Maurice Leblanc

“ When a man kills, he's not afraid of killing and he doesn't hide the face of his victim. Look, you idiot!”
He himself stopped over the corpse and unwrapped the veil around the head.
Vorski had closed his eyes. Kneeling, with his chest pressed against the dead woman's legs, he remained without moving and kept his eyes obstinately shut.
“Are you there now?” chuckled Don Luis. “If you daren't look, it's because you've guessed or because you're on the point of guessing, you wretch: am I right? Your idiot brain is working it out: am I right? ”

“ But was it possible?
“Everything is possible,” Don Luis Perenna went on, “including even what you think. But I repeat, what a silly beast you're making of yourself! Here are you playing the bold highwayman, the dashing adventurer; and you're frightened the moment you set eyes on one of your crimes! As long as it was just a matter of happy-go-lucky killing, you went straight ahead. But the first little jolt throws you off the track. Vorski kills; but whom has he killed? He has no idea. Is Veronique d'Hergemont dead or alive? ”

“ There's no hypocrisy about you, Plain and convincing arguments. By Jingo, how beautiful to see a Hun laying bare his soul! What a glorious mixture of vanity and cruelty, of cynicism and mysticism! A Hun has always a mission to fulfil, even when he's satisfied with plundering and murdering. Well, you're better than a Hun: you're a Superhun!”
And he added, still laughing:
“So I propose to treat you as Superhun. Once more, will you tell me where Francois is?”
“No.”
“All right.”
He turned to the four Moors and said, very calmly:
“Go ahead, lads.” ”

“ The ancient Druid, in fact, appeared to be asleep. Only, why on earth was he sleeping in that attitude, flat on his stomach, with his arms stretched out on either side and his face to the floor? No man on his guard, or at least aware that he was in some sort of danger, would expose himself in this way to the enemy's attack. Moreover — Vorski's eyes were gradually growing accustomed to the half-darkness of the end crypt — moreover the white robe was marked with stains which looked red, which undoubtedly were red. ”

“ Still, just test your memory: I am the gentleman who was to come to the rescue of the d'Hergemont family and the people of Sarek, the one whom your son Francois was expecting with such simple faith.... Well, are you there?... Look, your companion, the trusty Otto, he seems to remember!... But perhaps my other name will convey more to you? It is well and favourably known. Lupin.... Arsene Lupin....”
Vorski watched him with increasing terror and with a misgiving which became more accentuated at each word and movement of this new adversary. ”

“ He turned to the three Moors:
“Pick up the Hun,” he ordered, “and carry him up to the dolmen outside. You needn't bind him: he couldn't move a limb if he tried. Oh, one minute!”
He leant over Vorski's ear:
“Before you start, have a good look at the God-Stone, between the flags in the ceiling. The ancient Druid wasn't lying to you. It is the miraculous stone which people have been seeking for centuries... and which I discovered from a distance... by correspondence. Say good-bye to it, Vorski! You will never see it again, if indeed you are ever to see anything in this world.” ”

“ You never even thought, before you stabbed, of looking to see what you were stabbing. The great thing for you is to slash away with all your might, to intoxicate yourself with the sight and smell of blood and to turn live flesh into a hideous pulp. ”

“ Conrad's daring comforted Vorski.
“After all,” he said, when his accomplice was gone, “he's right. If that old Druid didn't come after us, it's because he's got other ideas in his head. He certainly doesn't expect us to return on the offensive; and Conrad can very well take him by surprise. What do you say, Otto?” ”

“ The voice was not Otto's voice. And the voice continued, while he stood with his head lowered and stupidly holding his dagger planted in the dead woman's body:
“Do you know what you remind me of, Vorski? You remind me of the bulls of my country. Let me tell you that I am a Spaniard and a great frequenter of the bull-ring. Well, when our bulls have gored some poor old cab-horse that is only fit for the knacker's yard, they go back to the body, from time to time, turn it over, gore it again, keep on killing it and killing it. You're like them, Vorski, You're seeing red. ”

“ If our revolvers had been really loaded, we'd have shot him down like a dog.”
But the explanation only increased Vorski's alarm:
“And how did he unload them? At what moment did he manage to take our revolvers from our pockets and put them back after drawing the charges? I did not leave go of mine for an instant.”
“No more did I,” Conrad admitted.
“And I defy any one to touch it without my knowing. So what then? Doesn't it prove that that demon has a special power? After all, “we must look at things as they are. He's a man who possesses secrets of his own... ”

“ Vorski looked at him in dismay and stammered:
“The tutor.... Stephane Maroux....”
“The man himself,” said Don Luis. “What did you expect? Here again you behaved like an idiot. The adorable Raynold and you throw a man into the sea and don't even think of leaning over to see what becomes of him. I pick him up.... And don't be too badly staggered, old chap. It's only the beginning; and I have a few more tricks in my bag. Remember, I'm a pupil of the ancient Druid's!... Well, Stephane, where do we stand? What's the result of your search?”
“Nothing.”
“Francois?” ”

“ Vorski was wriggling on the tree and trying to burst his bonds. But, since every effort merely served to increase his suffering, he kept still and, to vent his fury, began to swear and blaspheme most hideously and to inveigh against Don Luis:
“Robber! Murderer! It's you that are the murderer, it's you that are condemning Francois to death! Francois was wounded by his brother ”