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

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Speaker 1: Chapter two The Blue Diamond. On the evening of March
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Speaker 1: twenty seventh, at number one thirty four Avenue here Martaine,
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Speaker 1: in the house that he had inherited from his brother
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Speaker 1: six months before, the old General Baron d'autrec, ambassador at
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Speaker 1: Berlin under the Second Empire, was asleep in a comfortable
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Speaker 1: arm chair, while his secretary was reading to him, and
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Speaker 1: the sister Auguste, was warming his bed and preparing the
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Speaker 1: night lamp. At eleven o'clock, the sister, who was obliged
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Speaker 1: to return to the convent of her order at that hour,
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Speaker 1: said to the secretary, Mademoiselle Antoinette, my work is finished.
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Speaker 1: I am going very well, sister. Do not forget that
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Speaker 1: the cook is away, and that you are alone in
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Speaker 1: the house with the servant. Have no fear for the Baron.
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Speaker 1: I sleep in the adjoining room and always leave the
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Speaker 1: door open. The sister left the house. A few moments later, Charles,
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Speaker 1: the servant, came to receive his orders. The Baron was
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Speaker 1: now awake and spoke for himself the usual order, as Charles,
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Speaker 1: see that the electric bell rings in your room, and
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Speaker 1: at the first alarm run for the doctor. Now, Mademoiselle Antoinette,
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Speaker 1: how far did we get to now reading? Is Monsieur
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Speaker 1: not going to bed now? No? No, I will go later. Besides,
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Speaker 1: I don't need anyone. Twenty minutes later he was sleeping again,
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Speaker 1: and Antoinette crept away on tiptoe. At that moment, Charles
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Speaker 1: was closing the shutters on the lower floor. In the kitchen,
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Speaker 1: he bolted the door leading to the garden, and in
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Speaker 1: the vestibule he not only locked the door, but hooked
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Speaker 1: the chain as well. Then he ascended to his room
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Speaker 1: on the third floor, went to bed, and was soon asleep.
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Speaker 1: Probably an hour had passed when he leaped from his
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Speaker 1: bed in alarm. The bell was ringing. It rang for
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Speaker 1: some time, seven or eight seconds, perhaps without intermission, well,
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Speaker 1: muttered Charles, recoding his wits, another of the Baron's whims.
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Speaker 1: He dressed himself, quickly descended the stairs, stopped in front
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Speaker 1: of the door, and rapped according to his custom. He
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Speaker 1: received no reply. He opened the door and entered. Ah,
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Speaker 1: no light. He murmured, what does that for? Then, in
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Speaker 1: a low voice, he called mademoiselle. No reply. Are you there, mademoiselle?
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Speaker 1: What's the matter? Is monsieur le baron ill no reply,
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Speaker 1: nothing but a profound silence that soon became depressing. He
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Speaker 1: took two steps forward. His foot struck a chair, and
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Speaker 1: having touched it, he noticed that it was overturned. Then
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Speaker 1: with his hand he discovered other objects on the floor,
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Speaker 1: a small table and a screen. Anxiously, he approached the wall,
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Speaker 1: felt for the electric button and turned on the light.
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Speaker 1: In the center of the room, between the table and
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Speaker 1: dressing case lay the body of his master, the Barren Dutrak.
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Speaker 1: What it can be possible, he stammered. He could not move.
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Speaker 1: He stood there with bulging eyes, gazing stupidly at the
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Speaker 1: terrible disorder. The overturned chairs, a large crystal candelabra shattered
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Speaker 1: in a thousand pieces, the clock lying on the marble hearthstone,
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Speaker 1: all evidence of a fearful and desperate struggle. The handle
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Speaker 1: of a stiletto glittered not far from the corpse. The
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Speaker 1: blade was stained with blood. A handkerchief marked with red
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Speaker 1: spots was lying on the edge of the bed. Charles
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Speaker 1: recoiled with horror. The body lying at his feet extended
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Speaker 1: itself for a moment, then shrunk up again. Two or
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Speaker 1: three tremors, and that was the end. He stooped over
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Speaker 1: the body. There was a clean cut wound on the neck,
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Speaker 1: from which the blood was flowing and then congealing in
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Speaker 1: a black pool on the carpet. The face retained an
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Speaker 1: expression of extreme terror. Some one has killed him, he muttered,
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Speaker 1: some money has killed him. Then he shuddered at the
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Speaker 1: thought that there might be another dreadful crime. Did not
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Speaker 1: the baron's secretary sleep in the adjoining room, had not
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Speaker 1: the assassin killed her? Also? He opened the door. The
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Speaker 1: room was empty. He concluded that Antoinette had been abducted,
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Speaker 1: or else she had gone away before the crime. He
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Speaker 1: returned to the baron's chamber, his glance falling on the secretary,
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Speaker 1: He noticed that that article of furniture remained intact. Then
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Speaker 1: he saw, upon a table beside a bunch of keys,
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Speaker 1: in a pocket book that the baron placed there every night,
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Speaker 1: a handful of golden Lewise. Charles seized the pocket book,
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Speaker 1: opened it and found some bank notes. He counted them.
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Speaker 1: There were thirteen notes of one hundred francs each. Instinctively mechanically,
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Speaker 1: he put the bank notes in his pocket, rushed down
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Speaker 1: the stairs, drew the bolt, unhooked the chain, closed the
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Speaker 1: door behind him and fled to the street. Charles was
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Speaker 1: an honest man. He had scarcely left the gate. When
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Speaker 1: cooled by the night air and the rain, he came
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Speaker 1: to a sudden halt. Now he saw his action in
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Speaker 1: its true light, and it filled him with horror. He
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Speaker 1: hailed a passing cab and said to the driver, go
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Speaker 1: to the police office and bring the commissary. Hurry, there
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Speaker 1: has been a murder in that house. The cab driver
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Speaker 1: whipped his horse. Charles wished to return to the house,
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Speaker 1: but found the gate locked. He had closed it himself
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Speaker 1: when he came out, and it could not be opened
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Speaker 1: from the outside. On the other hand, it was useless
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Speaker 1: to ring, as there was no one in the house.
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Speaker 1: It was almost an hour before the arrival of the police.
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Speaker 1: When they came, Charles told his story and handed the
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Speaker 1: bank notes to the commissary. A locksmith was summoned, and
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Speaker 1: after considerable difficulty, he succeeded in forcing open the garden
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Speaker 1: gate and the vestibule door. The Commissary of police entered
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Speaker 1: the room first, but immediately turned to Charles and said,
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Speaker 1: you told me that the room was in the greatest disorder.
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Speaker 1: Charles stood at the door amazed, bewildered. All the furniture
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Speaker 1: had been restored to its accustomed place. The small table
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Speaker 1: was standing between the two windows, The chairs were upright,
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Speaker 1: and the clock was on the center of the mantel.
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Speaker 1: The debris of the candelabra had been removed. Where is
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Speaker 1: Monsieur le baron, stammered Charles. That's so, exclaimed the officer.
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Speaker 1: Where is the victim? He approached the bed and drew
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Speaker 1: aside a large sheet, under which reposed the Baron d'autrek,
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Speaker 1: formerly French ambassador at Berlin. Over him lay his military
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Speaker 1: coat adorned with the Cross of Honor. His features were calm,
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Speaker 1: his eyes were closed. Someone has been here, said Charles.
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Speaker 1: How did they get in? I don't know, but some
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Speaker 1: one has been here during my absence. There was a
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Speaker 1: stiletto on the floor there, and a handkerchief stained with
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Speaker 1: blood on the bed. They are not here now. They
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Speaker 1: have been carried away, and some one has put the
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Speaker 1: room in order. Who would do that? The assassin? But
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Speaker 1: we found all the doors locked. He must have remained
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Speaker 1: in the house, that he must be here. Yet, as
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Speaker 1: you were in front of the house all the time,
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Speaker 1: Charles reflected a moment, then said slowly. Yes, of course,
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Speaker 1: I didn't go away from the gate. Who was the
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Speaker 1: last person you saw with the baron, Mademoiselle Antoinette his secretary.
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Speaker 1: What has become of her? I don't know. Her bed
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Speaker 1: wasn't occupied, so she must have gone out. I am
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Speaker 1: not surprised at that, as she is young and pretty.
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Speaker 1: But how could she leave the house by the door,
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Speaker 1: said Charles, But you had bolted and chained it. Yes,
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Speaker 1: but she must have left before that, and the crime
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Speaker 1: was committed after her departure, of course, said the servant.
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Speaker 1: The house was searched from cellar to garret. But the
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Speaker 1: assassin had fled. How and when was it he or
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Speaker 1: an accomplice who had returned to the scene of the
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Speaker 1: crime and removed everything that might furnish a clue to
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Speaker 1: his identity. Such were the questions the police were called
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Speaker 1: upon to solve. The coroner came at seven o'clock, and
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Speaker 1: at eight o'clock Monsieur du Dois, the head of the
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Speaker 1: detective's service, arrived on the scene. They were followed by
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Speaker 1: the Procureur of the Republic and the investigating magistrate. In
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Speaker 1: addition to these officials, the house was overrun with policemen, detectives,
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Speaker 1: newspaper reporters, photographers and relatives and acquaintances of the murdered man.
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Speaker 1: A thorough search was made. They studied out the position
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Speaker 1: of the corpse according to the information furnished by Charles.
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Speaker 1: They questioned Sister august when she arrived, but they discovered
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Speaker 1: nothing new. Sister Auguste was astonished to learn of the
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Speaker 1: disappearance of Antoinette breat She had engaged the young girl
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Speaker 1: twelve days before on excellent recommendations and refused to believe
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Speaker 1: that she would neglect her duty by leaving the house
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Speaker 1: during the night. But you see, she hasn't returned yet,
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Speaker 1: said the magistrate, and we are still confronted with the
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Speaker 1: question what has become of her? I think she was
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Speaker 1: abducted by the assassin, said Charles. The theory was plausible
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Speaker 1: and was borne out by certain facts. Monsieur Dudoir agreed
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Speaker 1: with it, He said, abduct it, ma FOI, that is
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Speaker 1: not improbable. Not only improbable, said the voice, but absolutely
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Speaker 1: opposed to the facts. There is not a particle of
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Speaker 1: evidence to support such a theory. The voice was harsh,
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Speaker 1: the accent sharp, and no one was surprised to learn
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Speaker 1: that the speaker was Jeannie mard In. No one else
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Speaker 1: would they tolerate such a domineering tone. Ah, it is you,
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Speaker 1: Jennie mard exclaimed Monsieur Dutoir. I had not seen you before.
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Speaker 1: I have been here since two o'clock. So you are
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Speaker 1: interested in some things outside of lottery ticket number five fourteen,
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Speaker 1: the affair of the rue claperon, the blonde lady and
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Speaker 1: Arsain Lupin. Ha ha, laughed the veteran detective. I will
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Speaker 1: not say that Lupin is a stranger to the present case.
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Speaker 1: But let us forget the affair of the lottery ticket
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Speaker 1: for a few moments and try to unravel this new mystery.
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Speaker 1: Jennimrd is not one of those celebrated detectives whose methods
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Speaker 1: will create a school, or whose name will be immortalized
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Speaker 1: in the criminal annals of his country. He is devoid
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Speaker 1: of those flashes of genius which characterize the work of
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Speaker 1: Dupin Lecoq and Sherlock Holmes. Yet it must be admitted
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Speaker 1: he possesses superior qualities of observation, sagacity, perseverance, and even intuition.
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Speaker 1: His merit lies in his absolute independence. Nothing troubles or
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Speaker 1: influences him, except perhaps a sort of fascination that Arsin
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Speaker 1: Lupin holds over him. However that may be, there is
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Speaker 1: no doubt that his position on that morning in the
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Speaker 1: house of the late Baron Dutract was one of undoubted superiority,
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Speaker 1: and his collaboration in the case was appreciated and desired
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Speaker 1: by the investigating magistrate in the first place, said Zannimard.
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Speaker 1: I will ask Monsieur Charles to be very particular on
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Speaker 1: one point. He says that on the occasion of his
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Speaker 1: first visit to the room, various articles of furniture were
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Speaker 1: overturned and strewn about the place. Now I ask him
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Speaker 1: whether on his second visit to the room he found
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Speaker 1: all those articles restored to their accustomed places, I mean,
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Speaker 1: of course, correctly placed. Yes, all in their proper places,
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Speaker 1: replied Charles. It is obvious then that the person who
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Speaker 1: replaced them must have been familiar with the location of
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Speaker 1: those articles. The logic of this remark was apparent to
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Speaker 1: his hearers. Johanni Mard continued, one more question, Monsieur Charles,
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Speaker 1: you were awakened by the ringing of your bell. Now
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Speaker 1: who do you think rang it? Monsieur Le baron. Of course,
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Speaker 1: when could he ring it after the struggle when he
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Speaker 1: was dying. Impossible, because you found him lying unconscious at
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Speaker 1: a point more than four meters from the bell button.
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Speaker 1: Then he must have rung during the struggle. Impossible, declared
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Speaker 1: Jeanni Mard. Since the ringing, as you have said, was
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Speaker 1: continuous and uninterrupted and lasted seven or eight seconds. Do
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Speaker 1: you think his antagonist would have permitted him to ring
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Speaker 1: the bell in that leisurely manner. Well, then it was
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Speaker 1: before the attack, also quite impossible, since you have told
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Speaker 1: us that the lapse of time between the ringing of
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Speaker 1: the bell and your entrance to the room was not
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Speaker 1: more than three minutes. Therefore, if the baron rang before
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Speaker 1: the attack, we are forced to the conclusion that this struggle,
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Speaker 1: the murder, and the flight of the assassin all occurred
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Speaker 1: within the short space of three minutes, a repeat that
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Speaker 1: is impossible. And yet, said the magistrate, some one rang
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Speaker 1: If it were not the baron, who was it the murderer?
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Speaker 1: For what purpose? I do not know, But the fact
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Speaker 1: that he did ring proves that he knew that the
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Speaker 1: bell communicated with the servant's room. Now, who would know
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Speaker 1: that except an inmate? Of the house, Jennimard was drawing
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Speaker 1: the meshes of his net closer and tighter. In a
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Speaker 1: few clear and logical sentences, he had unfolded and defined
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Speaker 1: his theory of the crime, so that it seemed quite natural.
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Speaker 1: When the magistrate said, as I understand it, Jeannie Mard,
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Speaker 1: you suspect the girl Antoinette brehat. I do not suspect her.
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Speaker 1: I accuse her. You accuse her of being an accomplice.
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Speaker 1: I accuse her of having killed Baron d'altrech. Nonsense, What
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Speaker 1: proof have you the handful of hair I found in
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Speaker 1: the right hand of the victim. He produced the hair.
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Speaker 1: It was of a beautiful blonde color and glittered like
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Speaker 1: threads of gold. Charles looked at it and said, that
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Speaker 1: is Mademoiselle Antoinette's hare. There can be no doubt of it.
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Speaker 1: And then there is another thing. I believe that the
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Speaker 1: knife which I saw on my first visit to the
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Speaker 1: room belonged to her. She used it to cut the
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Speaker 1: leaves of books. A long, dreadful silence followed, as if
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Speaker 1: the crime had acquired an additional horror by reason of
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Speaker 1: having been committed by a woman. At last, the magistrate
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Speaker 1: said let us assume until we are better informed, that
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Speaker 1: the Baron was killed by Antoinette Brehat. We have yet
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Speaker 1: to learn where she concealed herself after the crime, how
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Speaker 1: she managed to return after Charles left the house, and
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Speaker 1: how she made her escape after the arrival of the police.
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Speaker 1: Have you formed any opinion on those points? Johnny Mard none? Well,
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Speaker 1: then where do we stand? Johanniy Mard was embarrassed. Finally,
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Speaker 1: with a visible effort, he said, all I can say
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Speaker 1: is that I find in this case the same method
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Speaker 1: of procedure as we found in the affair of the
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Speaker 1: lottery ticket number five fourteen, the same phenomena which might
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Speaker 1: be termed the faculty of disappearing. Antoinette Brehat has appeared
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Speaker 1: and disappeared in this house as mysteriously as Arsin Lupin
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Speaker 1: entered the house of Monsieur Dettinon and escaped therefrom in
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Speaker 1: the company of the blonde lady. Does that signify anything?
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Speaker 1: It does to me, I can see a probable connection
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Speaker 1: between those two strange incidents. Antoinette Brehat was hired by
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Speaker 1: Sister August twelve days ago, that is to say, on
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Speaker 1: the day after the blonde lady so cleverly slipped through
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Speaker 1: my fingers. In the second place, the hair of the
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Speaker 1: blonde lady was exactly of the same brilliant golden hue
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Speaker 1: as the hare found in this case. So that, in
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Speaker 1: your opinion, Antoinette Brehat is the blonde lady precisely, and
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Speaker 1: that Lupin had a hand in both cases. Yes, that
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Speaker 1: is my opinion. This statement was greeted with an outburst
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Speaker 1: of laughter. It came from Monsieur Dudoir. Lupan always Loupin.
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Speaker 2: Lupin is into everything, Lupin is everywhere. Yes, Lupin is
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Speaker 2: into everything of any consequence, replied Jenny Mard, vexed at
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Speaker 2: the ridicule of his superior. Well, so far as I
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Speaker 2: see observed, Monsieur dudoirs, you have not discovered any motive
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Speaker 2: for this crime. The secretary was not broken into, nor
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Speaker 2: the pocket book carried away. Even a pile of gold
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Speaker 2: was left upon the table. Yes, that is so, exclaimed
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Speaker 2: Jenny Mard. But the famous diamond, what diamond?
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Speaker 1: The blue diamond, the celebrated diamond which formed part of
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Speaker 1: the Royal crown of France, and which was given by
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Speaker 1: the Duke d'mmals to Leonide Lebron, and at the death
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Speaker 1: of Leonard Lebron was purchased by the Baron dot Trek
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Speaker 1: as a souvenir of the charming comedienne that he had
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Speaker 1: loved so well. That is one of those things things
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Speaker 1: that an old Parisian like I does not forget. It
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Speaker 1: is obvious that if the blue diamond is not found,
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Speaker 1: the motive for the crime is disclosed, said the magistrate.
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Speaker 1: But where should we search for it? On the Baron's finger,
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Speaker 1: replied Charles. He always wore the blue diamond on his
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Speaker 1: left hand. I saw that hand, and there was only
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Speaker 1: a plain gold ring on it, said Joannimrd As he
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Speaker 1: approached the corpse. Look in the palm of the hand,
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Speaker 1: replied the servant. Jennimard opened the stiffened hand. The bezel
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Speaker 1: was turned inward, and in the center of that bezel
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Speaker 1: the blue diamond shone with all its glorious splendor. The
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Speaker 1: deuce muttered Jannimard, absolutely amazed. I don't understand it. You
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Speaker 1: now apologize to Lupin for having suspected him, eh, said
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Speaker 1: Monsieur du Doir, laughing. Jennimard paused for a moment. Roman's
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Speaker 1: reflection and then replied sententiously, it is only when I
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Speaker 1: do not understand things that I suspect Arsain Lupin. Such
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Speaker 1: were the facts established by the police on the day
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Speaker 1: after the commission of that mysterious crime, facts that were
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Speaker 1: vague and incoherent in themselves, and which were not explained
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Speaker 1: by any subsequent discoveries. The movements of Antoinette Brehat remained
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Speaker 1: as inexplicable as those of the blonde lady, and the
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Speaker 1: police discovered no trace of that mysterious creature with the
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Speaker 1: golden hair who had killed Baron d'autrek and had failed
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Speaker 1: to take from his finger the famous diamond that had
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Speaker 1: once shown in the Royal Crown of France. The heirs
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Speaker 1: of the Baron d'autrec could not fail to benefit by
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Speaker 1: such notoriety. They established in the house an exhibition of
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Speaker 1: the furniture and other objects which were to be sold
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Speaker 1: at the auction rooms of Duot and Company. Modern furniture
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Speaker 1: of indifferent taste, various objects of no artistic value. But
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Speaker 1: in the center of the room, in a case of
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Speaker 1: purple velvet, protected by a glass globe and guarded by
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Speaker 1: two officers, was the famous blue diamond ring. A large,
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Speaker 1: magnificent diamond, of incomparable purity, and of that indefinite blue
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Speaker 1: which the clear water receives from an unclouded sky, of
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Speaker 1: that blue which can be detected in the whiteness of linen.
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Speaker 1: Some admired, some enthused, and some looked with horror on
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Speaker 1: the chamber of the victim, on the spot where the
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Speaker 1: corpse had lain, on the floor divested of its blood
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Speaker 1: stained carpet, and especially the walls, the unsurmountable walls over
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Speaker 1: which the criminal must have passed. Some assured themselves that
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Speaker 1: the marble mantle did not move. Others imagined gaping holes,
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Speaker 1: mouths of tunnels, secret connections with the sewers, and the catacombs.
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Speaker 1: The sale of the blue diamond took place at the
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Speaker 1: sales room of Juwo and Company. The place was to suffocation,
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Speaker 1: and the bidding was carried to the verge of Folly.
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Speaker 1: The sale was attended by all those who usually appear
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Speaker 1: at similar events in Paris, those who buy and those
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Speaker 1: who make a pretense of being able to buy. Bankers, brokers, artists,
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Speaker 1: women of all classes. Two cabinet ministers, an Italian tenor,
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Speaker 1: an exiled king who, in order to maintain his credit.
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Speaker 1: Bid with much ostentation and in a loud voice as
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Speaker 1: high as one hundred thousand francs. One hundred thousand francs.
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Speaker 1: He could offer that sum without any danger of his
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Speaker 1: bid being accepted. The Italian tenor risked one hundred and
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Speaker 1: fifty thousand, and a member of the Comdie Franseise bid
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Speaker 1: one hundred and seventy five thousand francs. When the bidding
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Speaker 1: reached two hundred thousand francs, the smaller competitors fell out
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Speaker 1: of the race. At two hundred and fifty thousand, only
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Speaker 1: two bidders remained in the field, Hirshmann, the well known capitalist,
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Speaker 1: the king of gold mines, and the Countess de Croison,
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Speaker 1: the wealthy American whose collection of diamonds and precious stones
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Speaker 1: is famed throughout the world.
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Speaker 3: Two hundred and sixty thousand, two hundred seventy thousand, seventy
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Speaker 3: five eighty, exclaimed the auctioneer as he glanced at the
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Speaker 3: two competitors in succession, two hundred.
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Speaker 1: And eighty thousand. For Madame, do I hear any more?
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Speaker 1: Three hundred thousand, said Hirshman. There was a short silence.
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Speaker 1: The Countess was standing, smiling but pale from excitement. She
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Speaker 1: was leaning against the back of the chair in front
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Speaker 1: of her. She knew, and so did every one present,
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Speaker 1: that the issue of the duel was certain logically inevitably,
22:41
Speaker 1: it must terminate to the advantage of the capitalist, who
22:44
Speaker 1: had untold millions with which to indulge his caprices. However,
22:48
Speaker 1: the countess made another bid three hundred and five thousand,
22:54
Speaker 1: another silence. All eyes were now directed to the capitalist
22:57
Speaker 1: and the expectation that he would raise the bidding. But
23:00
Speaker 1: Hirshman was not paying any attention to the sale. His
23:03
Speaker 1: eyes were fixed on a sheet of paper, which he
23:06
Speaker 1: held in his right hand, while the other hand held
23:08
Speaker 1: a torn envelope. Three hundred and five thousand, repeated the
23:13
Speaker 1: auctioneer once twice, for the last time, Do I hear
23:17
Speaker 1: any more? Once twice? Am I offered any more? Last chance?
23:23
Speaker 1: Hirshman did not move third and last time, sult exclaimed
23:28
Speaker 1: the auctioneer. As his hammer fell four hundred thousand, cried Hirshman,
23:33
Speaker 1: starting up as if the sound of the hammer had
23:35
Speaker 1: roused him from his stupor. Too late. The auctioneer's decision
23:39
Speaker 1: was irrevocable. Some of Hirschman's acquaintances pressed around him. What
23:44
Speaker 1: was the matter, Why did he not speak sooner? He
23:47
Speaker 1: laughed and said, ma FOI, I simply forgot in a
23:51
Speaker 1: moment of abstraction. That is strange. You see, I just
23:56
Speaker 1: received a letter, and that letter was bishop to distract
24:01
Speaker 1: my attention. Yes, for a moment, Johnimard was there. He
24:05
Speaker 1: had come to witness the sale of the ring. He
24:08
Speaker 1: stopped one of the attendants of the auction room and said,
24:11
Speaker 1: was it you who carried all that out to Monsieur Hushman, Yes,
24:16
Speaker 1: who gave it to you? A lady? Where is she?
24:20
Speaker 1: Where is she? She was sitting down there, the lady
24:23
Speaker 1: who wore a thick veil. She has gone. Yes, just
24:27
Speaker 1: this moment, Johnimard hastened to the door and saw the
24:31
Speaker 1: lady descending the stairs. He ran after her. A crush
24:35
Speaker 1: of people delayed him at the entrance. When he reached
24:38
Speaker 1: the sidewalk, she had disappeared. He returned to the auction room,
24:42
Speaker 1: accosted Hirshman, introduced himself and inquired about the letter. Hirshman
24:47
Speaker 1: handed it to him. It was carelessly scribbled in pencil
24:51
Speaker 1: in a handwriting unknown to the capitalist and contained these
24:54
Speaker 1: few words, The Blue Diamond brings misfortune, remember the Baron
25:00
Speaker 1: dau Trec. The vicissitudes of the Blue Diamond were not
25:05
Speaker 1: yet at an end. Although it had become well known
25:08
Speaker 1: through the murder of the Baron dau Trec and the
25:11
Speaker 1: incidents at the auction rooms. It was six months later
25:14
Speaker 1: that it attained even greater celebrity. During the following summer,
25:18
Speaker 1: the Countess de Croisson was robbed of the famous jewel
25:21
Speaker 1: she had taken so much trouble to acquire. Let me
25:25
Speaker 1: recall that strange affair, of which the exciting and dramatic
25:29
Speaker 1: incidents sent a thrill through all of us, and over
25:31
Speaker 1: which I am now permitted to throw some light. On
25:35
Speaker 1: the evening of August tenth, the guests of the Count
25:38
Speaker 1: and Countess de Croisson were assembled in the drawing room
25:41
Speaker 1: of the magnificent chateau, which overlooks the Bais de Salmmes.
25:45
Speaker 1: To entertain her friends. The Countess seated herself at the
25:48
Speaker 1: piano to play for them, after first placing her jewels
25:51
Speaker 1: on a small table near the piano, and amongst them
25:54
Speaker 1: was the ring of the Baron dau Trec. An hour later,
25:58
Speaker 1: the count and the majority of the guests retired, including
26:01
Speaker 1: his two cousins and Madame de Royal, an intimate friend
26:05
Speaker 1: of the countess. The latter remained in the drawing room
26:08
Speaker 1: with her Blaichen, the Austrian consul and his wife. They
26:13
Speaker 1: conversed for a time, and then the Countess extinguished the
26:16
Speaker 1: large lamp that stood on a table in the center
26:18
Speaker 1: of the room. At the same moment Herblachen extinguished the
26:22
Speaker 1: two piano lamps. There was a momentary darkness, Then the
26:26
Speaker 1: consul lighted a candle, and the three of them retired
26:29
Speaker 1: to their rooms. But as soon as she reached her apartment,
26:32
Speaker 1: the countess remembered her jewels and sent her maid to
26:35
Speaker 1: get them. When the maid returned with the jewels, she
26:38
Speaker 1: placed them on the mantel without the countess looking at them.
26:42
Speaker 1: Next day, Madame de Croisson found that one of her
26:45
Speaker 1: rings was missing. It was the blue diamond ring. She
26:49
Speaker 1: informed her husband, and after talking it over, they reached
26:53
Speaker 1: the conclusion that the maid was above suspicion and that
26:56
Speaker 1: the guilty party must be her Bleichen. The count notified
27:00
Speaker 1: the Commissary of Police at Amian's, who commenced an investigation
27:04
Speaker 1: and discreetly exercised a strict surveillance over the Austrian consul
27:09
Speaker 1: to prevent his disposing of the ring. The chateau was
27:12
Speaker 1: surrounded by detectives day and night. Two weeks passed without incident.
27:17
Speaker 1: Then her Bleichen announced his intended departure. That day, a
27:21
Speaker 1: formal complaint was entered against him. The police made an
27:25
Speaker 1: official examination of his luggage. In a small satchel, the
27:29
Speaker 1: key to which was always carried by the consul himself,
27:32
Speaker 1: they found a bottle of dentifries, and in that bottle
27:35
Speaker 1: they found the ring. Madame blythen fainted. Her husband was
27:40
Speaker 1: placed under arrest. Everyone will remember the line of defense
27:45
Speaker 1: adopted by the accused man. He declared that the ring
27:48
Speaker 1: must have been placed there by the Count de Crezen
27:50
Speaker 1: as an act of revenge. He said. The Countess brutal
27:54
Speaker 1: and makes his wife very unhappy. She consulted me and
27:58
Speaker 1: I advised how to get av The count heard of
28:01
Speaker 1: it in some way, and to be revenged on me.
28:04
Speaker 1: He took the ring and placed it in my satchel.
28:07
Speaker 1: The Count and Countess persisted in pressing the charge. Between
28:11
Speaker 1: the explanation which they gave and that of the consul.
28:13
Speaker 1: Both equally possible and equally probable. The public had to choose.
28:19
Speaker 1: No new fact was discovered to turn the scale in
28:21
Speaker 1: either direction. A month of gossip, conjectures and investigations failed
28:26
Speaker 1: to produce a single ray of light. Wearied of the
28:30
Speaker 1: excitement and notoriety, and incapable of securing the evidence necessary
28:34
Speaker 1: to sustain their charge against the consul, the Count and
28:37
Speaker 1: Countess at last sent to Paris for a detective competent
28:41
Speaker 1: to unravel the tangled threads of this mysterious scheme. This
28:45
Speaker 1: brought Jeannie Mard into the case. For four days, the
28:49
Speaker 1: veteran detective searched the house from top to bottom, examined
28:52
Speaker 1: every foot of the ground, had long conferences with the maid,
28:56
Speaker 1: the chauffeur, the gardeners, the employees, and the neighboring post offices.
29:00
Speaker 1: Visited the rooms that had been occupied by the various guests.
29:04
Speaker 1: Then one morning he disappeared without taking leave of his
29:07
Speaker 1: host or hostess. But a week later they received this telegram,
29:11
Speaker 1: please come to the Japanese tea room, Rue Boissi d'anglais
29:15
Speaker 1: tomorrow Friday evening at five o'clock. Jeannie Mard at five
29:22
Speaker 1: o'clock Friday evening. Their automobile stopped in front of number
29:26
Speaker 1: nine Rue Boissi d'Anglas. The old detective was standing on
29:29
Speaker 1: the sidewalk waiting for them. Without a word, he conducted
29:33
Speaker 1: them to the first floor of the Japanese tea room.
29:36
Speaker 1: In one of the rooms, they met two men whom
29:38
Speaker 1: Jeanie Mard introduced in these words Monsieur Gevois, professor in
29:43
Speaker 1: the College of Versailles, from whom you will remember ar
29:46
Speaker 1: Saint Lupin stole half a million, Monsieur Leons d'ortrec, nephew
29:51
Speaker 1: and sole legatis of the Baron d'otrec. A few minutes later,
29:57
Speaker 1: another man arrived. It was Monsieur du Dois, head of
30:00
Speaker 1: the detective service, and he appeared to be in a
30:02
Speaker 1: particularly bad temper. He bowed and then said, what's the
30:07
Speaker 1: trouble now, Chenimard, I received your telephone message asking me
30:10
Speaker 1: to come here. Is it anything of consequence? Yes, Chief,
30:15
Speaker 1: it is a very important matter. Within an hour, the
30:18
Speaker 1: last two cases to which I was assigned will have
30:21
Speaker 1: that denouement here. It seemed to me that your presence
30:25
Speaker 1: was indispensable, and also the presence of Diiuzie and fallen fant,
30:30
Speaker 1: whom I noticed standing near the door as I came in. Yes, Chief,
30:33
Speaker 1: for what are you going to make an arrest? And
30:36
Speaker 1: you wish to do it with a flourish Come Jennimard,
30:39
Speaker 1: I am anxious to hear about it. Jennimard hesitated a moment,
30:43
Speaker 1: then spoke, with the obvious intention of making an impression
30:46
Speaker 1: on his hearers. In the first place, I wish to
30:50
Speaker 1: state that her Blikan had nothing to do with the
30:52
Speaker 1: theft of the ring. Oh oh, exclaimed Monicheur Dudoir. That
30:57
Speaker 1: is a bold statement, and a very serious one. And
31:01
Speaker 1: is that all you have discovered, asked the Count de Croissan.
31:05
Speaker 1: Not at all. On the second day after the theft,
31:09
Speaker 1: three of your guests went on an automobile trip as
31:11
Speaker 1: far as Crasie. Two of them visited the famous battlefield,
31:16
Speaker 1: and while they were there, the third party paid a
31:19
Speaker 1: hasty visit to the post office and mailed a small box,
31:23
Speaker 1: tied and sealed according to the regulations, and declared its
31:27
Speaker 1: value to be one hundred francs. I see nothing strange
31:31
Speaker 1: in that, said the Count. Perhaps you will see something
31:35
Speaker 1: strange in it when I tell you that this person,
31:38
Speaker 1: in place of giving her true name, sent the box
31:41
Speaker 1: under the name of Rousseau, and the person to whom
31:44
Speaker 1: it was addressed, a certain Monsieur Beleeux of Paris, moved
31:48
Speaker 1: his place of residence immediately after receiving the box. In
31:52
Speaker 1: other words, the ring. I presume you refer to one
31:56
Speaker 1: of my cousins Dandell, No, replied Joanne. Madame de Riel.
32:02
Speaker 1: Then yes, you accuse my friend, Madame de Reel, cried
32:08
Speaker 1: the Countess, shocked and amazed. I wish to ask you
32:12
Speaker 1: one question, Madame, said Johnny Mard. Was Madame de Roeal
32:16
Speaker 1: present when you purchased the ring? Yes, but we do
32:20
Speaker 1: not go there together. Did she advise you to buy
32:23
Speaker 1: the ring? The Countess considered for a moment, then said, yes,
32:29
Speaker 1: I think she mentioned it first. Thank you, Madame. Your
32:33
Speaker 1: answer establishes the fact that it was Madame de Riel
32:37
Speaker 1: who was the first to mention the ring, and it
32:40
Speaker 1: was she who advised you to buy it. But I
32:43
Speaker 1: consider my friend is quite incapable. Pardon me, Countess, when
32:47
Speaker 1: I remind you that Madame de Roel is only a
32:50
Speaker 1: casual acquaintance and not your intimate friend. As the newspapers
32:54
Speaker 1: have announced. It was only last winter that you met
32:57
Speaker 1: her for the first time. Now I can prove that
33:00
Speaker 1: everything she has told you about herself, her past life,
33:03
Speaker 1: and her relatives is absolutely false. That Madame Blanche de
33:08
Speaker 1: Riel had no actual existence before she met you, and
33:13
Speaker 1: she has now ceased to exist. Well, well, replied Johnny Mark.
33:21
Speaker 1: Your story is a very strange one, said the Countess,
33:25
Speaker 1: but it has no application to our case. If Madame
33:29
Speaker 1: de Riel had taken the ring, how do you explain
33:32
Speaker 1: the fact that it was found in hair Blichen's toothpowder.
33:36
Speaker 1: Anyone who would take the risk and trouble of stealing
33:38
Speaker 1: the blue diamond would certainly keep it. What do you
33:41
Speaker 1: say to that? Aye, nothing, but Madame de Riel will
33:48
Speaker 1: answer it. Oh she does exist? Then she does and
33:53
Speaker 1: does not. I will explain in a few words. Three
33:57
Speaker 1: days ago, while reading a newspaper, I glanced on the
34:00
Speaker 1: list of hotel arrivals at Trouville, and there I read
34:04
Speaker 1: Hotel Beaurevage, Madame de Riel, etc. I went to Tourville immediately
34:10
Speaker 1: and interviewed the proprietor of the hotel. From the description
34:13
Speaker 1: and other information I received from him, I concluded that
34:16
Speaker 1: she was the very Madame de Riel that I was seeking,
34:19
Speaker 1: but she had left the hotel, giving her address in
34:22
Speaker 1: Paris as number three Rue des Colise. The day before
34:26
Speaker 1: yesterday I went to that address and learned that there
34:29
Speaker 1: was no person there called Madame de Roal, But there
34:32
Speaker 1: was a Madame Royale living on the second floor, who
34:35
Speaker 1: acted as a diamond broker and was frequently away from home.
34:40
Speaker 1: She had returned from a journey on the preceding evening yesterday.
34:43
Speaker 1: I called on her, and under an assumed name, I
34:46
Speaker 1: offered to act as an intermedium in the sale of
34:49
Speaker 1: some diamonds to certain wealthy friends of mine. She is
34:53
Speaker 1: to meet me here today to carry out that arrangement.
34:58
Speaker 1: What you expect her to come here? Yes, at half
35:01
Speaker 1: past five? Are you sure it is she Madame de
35:05
Speaker 1: Roeale of the Chateau de Croisson. Certainly I have convincing
35:10
Speaker 1: evidence of that fact. But listen, I hear fallen false signal.
35:15
Speaker 1: It was a whistle. Jeanie Marder arose quickly. There is
35:18
Speaker 1: no time to lose, Monsieur Madame de Croisson. Will you
35:21
Speaker 1: be kind enough to go into the next room, you also,
35:24
Speaker 1: Monsieur d'altract, and you Monsieur Geervois. The door will remain open,
35:29
Speaker 1: and when I give the signal, you will come out.
35:31
Speaker 1: Of course, Chief, you will remain here. We may be
35:35
Speaker 1: disturbed by other people, said Monsieur du Doirs. No, this
35:38
Speaker 1: is a new establishment, and the proprietor is one of
35:41
Speaker 1: my friends. He will not let anyone disturb us except
35:44
Speaker 1: the blonde lady. The blonde lady, what do you mean, Yes,
35:50
Speaker 1: the blonde lady herself, Chief, the friend and accomplice of
35:54
Speaker 1: Arsain Lupin, the mysterious blond lady against whom I hold
35:59
Speaker 1: convincing evidence. But in addition to that, I wish to
36:02
Speaker 1: confront her with all the people she has robbed. He
36:06
Speaker 1: looked through the window. I see her. She's coming in
36:09
Speaker 1: the door. Now she can't escape. Forer Font and Duzie
36:14
Speaker 1: are causing the door. The blond lady is captured at last, Chief.
36:18
Speaker 1: A moment later, a woman appeared at the door. She
36:21
Speaker 1: was tall and slender, with a very pale complexion and
36:24
Speaker 1: bright golden hair. Jennimard trembled with excitement. He could not
36:29
Speaker 1: move nor utter a word. She was there in front
36:33
Speaker 1: of him at his mercy. What a victory over ar
36:37
Speaker 1: Sand Lupin, and what a revenge. And at the same time,
36:42
Speaker 1: the victory was such an easy one that he asked
36:44
Speaker 1: himself if the blonde lady would not yet slid through
36:47
Speaker 1: his fingers by one of those miracles that usually terminated
36:50
Speaker 1: the exploits of ar San Lupin. She remained standing near
36:54
Speaker 1: the door, surprised at the silence, and looked about her
36:57
Speaker 1: without any display of suspicion or fear. She will get away.
37:02
Speaker 1: She will disappear, thought Jeannie Mard. Then he managed to
37:06
Speaker 1: get between her and the door. She turned to go out. No, no,
37:10
Speaker 1: he said, why are you going away? Really, monsieur, I
37:14
Speaker 1: do not understand what this means. Allow me. There is
37:17
Speaker 1: no reason why you should go, madame, and very good
37:20
Speaker 1: reasons why you should remain. But it is useless, Madame,
37:24
Speaker 1: you cannot go. Trembling, she sat on a chair and stammered, well,
37:30
Speaker 1: what is it you want? Jeannie Mard had won the
37:33
Speaker 1: battle and captured the blond lady. He said to her,
37:37
Speaker 1: allow me to present the friend I mentioned who desires
37:41
Speaker 1: to purchase some diamonds. Have you procured the stones you
37:44
Speaker 1: promised to bring? No? No, I don't know, I don't remember.
37:52
Speaker 1: Come jog your memory. A person of your acquaintance intended
37:57
Speaker 1: to send you a tinted stone, some thing like the
38:00
Speaker 1: blue diamond, I said, laughing, And you replied, exactly, I
38:06
Speaker 1: expect to have just what you want. Do you remember?
38:09
Speaker 1: She made no reply. A small satchel fell from her hand.
38:13
Speaker 1: She picked it up quickly and held it securely. Her
38:17
Speaker 1: hands trembled slightly. Come, said Johnny, mart I see you
38:21
Speaker 1: have no confidence in us, Madame de Roal. I shall
38:24
Speaker 1: set you a good example by showing you what I have.
38:28
Speaker 1: He took from his pocket book a paper, which he
38:30
Speaker 1: unfolded and disclosed a lock of hair. These are a
38:35
Speaker 1: few hairs torn from the head of Antoinette Brehat by
38:39
Speaker 1: the barren d'altrac, which I found clasped in his dead hand.
38:43
Speaker 1: I have shown them to Mademoiselle Gebois, who declares they
38:46
Speaker 1: are of the exact color of the hair of the
38:49
Speaker 1: blond lady. Besides, they are exactly the color of your hair,
38:54
Speaker 1: the identical color. Madame Raelle looked at him in bewilderment,
39:00
Speaker 1: as if she did not understand his meaning. He continued,
39:03
Speaker 1: and here are two perfume bottles without labels. It is
39:08
Speaker 1: true and empty, but still sufficiently impregnated with their odor
39:13
Speaker 1: to enable Mademoiselle Geerbois to recognize in them the perfume
39:17
Speaker 1: used by that blond lady who was her traveling companion
39:20
Speaker 1: for two weeks. Now, one of these bottles was found
39:23
Speaker 1: in the room that Madame de Roale occupied at the
39:26
Speaker 1: Chateau de Croisson, and the other in the room that
39:29
Speaker 1: you occupied at the Hotel Beaurevage. What do you say,
39:35
Speaker 1: the blonde lady the Chateau de Croisson. The detective did
39:40
Speaker 1: not reply. He took from his pocket and placed on
39:43
Speaker 1: the table, side by side, four small sheets of paper.
39:47
Speaker 1: Then he said, I have on these four pieces of
39:51
Speaker 1: paper various specimens of handwriting. The first is the writing
39:56
Speaker 1: of Antoinette Brehad. The second was written by the woman
39:59
Speaker 1: who sent the note to Baron Herschmann at the auction
40:03
Speaker 1: sale of the Blue Diamond. The third is that of
40:06
Speaker 1: Madame de Raal, written while she was stopping at the
40:09
Speaker 1: Chateau de Croisson. And the fourth is your handwriting, Madame.
40:14
Speaker 1: It is your name and address which you gave to
40:17
Speaker 1: the porter of the Hotel Baurevage at Torvines. Now compare
40:22
Speaker 1: the four handwritings. They are identical. What absurdity is this really,
40:29
Speaker 1: Monsieur I do not understand what does it mean? It means?
40:34
Speaker 1: Madame exclaimed Jennymrd that the blonde lady, the friend and
40:39
Speaker 1: accomplice of Arsain Lupin, is none other than you, Madame Raal.
40:45
Speaker 1: Jennie Mard went to the adjoining room and returned with
40:48
Speaker 1: Monsieur Geubois, whom he placed in front of Madame rael
40:51
Speaker 1: As he said, Monsieur geer Bois, is this the person
40:55
Speaker 1: who abducted your daughter, the woman you saw at the
40:58
Speaker 1: house of Monsieur D'artinand no. Jennie Mard was so surprised
41:04
Speaker 1: that he could not speak for a moment. Finally he said, no,
41:09
Speaker 1: you must be mistaken. I am not mistaken. Madame is blonde,
41:14
Speaker 1: it is true, and in that respect resembles the blonde lady,
41:18
Speaker 1: but in all other respects she is totally different. I
41:23
Speaker 1: can't believe it. You must be mistaken. Jennimard called in
41:28
Speaker 1: his other witnesses, Monsieur d'utrec. He said, do you recognize
41:33
Speaker 1: Antoinette Breard. No, this is not the person I sought
41:37
Speaker 1: my uncle's house. This woman is not, Madame de Real,
41:43
Speaker 1: declared the Count de Croisson. That was the finishing touch.
41:48
Speaker 1: Jeannimrd was crushed. He was buried beneath the ruins of
41:51
Speaker 1: the structure he had erected with so much care and assurance.
41:55
Speaker 1: His pride was humbled, his spirit was broken by the
41:58
Speaker 1: force of this unexpected blow. Monsieur du Dois arose and said,
42:03
Speaker 1: we owe you an apology, Madam, for this unfortunate mistake.
42:07
Speaker 1: But since your arrival here, I have noticed your nervous agitation.
42:11
Speaker 1: Something troubles you. May I ask what it is, mon dieu.
42:15
Speaker 1: Monsieur I was afraid. My satchel contains diamonds to the
42:19
Speaker 1: value of a hundred thousand francs, and the conduct of
42:22
Speaker 1: your friend was rather suspicious. But you are frequently absent
42:27
Speaker 1: from Paris. How do you explain that I make frequent
42:31
Speaker 1: journeys to other cities in the course of my business.
42:34
Speaker 1: That is all. Monsieur du Dois had nothing more to ask.
42:38
Speaker 1: He turned to a subordinate and said, your investigation has
42:42
Speaker 1: been very superficial, Janimard, and your conduct toward this lady
42:45
Speaker 1: is really deplorable. You will come to my office tomorrow
42:49
Speaker 1: and explain it. The interview was at an end and
42:53
Speaker 1: Monsieur Dudois was about to leave the room when a
42:55
Speaker 1: most annoying incident occurred. Madame Reale turned to Janimard and said,
43:01
Speaker 1: I understand that you are Monsieur jeaniemrd Am. I right, yes,
43:07
Speaker 1: then this letter must be for you. I received it
43:10
Speaker 1: this morning. It was addressed to Monsieur Justin jeanniemrd care
43:15
Speaker 1: of Madame Real. I thought it was a joke because
43:19
Speaker 1: I did not know you under that name, but it
43:22
Speaker 1: appears that your unknown correspondent knew of our rendezvous. Jeanni
43:27
Speaker 1: Mard was inclined to put the letter in his pocket unread,
43:30
Speaker 1: but he dared not do so in the presence of
43:32
Speaker 1: his superior so he opened the envelope and read the
43:35
Speaker 1: letter aloud in an almost inaudible tone. Once upon a
43:40
Speaker 1: time there was a blonde lady, a Loupin, and a
43:43
Speaker 1: Jennie Mard. Now, the wicked Jeannie Mard had evil designs
43:46
Speaker 1: on the pretty blonde lady, and the good Lupin was
43:49
Speaker 1: her friend and protect her. When the good Lupin wished
43:52
Speaker 1: the blonde lady to become the friend of the Countess
43:54
Speaker 1: de Croisson, he caused her to assume the name of
43:57
Speaker 1: Madame de Real, which is a close resemblece to the
44:00
Speaker 1: name of a certain diamond broker, a woman with a
44:02
Speaker 1: pale complexion and golden hair. And the good Lupin said
44:06
Speaker 1: to himself, if ever the wicked Janny Mard gets upon
44:09
Speaker 1: the track of the blonde lady, how useful it will
44:11
Speaker 1: be to me if he should be diverted to the
44:13
Speaker 1: track of the honest diamond broker. A wise precaution that
44:17
Speaker 1: has borne good fruit. A little note sent to the
44:20
Speaker 1: newspaper read by the wicked Jannimard, A perfume bottle intentionally
44:24
Speaker 1: forgotten by the genuine blonde lady at the hotel Baurevage,
44:28
Speaker 1: the name and address of Madame Real written on the
44:30
Speaker 1: hotel register by the genuine blonde lady, and the trick
44:33
Speaker 1: is played. What do you think of it, j Any Mahard,
44:37
Speaker 1: I wish to tell you the true story of this affair,
44:39
Speaker 1: knowing that you would be the first to laugh over it. Really,
44:42
Speaker 1: it is quite amusing, and I've enjoyed it very much.
44:45
Speaker 1: Accept my best wishes, dear friend, and give my kind
44:48
Speaker 1: regards to the worthy Monsieur d'utois a son Lupin. He
44:54
Speaker 1: knows everything, muttered Jannimrd that he did not see the
44:58
Speaker 1: humor of the situation as Lupin had predicted. He knows
45:02
Speaker 1: some things I have never mentioned to anyone. How could
45:06
Speaker 1: he find out that I was going to invite you here, chief?
45:09
Speaker 1: How could he know that I had found the first
45:11
Speaker 1: perfume bottle? How could he find out those things? He
45:14
Speaker 1: stamped his feet and tore his hair, a prey to
45:17
Speaker 1: the most tragic despair. Monsieur du Dois felt sorry for
45:21
Speaker 1: him and said, come, Jeenie Mard, never mind, try to
45:25
Speaker 1: do better next time, and Monsieur Dudois left the room,
45:29
Speaker 1: accompanied by Madame Real. During the next ten minutes, Jaenimard
45:36
Speaker 1: read and re read the letter of our San Lupin,
45:40
Speaker 1: Monsieur Madame de Croisson, Monsieur du Trec, and Monsieur Geur
45:43
Speaker 1: Bois were holding an animated discussion in a corner of
45:46
Speaker 1: the room. At last, the Count approached the detective and said,
45:51
Speaker 1: my dear monsieur, after your investigation, we are no nearer
45:55
Speaker 1: the truth than we were before put on me. But
46:00
Speaker 1: my investigation has established these facts that the blonde lady
46:04
Speaker 1: is the mysterious heroine of these exploits, and that Arsan
46:08
Speaker 1: Lupin directed them. Those facts do not solve the mystery.
46:14
Speaker 1: In fact, they render it more obscure. The blonde lady
46:18
Speaker 1: commits a murder in order to steal the blue diamond,
46:20
Speaker 1: and yet she does not steal it. Afterwards, she steals
46:24
Speaker 1: it and gets rid of it by secretly giving it
46:26
Speaker 1: to another person. How do you explain her strange conduct?
46:30
Speaker 1: I cannot explain it, of course, but perhaps someone else
46:36
Speaker 1: can who the count hesitated. So the Countess replied frankly,
46:43
Speaker 1: there is only one man besides yourself who is competent
46:46
Speaker 1: to enter the arena with ar San Lupin and overcome him.
46:50
Speaker 1: How are you any objection to our engaging the services
46:53
Speaker 1: of herlock Shomes in this case? Jeannie Mard was vexed
46:58
Speaker 1: at the question, but stammers reply, no, but I do
47:04
Speaker 1: not understand what. Let me explain. All this mystery annoys me.
47:10
Speaker 1: I wish to have it cleared up. Monsieur Geervois and
47:13
Speaker 1: Monsieur d'l trek have the same desire, and we have
47:16
Speaker 1: agreed to send for the celebrated English detective. You are right, madame,
47:22
Speaker 1: replied the detective, with a loyalty that did him credit.
47:26
Speaker 1: You are right, Old Jeannie Mard is not able to
47:30
Speaker 1: overcome Ar Saint Lupin. But will her Lock Shulms succeed?
47:36
Speaker 1: I hope so, as I have the greatest admiration for him.
47:40
Speaker 1: But it is improbable. Do you mean to say that
47:45
Speaker 1: he will not succeed? That is my opinion. I can
47:49
Speaker 1: foresee the result of a duel between her Lock Chums
47:52
Speaker 1: and Ar Saint Lupin. The Englishman will be defeated. But
47:58
Speaker 1: in any event, can we count on your assistants? Quite so, Madame,
48:04
Speaker 1: I shall be pleased to render Monsieur Schaulme's all possible assistance.
48:10
Speaker 1: Do you know his address? Yes, to nineteen Parker Street.
48:17
Speaker 1: That evening Monsieur Madame de Croisson withdrew the charge they
48:22
Speaker 1: had made against her Blichen, and a joint letter was
48:25
Speaker 1: addressed to her Loock Schomes. End of Chapter two