Maurice Leblanc

“ Gourel took M. Lenormand's hand, led him downstairs and then into a little dark room:
"Don't stir, chief; we are in Pierre Leduc's dressing-room. I am opening the door of the recess in which his bed stands.... Don't be afraid... he has taken his veronal as he does every evening... nothing can wake him. Come this way.... It's a good hiding-place, isn't it?... These are the curtains of his bed.... From here you can see the window and the whole side of the room between the window and the bed." ”

“ But his clothes, his overcoat, were so near that they brushed against the curtains behind which M. Lenormand was hiding.
"One movement on his part," thought the chief detective, "a thrill of alarm; and I shall collar him."
But the man, entirely absorbed in his examination, did not stir. At last, after shifting the dagger to the hand that held the lantern, he raised the sheet, at first hardly at all, then a little more, then more still, until the sleeper's left arm was uncovered and the hand laid bare. The flash of the lantern shone upon the hand. The fingers lay outspread. ”

“ After a moment's reflection, M. Lenormand said:
"There is no doubt possible. There were two of them in the Kesselbach case: the man with the dagger, who committed the murders, and his accomplice, the major!"
"That is what Prince Sernine thinks," muttered Jacques Doudeville.
"And tonight," continued the chief detective, "it is they again: the same two." And he added, "So much the better. The chance of catching two criminals is a hundred times greater than the chance of catching one." ”

“ There's only one person who has the gift of cheering him up, of making him talk and even laugh. That's a young girl from Garches, to whom Prince Sernine introduced him. Genevieve Ernemont her name is. She has been here three times already... she was here today." He added, jestingly, "I believe there's a little flirting going on.... It's like his highness Prince Sernine and Mrs. Kesselbach.... It seems he's making eyes at her!... That devil of a Lupin!"
M. Lenormand did not reply. ”

“ In spite of himself, he continued to think of the treble murder, the steel dagger. But no, it was impossible, the man had not had time, had not even had the need to strike, as he had found the road clear.
M. Lenormand jumped out in his turn and, switching on his lantern, recognized Gourel lying on the ground:
"Damn it!" he swore. "If they've killed him, they'll have to pay dearly for it."
But Gourel was not dead, only stunned; and, a few minutes later, he came to himself and growled:
"Only a blow of the fist, chief... just a blow of the fist which caught me full in the chest. ”

“ And my opinion is that this escape succeeded only through such special circumstances and so strange a combination of facts that we must look upon the most unlikely cases of complicity as absolutely certain. Lupin, for that matter, has connections at the Palais that balk all our calculations. He has agents in your ministry. He has agents at the Prefecture of Police. He has agents around me. It is a formidable organization, a detective-service a thousand times more clever, more daring, more varied and more supple than that under my own orders."
"And you stand this, Lenormand?" ”

“ Steinweg. Advertiser wishes to know if he is in Paris and his address. Reply through this column."
"Steinweg!" exclaimed Gourel. "But that's the very man whom Dieuzy is bringing to you!"
"Yes, yes," said M. Lenormand, to himself, "it's the man whose letter to Mr. Kesselbach I intercepted, the man who put Kesselbach on the track of Pierre Leduc.... So they, too, want particulars about Pierre Leduc and his past?... They, too, are groping in the dark?..."
He rubbed his hands: Steinweg was at his disposal. In less than an hour, Steinweg would have spoken. ”

“ To the intense astonishment of one and all, the 31st of May passed and the threatened escape did not take place.
One thing did happen, an attempt to execute the plan, as was betrayed by a block of tramway-cars, omnibuses and drays along the road taken by the prison-van and the unaccountable breaking of one of the wheels of the van itself. But the attempt assumed no more definite form.
Lupin, therefore, had met with a check. The public felt almost disappointed and the police triumphed loudly. ”

“ The creaking became more distinct.
"Go, Gourel," muttered M. Lenormand, "find the Doudevilles, bring them back to the foot of the wall and bar the road to any one who tries to get down this way."
Gourel went. At the same moment, a head appeared at the level of the window. Then a leg was flung over the balcony. M. Lenormand distinguished a slenderly-built man, below the middle height, dressed in dark colours and without a hat. ”

“ M. Lenormand attended to his men, had them put to bed and looked to see if the assailants had dropped anything or left any traces. He found nothing and went back to bed again himself.
In the morning, as Gourel and the Doudevilles felt none the worse for their injuries, he told the two brothers to scour the neighborhood and himself set but with Gourel for Paris, in order to hurry matters on and give his orders. ”

“ None.
"It appears that the police suspect one of the visitors who was staying on the first floor and who disappeared in a doubtful manner. Have they found him? Have they established his identity? No.
"The tragedy, therefore, remains as mysterious as at the beginning, the gloom is impenetrable.
"To complete the picture, we are told that dissension prevails between the prefect of police and his subordinate, M. Lenormand, and that the latter, finding himself less vigorously supported by the prime minister, virtually sent in his resignation several days ago. ”

“ He is a Spaniard sent by his government to study the working of the French schools."
"As you please. His name and his nationality are of no importance. He is the man we are looking for. Have you known him long?" ”