XVIII
IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!
The Baron de Naarboveck and his daughter, Wilhelmine, were comfortablyseated before a wood fire in the library. So numerous were theirsocial engagements they rarely had time for a quiet talk together.Wilhelmine was in good spirits. De Naarboveck listened with anindulgent smile to her vivacious account of the little happenings anddoings of her day. Presently a more serious subject came up fordiscussion. The word "marriage" was mentioned. Wilhelmine blushed andlowered her eyes, while the baron sounded her teasingly on herfeelings for de Loubersac.
"My dear child," said the baron; "this young officer has a fine futurebefore him; he is charming; is sufficiently well connected; adequatelyendowed with this world's goods; bears a known name; you would findhim a suitable match."
Wilhelmine kept silence. An anxious, preoccupied look replaced herbright expression: her animation had died down. At last she murmured:
"Dear father, I have nothing to hide from you, and I willingly confessthat I love Henri with my whole heart. I know he loves me also; but Iask myself whether he will not raise objections when he learns mylife's secret!"
"My dear child, there is nothing in this secret which impugns yourhonor: you are not the responsible party. If, up to the present, Ihave thought it well to introduce you to my friends as my dau."...
De Naarboveck stopped short; the library door had opened. A footmanappeared and announced:
"A woman has just arrived with her son, and wishes to seeMademoiselle or Monsieur. She says it is the new groom she hasbrought."
The baron looked puzzled. Wilhelmine rose.
"I forgot to tell you I was expecting the stable boy this evening. Hereplaces Charles."
She turned to the impassive footman.
"Please ask Mademoiselle Berthe to attend to these persons. They comelate--much too late!"
"Mademoiselle will please excuse me for troubling her," replied thefootman, "but Mademoiselle is still out, and."...
"In that case I will see them myself, though it is an unconscionablehour--not at all a good beginning."...
* * * * *
The woman and her son had been shown into the smoking-room. WhenWilhelmine entered, the pair bowed respectfully.
The would-be groom was a nice-looking lad, and gave the impression ofbeing superior to the common run of his class and calling. Agreeablysurprised, Wilhelmine asked to see his references: she wished to makesure that they were in order; preliminaries, through the medium of anagent, had been gone into some days before. The woman displayed them,announcing in a loud, harsh voice:
"I am his mother!"
This mother was as unpleasant to behold as her son was the contrary,thought Wilhelmine.
She was a stout, vulgar, clumsy creature, enveloped in a large shawlof many colours which did not hide her obesity. The old termagant'sface seemed all paint and large gold-rimmed spectacles, and peeringeyes. This grotesque visage was shaded by a flowered veil.
"What a horrid old creature!" thought Wilhelmine, as she listened withscarcely concealed distaste to the woman's voluble praises of herson's qualities.... According to her, he was a marvel of marvels.
Monsieur de Naarboveck remained in the library pacing up and down,smoking an expensive cigar. Wilhelmine did not return. Feeling sleepy,he quitted the room and went down the long gallery at a leisurelypace. The reception rooms opened on to it. The spacious entrance hallwas visible from the wrought-iron balustrade bordering this gallery.
The baron stopped. He listened. Surely there were voices in animateddiscussion in the vestibule! Yes. Men were arguing with theporter--insisting.... The porter was coming up. The baron went down tomeet him. Two men, in derby hats and tightly buttoned overcoats,confronted him. They carried neither stick nor umbrella, their handswere gloveless. There was an air of suppressed haste about them. Theysaluted. One of the two offered his card. The baron read:
_Inspector Michel, Detective Force, Police Headquarters._
"Kindly follow me, gentlemen!"
De Naarboveck walked quietly up the grand staircase, his hand on itssuperb wrought-iron balustrade.
The two men followed in silence.
The baron opened the smoking-room door, saw it was empty, entered,signed to the policemen to follow, and closed the door.
"To what do I owe the honour of your visit, gentlemen?"
De Naarboveck's tone was icy.
Inspector Michel spoke.
"You must pardon us, Monsieur. Only a matter of the most seriousimportance--exceptionally serious--could have brought us to your houseat so late an hour.... We hold a warrant, and, with your permission,we shall proceed to make an arrest."
De Naarboveck looked fixedly at the policemen.
"Gentlemen, that you should invade my house at such an hour, thismatter must indeed be of singular importance," he said stiffly. Then,in a voice quivering with sarcasm, he enquired:
"Am I to be permitted to know what it is all about?"
"There is no harm in asking that, Monsieur," replied InspectorMichel, in a matter-of-fact tone. "The individual we have come toarrest here is a ruffian, wanted for a couple of murders: that of aCaptain Brocq, and that of a little music-hall singer calledNichoune."
That this statement had upset the baron was evident: he had grownwhite to the lips. Inspector Michel realised that the idea of thisdouble-dyed murderer having taken refuge in his house must have giventhe rich diplomat a horrid surprise. He continued his statement.
"The individual we have come to arrest is known under the name ofVagualame!"
"Vagualame!" stammered de Naarboveck. He staggered slightly and caughtat the mantelpiece for support.
"How upset the baron is!" thought Inspector Michel. "Hardly to bewondered at!" He hurried on with his statement.
"We were on the watch on the Esplanade des Invalides, about half anhour ago--nothing to do with this affair--when we saw Vagualameapproaching this house."
"You saw Vagualame!" exclaimed the baron, with the amazed, incredulouslook of a man who finds himself suddenly faced by a set of lunatics."But--it's--it is ..." he gasped.
"It is so, Monsieur," asserted Inspector Michel. "This old ruffian,after lingering about a few minutes to assure himself that he was notbeing followed--we managed to conceal ourselves sufficiently behindthe trees--Vagualame effected a most suspicious entry into your house,Monsieur. He climbed the wall with the help of a gutter-pipe, andentered the house through a half-opened window on the third floor! Youpermit, Monsieur, that we take action at once!"
Without waiting for the baron's authorisation, Inspector Michel made asign to his colleagues. They removed their overcoats, placed them on achair, drew out their revolvers, and left the room.
The detectives were on the first steps of the flight of stairs leadingto the third story, when they heard voices just above them. Thepiercing notes of the new groom's mother mingled with the refinedaccents of Wilhelmine de Naarboveck, who, in the absence of hercompanion, was about to show the new groom the room allotted to him.In such matters Wilhelmine was more punctilious than most.
* * * * *
"Did you hear, Vagualame?"
Bobinette paled. Could her overstrung nerves be playing her tricks?No.... There certainly were voices, voices on the floor below, strangevoices!... Whose?... Why?
Vagualame was seated at the foot of the bed, much at his ease. Hisaccordion lay on the floor. He met Bobinette's urgency with a shrug.
"Bah!"
With a despairing gesture, the terrified girl moved close to the oldman.
"Don't you understand?... They have seen you! They are after you!...Master!" Bobinette bent forward, looked Vagualame in the eyes ...started ... drew back with a jerk.
This was not the Vagualame she knew!... Not her master!... Who,then?... Who but an enemy?... A police spy?... Horror!... She wastrapped!... Lost!
Her heart was b
eating frightfully--beating to bursting point. Were herknees going to give way?... They should not!... Play the poltroon?...Never!... Rage boiled up in her; brain and will were afire.... Shesubmit to the humiliation of arrest, the long-drawn-out agonies ofcross-examinations, the tortures of imprisonment in Noumea?... NotBobinette!... Never, never, never!
Almost simultaneously with her backward jerk from the stranger eyes ofthis Vagualame, Bobinette darted to a chiffonier, slipped her handinto a drawer among ribbons and laces, seized a revolver, and snatchedit out....
Agile as a panther, Vagualame leaped at the girl, caught her wrist ina grip like a vice. The pain of it was intense--Bobinette dropped herweapon.
"No more of this nonsense!" commanded Vagualame in a hard voice.
"Keep cool, I tell you!... Go on to the landing. Look over. See whatis happening. You are not to be afraid."
Struck speechless, Bobinette stared at the old man, who commanded heras a master, and might stand by her as an accomplice--but--thoseterrifying eyes were not the eyes of her own Vagualame--no! How toact?
She was left no choice. The old man was pushing her relentlesslytowards the door. He must be obeyed.
Listening, on the alert, Juve-Vagualame remained in the room, ready toconceal himself behind the curtains. Who were these mounting thestairs? Some of the household? Suppose Bobinette's agitation was somarked that it aroused their suspicions, and his presence wasrevealed?... Should the position become untenable, he would leave bythe window, close to which he was standing, make his way over theroofs to a neighbouring house--but--confound it!... neither the gunpiece would be in his hands, nor would he have learned where Bobinettehad her rendezvous with Corporal Vinson next morning!...
Bobinette was swaying in the doorway, as though the landing werered-hot ploughshares to be walked on! The ordeal was beyond her!
* * * * *
Four persons set foot on the landing. (A peremptory order from deNaarboveck had caused Wilhelmine to descend.)
Inspector Michel and his colleague stared at the individuals in whosecompany they found themselves--the young groom and his amazing mother!
With a caricatural gesture of disdain, and an off-handed air, thiscorpulent personage demanded stridently:
"Who are these gentlemen?"
Inspector Michel looked the outrageous creature up and down.
"Who are you, Madame?... What are you doing here?"
The inspector's tone was severity itself.
Juve, behind his window-curtains, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ah, Michel has it in hand! That's all right!"
The groom's mother was taken aback--she hesitated; thereupon,Inspector Michel stated his name and rank! On that, the large body ofthis irrepressible personage made straight for him, caught himfamiliarly by the neck, and whispered in his ear.
The effect of the whispered words was to put Inspector Michel out ofcountenance: he looked abashed. He was annoyed: his tone was one ofprotest.
"I recognise you now, certainly--Monsieur!... But since when have youtaken it upon yourself to--to start operations of the kind we have inhand--_we_, the representatives of Police Headquarters?"
The woman's retort was haughty.
"I belong to the information department of the Second Bureau."
"The Second Bureau does not make arrests--not that I am awareof--Captain!"
The obstreperous mother of the pretended groom was--Captain Loreuil!
Pointing to his young companion, Captain Loreuil announced:
"This gentleman belongs to the secret service department of the HomeOffice!... But what really matters, Inspector, is that we are losingtime! Let us effect a capture--the capture is the thing!"
The distracted Bobinette, still swaying in the doorway, failed tograsp the full meaning of what these intruders were saying. InspectorMichel marched up to the trembling girl.
"Mademoiselle! Are you alone in your room?"
Bobinette nodded. She was incapable of speech. The inspector ignoredthe nod, brushed past her, stepped into the room and glanced rapidlyround.
Bobinette, wild-eyed with fear, watched the proceedings. She saw the stoutwoman moving the chairs, looking under the bed, shaking the hangings. Thefussy, obnoxious creature tore apart the window-curtains.... Vagualame wasexposed to view!... He had not escaped, then!
They dragged the old fellow from his hiding-place: they promptlyhandcuffed him.
"Vagualame! In the name of the law I arrest you!" declared InspectorMichel.
Captain Loreuil shouted in his natural voice, which, issuing from thisapparent woman, had a ludicrous effect:
"Ha! at last we have got him!"
Juve-Vagualame did not budge. With inward joy, he awaited the arrestof Bobinette.
"Things go well," he thought: "if not so well as old Michel believes.Comrade Juve in the bracelets, and Vagualame free! But he holdsBobinette in his hand--the old ruffian's accomplice, unmasked!"
What was this? Could Juve believe his ears?... Michel apologising tothis guilty creature! Felicitating her on her escape from Vagualame'sclutches! What the deuce?...
"Ah, Mademoiselle! You never suspected who was so near you, now didyou?" Inspector Michel was saying to Bobinette, whose self-confidencewas beginning to return.
"You have certainly had a narrow escape," he went on with acongratulatory smile. "This old ruffian meant to murder you, I amconvinced."
Pointing triumphantly to Juve-Vagualame, he added:
"But Vagualame cannot harm you now! The law has got him! The law hassaved you, Mademoiselle!"
Inspector Michel made a sign. His colleague and the Home Officedetective dragged Juve from the room. Juve offered no resistance.
"That Michel is an idiot--the completest of idiots," he thought.
"Come along, now! We are off to the Depot!" commanded Michel, shakingJuve-Vagualame by the shoulder.
Juve was about to tear off his false beard, make himself known, andget Bobinette arrested. He thought better of it. He was pretty surethe girl doubted his genuineness. This arrest under her eyes wouldpersuade her that the Vagualame they were taking to prison was thereal Vagualame.... Better that she should cherish this delusion forthe present. Once out of the de Naarboveck house, he could explainmatters to his colleagues.
Thinking thus, Juve-Vagualame, encircled by watchful policemen,descended the stairs. On the first floor he caught a glimpse of thebaron and his daughter in the ante-room. De Naarboveck's bearing wasdignified: Wilhelmine seemed terribly frightened. There was a scared,hunted look on her pallid face.
Behind Juve-Vagualame in his handcuffs followed the pseudo-mother.Judging it unwise to make himself known to the master and mistress ofthe house, Captain Loreuil played his part vigorously to the last.Close on Juve's heels he came, shouting:
"This is a nice kind of shop, this is!... You shall not remain here,Sosthene, my child! Come, then, with your mother! She will find you avery different situation to this! My poor Sosthene!"...
Majestically, with a wave of her arm signifying disdainful rejection,the pseudo-mother drew her shawl of many colours about her corpulentperson and sailed out of the de Naarboveck mansion.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, up on the third floor, a puzzled, confused, batteredBobinette was recovering from the shocks and terrors of the evening.She lay back in an arm-chair trying to piece things together.
Two things were clear: Vagualame was arrested; she was free, and withthe famous gun piece still in her possession.... To-morrow, she wouldobey orders received: she would take the piece to Havre, accompaniedby Corporal Vinson, who would bring the plan of the apparatus.
Bobinette had bent her head to the storm: she now raised it proudly.