Part 11 (2/2)
CHAPTER XII
Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused. Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully. It was about two and a half inches in circ.u.mference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all. The ivory was old and yellow from use and time, and very thin and smooth. The lightness of the box surprised him--it seemed to weigh almost nothing, as he balanced it on the palm of his hand.
The circular top of the box was curiously ornamented with a circle of small colorless pearls, of trifling value, set at regular intervals about the edge of the cover. Within this row of pearls was an inscription in Latin, carved in tiny letters in the ivory. From its first words, ”_Pater noster_,” Duvall saw that it was the Lord's Prayer.
The letters extended around the circ.u.mference of the box in several concentric lines, or rings, inside of the ring of pearls. In the center of the box was a cross of ivory, carved so as to be slightly raised above its general surface. Beyond this, the box contained no other ornamentation.
Along the front edge of the box Duvall noticed a small spring. He pressed it, in considerable excitement. Evidently the reason for the box's value must be within--some papers, no doubt, of extreme importance. He saw the cover of the box fly upward and glanced hastily inside. The box contained nothing but a few pinches of snuff.
Duvall was almost tempted to laugh. The whole thing seemed so ridiculous--so utterly absurd. Absent-mindedly he tried a pinch of the snuff, inhaling it into his nostrils. It produced nothing more startling than a violent fit of sneezing. Undoubtedly Monsieur de Grissac had told the truth. He did use snuff.
Closing the box, Duvall regarded it for a moment in silence, then looked at Dufrenne. ”It isn't worth a hundred francs,” he said.
”The box?” answered the curio dealer, as he followed Duvall's glances.
”No, monsieur--what you say is indeed true, yet I would not sell it for a hundred million.”
”But why? What is there about it that makes it so valuable? Surely you can tell me that, now that we have safely recovered it.”
”Alas, monsieur. I could not tell you, even if I knew, which I a.s.sure you I do not. I can only say that Monsieur Lefevre has told me that it holds within it the honor of my beloved country, and therefore I would not sell it for all the money in the world.”
Duvall was clearly puzzled. ”Well,” he said at length, as he thrust the box into his pocket, ”there's evidently some mystery about the thing that I do not understand, but I suppose I shall, some day. Just at present our first duty is to return the box to Monsieur de Grissac.”
”You are right, monsieur, and at once. There is a train for Antwerp in half an hour. From there we can take the night boat to Harwich. Let us set out without further delay.”
”And that fellow in there?” remarked the detective with a grim laugh.
”We've got to take him with us, you know. He'll be wanted in London for the murder of the man Noel.”
”Yes. That also is important.” Dufrenne went into the adjoining room and stood looking at the sleeping barber. ”But not so important as the return of the snuff box to Monsieur de Grissac.”
Duvall followed him, and lifting one of Seltz's arms, let it drop suddenly. It fell to his side, lifeless. ”He's sleeping like a log. The doctor must have given him a pretty stiff dose. I don't see how we are going to travel with him in this condition.”
”Then we must leave him in the care of Monsieur Lefevre's other agents here in Brussels. We cannot delay an instant, on any account.”
”I do not agree with you, monsieur. There is one thing which is as important to me as the recovery of the snuff box could possibly be to Monsieur de Grissac, and that is, the safety of my wife.”
”Your wife?” Dufrenne stared at him in surprise.
”Yes, monsieur, my wife. She is at present in Dr. Hartmann's house. How she came there, I do not know, but I imagine that our friend the Prefect sent her there, to a.s.sist, if occasion offered, in our work. In that he was wise; but for her presence, I fear my plan would have failed. Had Seltz rung the doorbell, and been admitted by any of the doctor's servants, I doubt if I should have been able to get the box from him before the latter had seen him. I should then have been obliged to use force, and the results might have been disastrous.”
”Yes, monsieur. I see that. The young lady at Dr. Hartmann's was sent by Monsieur Lefevre. His agents here have already informed me of that. But that she is your wife I did not know.” He pondered for a moment, glancing at his watch. ”It is a great pity. Delay may be most dangerous.
Why do you not send her word to join you in Paris?”
Duvall frowned, and began to walk about the room nervously. ”A few hours' delay can make no difference,” he presently said. ”The box is perfectly safe in our hands. I am not, however, at all convinced that my wife is perfectly safe in the hands of Dr. Hartmann.”
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