Maurice Leblanc

“ Rudolph Kesselbach made a sign.
"You want to speak?"
"Yes."
"You're just in time. Well, the cypher... the word for the lock?"
"Dolor."
"Dolor... Dolor... Mrs. Kesselbach's name is Dolores, I believe? You dear boy!... Marco, go and do as I told you.... No mistake, mind! I'll repeat it: meet Jerome at the omnibus office, give him the key, tell him the word: Dolor. Then, the two of you, go to the Credit Lyonnais. Jerome is to walk in alone, sign the name-book, go down to the basement and bring away everything in the safe. Do you quite understand?" ”

“ Kesselbach made no reply. Lupin, now speaking in nervous, jerky tones, resumed:
"Listen, Kesselbach, I have a proposal to make to you. Rich man, big man though you may be, there is not so much difference between us. The son of the Augsburg ironmonger and Arsene Lupin, prince of burglars, can come to an understanding without shame on either side. I do my thieving indoors; you do yours on the Stock Exchange. It's all much of a muchness. So here we are, Kesselbach. Let's be partners in this business. ”

“ One of them, Chapman, had succeeded, by dint of patience, in loosening his gag a little and was uttering short, stifled moans. The other seemed asleep.
They were released. But Gourel was anxious:
"Where's Mr. Kesselbach?"
He went into the sitting-room. Mr. Kesselbach was sitting strapped to the back of the arm-chair, near the table. His head hung on his chest.
"He has fainted," said Gourel, going up to him. "He must have exerted himself beyond his strength." ”

“ Ah, Chapman, you can't imagine.... Money I don't care a fig for: I have money, I have too much money.... But this, this means a great deal more; it means power, might, authority. If the reality comes up to my expectations, I shall be not only Lord of the Cape, but lord of other realms as well.... Rudolf Kesselbach, the son of the Augsburg ironmonger, will be on a par with many people who till now have looked down upon him.... He will even take precedence of them, Chapman ”

“ We have ten minutes left. Ah, a letter from Mrs. Kesselbach! Why didn't you tell me of it, Chapman? Didn't you recognize the handwriting?"
He made no attempt to conceal the emotion which he felt in touching and contemplating that paper which his wife had held in her fingers and to which she had added a look of her eyes, an atom of her scent, a suggestion of her secret thoughts. He inhaled its perfume and, unsealing it, read the letter slowly in an undertone, in fragments that reached Chapman's ears:
"Feeling a little tired.... ”

“ Kesselbach did not sleep here last night. We have not seen him since yesterday afternoon."
"But his servant? His secretary?"
"We have not seen them either."
"Then they also did not sleep in the hotel?"
"I suppose not."
"You suppose not? But you ought to be retained."
"Why? Mr. Kesselbach is not staying in a hotel; he is at home here, in his private flat. He is not waited on by us, but by his own man; and we know nothing of what happens inside."
"That's true.... That's true...."
Gourel seemed greatly perplexed. ”

“ Aha, my dear sir, you breathe again! Arsene Lupin is a delicate, squeamish burglar. He loathes bloodshed, he has never committed a more serious crime than that of annexing other people's property... a mere peccadillo, eh? ”

“ Kesselbach rose from his chair, with a great air of vexation, took a few steps and stopped.
"You're laughing at me, Chapman, I feel you are... and you're quite right.... I won't deny it, I have been rather... odd, since my last journey to the Cape. It's because... well... you don't know the new factor in my life... a tremendous plan... a huge thing... ”

“ He lowered his voice and, with his eyes fixed on the eyes of his prisoner, watching his expression, searching his secret thoughts, he uttered these words:
"Mr. Kesselbach, your instructions to Barbareux were that he should find a man hidden somewhere in the slums of Paris who bears or used to bear the name of Pierre Leduc. The man answers to this brief description: height, five feet nine inches; hair and complexion, fair; wears a moustache. ”

“ A bell sounded.
"The telephone," said Chapman.
"Could it," muttered Kesselbach, "by any chance be....?" He took down the instrument. "Hullo!... Who? The Colonel? Ah, good! Yes, it's I.... Any news?... Good!..... Then I shall expect you.... You will come with one of your men? Very well.... What? No, we shan't be disturbed.... I will give the necessary orders.... It's as serious as that, is it?... I tell you, my instructions will be positive.... my secretary and my man shall keep the door; and no one shall be allowed in.... You know the way, don't you?... ”

“ But Edwards entered and said: "Two gentlemen asking for you, sir. They are the ones...."
"I know. Are they there, in the lobby?"
"Yes, sir."
"Close the hall-door and don't open it again except to M. Gourel, the detective-sergeant. You go and bring the gentlemen in, Chapman, and tell them that I would like to speak to the Colonel first, to the Colonel alone."
Edwards and Chapman left the room, shutting the door after them. Rudolf Kesselbach went to the window and pressed his forehead against the glass. ”

“ He replaced the instrument, went into the lobby and into the bedroom, made sure that the secretary and the manservant had not unloosed their bonds and, on the other hand, that they were in no danger of being choked by their gags. Then he returned to his chief prisoner.
He wore a determined and relentless look:
"We've finished joking, Kesselbach. If you don't speak, it will be the worse for you. Have you made up your mind?" ”

“ And what you're saying to yourself is that he is not going to burden his conscience with a useless murder. Quite so... But will your destruction be so useless as all that? Everything depends on the answer. And I assure you that I'm not larking at present. Come on, old chap!"
He drew up his chair beside the arm-chair, removed the prisoner's gag and, speaking very plainly:
"Mr. Kesselbach," he said, "on the day when you arrived in Paris you entered into relations with one Barbareux, the manager of a confidential inquiry agency ”

“ Silence, Marco. When you come out of the Credit Lyonnais, you must leave Jerome, go to your own place and telephone the result of the operation to me. Should the word Dolor by any chance fail to open the safe, we (my friend Rudolf Kesselbach and I) will have one... last... interview. Kesselbach, you're quite sure you're not mistaken? ”