Part 19 (1/2)

The Duke rose, bowed, and protested his pleasure at making the acquaintance of M. Formery.

”Is this the scene of the robbery, inspector?” said M. Formery; and he rubbed his hands together with a very cheerful air.

”Yes, sir,” said the inspector. ”These two rooms seem to be the only ones touched, though of course we can't tell till M. Gournay-Martin arrives. Jewels may have been stolen from the bedrooms.”

”I fear that M. Gournay-Martin won't be of much help for some days,”

said the Duke. ”When I left him he was nearly distracted; and he won't be any better after a night journey to Paris from Charmerace. But probably these are the only two rooms touched, for in them M.

Gournay-Martin had gathered together the gems of his collection. Over the doors hung some pieces of Flemish tapestry--marvels--the composition admirable--the colouring delightful.”

”It is easy to see that your Grace was very fond of them,” said M.

Formery.

”I should think so,” said the Duke. ”I looked on them as already belonging to me, for my father-in-law was going to give them to me as a wedding present.”

”A great loss--a great loss. But we will recover them, sooner or later, you can rest a.s.sured of it. I hope you have touched nothing in this room. If anything has been moved it may put me off the scent altogether. Let me have the details, inspector.”

The inspector reported the arrival of the Duke at the police-station with a.r.s.ene Lupin's letter to M. Gournay-Martin; the discovery that the keys had been changed and would not open the door of the house; the opening of it by the locksmith; the discovery of the concierge and his wife gagged and bound.

”Probably accomplices,” said M. Formery.

”Does Lupin always work with accomplices?” said the Duke. ”Pardon my ignorance--but I've been out of France for so long--before he attained to this height of notoriety.”

”Lupin--why Lupin?” said M. Formery sharply.

”Why, there is the letter from Lupin which my future father-in-law received last night; its arrival was followed by the theft of his two swiftest motor-cars; and then, these signatures on the wall here,” said the Duke in some surprise at the question.

”Lupin! Lupin! Everybody has Lupin on the brain!” said M. Formery impatiently. ”I'm sick of hearing his name. This letter and these signatures are just as likely to be forgeries as not.”

”I wonder if Guerchard will take that view,” said the Duke.

”Guerchard? Surely we're not going to be cluttered up with Guerchard.

He has Lupin on the brain worse than any one else.”

”But M. Gournay-Martin particularly asked me to send for Guerchard if I arrived too late to prevent the burglary. He would never forgive me if I had neglected his request: so I telephoned for him--to the Prefecture of Police,” said the Duke.

”Oh, well, if you've already telephoned for him. But it was unnecessary--absolutely unnecessary,” said M. Formery sharply.

”I didn't know,” said the Duke politely.

”Oh, there was no harm in it--it doesn't matter,” said M. Formery in a discontented tone with a discontented air.

He walked slowly round the room, paused by the windows, looked at the ladder, and scanned the garden:

”a.r.s.ene Lupin,” he said scornfully. ”a.r.s.ene Lupin doesn't leave traces all over the place. There's nothing but traces. Are we going to have that silly Lupin joke all over again?”

”I think, sir, that this time joke is the word, for this is a burglary pure and simple,” said the inspector.

”Yes, it's plain as daylight,” said M. Formery ”The burglars came in by this window, and they went out by it.”

He crossed the room to a tall safe which stood before the unused door.

The safe was covered with velvet, and velvet curtains hung before its door. He drew the curtains, and tried the handle of the door of the safe. It did not turn; the safe was locked.