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entless hatred。 He lost his head and shot himself。〃
〃How absurd！〃 Lupin could not help saying。 〃How absurd！ Daubrecq possesses a list of twenty…seven names。 To give up any one of those names he is obliged； if he would have his accusation believed； to publish the list itself … that is to say； to part with the document； or at least a photograph of it。 Well； in so doing； he creates a scandal； it is true； but he deprives himself； at the same time； of all further means of levying blackmail。〃
〃Yes and no；〃 she said。
〃How do you know？〃
〃Through Daubrecq himself。 The villain came to see me and cynically told me of his interview with my husband and the words that had passed between them。 Well； there is more than that list； more than that famous bit of paper on which the secretary put down the names and the amounts paid and to which； you will remember； the chairman of the company； before dying； affixed his signature in letters of blood。 There is more than that。 There are certain less positive proofs； which the people interested do not know of： the correspondence between the chairman and the secretary； between the chairman and his counsel； and so on。 Of course； the list scribbled on the bit of paper is the only evidence that counts； it is the one incontestable proof which it would be no good copying or even photographing； for its genuineness can be tested most absolutely。 But； all the same； the other proofs are dangerous。 They have already been enough to do away with two deputies。 And Daubrecq is marvelously clever at turning this fact to account。 He selects his victim； frightens him out of his senses； points out to him the inevitable scandal； and the victim pays the required sum。 Or else he kills himself； as my husband did。 Do you understand now？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lupin。
And； in the silence that followed； he drew a mental picture of Daubrecq's life。 He saw him the owner of that list； using his power； gradually emerging from the shadow； lavishly squandering the money which he extorted from his victims； securing his election as a district…councillor and deputy； holding sway by dint of threats and terror； unpunished； invuinerable； unattackable； feared by the government； which would rather submit to his orders than declare war upon him； respected by the judicial authorities：so powerful；in a word； that Prasville had been appointed secretary…general of police； over the heads of all who had prior claims； for the sole reason that he hated Daubrecq with a personal hatred。〃
〃And you saw him again？〃 he asked。
〃I saw him again。 I had to。 My husband was dead； but his honour remained untouched。 Nobody suspected the truth。 In order at least to defend the name which he left me； I accepted my first interview with Daubrecq。〃
〃Your first； yes； for there have been others。〃
〃Many others；〃 she said； in a strained voice； 〃yes； many others。。。 at the theatre。。。 or in the evening； at Enghien 。。。 or else in Paris； at night 。。。 for I was ashamed to meet that man and I did not want people to know it。。。 But it was necessary。。。 A duty more imperative than any other commanded it： the duty of avenging my husband。。。 〃
She bent over Lupin and； eagerly：
〃Yes； revenge has been the motive of my conduct and the sole preoccupation of my life。 To avenge my husband； to avenge my ruined son； to avenge myself for all the harm that he has done me： I had no other dream； no other object in life。 That is what I wanted： to see that man crushed； reduced to poverty； to tears … as though he still knew how to cry！ … sobbing in the throes of despair。。。
〃You wanted his death；〃 said Lupin； remembering the scene between them in Daubrecq's study。
〃No； not his death。 I have often thought of it； I have even raised my arm to strike him but what would have been the good？ He must have taken his precautions。 The paper would remain。 And then there is no revenge in killing a man。。。 My hatred went further than that。。。 It demanded his ruin； his downfall； and； to achieve that； there was but one way： to cut his claws。 Daubrecq； deprived of the document that gives him his immense power； ceases to exist。 It means immediate bankruptcy and disaster。。。 under the most wretched conditions。 That is what I have sought。〃
〃But Daubrecq must have been aware of your intentions？〃
〃Certainly。 And； I assure you； those were strange meetings of ours： I watching him closely； trying to guess his secret behind his actions and his words； and he。。。 he。。。 〃
〃And he；〃 said Lupin； finishing Clarisse's thought； 〃lying in wait for the prey which he desires。。。 for the woman whom he has never ceased to love。。。 whom he loves 。。。 and whom he covets with all his might and with all his furious passion。。。 〃
She lowered her head and said； simply：
〃Yes。〃
A strange duel indeed was that which brought face to face those two beings separated by so many implacable things！ How unbridled must Daubrecq's passion be for him to risk that perpetual threat of death and to introduce to the privacy of his house this woman whose life he had shattered！ But also how absolutely safe he must feel himself！
〃And your search ended。。。 how？〃 asked Lupin。
〃My search；〃 she replied； 〃long remained without fruit。 You know the methods of investigation which you have followed and which the police have followed on their side。 Well； I myself employed them； years before either of you did； and in vain。 I was beginning to despair。 Then； one day； when I had gone to see Daubrecq in his villa at Enghien； I picked up under his writing…table a letter which he had begun to write； crumpled up and thrown into the waste…paper…basket。 It consisted of a few lines in bad English； and I was able to read this： 'Empty the crystal within； so as to leave a void which it is impossible to suspect。' Perhaps I should not have attached to this sentence all the importance which it deserved； if Daubrecq； who was out in the garden； had not come running in and begun to turn out the waste…paper…basket； with an eagerness which was very significant。 He gave me a suspicious look： 'There was a letter there；' he said。 I pretended not to understand。 He did not insist； but his agitation did not escape me； and I continued my quest in this direction。 A month later； I discovered； among the ashes in the drawing…room fireplace； the torn half of an English invoice。 I gathered that a Stourbridge glass…blower； of the name of John Howard； had supplied Daubrecq with a crystal bottle made after a model。 The word 'crystal' struck me at once。 I went to Stourbridge； got round the foreman of the glass…works and learnt that the stopper of this bottle had been hollowed out inside； in accordance with the instruction in the order； so as to leave a cavity； the existence of which would escape observation。〃
Lupin nodded his head：
〃The thing tallies beyond a doubt。 Nevertheless； it did not seem to me； that； even under the gilt layer。。。 And then the hiding…place would be very tiny！〃
〃Tiny； but large enough；〃 she said。 〃On my return from England； I went to the police…office to see Prasville； whose friendship for me had remained unchanged。 I did not hesitate to tell him； first； the reasons which had driven my husband to suicide and； secondly； the object of revenge which I was pursuing。 When I informed him of my discoveries； he jumped for joy； and I felt that his hatred for Daubrecq was as strong as ever。 I learnt from him that the list was written on a slip of exceedingly thin foreign…post…paper； which； when rolled up into a sort of pellet； would easily fit into an exceedingly limited space。 Neither he nor I had the least hesitation。 We knew the hiding…place。 We agreed to act independently of each other； while continuing to correspond in secret。 I put him in touch with C1emence； the portress in the Square Lamartine； who was entirely devoted to me。。。 〃
〃But less so to Prasville；〃 said Lupin； 〃for I can prove that she betrays him。〃
〃Now perhaps； but not at the start； and the police searches were numerous。 It was at that time； ten months ago； that Gilbert came into my life again。 A mother never loses her love for her son； whatever he may do； whatever he may have done。 And then Gilbert has such a way with him。。。 well； you know him。 He cried； kissed my little Jacques； his brother and I forgave him。〃
She stopped and； weary…voiced； with her eyes fixed on the floor； continued：
〃Would to Heaven that I had not forgiven him！ Ah； if that hour could but return； how readily I should find the horrible courage to turn him away！ My poor child。。。 it was I who ruined him！。。。 And； pensively； 〃I should have had that or any sort of courage； if he had been as I pictured him to myself and as he himself told me that he had long been： bearing the marks of vice and dissipation； coarse； deteriorated。
But； though he was utterly changed in appearance； so much so that I could hardly recognize him； there was； from the point of view of … how shall I put it？ … from the moral point of view； an undoubted improvement。 You had helped him； lifted him； and； though his mode of life was hateful to me； nevertheless he retained a certain self…respect。。。 a sort of underlying decency that showed itself on the surface once more。。。 He was g