The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-18
THE EXPLOITS OF ARSENE LUPIN Maurice Leblanc

T.
vcaled desperate cndcavor to under
stand, combined with an agonizinc
dread OF understanding. The count
asked. between his teeth:
Tell me, sir. Who are YOU"
81: Why, the Cavaliere Floriaui.
whom you met at Palermo, and whom
you have had the kindness to invite
to your house time after time"
Then what is the meaning OF this
story"
oh, nothing at all, 1t is a mere
Joke on my part. | am irving 10
picture 10 myself the delight which
Hcnrlctte son, it he were still alive
would take in telling YOU that he i,
the only culprit, and that he became
so because his mother was on the
point OF losing her place as domcs-
TIC servant. which was her only
means OF livelihood. and because the
child suffered at the sight OF his
mother unnappincSs."
re had half risen from his scat.
and, bending toward the countess
was expressing himself in terms OF
suppressed emotion There was no
doubt possible. The Cavalicrc Flor
ranI was none other than Henrictte'S
son. Everything IN his attitude. in
his words, proclaimed the fact. Be-
SIDES, was II not his evident intention
his wish, to be recognized as such:
he count hcsitatcd. What line OF
conduct was he to adopt toward This
daring InuIvidual2 To ring the bella
provoke scandal No. it wa, bet
ter to accept the position and pretend.
not 10 grasp Its real meaning. And
the count, going up to Floriani. said.
playfully:
our little romance is very inter
cStIng and very entertaining. II has
quite taken hold OF me. ! assure Won
But. according to you. what became
OF that exemplary young man, that
model SOM | trust that he did NOT
stop on his prosperous road to for
tune"
certainly NOT
A shuddcr passed through his
hearers. What mystery concealed
the life OF this sclf-stvled FIoriania
How extraordinary must be the exist
cncc OF this advcnturer. a gifted thief
at the age OF q, who TODAY. with the
rehned taste OF a dilcttantc in search
OF an emotion, or. at most. to Satisfy
a sense OF revenge, had come to brave
ms victim i'll that victims own house.
audaclously, madly. and vet with ali
the good breeding OF Il man of the
world on 4 visit,
He rose. and went up to the Coun-
tess TO take his leave She suppress
ed a movement OF rccoil. He smiled
An, madame, you are frightened,
Have | carried my little comedy OF
drawIng-room magic too far"
Not at all. monsieur. On the con-
trary, the legend OF that good son has
interested me grcAly. and | am hap
py to think that my necklace should
have been the occasion OF so brilliant
a career. But docs it not seem to Won
that the son OF that-of that woman,
OF HcnrIcttc, was. above all things,
obeying his natural VOCATION"
He started, felt the point oil her
remark. and replied:
Il am sure he was: and. in TACT.
his vocation mus have been quito
serious. or the child would have been
discouraged"
"Whys"
well, you know. most OF the
stones were false. The only real
ones were the few diamonds bought
Of the English jcwclcr The other,
had been sold. ono by one, in obcdI-
,ncc to the stern necessities of lie.
1T was the Queens Necklace,
monsieur, for all that" said the
countess hauGhtily. and that. it
seems to me. is what Hcnricttc's son
vas unable to understand"
He must have understood. mad
smc, that, false or genuine. the neck
acc was. before all, d show thing. a
ignboard.'
NJ. dc Drcux made movement.
His wife stopped him at once.
Monsieur she said. III tho man
o whom you alludc has the least
'eStagc OF shame
She hcsitated. shrinking before
Floriani's calm gaze lie repeated
fter her:
''lf he has the least feeling Of
hamc-
She felt that she would gain moth
ng by speaking to him in this way:
nd. despite her anger and indigna-
ion. quivering with Inundated pride,
he said. almost politely:
Monsieur, tradition says that
,etauN dc Villette, when the Queens
Necklace was in his hands, forced
Mt all the diamonds with Jeanne dc
'aloiS. but he dared not touch the
citing. He understood that the dia-
londs were but the ornaments. the
cccssOrIcs. whereas the setting was
he essential work. tho creation OF the
rtist: and he respected it. Do YOU
hIuk that this man understood ~
luch ;"
81 have no doubt that the setting
NistS. The child respected it,"
well. monsieur. il ever YOU hap
en- to meet him. tell him that he is
citing unjuStlv in keeping ono 81
hose relics which are the property
nd glory OF certain families. and
nat though he may have removed the
tones, the Queens Necklace con-
MUGS to belong to the house of
1t is ours As much
5 our name or our honor"
The chcvalicr replied, simply:
81 will tell him SO. madame"
He bowed low before her. bow cd
, the count. bowed to all the WISH
ors, ono after the other. and went
Ut
Four days later Mmc. dc DrcuN
,und rcd morocco case, stamped
18th the arms of tho Cardinal dc Ro-
an, on her bedroom table. She
Dcncd it. II contained the necklace
Marie Antoincttc.
But as in the life OF any logical and
nglc-minded man all things must
GODS rpurur tD-yarI tI,c game object