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Updated: May 13, 2025
"And if I give you my word of honour, Monsieur le Président, to return the moment my task is done and give myself up?" Valenglay struck the table with his fist and, raising his voice, addressed Don Luis with a certain genial familiarity: "Come, Arsène Lupin," he said, "play the game! If you really want to have your way, pay for it!
As Don Luis Perenna was fighting the good fight, we left Arsène Lupin in the background. Unfortunately " Valenglay paused again and declared: "Unfortunately, Monsieur le Préfet de Police last night received a denunciation, supported by detailed proofs, accusing you of being Arsène Lupin." "Impossible!" cried Don Luis. "That is a statement which no one is able to prove by material evidence.
"But need I say more, Monsieur le Président? You have the complete evidence in your hands. The magistrates will find that all the accusations which I made yesterday, before the Prefect of Police, were strictly true." "And he?" cried Valenglay. "The criminal? Where is he?" "Outside, in a motor car, in his motor car, rather." "Have you told my men?" asked M. Desmalions anxiously.
Nevertheless, I was entitled to try for a less expensive transaction. Of this your words remove all hope. I will therefore lay my cards upon the table, as you demand, and as I had made up my mind to do." He sat down opposite Valenglay, in the attitude of a man treating with another on equal terms. "I shall not be long.
He took his time and, in a serious voice, concluded: "I offer you a kingdom, Monsieur le Président du Conseil." The sentence sounded bombastic and ludicrous, sounded silly enough to provoke a shrug of the shoulders, sounded like one of those sentences which only an imbecile or a lunatic could utter. And yet Valenglay remained impassive.
"In the Mauretanian Empire which you are giving us?" said Valenglay, laughing. "By Jove, it's a fine work and I second it with all my heart. An empire and an imperial budget to keep it up with! Upon my word, Don Luis has behaved well to his country, and has handsomely paid the debts of Arsène Lupin!"
I ask for his release." "Oho!" "Monsieur le Président, your consent will be an act of justice and I beg you to grant it. Sergeant Mazerou shall leave France. He can be charged by the government with a secret mission in the south of Morocco, with the rank of colonial inspector." "Agreed," said Valenglay, laughing heartily.
For the last fifty minutes the enemy had been bowling along the highroad, carrying off Florence like a prey which it now seemed impossible to snatch from him. The door was locked and bolted. Don Luis reflected: "Even presuming that Monsieur le Prefect consents to ring up Valenglay, he won't do so before the morning. So they've given the villain eight hours' start before I'm free. Eight hours!
The deputy chief must inevitably have made a faithful report to the Prefect of Police. The Prefect of Police must inevitably that morning have transmitted Arsène Lupin's request to Valenglay. Valenglay would inevitably give himself the pleasure of an interview with Arsène Lupin. Arsène Lupin would inevitably, in the course of that interview, obtain Valenglay's consent.
To Valenglay and the Prefect of Police his arrival was certainly not unexpected, for they had just been saying that they would have been surprised if he had not come. Nevertheless, their attitude showed that astonishment which we all experience in the face of events that seem to pass the bounds of human possibility. "Well?" cried the Prime Minister eagerly. "It's done, Monsieur le Président."
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