Part 66 (1/2)
His eye caught a movement. The huge stack of magazines, looking as if it would topple over, so much on the slant was it, was slowly moving into an upright position again! He leaped forward, thrusting his revolver between the opening of the two portions, and prevented them from joining completely!...
What was going on behind this tricky collection of magazines, which had undoubtedly just opened to give pa.s.sage to Vagualame and Bobinette?
Juve glued his ear to the fissure which marked the edge of the hidden door.... Ah!... Voices of men in discussion!... Juve could not distinguish all that the voices were saying, but a word reached his ear, clear, unmistakable--_Fantomas_!
He listened intently.
”You are right,” remarked an invisible speaker: ”It is to Fantomas we owe all these police visits and annoyances--his crimes exasperate the police--and to justify themselves in the opinion of the public they track us down more vigorously than ever!”
Another voice answered:
”I know for certain that these coppers are after Fantomas to-night!”
Shouts and hoots resounded.
Menacing voices repeated:
”Since Fantomas is indirectly our persecutor, let us avenge ourselves on Fantomas!... What matters one life compared with the cause we defend--the cause of a whole people!... If Fantomas is in our way, troubles us, let us kill him!... Trokoff will be here to-morrow, this evening perhaps! Trokoff will guide us! Trokoff will find this mysterious bandit who does us so much harm! Trokoff is a valiant man!... We do not know him, but we know what he has done!”
Juve smiled a sardonic smile. He thrust his hand into the opening wedged apart by his revolver, widened the s.p.a.ce, opened the secret door, and entered the a.s.sembly room of the Nihilists.
”G.o.d save Russia!”
Juve p.r.o.nounced these words with unction, in a solemn voice.
”G.o.d save Poland,” was the reply. The oldest man present, who had thus been spokesman for the a.s.sembly advanced towards the stranger.
”Who are you?” he demanded.
Without the quiver of an eyelid, an eyelash, Juve answered: ”I am he whom you have awaited.... He who will direct your arms--guide you! I am Trokoff!”
”Let but one of these inspired fanatics, who hold life cheap, guess that I belong to the police, and they would kill me without mercy or pity,” thought Juve, as he faced the a.s.sembly of revolutionaries with a serene countenance.
There were no threatening looks. They believed themselves to be in the presence of Trokoff. Had he not opened the door?... Only Trokoff, the expected, the longed for, could have done that!
The a.s.sembly acclaimed him:
”Trokoff! We for Russia welcome you! G.o.d be with you, Trokoff! Heaven guard you!”
”G.o.d be with you, brothers!”
Juve advanced, scrutinising each in turn: neither Vagualame nor Bobinette were among them.
Juve addressed them:
”My brothers! You know that the police are now searching the shop overhead: it is a serious moment!”
One of the Nihilists stepped forward.
”We know it, Trokoff! Our brother, Vagualame, accompanied by a young disciple, came to warn us but a minute ago. Be a.s.sured, brother! The police are not searching for us this evening.... It is the vile wretch Fantomas they are after!... A criminal ruffian, foe of all liberty, whom we have condemned to death.... Therefore we are not disquieted.