第18章

She briskly made for the front of the box, forced back the screen and, leaning forward, seemed to give a signal.Then she returned and tried to slip to the door.

Lupin, as though wishing to help her, said:

"Why don't you move the chair?"

He was speaking of a heavy chair which had fallen down between him and Daubrecq and across which they were struggling.

The woman stooped and pulled away the chair.That was what Lupin was waiting for.Once rid of the obstacle, he caught Daubrecq a smart kick on the shin with the tip of his patent-leather boot.The result was the same as with the blow which he had given him on the arm.The pain caused a second's apprehension and distraction, of which he at once took advantage to beat down Daubrecq's outstretched hands and to dig his ten fingers into his adversary's throat and neck.

Daubrecq struggled.Daubrecq tried to pull away the hands that were throttling him; but he was beginning to choke and felt his strength decreasing.

"Aha, you old monkey!" growled Lupin, forcing him to the floor."Why don't you shout for help? How frightened you must be of a scandal!"At the sound of the fall there came a knocking at the partition, on the other side.

"Knock away, knock away," said Lupin, under his breath."The play is on the stage.This is my business and, until I've mastered this gorilla..."It did not take him long.The deputy was choking.Lupin stunned him with a blow on the jaw; and all that remained for him to do was to take the woman away and make his escape with her before the alarm was given.

But, when he turned round, he saw that the woman was gone.

She could not be far.Darting from the box, he set off at a run, regardless of the programme-sellers and check-takers.

On reaching the entrance-lobby, he saw her through an open door, crossing the pavement of the Chaussee d'Antin.

She was stepping into a motor-car when he came up with her.

The door closed behind her.

He seized the handle and tried to pull at it.

But a man jumped up inside and sent his fist flying into Lupin's face, with less skill but no less force than Lupin had sent his into Daubrecq's face.

Stunned though he was by the blow, he nevertheless had ample time to recognize the man, in a sudden, startled vision, and also to recognize, under his chauffeur's disguise, the man who was driving the car.It was the Growler and the Masher, the two men in charge of the boats on the Engbien night, two friends of Gilbert and Vaucheray: in short, two of Lupin's own accomplices.

When he reached his rooms in the Rue Chateaubriand, Lupin, after washing the blood from his face, sat for over an hour in a chair, as though overwhelmed.For the first time in his life he was experiencing the pain of treachery.For the first time his comrades in the fight were turning against their chief.

Mechanically, to divert his thoughts, he turned to his correspondence and tore the wrapper from an evening paper.Among the late news he found the following paragraphs:

"THE VILLA MAXIE-THERESE CASE"

"The real identity of Vaucheray, one of the alleged murderers of Leonard the valet, has at last been ascertained.

He is a miscreant of the worst type, a hardened criminal who has already twice been sentenced for murder, in default, under another name.

"No doubt, the police will end by also discovering the real name of his accomplice, Gilbert.In any event, the examining-magistrate is determined to commit the prisoners for trial as soon as possible.

"The public will have no reason to complain of the delays of the law."In between other newspapers and prospectuses lay a letter.

Lupin jumped when he saw it.It was addressed:

"Monsieur de Beaumont, Michel."

"Oh," he gasped, "a letter from Gilbert!"It contained these few words:

"Help, governor!...I am frightened.I am frightened..."Once again, Lupin spent a night alternating between sleeplessness and nightmares.Once again, he was tormented by atrocious and terrifying visions.