按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Lupin whispered：
〃It will take me two or three hours to file through one of the bars。 Are Sebastiani and his sons coming back？〃
〃Yes； they are sure to；〃 replied Daubrecq； in the same low voice； 〃but I expect they will leave me to myself。〃
〃But they sleep next door？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Won't they hear？〃
〃No； the door is too thick。〃
〃Very well。 In that case； it will soon be done。 I have a rope…ladder。 Will you be able to climb up alone； without my assistance？〃
〃I think so。。。 I'll try。。。 It's my wrists that they've broken。。。 Oh； the brutes！ I can hardiy move my hands。。。 and I have very little strength left。 But I'll try all the same。。。 needs must。。。 〃
He stopped； listened and； with his finger to his mouth； whispered：
〃Hush！〃
When Sebastiani and his sons entered the room； Daubrecq； who had hidden the letter and lain down on his bed； pretended to wake with a start。
The huntsman brought him a bottle of wine； a glass and some food：
〃How goes it； monsieur le depute？〃 he cried。 〃Well； perhaps we did squeeze a little hard。。。 It's very painful； that thumbscrewing。 Seems they often did it at the time of the Great Revolution and Bonaparte。。。 in the days of the chauffeurs。* A pretty invention！ Nice and clean。。。 no bloodshed。。。 And it didn't last long either！ In twenty minutes； you came out with the missing word！〃 Sebastiani burst out laughing。 〃By the way； monsieur le depute； my congratulations！ A capital hiding…place。 Who would ever suspect it？。。。 You see； what put us off； monsieur le marquis and me； was that name of Marie which you let out at first。 You weren't telling a lie； but there you are； you know： the word was only half…finished。 We had to know the rest。 Say what you like； it's amusing！ Just think； on your study…table！ Upon my word； what a joke！〃
_______________________________________________________________________
*The name given to the brigands in the Vendee； who tortured their victims with fire to make them confess where their money was hidden。 … Translator's Note。 _______________________________________________________________________
The huntsman rose and walked up and down the room； rubbing his hands：
〃Monsieur le marquis is jolly well pleased； so pleased； in fact； that he himself is coming to…morrow evening to let you out。 Yes； he has thought it over； there will be a few formalities： you may have to sign a cheque or two； stump up； what； and make good monsieur le marquis' expense and trouble。 But what's that to you？ A trifle！ Not to mention that； from now on； there will be no more chains； no more straps round your wrists； in short； you will be treated like a king！ And I've even been told … look here！ … to allow you a good bottle of old wine and a flask of brandy。〃
Sebastiani let fly a few more jests； then took the lamp； made a last examination of the room and said to his sons：
〃Let's leave him to sleep。 You also； take a rest； all three of you。 But sleep with one eye open。 One never can tell。。。 〃 They withdrew。
Lupin waited a little longer and asked； in a low voice：
〃Can I begin？〃
〃Yes； but be careful。 It's not impossible that they may go on a round in an hour or two。〃
Lupin set to work。 He had a very powerful file； and the iron of the bars； rusted and gnawed away by time； was； in places； almost reduced to dust。 Twice Lupin stopped to listen； with ears pricked up。 But it was only the patter of a rat over the rubbish in the upper story； or the flight of some night…bird； and he continued his task； encouraged by Daubrecq； who stood by the door； ready to warn him at the least alarm。
〃Oof！〃 he said； giving a last stroke of the file。 〃I'm glad that's over； for； on my word； I've been a bit cramped in this cursed tunnel。。。 to say nothing of the cold。。。 〃
He bore with all his strength upon the bar； which he had sawn from below； and succeeded in forcing it down sufficiently for a man's body to slip between the two remaining bars。 Next； he had to go back to the end of the embrasure； the wider part； where he had left the rope…ladder。 After fixing it to the bars； he called Daubrecq：
〃Psst！。。。 It's all right。。。 Are you ready？〃
〃Yes。。。 coming。。。 One more second； while I listen。。。 All right。。。 They're asleep。。。 give me the ladder。〃
Lupin lowered it and asked：
〃Must I come down？〃
〃No。。。 。 I feel a little weak。。。 but I shall manage。
Indeed； he reached the window of the embrasure pretty quickly and crept along the passage in the wake of his rescuer。 The open air； however； seemed to make him giddy。 Also； to give himself strength； he had drunk half the bottle of wine； and he had a fainting…fit that kept him lying on the stones of the embrasure for half an hour。 Lupin； losing patience； was fastening him to one end of the rope； of which the other end was knotted round the bars and was preparing to let him down like a bale of goods； when Daubrecq woke up； in better condition：
〃That's over；〃 he said。 〃I feel fit now。 Will it take long？〃
〃Pretty long。 We are a hundred and fifty yards up。〃
〃How was it that d'Albufex did not foresee that it was possible to escape this way？〃
〃The cliff is perpendicular。〃
〃And you were able to。。。 〃
〃Well； your cousins insisted。。。 And then one has to live； you know； and they were free with their money。〃
〃The dear； good souls！〃 said Daubrecq。 〃Where are they？〃
〃Down below； in a boat。〃
〃Is there a river； then？〃
〃Yes； but we won't talk； if you don't mind。 It's dangerous。〃
〃One word more。 Had you been there long when you threw me the letter？〃
〃No； no。 A quarter of an hour or so。 I'll tell you all about it。。。 Meanwhile； we must hurry。〃
Lupin went first； after recommending Daubrecq to hold tight to the rope and to come down backward。 He would give him a hand at the difficult places。
It took them over forty minutes to reach the platform of the ledge formed by the cliff； and Lupin had several times to help his companion； whose wrists； still bruised from the torture； had lost all their strength and suppleness。
Over and over again； he groaned：
〃Oh； the swine； they've done for me！。。。 The swine！。。。 Ah； d'Albufex； I'll make you pay dear for this！。。。 〃
〃Ssh！〃 said Lupin。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃A noise。。。 up above。。。 〃
Standing motionless on the platform； they listened。 Lupin thought of the Sire de Tancarville and the sentry who had killed him with a shot from his harquebus。 He shivered； feeling all the anguish of the silence and the darkness。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃I was mistaken。。。 Besides； it's absurd。。。 They can't hit us here。〃
〃Who would bit us？〃
〃No one。。。 no one。。。 it was a silly notion。。。 〃
He groped about till he found the uprights of the ladder； then he said：
〃There； here's the ladder。 It is fixed in the bed of the river。 A friend of mine is looking after it； as well as your cousins。〃
He whistled：
〃Here I am；〃 he said； in a low voice。 〃Hold the ladder fast。〃 And； to Daubrecq； 〃I'll go first。〃
Daubrecq objected：
〃Perhaps it would be better for me to go down first。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I am very tired。 You can tie your rope round my waist and hold me。。。 Otherwise； there is a danger that I might。。。 。〃
〃Yes； you are right；〃 said Lupin。 〃Come nearer。
Daubrecq came nearer and knelt down on the rock。 Lupin fastened the rope to him and then； stooping over； grasped one of the uprights in both hands to keep the ladder from shaking：
〃Off you go；〃 he said。
At the same moment； he felt a violent pain in the shoulder：
〃Blast it！〃 he said； sinking to the ground。
Daubrecq had stabbed him with a knife below the nape of the neck； a little to the right。
〃You blackguard！ You blackguard！〃
He half…saw Daubrecq； in the dark； ridding himself of his rope； and heard him whisper：
〃You're a bit of a fool； you know！。。。 You bring me a letter from my Rousselot cousins； in which I recognize the writing of the elder； Adelaide； but which that sly puss of an Adelaide； suspecting something and meaning to put me on my guard； if necessary； took care to sign with the name of the younger sister； Euphrasie Rousselot。 You see； I tumbled to it！ So； with a little reflection。。。 you are Master Arsene Lupin； are you not？ Clarisse's protector； Gilbert's saviour。。。 Poor Lupin； I fear you're in a bad way。。。 I don't use the knife often； but； when I do； I use it with a vengeance。〃
He bent over the wounded man and felt in his pockets：
〃Give me your revolver； can't you？ You see； your friends will know at once that it is not their governor； and they will try to secure me。。。 And； as I have not much strength left； a bullet or two。。。 Good…bye； Lupin。 We shall meet in the next world； eh？ Book me a nice flat； with all the latest conveniences。
Good…bye； Lupin。 And my best thanks。 For really I don't know what I should have done without you。 By Jove； d'Albufex was hitting me hard！ It'll be a joke to meet the beggar again！〃
Daubrecq had completed his preparations。 He whistled once more。 A reply came from the boat。
〃Here I am；〃 he said。
With a last effort； Lupin put out his arm to stop him。 But his hand touched nothing but space。 He tried to call out； to warn his accomplices： his voice choked in his throat。
He f