Bertillon pressed a bell, and asked the official who answered it:
"Have you identified the imprints I sent you just now?"
"Yes, sir. This man has already been measured here. It is register 9200."
Bertillon turned to Fandor:
"You see, I was not mistaken! All I have to do is to turn up my alphabetical index, and for this very month, for the number is a recent one, and I shall know the name of the old offender--he must be one, as he is catalogued here--who has committed this a.s.sault."
Whilst speaking, Monsieur Bertillon was turning over the leaves of an enormous register:
"Ah! Here is the 9200 series!..."
Suddenly the book slipped from his hands, and he exclaimed: "The guilty man is ..."
"Is who?" questioned Fandor.
"Is Jacques Dollon!... The hand that has robbed Princess Sonia Danidoff is the hand of Jacques Dollon!"
"But it is impossible!"
Bertillon shrugged his shoulders.
"Impossible?... Why, since the proof of it is there?"
"But Jacques Dollon is dead!"
"He was the thief of yesterday"s crime."
"You are making a mistake!..."
"I am not making a mistake!... Jacques Dollon is the thief I tell you!"
This was too much for Jerome Fandor: he could not contain himself.
"And I tell you, Monsieur Bertillon, that I know that I am certain--positively certain, that Jacques Dollon is dead!... Now, then!..."
The man of science shook his head.
"I, in my turn, say, you are making a mistake! Look at the two imprints I have here! That of Jacques Dollon taken a few days ago, and this made from the impressions obtained this very night, or, to be exact, in the early morning hours of to-day! They are identical--one can be exactly superposed on the other!..."
"Coincidence!"
"There is no such coincidence possible--besides"--Monsieur Bertillon took up a powerful magnifying gla.s.s--"look at these characteristic details!... Just look at the lines of the thumb, all out of shape!...
The presentment of the thumb itself is not normal either; it denotes habitual movement in a certain direction: it is the thumb of a painter, of a potter!... Oh, it is all as clear as daylight--believe me--there is no doubt about it! Jacques Dollon is the guilty person!"
"But," repeated Fandor obstinately: "Jacques Dollon is dead! I swear to you he is dead!..."
This a.s.sertion made no impression on the man of science.
"As to whether Jacques Dollon is alive or dead--that is for the police to decide!... For my part, I can declare that the man who committed the theft yesterday evening is the identical man who pa.s.sed through my hands some days ago--and that man is certainly Jacques Dollon!"
Jerome Fandor left Monsieur Bertillon. The young journalist was perplexed.... If the finger-prints on the neck of Princess Sonia Danidoff were, beyond dispute, those of Jacques Dollon--then the mystery surrounding this affair, and not this affair only, but a series of incidents, so far from being cleared up, was more impenetrable than ever!
But Fandor was obsessed by the idea of Fantomas, of Fantomas in the depths of mystery, presiding over this series of dramatic occurrences.
"Yes, Fantomas is certainly in this!" he cried.... But Dollon has left traces of himself here--has, as it were, put his signature, his identification mark to this crime!... But Dollon is not Fantomas ...
besides Dollon is dead!... I have proofs of it--yes, he is dead!... Well then?...
What to make of it?
Fandor could not make anything of it!
X
IDENt.i.tY OF A NAVVY
"The Barbey-Nanteuil bank is certainly gorgeous!" thought Jerome Fandor as he traversed the hall on the ground floor, where the ma.s.sive mahogany furniture, the thick carpets, the deep, comfortable chairs, the sober elegance of the window curtains breathed an atmosphere of luxury and good taste. "And decidedly banking is the best of businesses!" added our young journalist.
An attendant advanced to meet him.
"What do you want, monsieur?"
"Will you take in my card to Monsieur Nanteuil? I should be glad to have a few minutes" talk with him."
The attendant bowed.
"On a personal matter, monsieur?"
"A personal matter?... Yes."
Jerome Fandor wanted to interview the Barbey-Nanteuils on the subject of the recent occurrences, which had roused Paris opinion to the highest degree--mysterious occurrences on which no light seemed to have been thrown so far.... Not only were the Barbey-Nanteuils the bankers of the Baroness de Vibray, but they had been present at Thomery"s ball, when the attack on Princess Sonia Danidoff had taken place.... Would they allow themselves to be interviewed? Fandor decided that they certainly would, for they were business men, and was he not going to give them a free advertis.e.m.e.nt?
The attendant--a stately individual--returned.
"Monsieur Nanteuil is sorry he cannot see you, he is taking the chair at an important committee meeting; but Monsieur Barbey will see you for a few minutes, that is to say, if he will do instead of Monsieur Nanteuil."
"In that case, I will see Monsieur Barbey," said Fandor, rising.
Following the attendant, Fandor traversed the whole length of the bank, and pa.s.sing the half-open door of Monsieur Nanteuil"s office--the name on the door told him this--he noticed that it was empty.
Monsieur Barbey received him coldly and with a solemn bow. Fandor"s reply was a pleasant smile.