"Well, Juve?"
"Nothing, so far...."
"You have not run in the whole gang?"
"Not I!" replied Juve. "These are only the supernumeraries, and there are some of them out of my reach!... Look here, Fandor," continued Juve in a low tone. "You will see someone in court presently whose presence will astonish you--it is an aviator--the aviator Emilet.... Well, my boy, I have a notion that this fellow is no stranger to all these goings-on!... But patience!... besides, you know, Fandor, it"s not my way of doing things to put the bracelets on mediocrities such as he: I fly higher!... Good-bye. Shall see you later on!"
Fandor asked, in a low tone:
"Shall I remain for the sitting?"
"Yes," said Juve. "It is quite likely that I shall not be present; and it would be a good thing if you were to get a general idea of this affair: you may pick up some useful information."
"Juve, I very much wish to have a longer talk with you--there are things I want to say--to tell you!"
Steps could be heard coming in their direction: the two men separated at once; but Juve had just time to say:
"This evening then, at eight, I shall come to your place, Fandor. Expect me!"
Half an hour later, Fandor entered the court room....
The speech for the Crown had just been concluded.
The arrest of these smugglers, now on their trial, had made some stir, about five months ago. Public opinion had been aroused almost to fever pitch, when it became known that the accused had, for nearly two years past, succeeded in getting through into Paris, without having paid town dues, quant.i.ties of the most highly taxed articles, and thus had acc.u.mulated a large store of riches in contraband goods and money. They owed their arrest to the betrayal of a wretched dealer, who was dissatisfied with his remuneration.
The journalists had, after their manner, amplified all the details, had exaggerated the realities, and had given a romantic colouring to the various incidents in the varied lives and adventures of this daring band of smugglers.
They had been represented as perfect gentlemen, who had formed themselves into a marvellously organised Black Band, led by a chief having right of life or death over them: a band fertile in tricks and extraordinary stratagems, who ma.s.sed their plunder in immense vaults and cellars under the very heart of Paris, in the Isle of the Cite, and communicating with the river, which, under the eyes of the police, served to bear the barges laden with their booty.
Cellars and vaults in the Isle of the Cite!
"Well," thought Fandor, "men organised into such a powerful a.s.sociation in this part of Paris might well put one on the track of strange discoveries regarding the mysterious events connected with the Jacques Dollon affair!"
Then, having spoken to his colleagues on the press, Fandor turned in the direction of the jury and set himself to follow attentively Maitre Henri Robart"s speech for the defence.
XVI
DISCUSSIONS
The portress rang up Fandor on the telephone.
"Monsieur Fandor! There is a stout little lady down here! She wants to see you! Should I let her go up?"
Fandor"s first impulse was to say "no." He glanced at the timepiece: it was exactly two minutes past eight and Juve might be here at any minute.
He was sure to keep his appointment.
After an instant"s hesitation, Fandor decided on a "yes." He called down to the portress:
"Let her come up!"
Fandor had an idea: perhaps this person knew something about the appointment made that afternoon at the Palais de Justice! It would be well to find out the why and wherefore of this call. In any case, it was best for a journalist to see all comers, if possible.
There was a discreet ring, announcing that the stout little lady had already mounted the five flights of stairs and was now on Fandor"s landing.
Our journalist went to open the door, standing well back in the shadow, so that his visitor might show herself first, as she pa.s.sed into the little hall.
Yes, she was certainly stout, short, and also elderly. She wore a bonnet with strings, perched on a thick crop of grey curls, yellowish at the tips. This elderly dame wore gla.s.ses; she was wrapped in a large brown shawl, and she supported herself, as she walked, with a crook-handled stick.
Whilst the puzzled Fandor closed his front door, the visitor made straight for the little sitting-room, where our journalist usually sat, surrounded by his books and papers.
"Ah, she seems to know my flat!" thought Fandor. The next moment he jumped back; for, no sooner had the visitor got well into the room, than she straightened her bent back, threw off her shawl, and dropped her stick! Then, tearing off her grey curls and her spectacles, the visitor revealed herself as--Juve!
Fandor burst out laughing.
"Juve! Well, I never!"
"It"s Juve, all right, my boy!" cried the smiling detective, as he rid himself of the feminine get-up which impeded his movements. "I was pleased to see, my lad, that you did not suspect my ident.i.ty until I had thrown off this second-hand wardrobe I bulked myself out with!"
"Oh!" cried Fandor, "that"s only because I hardly looked at you. If I had, Juve, you may be sure I should have recognised you!"
"Possibly! But what do you think of the disguise?"
"Not so bad, Juve; but why did you change your s.e.x this evening?"
"Oh, for the fun of it, and to keep my hand in ... besides, the more precautions we take when we meet, the better. Admit for a moment that our enemies are keeping a watch on you here: what will they recollect about your doings this evening? Why, that Fandor, the journalist, had a call from a lady, and that she did not leave in a hurry either!"
"Hang it all! I"ve no objection to a Don Juan reputation, but I may say, without offence, that, as a woman, there"s nothing particularly attractive about you, Juve, in the garb you"ve just discarded!"
"Bah!" replied Juve. "You mustn"t be so particular, my dear boy--as if dress mattered--or appearance either!"
Juve was lighting a cigarette as he walked about the room, examining the books and other objects with which Fandor had surrounded himself.
"A charming home!" murmured the detective....
Then, he inspected the contents of a little show-case, in which Fandor had collected what he called his "Circ.u.mstantial Evidence"; in other words, various objects relating to cases he had been engaged on, such as sc.r.a.ps of clothing, blood-stained weapons, broken locks: these records of crimes, new and old, were carefully labelled. Juve began questioning Fandor about these sinister relics. Five minutes of jokes and laughter, then Fandor became serious. He drew his friend to a corner settee.
"Juve," said he, in an impressive tone, "I have found the connecting link!"
"By Jove! You have, have you!" cried Juve in a bantering tone, and with a quizzical look. "Let us see it!... Explain!..."
Regardless of his friend"s scepticism, Fandor proceeded to expound his theory.
"I did as you suggested. I was present at the trial of the smugglers: I listened to Counsel"s speech for the defence, but judged it useless to stay to the end. When Maitre Henri Robart began a disquisition on the facts, I left. Here is what I have noted:
"Someone owns a house in the Isle of the Cite; a house which is a meeting place for receivers of stolen goods, ruffians, robbers, and vagabonds: a house possessing underground cellars of no ordinary kind.