed
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Speaker 1: in a secret drawer, and that was the reason the
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Speaker 1: young man had resorted to crime. My poor father, what
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Speaker 1: would we have done with that fortune? Asked Suzanne, my child.
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Speaker 1: With such a fortune, you could make a most advantageous marriage.
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Speaker 1: Suzanne sighed bitterly. Her aspirations soared no higher than her
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Speaker 1: cousin Philip, who was indeed a most deplorable object, and
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Speaker 1: life in the little house at Versailles was not so
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Speaker 1: happy and contented as of yore. Two months passed away.
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Speaker 1: Then came a succession of startling events, a strange blending
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Speaker 1: of good luck and dire misfortune. On the first day
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Speaker 1: of February, at half past five, Monsieur Geobois entered the
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Speaker 1: house carrying an evening paper, took a seat, put on
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Speaker 1: his spectacles, and commenced to read. As politics did not
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Speaker 1: interest him, he turned to the inside of the paper.
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Speaker 1: Immediately his attention was attracted by an article entitled third
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Speaker 1: Drawing of the Press Association Lottery Number five fourteen series
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Speaker 1: twenty three raws a million. The newspaper slipped from his fingers,
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Speaker 1: The walls swam before his eyes, and his heart ceased
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Speaker 1: to beat. He held number five fourteen series twenty three.
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Speaker 1: He had purchased it from a friend to oblige him
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Speaker 1: without any thought of success, and behold it was the
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Speaker 1: lucky number. Quickly he took out his memorandum book. Yes,
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Speaker 1: he was quite right, the number five fourteen series twenty
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Speaker 1: three was written there on the inside of the cover.
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Speaker 2: But the ticket.
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Speaker 1: He rushed to his desk to find the envelope box
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Speaker 1: in which he had placed the precious ticket. But the
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Speaker 1: box was not there, and it suddenly occurred to him
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Speaker 1: that it had not been there for several weeks. He
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Speaker 1: heard footsteps on the gravel walk leading from the street.
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Speaker 1: He called Suzanne. Suzanne, she was returning from a walk.
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Speaker 1: She entered hastily. He stammered, in a choking voice.
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Speaker 2: Susanne, the box, the box of envelopes? What box?
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Speaker 1: The one I bought at the louver one Saturday. It
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Speaker 1: was at the end of that table, don't you remember, father?
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Speaker 1: We put all those things away together when the evening,
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Speaker 1: you know.
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Speaker 2: The same evening. But where tell me quick, Where where? Why?
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Speaker 1: In the writing desk, in the writing desk that was stolen. Yes, oh,
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Speaker 1: mon dieu, in the stolen desk. He uttered the last
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Speaker 1: sentence in a low voice, in a sort of stupor.
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Speaker 1: Then he seized her hand and in a still lower voice,
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Speaker 1: he said, it contained a million.
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Speaker 2: My child.
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Speaker 3: Ah, father, why didn't you tell me?
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Speaker 2: She murmured naively.
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Speaker 1: A million, he repeated, It contains the ticket that drew
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Speaker 1: the grand prize in the press lottery. The colossal proportions
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Speaker 1: of the disaster overwhelmed them, and for a long time
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Speaker 1: they maintained the silence that they feared to break. At last,
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Speaker 1: Suzanne said, but father, they will pay you just the same.
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Speaker 1: How on what proof must you have?
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Speaker 2: Proof?
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Speaker 1: Of course, and you haven't any It was in the box,
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Speaker 1: in the box that has disappeared. Yes, and now the
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Speaker 1: thief will get the money. Oh, that would be terrible, father,
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Speaker 1: you must prevent it. For a moment he was silent. Then,
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Speaker 1: in an outburst of energy, he leaped up, stamped on
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Speaker 1: the floor, and exclaimed, no, no, he shall not have
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Speaker 1: that million. He shall not have it.
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Speaker 2: Why should he have it?
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Speaker 1: Ah, Clever as he is, he can do nothing if
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Speaker 1: he goes to claim the money, they will arrest him.
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Speaker 2: Ah. Now we will see, my fine fellow.
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Speaker 3: What will you do?
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Speaker 2: Father?
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Speaker 1: Defend our just writes, whatever happens, and.
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Speaker 2: We will succeed.
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Speaker 1: The million francs belong to me and I intend to
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Speaker 1: have them. A few minutes later he sent this telegram
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Speaker 1: Governor Credit Foncier Rue capussens peris m holder of the
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Speaker 1: number five fourteen series twenty three, opposed by all legal
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Speaker 1: means any other claimant gerbois. Almost At the same moment
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Speaker 1: the Credit Fonsier received the following telegram. Number five fourteen
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Speaker 1: series twenty three is in my possession, Arsene Lupin. Every
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Speaker 1: time I undertake to relate one of the many extraordinary
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Speaker 1: adventures that mark the life of Arsine Lupin, I experience
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Speaker 1: a feeling of embarrassment, as it seems to me that
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Speaker 1: the most commonplace of those adventures is already well known.
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Speaker 2: To my readers.
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Speaker 1: In fact, there is not a movement of our national thief,
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Speaker 1: as he has been so athleted described, that has not
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Speaker 1: been given the widest publicity, not an exploit that has
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Speaker 1: been studied in all its phases, not an action that
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Speaker 1: has not been discussed with that particularity usually reserved for
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Speaker 1: the recital of heroic deeds. For instance, who does not
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Speaker 1: know the strange history of the Blonde Lady. With those
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Speaker 1: curious episodes which were proclaimed by the newspapers with heavy
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Speaker 1: black headlines as follows, lottery ticket number five fourteen, the
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Speaker 1: crime on the Avenue Aris Martine, the Blue Diamond, the
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Speaker 1: interest created by the intervention of the celebrated English detective
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Speaker 1: Herlock Sholmes, the excitement aroused by the various vicissitudes which
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Speaker 1: marked the struggle between those famous artists. And what a
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Speaker 1: commotion on the boulevards the day on which the newsboys
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Speaker 1: announced a rest of Arsin Lupin. My excuse for repeating
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Speaker 1: these stories at this time is the fact that I
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Speaker 1: produced the key to the enigma. Those adventures have always
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Speaker 1: been enveloped in a certain degree of obscurity, which I
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Speaker 1: now remove. I reproduce old newspaper articles, I relate old
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Speaker 1: time interviews, I present ancient letters. But I have arranged
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Speaker 1: and classified all that material and reduced it to the
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Speaker 1: exact truth. My collaborators in this work have been Arsin
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Speaker 1: Lupin himself and also the ineffable Wilson, the friend and
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Speaker 1: confidante of Herlock Scholmes. Every One will recall the tremendous
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Speaker 1: burst of laughter which greeted the publication of those two telegrams.
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Speaker 1: The name Arsin Lupin was in itself a stimulus to curiosity,
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Speaker 1: a promise of amusement for the gallery, and in this
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Speaker 1: case the gallery means the entire world. An investigation was
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Speaker 1: immediately commenced by the Credit Foncier, which established these facts
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Speaker 1: that ticket number five fourteen Series twenty three had been
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Speaker 1: sold by the Versailles branch office of the Lottery to
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Speaker 1: an artillery officer named Bessie, who was afterward killed by
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Speaker 1: a fall from his horse. Some time before his death,
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Speaker 1: he informed some of his comrades that he had transferred
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Speaker 1: his ticket to a friend, and I am that friend,
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Speaker 1: affirmed Monsieur Gerbois prove it, replied the governor of the
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Speaker 1: Credit Froncier.
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Speaker 2: Of course I can prove it.
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Speaker 1: Twenty people can tell you that I was an intimate
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Speaker 1: friend of Monsieur Bessie, and that we frequently met at
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Speaker 1: the Cafe de la Place de Arms. It was there
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Speaker 1: one day I purchased the ticket from him for twenty francs,
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Speaker 1: simply as an accommodation to him. Have you any witnesses
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Speaker 1: to that transaction? No?
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Speaker 2: Well, how do you expect to prove it by a letter?
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Speaker 2: He wrote to me? What letter? A letter that was
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Speaker 2: pinned to the ticket? Produce it?
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Speaker 1: It was stolen at the same time as the ticket. Well,
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Speaker 1: you must find it. It was soon learned that Arsin
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Speaker 1: Lupin had the letter. A short paragraph appeared in the
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Speaker 1: Ecco de France, which has the honor to be his
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Speaker 1: official organ and of which it is said he is
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Speaker 1: one of the principal shareholders. The paragraph announced that Arsain
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Speaker 1: Lupin had placed in the hands of Monsieur d'etainnan, his
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Speaker 1: advocate and legal adviser, the letter that Monsieur Bessie had
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Speaker 1: written to him, to him personally. This announcement provoked an
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Speaker 1: outburst of laughter. Arsaint Lupin had engaged a lawyer. Arsain Lupin,
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Speaker 1: conforming to the rules and customs of modern society, had
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Speaker 1: appointed a legal representative in the person of a well
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Speaker 1: known member of the Parigian bar. Monsieur d'etainnan had never
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Speaker 1: enjoyed the pleasure of meeting Arsain Lupin, a fact he
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Speaker 1: deeply regretted, but he had actually been retained by that
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Speaker 1: mysterious gentleman, and felt greatly honored by the choice. He
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Speaker 1: was prepared to defend the interests of his clients to
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Speaker 1: the best of his ability. He was pleased, even proud,
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Speaker 1: to exhibit the letter of Monsieur Bessie. But although now
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Speaker 1: it proved the transfer of the ticket, it did not
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Speaker 1: mention the name of the purchaser. It was simply addressed
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Speaker 1: to my dear friend. My dear friend, that is, I
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Speaker 1: added Arcain Lupin in a note attached to Monsieur Bessie's letter.
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Speaker 1: And the best proof of that fact is that I
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Speaker 1: hold the letter. The swarm of reporters immediately rushed to
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Speaker 1: see Monsieur Geerbois, who could only repeat, my dear friend,
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Speaker 1: that is, I arsin Lupin stole the letter with the
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Speaker 1: lottery ticket. Let him prove it, retorted Lupin to the reporters.
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Speaker 1: He must have done it because he stole the writing desk,
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Speaker 1: exclaimed Monsieur Geerbois, before the same reporters let him prove it,
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Speaker 1: replied Lupin. Such was the entertaining comedy enacted by the
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Speaker 1: two claimants of ticket number five fourteen, and the calm
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Speaker 1: demeanor of Arsin Lupin contrasted strangely with the nervous perturbation
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Speaker 1: of poor Monsieur geur Bois. The newspapers were filled with
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Speaker 1: the lamentations of that unhappy man. He announced his misfortune
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Speaker 1: with pathetic candor. Understand, gentlemen, it was Suzanne's dowry that
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Speaker 1: the rascal stole. Personally, I don't care a straw for it,
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Speaker 1: but for Suzanne.
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Speaker 2: Just think of it.
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Speaker 1: A whore million, ten times one hundred thousand francs.
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Speaker 2: Ah.
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Speaker 1: I knew very well that the desk contained a treasure.
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Speaker 1: It was in vain to tell him that his adversary,
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Speaker 1: when stealing the desk, was unaware that the lottery ticket
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Speaker 1: was in it, and that in any event, he could
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Speaker 1: not foresee that the ticket would draw the grand prize.
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Speaker 1: He would reply, nonsense. Of course he knew it. Else
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Speaker 1: why would he take the trouble to steal a poor,
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Speaker 1: miserable desk for some unknown reason, but certainly not for
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Speaker 1: a small scrap of paper which was then worth only
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Speaker 1: twenty francs.
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Speaker 2: A million francs. He knew it.
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Speaker 1: He knows every thing. Ah, you do not know him,
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Speaker 1: the scoundrel. He hasn't robbed you a million francs. The
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Speaker 1: controversy would have lasted for a much longer time, but
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Speaker 1: on the twelfth day, Monsieur Geobois received from Arsine lupin
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Speaker 1: a letter marked confidential, which read as follows, Monsieur, the
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Speaker 1: gallery is being amused at our expense. Do you not
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Speaker 1: think it is time for us to be serious? The
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Speaker 1: situation is this. I possess a ticket to which I
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Speaker 1: have no legal right, and you have the legal right
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Speaker 1: to a ticket you do not possess. Neither of us
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Speaker 1: can do anything. You will not relinquish your rights to me.
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Speaker 1: I will not deliver the ticket to you. Now, what
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Speaker 1: is to be done? I see only one way out
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Speaker 1: of the difficulty. Let us divide the spoils. A half
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Speaker 1: million for you, a half million for me. Is not
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Speaker 1: that a fair division?
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Speaker 2: In my opinion?
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Speaker 1: It is an equitable solution, and an immediate one. I
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Speaker 1: will give you three days to consider the proposition. On
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Speaker 1: Thursday morning, I shall expect to read in the personal
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Speaker 1: column of the Echoes of France a discreet message addressed
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Speaker 1: to m R's Loup expressing in veiled terms your consent.
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Speaker 2: To my offer.
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Speaker 1: By so doing, you will recover immediate possession of the ticket.
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Speaker 1: Then you can collect the money and send me half
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Speaker 1: a million in a manner that I will describe to
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Speaker 1: you later. In case of your refusal, I shall resort
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Speaker 1: to other measures to accomplish the same result. But apart
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Speaker 1: from the very serious annoyances that such obstinacy on your
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Speaker 1: part will cause you, it will cost you twenty five
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Speaker 1: thousand francs for supplementary expenses. Believe me, Monsieur, I remain
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Speaker 1: your devoted servant, Arsin Loupin. In a fit of exasperation,
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Speaker 1: Monsieur Geosbois committed the grave mistake of showing that letter
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Speaker 1: and allowing a copy.
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Speaker 2: Of it to be taken.
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Speaker 1: His indignation overcame his discretion.
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Speaker 2: Nothing.
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Speaker 1: He shall have nothing, he exclaimed before a crowd of reporters.
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Speaker 1: To divide my property with him.
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Speaker 2: Never let him tear up the ticket if he wishes.
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Speaker 1: Yet five hundred thousand francs is better than nothing. That
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Speaker 1: is not the question. It is a question of my
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Speaker 1: just right, and that right I will establish before the courts.
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Speaker 1: What attack ar sain Lupin that would be amusing. No,
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Speaker 1: but the credit Foncier. They must pay me the million
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Speaker 1: francs without producing the ticket, or at least without proving
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Speaker 1: that you bought it. That proof exists, since ar Sain
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Speaker 1: Lupin admits that he stole the writing desk. But will
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Speaker 1: the word of Arsan Lupin carry any weight with the court?
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Speaker 1: No matter, I will fight it out. The gallery shouted
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Speaker 1: with glee, and wagers were freely made upon the result,
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Speaker 1: with the odds in favor of Lupin. On the following Thursday,
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Speaker 1: the personal column in the Echo de France was eagerly
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Speaker 1: perused by the expectant public, but it contained nothing addressed
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Speaker 1: to m R's loup. Monsieur Gerbois had not replied to
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Speaker 1: Arsain Lupin's letter. That was the declaration of war. That evening,
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Speaker 1: the newspapers announced the abduction of Mademoiselle Suzanne Gerbois. The
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Speaker 1: most entertaining feature in what might be called the Arsines
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Speaker 1: Lupin dramas is the comic attitude displayed by the Parisian police.
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Speaker 1: Arsine Lupin talks, plans, writes, commands, threatens, and executes as
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Speaker 1: if the police did not exist. They never figure in
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Speaker 1: his calculations. And yet the police do their utmost, But
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Speaker 1: what can they do against such a foe, a foe
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Speaker 1: that scorns and ignores them. Suzanne had left the house
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Speaker 1: at twenty minutes to ten, such was the testimony of
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Speaker 1: the servant. On leaving the college at five minutes past ten,
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Speaker 1: her father did not find her at the place she
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Speaker 1: was accustomed to wait for him. Consequently, whatever had happened
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Speaker 1: must have occurred. During the course of Suzanne's walk from
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Speaker 1: the house to the college. Two neighbors had met her.
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Speaker 1: About three hundred yards from the house. A lady had
21:15
Speaker 1: seen on the avenue a young girl, corresponding to Suzanne's description.
21:19
Speaker 1: No one else had seen her. Inquiries were made in
21:22
Speaker 1: all directions. The employees of the railways and street car
21:26
Speaker 1: lines were questioned, but none of them had seen anything
21:28
Speaker 1: of the missing girl. However, at Ville Devray they found
21:32
Speaker 1: a shopkeeper who had furnished gasoline to an automobile that
21:35
Speaker 1: had come from Paris on the day of the abduction.
21:39
Speaker 1: It was occupied by a blond woman. Extremely blond, said
21:42
Speaker 1: the witness. An hour later, the automobile again passed through
21:46
Speaker 1: Ville Devray on its way from Versailles to Paris. The
21:50
Speaker 1: shopkeeper declared that the automobile now contained a second woman
21:54
Speaker 1: who was heavily veiled. No doubt it was Suzanne Gerbois.
21:59
Speaker 1: The abduction must have taken place in broad daylight on
22:01
Speaker 1: a frequented street in the very heart.
22:04
Speaker 2: Of the town.
22:05
Speaker 1: How and at what spot? Not a cry was heard,
22:09
Speaker 1: not a suspicious action had been seen. The shopkeeper described
22:13
Speaker 1: the automobile as a Royal blue limousine of twenty four
22:16
Speaker 1: horse power, made by the firm of Pugin and Company.
22:20
Speaker 1: Inquiries were then made at the Grand Garage managed by
22:23
Speaker 1: Madame Bob Walthaer, who made a specialty of abductions by automobile.
22:28
Speaker 1: It was learned that she had rented a Pugeon limousine
22:31
Speaker 1: on that day to a blond woman whom she had
22:33
Speaker 1: never seen before nor since. Who is the chauffeur? A
22:39
Speaker 1: young man named Ernest, whom I had engaged only the
22:42
Speaker 1: day before. He came well recommended. Is he here now? No?
22:47
Speaker 1: He brought back the machine, but I haven't seen him since,
22:49
Speaker 1: said Madame Bob Walthower. Do you know where we can
22:53
Speaker 1: find him? You might see the people who recommended him
22:56
Speaker 1: to me? Here are the names. Upon inquiry, it was
23:00
Speaker 1: learned that none of these people knew the man called Ernest.
23:04
Speaker 1: The recommendations were forged. Such was the fate of every
23:08
Speaker 1: clue followed by the police.
23:10
Speaker 2: It ended nowhere.
23:12
Speaker 1: The mystery remained unsolved. Monsieur Geerbois had not the strength
23:17
Speaker 1: or courage to wage such an unequal battle.
23:20
Speaker 2: The disappearance of.
23:21
Speaker 1: His daughter crushed him. He capitulated to the enemy. A
23:26
Speaker 1: short announcement in the Echo de France proclaimed his unconditional surrender.
23:32
Speaker 1: Two days later, Monsieur Geerbois visited the office of the
23:35
Speaker 1: Credit Foncier and handed lottery ticket number five fourteen series
23:39
Speaker 1: twenty three to the governor, who exclaimed with surprise, Ah,
23:43
Speaker 1: you have it.
23:44
Speaker 2: He has returned it to you.
23:47
Speaker 1: It was mislaid, that is all, replied Monsieur geur Bois,
23:51
Speaker 1: But you pretended that it had been stolen.
23:54
Speaker 2: At first they thought it had. But here it is.
23:58
Speaker 1: We will require some evvie to establish a right to
24:01
Speaker 1: the ticket. Will the letter of the purchaser, Monsieur Bessis,
24:05
Speaker 1: be sufficient? Yes, that will do. Here it is said
24:10
Speaker 1: Monsieur Geerbois, producing the letter. Very well, Leave these papers
24:15
Speaker 1: with us. The rules of the lottery allow us fifteen
24:18
Speaker 1: days time to investigate your claim. I will let you
24:21
Speaker 1: know when to call for your money. I presume you
24:23
Speaker 1: desire as much as I do, that this affair should
24:25
Speaker 1: be closed without further publicity. Quite so, Monsieur geer Bois
24:31
Speaker 1: and the Governor henceforth maintained a discreet silence. But the
24:35
Speaker 1: secret was revealed in some way, for it was soon
24:38
Speaker 1: commonly known that Arsin Lupin had returned the lottery ticket
24:41
Speaker 1: to Monsieur geer Bois. The public received the news with
24:45
Speaker 1: astonishment and admiration. Certainly, he was a bold gamester who
24:50
Speaker 1: thus threw upon the table a trump card of such
24:52
Speaker 1: importance as the precious ticket. But it was true he
24:57
Speaker 1: still retained a trump card of equal importance. However, if
25:01
Speaker 1: the young girl should escape, if the hostage held by
25:04
Speaker 1: Arsaan Lupin should be rescued, the police thought they had
25:08
Speaker 1: discovered the weak spot of the enemy, and now redoubled
25:12
Speaker 1: their efforts. Arsine Lupin, disarmed by his own act, crushed
25:16
Speaker 1: by the wheels of his own machination, deprived of every
25:20
Speaker 1: sou of the coveted million, public interest now centered in
25:23
Speaker 1: the camp of his adversary, but it was necessary to
25:27
Speaker 1: find Suzanne, and they did not find her, nor did
25:31
Speaker 1: she escape. Consequently, it must be admitted Arsine Lupin had
25:35
Speaker 1: won the first hand, but the game was not yet decided.
25:39
Speaker 1: The most difficult point remained. Mademoiselle Geerbois is in his
25:44
Speaker 1: possession and he will hold her until he receives five
25:47
Speaker 1: hundred thousand francs. But how and where will such an
25:50
Speaker 1: exchange be made? For that purpose?
25:53
Speaker 2: A meeting must be arranged.
25:54
Speaker 1: And then what will prevent Monsieur Geerbois from warning the
25:57
Speaker 1: police and in that way effecting the rescue of his
26:01
Speaker 1: daughter and at the same time keeping his money. The
26:04
Speaker 1: professor was interviewed, but he was extremely reticent. His answer
26:09
Speaker 1: was I have nothing to say, and Mademoiselle Gebois, the
26:14
Speaker 1: search is being continued. But arsaind Lupin has written to you.
26:19
Speaker 1: No do you swear to that? No? Then it is true,
26:24
Speaker 1: what are his instructions?
26:26
Speaker 2: I have nothing to say.
26:28
Speaker 1: Then the interviewers attacked Monsieur D'artnanon and found him equally discreet.
26:33
Speaker 1: Monsieur leu Pinn is my client and I cannot discuss
26:36
Speaker 1: his affairs, he replied, with an affected air of gravity.
26:40
Speaker 1: These mysteries served to irritate the gallery. Obviously, some secret
26:45
Speaker 1: negotiations were in progress. Arsain Lupin had arranged and tightened
26:50
Speaker 1: the meshes of his net, while the police maintained a
26:53
Speaker 1: close watch day and night over Monsieur Geerbois and the
26:57
Speaker 1: three and only possible denouements, the arrest, the triumph, or
27:02
Speaker 1: the ridiculous and pitiful abortion were freely discussed, but the
27:06
Speaker 1: curiosity of the public was only partially satisfied, and it
27:10
Speaker 1: was reserved for these pages to reveal the exact truth
27:14
Speaker 1: of the affair. On Monday, March twelfth, Monsieur Geerbois received
27:22
Speaker 1: a notice from the Credit Froncier. On Wednesday, he took
27:26
Speaker 1: the one o'clock train for Paris. At two o'clock, a
27:29
Speaker 1: thousand bank notes of one thousand francs each were delivered
27:32
Speaker 1: to him. Whilst he was counting them one by one
27:36
Speaker 1: in a state of nervous agitation that money, which represented
27:40
Speaker 1: Suzanne's ransom. A carriage containing two men stopped at the
27:44
Speaker 1: curb a short distance from the bank. One of the
27:47
Speaker 1: men had gray hair and an unusually shrewd expression, which
27:51
Speaker 1: formed a striking contrast to his shabby make up. It
27:55
Speaker 1: was Detective Genie MARDs, the relentless enemy of Arsain. Lupin
28:00
Speaker 1: Jaennimrd said to his companion fallen Fant. In five minutes,
28:04
Speaker 1: we will see our clever friend Loupin.
28:06
Speaker 2: Is everything ready? Yes? How many men have we? Eight?
28:11
Speaker 1: Two of them on bicycles, enough, but not too many.
28:15
Speaker 1: On no account must Gerbois escape us. If he does,
28:19
Speaker 1: it is all up. He will meet Lupine at the
28:21
Speaker 1: appointed place, give half a million in exchange for the girl,
28:24
Speaker 1: and the game will be over. But why doesn't Gerbois
28:28
Speaker 1: work with us? That would be the better way, and
28:30
Speaker 1: he could keep all the money himself. Yes, but he
28:34
Speaker 1: is afraid that if he deceives the other, he will
28:36
Speaker 1: not get his daughter.
28:38
Speaker 2: What other?
28:39
Speaker 1: Loupin Jennimrd pronounced the word in a solemn tone, somewhat timidly,
28:45
Speaker 1: as if he were speaking of some supernatural creature whose
28:48
Speaker 1: claws he already felt. It is very strange, remarked fallen
28:53
Speaker 1: Fant judiciously, that we are obliged to protect this gentleman
28:57
Speaker 1: contrary to his own wishes. Yes, but Lupin always turns
29:01
Speaker 1: the world upside down, said Joannimard mournfully. A moment later,
29:06
Speaker 1: Monsieur geer Bois appeared and started up the street at
29:10
Speaker 1: the end of the Rue de Capusins. He turned into
29:13
Speaker 1: the boulevards, walking slowly and stopping frequently to gaze at
29:17
Speaker 1: the shop windows. Much too calm, too self possessed, said
29:21
Speaker 1: Janni Mard. A man with a million in his pocket
29:24
Speaker 1: would not have that air of tranquility.
29:27
Speaker 2: What is he doing?
29:29
Speaker 1: Oh, nothing, evidently, but they have a suspicion that it
29:33
Speaker 1: is Loupin, Yes, Loupin. At that moment, Monsieur Geur Bois
29:38
Speaker 1: stopped at a news stand, purchased a paper, unfolded it,
29:42
Speaker 1: and commenced to read it as he walked slowly away.
29:45
Speaker 1: A moment later, he gave a sudden bound into an
29:47
Speaker 1: automobile that was standing at the curb. Apparently the machine.
29:51
Speaker 2: Had been waiting for him.
29:52
Speaker 1: As it started away, rapidly, turned at the Madeleine and disappeared.
29:57
Speaker 1: Nom d Nome, cried Joannimard, that's one of his old tricks.
30:02
Speaker 1: Jeannie Maud hastened after the automobile around the Madeleine. Then
30:05
Speaker 1: he burst into laughter at the entrance to the Boulevard Malcherbs.
30:10
Speaker 1: The automobile had stopped and Monsieur Gerbois had alighted quick
30:14
Speaker 1: Fullenfant the chauffeur. It may be the man ernest fallen
30:18
Speaker 1: Fant interviewed the chauffeur. His name was Gaston. He was
30:22
Speaker 1: an employee of the Automobile cab company. Ten minutes ago
30:25
Speaker 1: a gentleman had engaged him and told him to wait
30:27
Speaker 1: near the news stand for another gentleman and.
30:30
Speaker 2: The second man.
30:31
Speaker 1: What address did he give, asked Follenfant. No address, Boulevard
30:36
Speaker 1: marchevs Avenue de Messine, A double pourbois, that is all.
30:43
Speaker 1: But during this time Monsieur geer Bois had leaped into
30:45
Speaker 1: the first passing carriage to the Concorde station Metropolitan.
30:50
Speaker 2: He said to the driver.
30:52
Speaker 1: He left the underground at the Place de Palais Royale,
30:55
Speaker 1: ran to another carriage and ordered it to go to
30:57
Speaker 1: the Place de le Bourse. Then his second journey by
31:00
Speaker 1: the underground to the Avenue de Villiers, followed by a
31:04
Speaker 1: third carriage drive to number twenty five Rue Claperon. Number
31:08
Speaker 1: twenty five Rue Claperon is separated from the Boulevard des
31:12
Speaker 1: Batignan's by the house which occupies the angle formed by
31:15
Speaker 1: the two streets. He ascended to the first floor and rang.
31:20
Speaker 1: A gentleman opened the door. Does Monsieur d'etnand live here?
31:25
Speaker 2: Yes? That is my name.
31:27
Speaker 1: Are you Monsieur geer Bois. Yes, I was expecting you.
31:32
Speaker 2: Step in.
31:34
Speaker 1: As Monsieur Geur Bois entered the lawyer's office, the clock
31:37
Speaker 1: struck three.
31:38
Speaker 2: He said, I am prompt to the minute. Is he here?
31:43
Speaker 2: Not yet?
31:44
Speaker 1: Monsieur Geerbois took a seat, wiped his forehead, looked at
31:48
Speaker 1: his watch as if he did not know the time,
31:50
Speaker 1: and inquired anxiously.
31:53
Speaker 2: Will he come well?
31:55
Speaker 1: Monsieur replied the lawyer that I do not know. I
31:59
Speaker 1: am quite as anxious and impatient as you are to
32:01
Speaker 1: find out. If he comes, he will run a great risk,
32:04
Speaker 1: as this house has been closely watched for the last
32:06
Speaker 1: two weeks. They distrust me. They suspect me too. I
32:12
Speaker 1: am not sure whether the detectives lost sight of me
32:15
Speaker 1: or not on my way here, but you were. It
32:18
Speaker 1: wouldn't be my fault, cried the professor quickly. You cannot
32:21
Speaker 1: reproach me. I promise to obey his orders, and I
32:25
Speaker 1: followed them to the very letter. I drew the money
32:28
Speaker 1: at the time fixed by him, and I came here
32:30
Speaker 1: in the manner directed by him. I have faithfully performed
32:33
Speaker 1: my part of the agreement. Let him do his. After
32:38
Speaker 1: a short silence, he asked anxiously, he will bring my daughter,
32:41
Speaker 1: won't he? I expect so, But you have seen him.
32:48
Speaker 1: I no, not yet. He made the appointment by letter,
32:53
Speaker 1: saying both of you would be here, and asking me
32:55
Speaker 1: to dismiss my servants before three o'clock and admit no
32:58
Speaker 1: one while you were here. If I would not consent
33:01
Speaker 1: to that arrangement, I was to notify him by a
33:03
Speaker 1: few words in the Echo de France. But I am
33:05
Speaker 1: only too happy to oblige Monsieur le Pine, and so
33:08
Speaker 1: I consented. Ah, how will this end? Moaned Monsieur geer Bois.
33:15
Speaker 1: He took the bank notes from his pocket, placed them
33:18
Speaker 1: on the table, and divided them into two equal parts.
33:21
Speaker 1: Then the two men sat there in silence. From time
33:24
Speaker 1: to time Monsieur Geerbois would listen, did some one ring.
33:28
Speaker 1: His nervousness increased every minute, and Monsieur d't anand also
33:32
Speaker 1: displayed considerable anxiety. At last, the lawyer lost his patience,
33:37
Speaker 1: He rose abruptly and said, he will not come. We
33:40
Speaker 1: shouldn't expect it. It would be folly on his part.
33:43
Speaker 1: He would run too great a risk, and Monsieur geur Bois, despondent,
33:47
Speaker 1: his hands resting on the bank notes, stammered, Oh, mon dieu,
33:52
Speaker 1: I hope you will come. I would give the whole
33:54
Speaker 1: of that money to see my daughter again. The door opened,
33:59
Speaker 1: half of its will be sufficient, Monsieur geer Bois. These
34:03
Speaker 1: words were spoken by a well dressed young man who
34:06
Speaker 1: now entered the room and was immediately recognized by Monsieur
34:09
Speaker 1: Geerbois as the person who had wished to buy the
34:12
Speaker 1: desk from him at Versailles. He rushed toward him. Where
34:16
Speaker 1: is my daughter, my Suzanne Arsin. Lupin carefully closed the door, and,
34:21
Speaker 1: while slowly removing his gloves, said to the lawyer, my
34:25
Speaker 1: dear Maitre, I am indebted to you very much for
34:29
Speaker 1: your kindness in consenting to defend my interests.
34:33
Speaker 2: I shall not forget it.
34:35
Speaker 1: Monsieur Detnon murmured, But you did not ring. I did
34:39
Speaker 1: not hear the door. Doors and bells are things that
34:43
Speaker 1: should work without being heard. I am here and that
34:47
Speaker 1: is the important point.
34:49
Speaker 2: My daughter, Susan, where is she repeated the professor.
34:54
Speaker 1: Mon Dieu Monsieur said, Lupin, what's your hurry? Your daughter
35:00
Speaker 1: there will be here in a moment. Lupin walked to
35:03
Speaker 1: and fro for a minute. Then, with the pompous air
35:06
Speaker 1: of an orator, he said, Monsieur Geuvois, I congratulate you
35:11
Speaker 1: on the clever way in which you made the journey
35:14
Speaker 1: to this place. Then, perceiving the two piles of bank notes,
35:18
Speaker 1: he exclaimed, Ah, I see the million is here. We
35:24
Speaker 1: will not lose any time. Permit me one moment, said
35:29
Speaker 1: the lawyer, placing himself before the table. Mademoiselle gevois has
35:32
Speaker 1: not yet arrived. Well, is not her presence indispensable? I understand,
35:41
Speaker 1: I understand Arsain Lupin inspires only a limited confidence he
35:46
Speaker 1: might pocket the half a million and not restore the hostage. Ah, monsieur,
35:51
Speaker 1: people do not understand me. Because I have been obliged
35:55
Speaker 1: by the force of circumstances to commit certain actions a
35:59
Speaker 1: little out of the ordinary. My good faith is impugned. I,
36:05
Speaker 1: who have always observed the utmost scrupulosity and delicacy in
36:09
Speaker 1: business affairs, besides, my dear monsieur, if you have any fear,
36:14
Speaker 1: opens the window and call there at least a dozen
36:17
Speaker 1: detectives in the street. Do you think, so arsin, Lupin
36:22
Speaker 1: raised the curtain. I think that Monsieur Guvois could not
36:26
Speaker 1: throw Ganimud off the scent. What did I tell you?
36:29
Speaker 2: There? He is? Now? Is it possible?
36:33
Speaker 1: Exclaimed the professor. But I swear to you, do you
36:37
Speaker 1: have not betrayed me? I do not doubt you. But
36:40
Speaker 1: those fellows are clever sometimes, ah, I can see fallen
36:44
Speaker 1: Font and Groan and Douzye, all good friends of mine.
36:50
Speaker 1: Monsieur Detnann looked at Lupin in amazement. What assurance? He laughed,
36:55
Speaker 1: as merrily as if engaged in some childish sport, as
36:58
Speaker 1: if no danger threatened him. This unconcern reassured the lawyer
37:03
Speaker 1: more than the presence of the detectives. He left the
37:06
Speaker 1: table on which the bank notes were lying. Ar Saint
37:09
Speaker 1: Lupin picked up one pile of bills after the other,
37:12
Speaker 1: took from each of them twenty five bank notes, which
37:15
Speaker 1: he offered to Monsieur d'tnan, saying, the reward of your
37:19
Speaker 1: services to Monsieur Gerbois and ar, Saint Lupin, you well
37:23
Speaker 1: deserve it.
37:25
Speaker 2: You owe me nothing, replied the lawyer.
37:28
Speaker 1: What after all the trouble we have caused you and
37:32
Speaker 1: all the pleasure you have given me, That.
37:35
Speaker 3: Means, my dear monsieur, that you do not wish to
37:37
Speaker 3: accept anything from us. Saint Lupin see what it is
37:41
Speaker 3: to have a bad reputation. He then offered the fifty
37:45
Speaker 3: thousand francs to Monsieur Gerbois, saying, Monsieur, in memory of
37:50
Speaker 3: our pleasant interview, permit me to return you this as
37:54
Speaker 3: a wedding gift to Mademoiselle Geerbois. Monsieur Geerbois took the money,
37:59
Speaker 3: but said.
38:01
Speaker 2: My daughter will not marry.
38:04
Speaker 1: She will not marry if you refuse your consent, but
38:07
Speaker 1: she wishes to marry.
38:10
Speaker 2: What do you know about it?
38:12
Speaker 1: I know that young girls often dream of such things
38:15
Speaker 1: unknown to their parents. Fortunately, there are sometimes good genie
38:21
Speaker 1: like Assaint Lupin, who discovered their little secrets in the
38:25
Speaker 1: drawers of their writing desks. Did you find anything else,
38:29
Speaker 1: asked the lawyer, I confess I am curious to know
38:33
Speaker 1: why you took so much trouble to get the possession
38:35
Speaker 1: of that desk on account of its historic interest, my friend,
38:40
Speaker 1: although despite the opinion of Monsieur geu Bois, the desk
38:44
Speaker 1: contained no treasure except the lottery ticket, and that was
38:48
Speaker 1: unknown to me. I had been seeking it for a
38:50
Speaker 1: long time. That writing desk of you and Mahogany was
38:55
Speaker 1: discovered in the little house in which Marie Walluska once
38:58
Speaker 1: lived in Boulogne, and on one of the drawers there
39:02
Speaker 1: is this inscription dedicated to Napoleon, the first Emperor of
39:07
Speaker 1: the French, by his very faithful servant Mancion, and above
39:13
Speaker 1: it these words engraved with the point of a knife,
39:16
Speaker 1: to you, Marie. Afterwards, Napoleon had a similar desk made
39:21
Speaker 1: for the Empress Josephine, so that the secretary that was
39:24
Speaker 1: so much admired that the Malmaison was only an imperfect
39:27
Speaker 1: copy of the one that will henceforth form part of
39:30
Speaker 1: my collection. Oh if I had known when in the shop,
39:36
Speaker 1: I would gladly have given it up to you, said
39:39
Speaker 1: the professor Arsain. Lupin smiled as he replied, and you
39:44
Speaker 1: would have had the advantage of keeping for your own
39:46
Speaker 1: use lottery ticket number five fourteen, and you would not
39:50
Speaker 1: have found it necessary to abduct my daughter abduct your daughter.
39:56
Speaker 4: Yes, my dear monsieur, you are mistaken. Mademoiselle Jeoblis was
40:01
Speaker 4: not abducted. No, certainly not abduction.
40:08
Speaker 1: Means false or violence. And I assure you that she
40:12
Speaker 1: served as hostage of her.
40:13
Speaker 2: Own free will. Of her own free will.
40:19
Speaker 1: Repeated Monsieur Gebois, in amazement. In fact, she almost asked
40:24
Speaker 1: to be taken. Why do you suppose that an intelligent
40:27
Speaker 1: young girl like Mademoiselle geu Bois, and who moreover nourishes
40:31
Speaker 1: an unacknowledged passion, would hesitate to do what was necessary
40:35
Speaker 1: to secure her dowry. Ah, I swear to you it
40:39
Speaker 1: was not difficult to make her understand that it was
40:42
Speaker 1: the only way to overcome your obstinacy. Monsieur det Nunn
40:47
Speaker 1: was greatly amused, he replied to Lupin. But I should
40:50
Speaker 1: think it was more difficult to get her to listen
40:52
Speaker 1: to you. How did you approach her? Oh, I didn't
40:56
Speaker 1: approach her myself. I have not the honor of her
40:59
Speaker 1: acquaint A friend of mine, A lady carried on the
41:03
Speaker 1: negotiations the blond woman and the automobile. No doubt precisely.
41:11
Speaker 1: All arrangements were made at the first interview near the college.
41:14
Speaker 1: Since then, Mademoiselle Gebois and her new friend have been
41:18
Speaker 1: traveling in Belgium and Holland in a manner that should
41:21
Speaker 1: prove most pleasing and instructive to a young girl. She
41:24
Speaker 1: would tell you all about it herself. The bell of
41:27
Speaker 1: the vestibule door rang three rings in quick succession, followed
41:31
Speaker 1: by two isolated rings. It is, she said, Leupine, monsieur
41:36
Speaker 1: tet nan, if you would be so kind. The lawyer
41:39
Speaker 1: hastened to the door. Two young women entered. One of
41:43
Speaker 1: them threw herself into the arms of Monsieur geer Bois.
41:46
Speaker 1: The other approached Leupine. The latter was a tall woman
41:50
Speaker 1: of good figure, very pale complexion, and with blond hair
41:54
Speaker 1: parted over her forehead in undulating waves that glistened and
41:57
Speaker 1: shone like the setting sun. She was dressed in black,
42:01
Speaker 1: with no display of jeweled ornaments, but on the contrary,
42:05
Speaker 1: her appearance indicated good taste and refined elegance. Arsin Lupin
42:10
Speaker 1: spoke a few words to her, then, bowing to Mademoiselle Geervois,
42:13
Speaker 1: he said, I owe you an apology, mademoiselle, for all
42:17
Speaker 1: your troubles. But I hope you have not been too unhappy.
42:21
Speaker 3: Unhappy? Why should have been very happy? Indeed, if it
42:25
Speaker 3: hadn't been for leaving my poor father, then all is
42:29
Speaker 3: for the best. Kiss him again and take advantage of
42:32
Speaker 3: the opportunity. It is an excellent one to speak to
42:35
Speaker 3: him about your cousin.
42:38
Speaker 1: My cousin, What do you mean I don't understand. Of
42:44
Speaker 1: course you understand your cousin, Philip, the young man whose
42:48
Speaker 1: letters you kept so carefully. Suzanne blushed, but following Lupin's advice,
42:55
Speaker 1: she again threw herself into her father's arms. Leupinne gazed
42:59
Speaker 1: upon them with a look. Ah, such is my reward
43:03
Speaker 1: for a virtuous act. What a touching picture a happy
43:08
Speaker 1: father and a happy daughter. And to know that their
43:12
Speaker 1: joy is your work, Lupin. Hereafter these people will bless
43:17
Speaker 1: you and reverently transmit your name unto their descendants, even
43:21
Speaker 1: unto the fourth generation. What a glorious reward Lupin, for
43:25
Speaker 1: one act of kindness.
43:27
Speaker 2: He walked to the window.
43:29
Speaker 1: Oh, is dear old Jeannie Mard still waiting. He would
43:33
Speaker 1: like very much to be present at this charming domestic scene. Ah,
43:37
Speaker 1: he is not there, nor any of the others. I
43:40
Speaker 1: don't see anyone the deuce. The situation is becoming serious.
43:46
Speaker 1: I dare say they are already under their porte cocher,
43:49
Speaker 1: talking to the concierge, perhaps or even ascending the stairs.
43:56
Speaker 1: Monsieur Geuvois made a sudden movement. Now that his daughter
43:59
Speaker 1: had been restored to him, he saw the situation in
44:01
Speaker 1: a different light. To him, the arrest of his adversary
44:05
Speaker 1: meant half a million francs. Instinctively, he made a step forward,
44:10
Speaker 1: as if by chance Lupin stood in his way. Where
44:13
Speaker 1: you're going, Monsieur Geppois, to defend me against them? Oh,
44:17
Speaker 1: that is very kind of you, But I assure you
44:19
Speaker 1: it is not necessary. They are more worried than I.
44:23
Speaker 1: Then he continued to speak with calm deliberation. But really,
44:28
Speaker 1: what do they know? That you are here? And perhaps
44:32
Speaker 1: that Mademoiselle Gerbois is here, For they may have seen
44:36
Speaker 1: her arrive with an unknown lady. But they do not
44:39
Speaker 1: imagine that I am here. How is it possible that
44:42
Speaker 1: I could be in a house that they ransacked from
44:45
Speaker 1: Cellar to Garrett this morning? They suppose that the unknown
44:49
Speaker 1: lady was sent to me to make the exchange, and
44:52
Speaker 1: they will be ready to arrest her when she goes out.
44:55
Speaker 1: At that moment the bell rang with a brusque movement.
44:58
Speaker 1: Lupin sees monsieurs Bois and said to him in an
45:01
Speaker 1: imperious tone, do not move, Remember your daughter and be prudent. Otherwise,
45:09
Speaker 1: As to you, Monsieur d'etnan, I have your promise. Monsieur
45:13
Speaker 1: Geerbois was rooted to the spot. The lawyer did not
45:16
Speaker 1: stir without the least sign of haste. Leupin picked up
45:20
Speaker 1: his hat and brushed the dust off of it with
45:22
Speaker 1: his sleeve. My dear, Monsieur d'etnan, if I can ever
45:26
Speaker 1: be of service to you, my best wish is Mademoiselle Sousin,
45:30
Speaker 1: and my kind regards to Monsieur Felippe.
45:33
Speaker 2: He drew a heavy gold watch from his pocket.
45:36
Speaker 1: Monsieur Geerbois, it is now forty two minutes past three.
45:40
Speaker 1: At forty six minutes past three, I gave you permission
45:44
Speaker 1: to leave this room, not one minute sooner than forty
45:47
Speaker 1: six minutes past three. But they were forced an entrance,
45:53
Speaker 1: suggested Monsieur d'etnan you forget the law, my dear. Monsieur
45:58
Speaker 1: Jeannie Mard would never venture to vie a privacy of
46:01
Speaker 1: a French citizen. Oh, but pardon me, Time flies and
46:05
Speaker 1: you are all slightly nervous.
46:08
Speaker 2: He placed his watch on.
46:09
Speaker 1: The table, opened the door of the room, and, addressing
46:11
Speaker 1: the blonde lady, he said, are you ready, my dear?
46:15
Speaker 1: He drew back to let her pass, bowed respectfully to
46:18
Speaker 1: Mademoiselle Geerbois, and went out, closing the door behind him.
46:23
Speaker 1: Then they heard him in the vestibule speaking in.
46:25
Speaker 2: A loud voice.
46:27
Speaker 1: Good day, Jenniemard, How goes it? Remember me to Madame
46:30
Speaker 1: Jennie Mard. One of these days I shall invite her
46:33
Speaker 1: to breakfast Au revoir Gaenniemard. The bell rang violently, followed
46:39
Speaker 1: by repeated rings and voices on the landing. Forty five minutes,
46:45
Speaker 1: muttered Monsieur Geerbois. After a few seconds, he left the
46:48
Speaker 1: room and stepped into the vestibule. Arsain lupin and the
46:52
Speaker 1: blond lady had gone. Papa, you mustn't wait, cried Suzanne. Wait,
46:59
Speaker 1: you are fooling. No cut off of that rascal and
47:02
Speaker 1: a half million. He opened the outer door Jeannie Mard
47:06
Speaker 1: rushed in.
47:08
Speaker 2: That woman where is she? And Loupin he was here,
47:13
Speaker 2: He is here.
47:14
Speaker 1: Johnny Mard uttered a cry of triumph.
47:17
Speaker 2: We have him.
47:18
Speaker 1: The house is surrounded, but the servants stairway, suggested Monsieur Detannon.
47:23
Speaker 1: It is to the court, said Johnny Mard. There is
47:26
Speaker 1: only one exit, the street door. Ten men are guarding it.
47:31
Speaker 1: But he didn't come in by the street door, and
47:32
Speaker 1: he will not go out that way. What way, then,
47:36
Speaker 1: asked Johnny Mard. Through the air, He drew aside a
47:40
Speaker 1: curtain and exposed a long corridor leading to the kitchen.
47:44
Speaker 1: Jeannie Mard ran along it and tried the door of
47:46
Speaker 1: the servants stairway. It was locked. From the window, he
47:50
Speaker 1: called to one of his assistants.
47:52
Speaker 2: Seen any one. No, then they are still in the house,
47:57
Speaker 2: he exclaimed. They're hiding in one of them rooms. The
48:00
Speaker 2: killot of escape. La Lupin.
48:03
Speaker 1: You fooled me before, but this time I get my revenge.
48:09
Speaker 1: At seven o'clock in the evening, Monsieur deu d'onnis, chief
48:13
Speaker 1: of the Detective Service, astonished at not receiving any news,
48:17
Speaker 1: visited the Rue Clapeheron. He questioned the detectives who were
48:20
Speaker 1: guarding the house, then ascended to Monsieur Detnand's apartment. The
48:25
Speaker 1: lawyer led him into his room. There, Monsieur Dudonny beheld
48:30
Speaker 1: a man, or rather two legs kicking in the air,
48:33
Speaker 1: while the body to which they belonged was hidden in
48:35
Speaker 1: the depths of the chimney. Hoe Hoe gasped a stifled voice,
48:42
Speaker 1: and a more distant voice from on high replied, ho
48:45
Speaker 1: ha hohe Monsieur de DONI laughed and exclaimed, here, Jeanie Maud,
48:52
Speaker 1: have you turned chimney sweep? The detective crawled out of
48:56
Speaker 1: the chimney, with his blackened face, his sooty clothes, and
48:59
Speaker 1: his feverish eyes. He was quite unrecognizable. I am looking
49:04
Speaker 1: for him, he growled. Who ah, San Loupan and his friend. Well,
49:14
Speaker 1: do you suppose they are hiding in the chimney? Jeannie
49:19
Speaker 1: marda Rose laid his sooty hand on the sleeve of
49:21
Speaker 1: his superior officer's coat and exclaimed, angrily, where do.
49:26
Speaker 2: You think they are? Chief? They must be somewhere.
49:29
Speaker 1: They are flesh and blood like you and me, and
49:31
Speaker 1: can't fade away like smoke. No, but they have faded
49:34
Speaker 1: away just the same. But how how the house is
49:39
Speaker 1: surrounded by our men, even on the roof. What about
49:44
Speaker 1: the adjoining house, there's no communication with it and the
49:48
Speaker 1: apartments on the other floors. I know all the tenants.
49:52
Speaker 1: They have not seen anyone. Are you sure you know
49:55
Speaker 1: all of them? Yes, the concierge answers for them. Besides,
50:00
Speaker 1: as an extra precaution, I have placed a man in
50:02
Speaker 1: each apartment.
50:03
Speaker 2: They can't escape.
50:04
Speaker 1: If I don't get them to night, I will get
50:05
Speaker 1: them tomorrow.
50:07
Speaker 2: I shall sleep here.
50:09
Speaker 1: He slept there that night, and the two following nights.
50:13
Speaker 1: Three days and nights passed away without the discovery of
50:16
Speaker 1: the irrepressible Lupin or his female companion. More than that,
50:21
Speaker 1: Jennie mar did not unearth the slightest clue on which
50:24
Speaker 1: to base a theory to explain their escape. For that reason,
50:28
Speaker 1: he adhered to his first opinion, there is no trace
50:32
Speaker 1: of their escape. Therefore they are here.
50:37
Speaker 2: It may be.
50:37
Speaker 1: That, at the bottom of his heart his conviction was
50:40
Speaker 1: less firmly established, but he would not confess it. No,
50:44
Speaker 1: A thousand times No, a man and a woman could
50:47
Speaker 1: not vanish like the evil spirits in a fairy tale,
50:51
Speaker 1: and without losing his courage, He continued his searches as
50:55
Speaker 1: if he expected to find the fugitives concealed in some
50:58
Speaker 1: impenetrable retreat, or embodied in the stone walls of the house.
51:04
Speaker 1: End of Chapter one