Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 20, 2025
"Oh," cried he, "this is more serious than I thought!... Action must be taken at once!... Nichoune! Nichoune! you are about to play a dangerous game, a game which is likely to cost you dear!" On the first of the envelopes Vagualame had read one word: "Belfort." This was the document he had handed over to the actress the night before.
Vagualame drew from the inside pocket of his short coat a large packet sealed with red wax. "Be very careful! This document is important has been difficult to obtain extremely difficult!... On no account must it go astray!... Tell Belfort that it must be handed over as quickly as possible.... Well?" Nichoune did not take the packet Vagualame was holding out to her.
"Yes," replied de Naarboveck with his ironic smile: "and it was you, Monsieur Juve, who got yourself arrested in that disguise!" "That is a fact." Juve's admission was matter-of-fact. "Do you recall a certain conversation, Monsieur de Naarboveck, between detective Juve and the real Vagualame at Jérôme Fandor's flat?"
"Just fancy, Vagualame, I took the precaution to hide it between my two mattresses! Wait!... Here it is!" Nichoune held out his letter. "Thank you, my dear!" Vagualame looked as if the returning of the document was a matter of the most perfect indifference to him. He gazed hard at Nichoune stared so fixedly at her that she demanded: "Whatever possesses you to stare at me like that?"
Inspector Michel was saying to Bobinette, whose self-confidence was beginning to return. "You have certainly had a narrow escape," he went on with a congratulatory smile. "This old ruffian meant to murder you, I am convinced." Pointing triumphantly to Juve-Vagualame, he added: "But Vagualame cannot harm you now! The law has got him! The law has saved you, Mademoiselle!"
"I have just met him.... He told me that he had not come across you at the usual meeting-place." Nichoune lowered her head. "I thought I was being followed ... so, as you can understand, I did not go." Vagualame nodded approval. "Good! Quite right! After all, it is not otherwise of importance. You must give me back my envelope now!" "You want it?" "Why, of course!" Nichoune hesitated a second.
The old accordion player cast a rapid penetrating glance at the countenance of his companion: it was done with the instinctive ease of habit. The young man was leaning forward, tracing circles in the sand with his stick. "What is the position, Vagualame?" he asked briefly. "I have no more money, Lieutenant." The young man sat upright and looked at the old man angrily. "What has come to you?
By a labyrinth of little streets, all darkness and mystery, Vagualame had led his companion to a kind of blind alley: a tall house blocked the end of it. A large shop on the ground floor occupied half the front of it. Although the iron shutters had been drawn down, light from the interior penetrated through apertures to the street thin rays of light. Vagualame laid a brutal hand on Bobinette.
Fandor could personate Vinson with every chance of success, because the 257th of the line had never set eyes on the corporal. After a week of perplexity, Fandor had come to a decision the previous night. Wishing to let his "dear master" know of his audacious project, he had telephoned to Juve on the Sunday evening to ask him to come to the flat. Then Vagualame had appeared on the scene.
But, gentlemen, Vagualame was equally spying on France, a traitor in the pay of a foreign power: worse still, he it was who assassinated Captain Brocq: you know he was the murderer of the singer, Nichoune!... "This Vagualame made of me his thing, his slave! Alas! I cannot pretend that it was under the perpetual menace from this monster I became a traitor!
Word Of The Day
Others Looking