And the Englishman, resorting to irony in his turn, said, with that supercilious politeness with which his adversary had so often lashed him:
"M. Lupin, believe me, from this minute I shall cease to remember the night you made me spend in Baron d'Hautrec's house, cease to remember my friend Wilson's mishaps, cease to remember how I was kidnapped by motor-car, cease to remember the sea-voyage which I have just taken, fastened down, by your orders, to an uncomfortable berth. This minute wipes out all. I forget everything. I am rewarded, amply rewarded."
Lupin did not speak. The Englishman added:
"Don't you think so yourself?"
He appeared to be insisting, as though demanding an assent, a sort of receipt with regard to the past.
After a moment's reflection, during which the Englishman felt himself searched and fathomed to the very bottom of his soul, Lupin said:
"I presume, sir, that your present action rests upon serious motives?"
"Extremely serious motives."
"The fact of your escaping from my captain and his crew is only a secondary incident in our struggle. But the fact of your being here, before me, alone, do you understand, _alone_ in the presence of Arsne Lupin, makes me believe that your revenge is as complete as possible."
"It is as complete as possible."
"This house...?"
"Surrounded."
"The two next houses...?"
"Surrounded."
"The flat above this...?"
"The three flats on the fifth floor which were occupied by M. Dubreuil are invested."
"So that...?"
"So that you are caught, M. Lupin, irredeemably caught."
Lupin now experienced the same feelings that had stirred Shears during his motor-car drive: the same concentrated rage, the same rebellion; but also, when all was said and done, the same sense of loyalty which compelled him to bow before the force of circumstances. Both were equally strong: both alike were bound to accept defeat as a temporary evil, to be received with resignation.
"We are quits, sir," he said, bluntly.
* * * * *
The Englishman seemed delighted at this confession. The two men were silent. Then Lupin, already master of himself, resumed with a smile:
"And I am not sorry. It was becoming wearisome to win every thrust. I had only to put out my arm to hit you full in the chest. This time, you score one. Well, hit, matre!" He laughed whole-heartedly. "At last we shall have some fun! Lupin is caught in the trap. How will he get out?... Caught in the trap!... What an adventure!... Ah, matre, I have to thank you for a grand emotion. This is what I call life!"
He pressed his clenched fists to his temples as though to restrain the ungovernable joy that was bubbling up within him; and he also had gestures like those of a child amusing itself beyond its power of endurance.
At last, he went up to the Englishman:
"And now, what are you here for?"
"What am I here for?"
"Yes. Ganimard is outside, with his men. Why does he not come in?"
"I asked him not to."
"And he consented?"
"I called in his services only on the express condition that he would be led by me. Besides, he believes that M. Flix Davey is merely an accomplice of Lupin's."
"Then I will repeat my question under another form. Why did you come in alone?"
"I wanted to speak to you first."
"Aha! You want to speak to me!"
The idea seemed to please Lupin greatly. There are circumstances in life in which we much prefer words to deeds.
"Mr. Shears, I am sorry not to have a chair to offer you. Does this broken box suit you? Or the window-ledge? I am sure a glass of beer would be acceptable.... Do you like it light or dark?... But do sit down, I beg...."
"Never mind that: let us talk."
"I am listening."
"I shall not be long. The object of my stay in France was not to effect your arrest. I was obliged to pursue you, because no other means offered of attaining my real object."
"Which was?"
"To recover the blue diamond."
"The blue diamond!"
"Certainly; because the one discovered in Herr Bleichen's tooth-powder flask was not the real one."
"Just so. The real one was posted by the blonde lady. I had an exact copy made; and as, at that time, I had designs upon the Comtesse de Crozon's other jewels and as the Austrian consul was already under suspicion, the aforesaid blonde lady, lest she should be suspected in her turn, slipped the imitation diamond into the aforesaid consul's luggage."
"While you kept the real one."
"Quite right."
"I want that diamond."
"Impossible. I'm sorry."
"I have promised it to the Comtesse de Crozon. I mean to have it."
"How can you have it, seeing that it's in my possession?"
"I mean to have it just because it is in your possession."
"You mean that I shall give it back to you?"
"Yes."
"Voluntarily?"
"I will buy it of you."
Lupin had a fit of merriment:
"Any one can tell what country _you_ come from! You treat this as a matter of business."
"It is a matter of business."
"And what price do you offer?"
"The liberty of Mlle. Destange."
"Her liberty? But I am not aware that she is under arrest."
"I shall give M. Ganimard the necessary information. Once deprived of your protection, she will be taken also."
Lupin burst out laughing again:
"My dear sir, you are offering me what you do not possess. Mlle. Destange is safe and fears nothing. I want something else."
The Englishman hesitated, obviously embarrassed and flushing slightly. Then he put his hand brusquely on his adversary's shoulder:
"And, if I offered you...?"
"My liberty?"
"No ... but, still, I might leave the room, to arrange with M. Ganimard...."
"And leave me to think things over?"
"Yes."
"Well, what on earth would be the good of that? This confounded spring won't work," said Lupin, irritably pushing the moulding of the mantel.
He stifled an exclamation of surprise: this time, freakish chance had willed