Part 22 (1/2)
”I'm thinking of your visiting-card, Wilson.”
”Well?”
”Well, here is a man, who, by way of preparing for a possible struggle with us, obtains specimens of your handwriting and mine and has one of your cards ready in his pocketbook. Have you thought of the amount of precaution, of perspicacity, of determination, of method, of organization that all this represents?”
”You mean to say ...”
”I mean to say, Wilson, that, to fight an enemy so formidably armed, so wonderfully equipped--and to beat him--takes ... a man like myself. And, even then, Wilson,” he added, laughing, ”one does not succeed at the first attempt, as you see!”
At six o'clock, the _echo de France_ published the following paragraph in its special edition:
”This morning, M. Thenard, the commissary of police of the 16th division, released Messrs. Holmlock Shears and Wilson, who had been confined, by order of a.r.s.ene Lupin, in the late Baron d'Hautrec's house, where they spent an excellent night.
”They were also relieved of their luggage and have laid an information against a.r.s.ene Lupin.
”a.r.s.ene Lupin has been satisfied with giving them a little lesson this time; but he earnestly begs them not to compel him to adopt more serious measures.”
”Pooh!” said Holmlock Shears, crumpling up the paper. ”Schoolboy tricks!
That's the only fault I have to find with Lupin ... he's too childish, too fond of playing to the gallery.... He's a street arab at heart!”
”So you continue to take it calmly, Shears?”
”Quite calmly,” replied Shears, in a voice shaking with rage. ”What's the use of being angry? _I am so certain of having the last word!_”
CHAPTER IV
A GLIMMER IN THE DARKNESS
However impervious to outside influences a man's character may be--and Shears is one of those men upon whom ill-luck takes hardly any hold--there are yet circ.u.mstances in which the most undaunted feel the need to collect their forces before again facing the chances of a battle.
”I shall take a holiday to-day,” said Shears.
”And I?”
”You, Wilson, must go and buy clothes and s.h.i.+rts and things to replenish our wardrobe. During that time, I shall rest.”
”Yes, rest, Shears. I shall watch.”
Wilson uttered those three words with all the importance of a sentry placed on outpost duty and therefore exposed to the worst dangers. He threw out his chest and stiffened his muscles. With a sharp eye, he glanced round the little hotel bedroom where they had taken up their quarters.
”That's right, Wilson: watch. I shall employ the interval in preparing a plan of campaign better suited to the adversary whom we have to deal with. You see, Wilson, we were wrong about Lupin. We must start again from the beginning.”
”Even earlier, if we can. But have we time?”
”Nine days, old chap: five days more than we want.”