Agile as a panther, Vagualame leaped at the girl, caught her wrist in a grip like a vice. The pain of it was intense--Bobinette dropped her weapon.
"No more of this nonsense!" commanded Vagualame in a hard voice.
"Keep cool, I tell you!... Go on to the landing. Look over. See what is happening. You are not to be afraid."
Struck speechless, Bobinette stared at the old man, who commanded her as a master, and might stand by her as an accomplice--but--those terrifying eyes were not the eyes of her own Vagualame--no! How to act?
She was left no choice. The old man was pushing her relentlessly towards the door. He must be obeyed.
Listening, on the alert, Juve-Vagualame remained in the room, ready to conceal himself behind the curtains. Who were these mounting the stairs? Some of the household? Suppose Bobinette"s agitation was so marked that it aroused their suspicions, and his presence was revealed?... Should the position become untenable, he would leave by the window, close to which he was standing, make his way over the roofs to a neighbouring house--but--confound it!... neither the gun piece would be in his hands, nor would he have learned where Bobinette had her rendezvous with Corporal Vinson next morning!...
Bobinette was swaying in the doorway, as though the landing were red-hot ploughshares to be walked on! The ordeal was beyond her!
Four persons set foot on the landing. (A peremptory order from de Naarboveck had caused Wilhelmine to descend.)
Inspector Michel and his colleague stared at the individuals in whose company they found themselves--the young groom and his amazing mother!
With a caricatural gesture of disdain, and an off-handed air, this corpulent personage demanded stridently:
"Who are these gentlemen?"
Inspector Michel looked the outrageous creature up and down.
"Who are you, Madame?... What are you doing here?"
The inspector"s tone was severity itself.
Juve, behind his window-curtains, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ah, Michel has it in hand! That"s all right!"
The groom"s mother was taken aback--she hesitated; thereupon, Inspector Michel stated his name and rank! On that, the large body of this irrepressible personage made straight for him, caught him familiarly by the neck, and whispered in his ear.
The effect of the whispered words was to put Inspector Michel out of countenance: he looked abashed. He was annoyed: his tone was one of protest.
"I recognise you now, certainly--Monsieur!... But since when have you taken it upon yourself to--to start operations of the kind we have in hand--_we_, the representatives of Police Headquarters?"
The woman"s retort was haughty.
"I belong to the information department of the Second Bureau."
"The Second Bureau does not make arrests--not that I am aware of--Captain!"
The obstreperous mother of the pretended groom was--Captain Loreuil!
Pointing to his young companion, Captain Loreuil announced:
"This gentleman belongs to the secret service department of the Home Office!... But what really matters, Inspector, is that we are losing time! Let us effect a capture--the capture is the thing!"
The distracted Bobinette, still swaying in the doorway, failed to grasp the full meaning of what these intruders were saying. Inspector Michel marched up to the trembling girl.
"Mademoiselle! Are you alone in your room?"
Bobinette nodded. She was incapable of speech. The inspector ignored the nod, brushed past her, stepped into the room and glanced rapidly round.
Bobinette, wild-eyed with fear, watched the proceedings. She saw the stout woman moving the chairs, looking under the bed, shaking the hangings. The fussy, obnoxious creature tore apart the window-curtains.... Vagualame was exposed to view!... He had not escaped, then!
They dragged the old fellow from his hiding-place: they promptly handcuffed him.
"Vagualame! In the name of the law I arrest you!" declared Inspector Michel.
Captain Loreuil shouted in his natural voice, which, issuing from this apparent woman, had a ludicrous effect:
"Ha! at last we have got him!"
Juve-Vagualame did not budge. With inward joy, he awaited the arrest of Bobinette.
"Things go well," he thought: "if not so well as old Michel believes.
Comrade Juve in the bracelets, and Vagualame free! But he holds Bobinette in his hand--the old ruffian"s accomplice, unmasked!"
What was this? Could Juve believe his ears?... Michel apologising to this guilty creature! Felicitating her on her escape from Vagualame"s clutches! What the deuce?...
"Ah, Mademoiselle! You never suspected who was so near you, now did you?" 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!"
Inspector Michel made a sign. His colleague and the Home Office detective dragged Juve from the room. Juve offered no resistance.
"That Michel is an idiot--the completest of idiots," he thought.
"Come along, now! We are off to the Depot!" commanded Michel, shaking Juve-Vagualame by the shoulder.
Juve was about to tear off his false beard, make himself known, and get Bobinette arrested. He thought better of it. He was pretty sure the girl doubted his genuineness. This arrest under her eyes would persuade her that the Vagualame they were taking to prison was the real Vagualame.... Better that she should cherish this delusion for the present. Once out of the de Naarboveck house, he could explain matters to his colleagues.
Thinking thus, Juve-Vagualame, encircled by watchful policemen, descended the stairs. On the first floor he caught a glimpse of the baron and his daughter in the ante-room. De Naarboveck"s bearing was dignified: Wilhelmine seemed terribly frightened. There was a scared, hunted look on her pallid face.
Behind Juve-Vagualame in his handcuffs followed the pseudo-mother.
Judging it unwise to make himself known to the master and mistress of the house, Captain Loreuil played his part vigorously to the last.
Close on Juve"s heels he came, shouting:
"This is a nice kind of shop, this is!... You shall not remain here, Sosthene, my child! Come, then, with your mother! She will find you a very different situation to this! My poor Sosthene!"...