Maurice Leblanc

“ At his head! And no pity! If he stirs, if he speaks... shoot him where he stands!"
Sernine smiled, impassively, with his hands in his pockets. Death was there, waiting for him, at two inches from his chest, at two inches from his temples. Fifteen fingers were curled round the triggers.
"Ah," chuckled M. Weber, "this is nice, this is very nice!... And I think that this time we've scored... and it's a nasty look-out for you, Master Lupin!..."
He made one of his men draw back the shutters of a large air-hole, which admitted a sudden burst of daylight, and he turned toward Altenheim. ”

“ Altenheim tried to utter articulate sounds.
"Answer," said Sernine, persisting. "Answer, and I will save you.... Answer... It means your life today... your liberty tomorrow.... Answer!..."
The door shook under the blows that rained upon it.
The baron gasped out unintelligible syllables. Leaning over him, affrighted, straining all his energy, all his will to the utmost, Sernine panted with anguish. He no longer gave a thought to the policemen, his inevitable capture, prison.... But Genevieve.... Genevieve dying of hunger, whom one word from that villain could set free! ”

“ Without moving his lips or contracting a muscle of his face, Sernine whispered:
"27, Rue de Rivoli... Genevieve...."
M. Weber could not suppress a movement of satisfaction at the sight:
"Come along!" he said. "To the detective-office!"
"That's it, to the detective-office!" cried Sernine. "M. Lenormand will enter Arsene Lupin in the jail-book; and Arsene Lupin will enter Prince Sernine."
"You're too clever, Lupin."
"That's true, Weber; we shall never get on, you and I."
During the drive in the motor-car, escorted by three other cars filled with policemen, he did not utter a word. ”

“ You can commend your soul to God. You smile! That's a mistake. I have one immense advantage over you! I kill... when it's necessary...."
"You ass!" said Sernine once more. He took out his watch. "It is two o'clock, baron. You have only a few minutes left. At five past two, ten past at the very latest, M. Weber and half-a-dozen sturdy men, without a scruple amongst them, will lay hands on you.... Don't you smile, either. The outlet on which you're reckoning is discovered; I know it: it is guarded. So you are thoroughly caught. It means the scaffold, old chap."
Altenheim turned livid. ”

“ Jean Doudeville, who was there, while his brother was watching the secret outlet, Jean Doudeville, Sernine's own accomplice, looked at him in dismay. M. Weber stood undecided.
"That takes your breath away, eh?" said Sernine. "I admit that it's rather droll.... Lord, how you used to make me laugh sometimes, when we were working together, you and I, the chief and the deputy-chief!... And the funniest thing is that you thought our worthy M. Lenormand dead... as well as poor Gourel. But no, no, old chap: there's life in the old dog yet!" He pointed to Altenheim's corpse. ”

“ Weber will be arriving with his champions. They are to watch the villa. They will surround it as soon as Altenheim is inside. I have arranged with Weber that I shall ring the bell; the door will be opened; and I shall have my foot inside the citadel. Once there, I have my plan. Come, I've an idea that we shall see some fun."
And Sernine, after dismissing them, walked down the path to the school, soliloquizing as he went:
"All bodes well. The battle will be fought on the ground chosen by myself. I am bound to win. ”

“ They heard it creak on its hinges.
"To allow one's self to get nabbed," said Sernine, "is admissible. But to hold out one's own hands to the handcuffs is too silly. Come, don't be obstinate. Speak... and bolt!"
"And you?"
"I shall remain. What have. I to be afraid of?"
"Look!"
The baron pointed to a chink between the shutters. Sernine put his eye to it and jumped back with a start:
"Oh, you scoundrel, so you have denounced me, too! It's not ten men that Weber's bringing, but fifty men, a hundred, two hundred...." ”

“ Are your men here, M. Weber?"
"Yes, concealed along the road, at two hundred yards from this."
"Well, M. Weber, it seems to me that you might collect them and bring them to this lodge. From here we will go to the villa. As Baron Altenheim knows me, I presume they will open the door to me and I will go in... with you."
"It is an excellent plan," said M. Weber. "I shall come back at once."
He left the garden and walked down the road, in the opposite direction to the Villa des Glycines.
Sernine quickly took one of the brothers Doudeville by the arm:
"Run after him, Jacques... keep him engaged... ”

“ To whom have I the honor...?"
"Prince Sernine."
"Ah, very good! Monsieur le Prefet de Police has told me of the great service which you are doing us, monsieur."
"That service will not be complete until I have handed the ruffians over to you."
"That won't take long. I believe that one of those ruffians has just gone in; a powerful-looking man, with a swarthy complexion...."
"Yes, that's Baron Altenheim. ”

“ The wrists first.... Now the ankles.... That's it!... By Jove, how nice you look!"
The baron had gradually come to himself again. He spluttered:
"If you give me up, Genevieve will die."
"Really?... And how?... Explain yourself."
"She is locked up. No one knows where she is. If I'm put away, she will die of starvation."
Sernine shuddered. He retorted:! "Yes, but you will speak."
"Never!"
"Yes, you will speak. Not now; it's too late. But tonight." He bent down over him and, whispering in his ear, said, "Listen, Altenheim, and understand what I say. You'll be caught presently. ”

“ If not... it means that you don't attach much value to your head."
The other made no reply. Sernine stood up and listened. There was a great crash overhead. The entrance-door yielded. Footsteps beat the flags of the hall and the floor of the drawing room. M. Weber and his men were searching.
"Good-bye, baron. Think it over until this evening. The prison-cell is a good counsellor."
He pushed his prisoner aside, so as to uncover the trap-door, and lifted it. As he expected, there was no longer any one below on the steps of the staircase. ”

“ The prince is at lunch. Two young men sit down at the next table. He bows to them and begins to speak to them, as to friends whom he has met by chance.
"Are you going on the expedition, eh?"
"Yes."
"How many men altogether?" ”

“ It was by means of this that Gertrude and Baron Altenheim used to meet. And it was this way that M. Lenormand passed, only to end be falling into the hands of his enemies."
"You think so, governor?"
"Yes, I think so. And now the point is this: you must go and make sure that the tunnel is exactly in the condition in which I left it last night; that the two doors which bar it are open; and that there is still, in a hole near the second door, a parcel wrapped in a piece of black cloth which I put there myself."
"Are we to undo the parcel?"
"No, that's not necessary. It's a change of clothes. Go ”