Arsène Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes Read Online Free PDF Page A

fifty thousand francs to Mon. Gerbois, saying:
    “Monsieur, in memory of our pleasant interview, permit me to return you this as a wedding-gift to Mlle. Gerbois.”
    Mon. Gerbois took the money, but said:
    “My daughter will not marry.”
    “She will not marry if you refuse your consent; but she wishes to marry.”
    “What do you know about it?”
    “I know that young girls often dream of such things unknown to their parents. Fortunately, there are sometimes good genii like Arsène Lupin who discover their little secrets in the drawers of their writing desks.”
    “Did you find anything else?” asked the lawyer. “I confess I am curious to know why you took so much trouble to get possession of that desk.”
    “On account of its historic interest, my friend. Although despite the opinion of Monsieur Gerbois, the desk contained no treasure except the lottery ticket—and that was unknown to me—I had been seeking it for a long time. That writing-desk of yew and mahogany was discovered in the little house in which Marie Walêwska once lived in Boulogne, and, on one of the drawers there is this inscription: ‘ Dedicated to Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, by his very faithful servant, Mancion .’ And above it, these words, engraved with the point of a knife: ‘To you, Marie.’ Afterwards, Napoleon had a similar desk made for the Empress Josephine; so that the secretary that was so much admired at the Malmaison was only an imperfect copy of the one that will henceforth form part of my collection.”
    “Ah! If I had known, when in the shop, I would gladly have given it up to you,” said the professor.
    Arsène Lupin smiled, as he replied:
    “And you would have had the advantage of keeping for your own use lottery ticket number 514.”
    “And you would not have found it necessary to abduct my daughter.”
    “Abduct your daughter?”
    “Yes.”
    “My dear monsieur, you are mistaken. Mlle. Gerbois was not abducted.”
    “No?”
    “Certainly not. Abduction means force or violence. And I assure you that she served as hostage of her own free will.”
    “Of her own free will!” repeated Mon. Gerbois, in amazement.
    “In fact, she almost asked to be taken. Why, do you suppose that an intelligent young girl like Mlle. Gerbois, and who, moreover, nourishes an unacknowledged passion, would hesitate to do what was necessary to secure her dowry. Ah! I swear to you it was not difficult to make her understand that it was the only way to overcome your obstinacy.”
    Mon. Detinan was greatly amused. He replied to Lupin:
    “But I should think it was more difficult to get her to listen to you. How did you approach her?”
    “Oh! I didn’t approach her myself. I have not the honor of her acquaintance. A friend of mine, a lady, carried on the negotiations.”
    “The blonde woman in the automobile, no doubt.”
    “Precisely. All arrangements were made at the first interview near the college. Since then, Mlle. Gerbois and her new friend have been travelling in Belgium and Holland in a manner that should prove most pleasing and instructive to a young girl. She will tell you all about it herself—”
    The bell of the vestibule door rang, three rings in quick succession, followed by two isolated rings.
    “It is she,” said Lupin. “Monsieur Detinan, if you will be so kind—”
    The lawyer hastened to the door.
    Two young women entered. One of them threw herself into the arms of Mon. Gerbois. The other approached Lupin. The latter was a tall woman of a good figure, very pale complexion, and with blonde hair, parted over her forehead in undulating waves, that glistened and shone like the setting sun. She was dressed in black, with no display of jewelled ornaments; but, on the contrary, her appearance indicated good taste and refined elegance. Arsène Lupin spoke a few words to her; then, bowing to Mlle. Gerbois, he said:
    “I owe you an apology, mademoiselle, for all your troubles, but I hope you have not been too