United States or Gabon ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He wore a gray cap with a black peak. It was one of the deep-yellow taxis of the Compagnie des Comètes. It was the taxi which they were pursuing. And Florence was inside with her abductor. "At last," thought Don Luis, "I have them!" They flew for some time, keeping the same distance. Davanne waited for a signal which Don Luis was in no hurry to give.
He was determined to find out, and to find out everything, at once, without clues, without useless consideration, simply by the marvellous intuition which invariably guided him at any crisis in his life. And his self-respect also required that he should give Davanne his answer without delay, and that the disappearance of those whom he was pursuing should not seem to embarrass him.
"Perfectly." "In that case, if we agree, all is well. Does your machine carry a passenger?" "Sometimes she does." "We'll start at once. What are your terms?" "It depends. Who are you?" "Arsène Lupin." "The devil you are!" exclaimed Davanne, a little taken aback. "I am Arsène Lupin. You must know the best part of what has happened from reading about it in the papers.
"Now?" asked Davanne, turning to Don Luis. The surrounding country was deserted. "Off you go!" cried Don Luis. The aeroplane seemed to shoot down suddenly, as though driven by an irresistible force, which sent it flying like an arrow toward the mark.
Here's a thousand-franc note for you. Only, if you blab, I'll make you repent it. That's all I have to say to you." He turned to Davanne, whose machine was beginning to block the traffic, and asked: "Can we start?" "Whenever you like. Where are we going?" Paying no attention to the movements of the people coming from every side, Don Luis unfolded his map of France and spread it out before him.
And this crossroad led to the woods at the back of Langernault's estate, the Old Castle. Don Luis's conviction was so firm that, after taking leave of Davanne, he helped him to start on his homeward flight. He had no further need of him. He needed nobody. The final duel was at hand. He ran along, guided by the tracks of the tires in the dust, and followed the crossroad.
He knew so well that this was bound to happen! Davanne turned round and cried: "That's the one, isn't it?" "Yes, go straight for them." The airship dipped through space and caught up the car almost at once. Then Davanne slowed his engine and kept at six hundred feet above the car and a little way behind. From here they made out all the details. The driver was seated on the left.
A cluster of houses, a huge castle, towers, steeples: Angers.... Don Luis asked Davanne the time. It was ten minutes to twelve. Already Angers was a vanished vision. Once more the open country, broken up with many-coloured fields. Through it all, a road. And, on that road, a yellow motor. The yellow motor! The brute's motor! The motor with Florence Levasseur! Don Luis's joy contained no surprise.
And so great was Weber's astonishment at seeing Arsène Lupin, whom he had taken to the lockup twelve hours before, standing in front of him, free, at two hundred and forty miles from Paris, that Don Luis, as he went back to Davanne, thought: "What a crusher! I've knocked him out in one round. There's no hurry. The referee will count ten at least three times before Weber can say 'Mother!"
He repeated: "Where are we going? Back again, bearing to the left." "Any particular place?" "Alençon." "All right," said Davanne. "Lend a hand, some of you. I can make an easy start from that field just there." Don Luis and a few others helped him, and the preparations were soon made. Davanne tested his engine. Everything was in perfect order.
Word Of The Day