The Essential Maurice Leblanc Collection. Морис Леблан
do you know?"
"Everything, I tell you."
Arsne Lupin mastered his annoyance and jerked out:
"I will tell you what you know. You know that, under the name of Maxime Bermond, I ... 'touched up' fifteen houses built by M. Destange."
"Yes."
"Of those fifteen houses, you know four."
"Yes."
"And you have a list of the eleven others."
"Yes."
"You made out the list at M. Destange's, last night, no doubt."
"Yes."
"And, as you presume that, among those eleven properties, there must inevitably be one which I keep for my own needs and those of my friends, you have instructed Ganimard to take the field and discover my retreat."
"No."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I am acting alone and that I intended to take the field alone."
"So I have nothing to fear, seeing that I have you in my hands."
"You have nothing to fear so long as I _remain_ in your hands."
"You mean to say that you will not remain?"
"I do."
Arsne Lupin went up to Holmlock Shears and placed his hand very gently on the Englishman's shoulder:
"Listen to me, sir. I am not in the mood for argument and you, unfortunately for yourself, are not in a position to check me. Let us put an end to this."
"Yes, let us."
"You shall give me your word of honour not to attempt to escape from this boat until she reaches English waters."
"I give you my word of honour that I shall attempt to escape by every means in my power," said Shears, nothing daunted.
"But, dash it all, you know I have only to speak a word to reduce you to helplessness! All these men obey me blindly. At a sign from me, they will put a chain round your neck...."
"Chains can be broken."
"And throw you overboard at ten miles from the coast."
"I can swim."
"Well said," cried Lupin, laughing. "Heaven forgive me, but I lost my temper! Accept my apology, matre ... and let us conclude. Will you allow me to seek the necessary measures for my safety and that of my friends?"
"Any measures you like. But they are useless."
"Agreed. Still, you will not mind if I take them?"
"It's your duty."
"To work, then."
Lupin opened the door and called the captain and two of the crew. The latter seized the Englishman and, after searching him, bound his legs together and tied him down in the captain's berth.
"That will do," ordered Lupin. "Really, sir, nothing short of your obstinancy and the exceptional gravity of the circumstances would have allowed me to venture...."
The sailors withdrew. Lupin said to the captain:
"Captain, one of the crew must remain in the cabin to wait on Mr. Shears and you yourself must keep him company as much as you can. Let him be treated with every consideration. He is not a prisoner, but a guest. What is the time by your watch, captain?"
"Five minutes past two."
Lupin looked at his own watch and at a clock which hung on the cabin-wall:
"Five minutes past two?... Our watches agree. How long will it take you to reach Southampton?"
"Nine hours, without hurrying."
"Make it eleven. You must not touch land before the departure of the steamer which leaves Southampton at midnight and is due at the Havre at eight in the morning. You understand, captain, do you not? I repeat: it would be exceedingly dangerous for us all if this gentleman returned to France by the steamer; and you must not arrive at Southampton before one o'clock in the morning."
"Very well, sir."
"Good-bye, matre," said Lupin, turning to Shears. "We shall meet next year, in this world or another."
"Let's say to-morrow."
A few minutes later, Shears heard the car drive away and the engines of the _Hirondelle_ at once began to throb with increased force. The yacht threw off her moorings. By three o'clock they had left the estuary of the Seine and entered the Channel. At that moment, Holmlock Shears lay sound asleep in the berth to which he was fastened down.
* * * * *
On the following morning, the tenth and last day of the war between the two great rivals, the _cho de France_ published this delicious paragraph:
"A decree of expulsion was pronounced by Arsne Lupin yesterday against Holmlock Shears, the English detective. The decree was published at noon and executed on the same day. Shears was landed at Southampton at one o'clock this morning."
CHAPTER VI
THE SECOND ARREST OF ARSNE LUPIN
By eight o'clock on Wednesday morning, a dozen pantechnicon vans were blocking the Rue Crevaux from the Avenue du Bois de Boulogne to the Avenue Bougeaud. M. Flix Davey was leaving the flat which he occupied on the fourth floor of No. 8. And, by a sheer coincidence--for the two gentlemen were not acquainted--M. Dubreuil, the expert, who had knocked into one the fifth-floor flat of No. 8 and the fifth-floor flats of the two adjoining houses, had selected the same day on which to send off the collection of furniture and antiques which used to be visited daily by one or other of his many foreign correspondents.
A peculiarity which attracted notice in the neighbourhood, but which was not mentioned until later, was that none of the twelve vans bore the name and address of the firm of removers and that none of the men in charge of them loitered in the wine-shops round about. They worked to such good purpose that all was over by eleven o'clock. Nothing remained but those piles of old papers and rags which are always left behind in the corners of empty rooms.
M. Flix Davey was a young man of smart appearance, dressed in the latest fashion, but carrying a heavily-weighted cane which seemed to indicate unusual muscular strength on the part of its owner. He walked away quietly and sat down on a bench in the cross alley which intersects the Avenue du Bois, opposite the Rue Pergolse. Beside him sat a young woman, clad in the costume of the lower middle-class and reading her paper, while a child played with its spade in the sand beside her.
Presently, Flix Davey said to the woman, without turning his head:
"Ganimard?"
"Went out at nine o'clock this morning."
"Where to?"
"Police headquarters."
"Alone?"
"Yes."
"No telegram last night?"
"No."
"Do they still trust you at the house?"
"Yes. I do odd work for Madame Ganimard and she tells me all her husband does.... We spent the morning together."
"Good. Continue to come here at eleven every morning, until further orders."
He rose and walked to the Pavillon Chinois, near the Porte Dauphine, where he took a frugal