Part 53 (1/2)

”Single-handed, it would be an unequal contest between you and him.”

”Still, I can't break into his rooms. I'm not ent.i.tled to, especially at night.”

Shears shrugged his shoulders:

”Once you've arrested Lupin, no one will haul you over the coals for the particular manner in which you effected the arrest. Besides, we may as well ring the bell, what! Then we'll see what happens.”

They went up the stairs. There was a double door on the left of the landing. Ganimard rang the bell.

Not a sound. He rang again. No one stirred.

”Let's go in,” muttered Shears.

”Yes, come along.”

Nevertheless, they remained motionless, irresolute. Like people who hesitate before taking a decisive step, they were afraid to act; and it suddenly seemed to them impossible that a.r.s.ene Lupin should be there, so near to them, behind that frail part.i.tion, which they could smash with a blow of their fists. They both of them knew him too well, demon that he was, to admit that he would allow himself to be nabbed so stupidly. No, no, a thousand times no; he was not there. He must have escaped, by the adjoining houses, by the roofs, by some suitably prepared outlet; and, once again, the shadow of a.r.s.ene Lupin was all that they could hope to lay hands upon.

They shuddered. An imperceptible sound, coming from the other side of the door, had, as it were, grazed the silence. And they received the impression, the certainty that he was there after all, separated from them by that thin wooden part.i.tion, and that he was listening to them, that he heard them.

What were they to do? It was a tragic situation. For all their coolness as old stagers of the police, they were overcome by so great an excitement that they imagined they could hear the beating of their own hearts.

Ganimard consulted Shears with a silent glance and then struck the door violently with his fist.

A sound of footsteps was now heard, a sound which there was no longer any attempt to conceal.

Ganimard shook the door. Shears gave an irresistible thrust with his shoulder and burst it open; and they both rushed in.

Then they stopped short. A shot resounded in the next room. And another, followed by the thud of a falling body.

When they entered, they saw the man lying with his face against the marble of the mantel-piece. He gave a convulsive movement. His revolver slipped from his hand.

Ganimard stooped and turned the dead man's head, it was covered with blood, which trickled from two large wounds in the cheek and temple.

”There's no recognizing him,” he whispered.

”One thing is certain,” said Shears. ”It's not 'he.'”

”How do you know? You haven't even examined him.”

The Englishman sneered:

”Do you think a.r.s.ene Lupin is the man to kill himself?”

”Still, we believed we knew him outside.”

”We believed, because we _wanted_ to believe. The fellow besets our minds.”

”Then it's one of his accomplices.”