which took him to the Chkteau de Montmaur.



Lupin lunched quietly, hired a bicycle and came in view of the house at

the moment when the guests were going into the park, in motor-cars or



mounted. The Marquis d'Albufex was one of the horsemen.

Thrice, in the course of the day, Lupin saw him cantering along. And



he found him, in the evening, at the station, where d'Albufex rode up,

followed by a huntsman.



The proof, therefore, was conclusive; and there was nothing suspicious

on that side. Why did Lupin, nevertheless, resolve not to be satisfied



with appearances? And why, next day, did he send the Masher to find

out things in the neighbourhood of Montmaur? It was an additional



precaution, based upon no logical reason, but agreeing with his

methodical and careful manner of acting.



Two days later he received from the Masher, among other information of

less importance, a list of the house-party at Montmaur and of all the



servants and keepers.

One name struck him, among those of the huntsmen. He at once wired:



"Inquire about huntsman Sebastiani."

The Masher's answer was received the next day:



"Sebastiani, a Corsican, was recommended to the Duc de Montmaur by the

Marquis d'Albufex. He lives at two or three miles from the house, in



a hunting-lodge built among the ruins of the feudalstronghold which

was the cradle of the Montmaur family."



"That's it," said Lupin to Clarisse Mergy, showing her the Masher's

letter. "That name, Sebastiani, at once reminded me that d'Albufex is



of Corsican descent. There was a connection... "

"Then what do you intend to do?"



"If Daubrecq is imprisoned in those ruins, I intend to enter into

communication with him."



"He will distrust you."

"No. Lately, acting on the information of the police, I ended by



discovering the two old ladies who carried off your little Jacques at

Saint-Germain and who brought him, the same evening, to Neuilly. They



are two old maids, cousins of Daubrecq, who makes them a small monthly

allowance. I have been to call on those Demoiselles Rousselot; remember



the name and the address: 134 bis, Rue du Bac. I inspired them with

confidence, promised them to find their cousin and benefactor; and the



elder sister, Euphrasie Rousselot, gave me a letter in which she begs

Daubrecq to trust M. Nicole entirely. So you see, I have taken every



precaution. I shall leave to-night."

"We, you mean," said Clarisse.



"You!"

"Can I go on living like this, in feverish inaction?" And she whispered,



"I am no longer counting the days, the thirty-eight or forty days that

remain to us: I am counting the hours.



Lupin felt that her resolution was too strong for him to try to combat

it. They both started at five o'clock in the morning, by motor-car.



The Growler went with them.

So as not to arousesuspicion, Lupin chose a large town as his



headquarters. At Amiens, where he installed Clarisse, he was only

eighteen miles from Montmaur.



At eight o'clock he met the Masher not far from the old fortress, which

was known in the neighbourhood by the name of Mortepierre, and he



examined the locality under his guidance.

On the confines of the forest, the little river Ligier, which has dug



itself a deep valley at this spot, forms a loop which is overhung by

the enormous cliff of Mortepierre.



"Nothing to be done on this side," said Lupin. "The cliff is steep,

over two hundred feet high, and the river hugs it all round."



Not far away they found a bridge that led to the foot of a path which

wound, through the oaks and pines, up to a little esplanade, where stood



a massive, iron-bound gate, studded with nails and flanked on either

side by a large tower.



"Is this where Sebastiani the huntsman lives?" asked Lupin.

"Yes," said the Masher, "with his wife, in a lodge standing in the midst



of the ruins. I also learnt that he has three tall sons and that all

the four were supposed to be away for a holiday on the day when Daubrecq



was carried off."

"Oho!" said Lupin. "The coincidence is worth remembering. It seems

• outline [´autlain] n.外形 vt.画出…轮廓 (初中英语单词)


• monsieur [mə´sjə:] n.先生 (初中英语单词)


• exhibit [ig´zibit] vt.展出 n.展览品 (初中英语单词)


• wealth [welθ] n.财富，财产 (初中英语单词)


• emperor [´empərə] n.皇帝 (初中英语单词)


• victory [´viktəri] n.胜利，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)


• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)


• hesitate [´heziteit] vi.犹豫，踌躇 (初中英语单词)


• working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)


• maintain [mein´tein] vt.维持；保持；继续 (初中英语单词)


• argument [´ɑ:gjumənt] n.辩论；争论；论证 (初中英语单词)


• interview [´intəvju:] n.&vt.接见；会见；交谈 (初中英语单词)


• whenever [wen´evə] conj.&ad.无论何时 (初中英语单词)


• gracious [´greiʃəs] a.和蔼可亲的；任慈的 (初中英语单词)


• resist [ri´zist] v.抵抗；对抗；抵制 (初中英语单词)


• inquiry [in´kwaiəri] n.询问；质询；调查 (初中英语单词)


• detective [di´tektiv] n.侦探 a.侦探的 (初中英语单词)


• achieve [ə´tʃi:v] vt.完成；达到；获得 (初中英语单词)


• equally [´i:kwəli] ad.相等地；平等地 (初中英语单词)


• prevail [pri´veil] vi.胜(过)；流行；普遍 (初中英语单词)


• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


• management [´mænidʒmənt] n.管理；处理；经营 (初中英语单词)


• midnight [´midnait] n.午夜；漆黑 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)


• dispose [di´spəuz] v.处置；安排；布置 (初中英语单词)


• retreat [ri´tri:t] v.&n.退却；撤退；放弃 (初中英语单词)


• wealthy [´welθi] a.富有的；丰富的 (初中英语单词)


• politics [´pɔlitiks] n.政治(学)；政治活动 (初中英语单词)


• carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)


• nevertheless [,nevəðə´les] conj.&ad.然而；不过 (初中英语单词)


• resolve [ri´zɔlv] v.决心 n.决心；刚毅 (初中英语单词)


• cradle [´kreidl] n.摇篮；发源地 (初中英语单词)


• connection [kə´nekʃən] n.联系；关系；联运 (初中英语单词)


• lately [´leitli] ad.近来，不久前 (初中英语单词)


• acting [´æktiŋ] a.代理的 n.演戏 (初中英语单词)


• resolution [,rezə´lu:ʃən] n.决心；坚决；果断 (初中英语单词)


• arouse [ə´rauz] vt.唤醒，唤起；激起 (初中英语单词)


• suspicion [sə´spiʃən] n.怀(猜)疑；嫌疑 (初中英语单词)


• valley [´væli] n.谷；河谷；流域 (初中英语单词)


• enormous [i´nɔ:məs] a.巨大地，很，极 (初中英语单词)


• standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)


• learnt [lə:nt] learn 的过去式(分词) (初中英语单词)


• supposed [sə´pəuzd] a.想象的；假定的 (初中英语单词)


• holiday [´hɔlidi] n.假日，假期，节日 (初中英语单词)


• descendant [di´sendənt] n.子孙，后裔 (高中英语单词)


• marquis [´mɑ:kwis] n.侯爵 (高中英语单词)


• umbrella [ʌm´brelə] n.伞 (高中英语单词)


• quaint [kweint] a.离奇的；奇妙的 (高中英语单词)


• personally [´pə:sənəli] ad.亲自；就个人来说 (高中英语单词)


• behalf [bi´hɑ:f] n.利益 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• dealing [´di:liŋ] n.交易；来往 (高中英语单词)


• contempt [kən´tempt] n.轻蔑；受辱；不顾 (高中英语单词)


• dazzle [´dæz(ə)l] vt.使茫然 n.炫耀 (高中英语单词)


• napoleon [nə´pəuljən] n.拿破仑 (高中英语单词)


• campaign [kæm´pein] n.战役；行动 vi.从军 (高中英语单词)


• extravagant [ik´strævəgənt] a.奢侈的；过度的 (高中英语单词)


• consequently [´kɔnsikwəntli] ad.因此，所以 (高中英语单词)


• inevitable [i´nevitəbəl] a.不可避免的 (高中英语单词)


• imprison [im´prizən] vt.监禁，下狱 (高中英语单词)


• daytime [´deitaim] n.白天 (高中英语单词)


• deputy [´depjuti] n.代理人；代表 (高中英语单词)


• bicycle [´baisik(ə)l] n.自行车 (高中英语单词)


• descent [di´sent] n.出身，家世 (高中英语单词)


• distrust [dis´trʌst] n.&vt.不信任，怀疑 (高中英语单词)


• fortress [´fɔ:tris] n.堡垒，要塞 (高中英语单词)


• locality [ləu´kæliti] n.位置，地区，发生地 (高中英语单词)


• massive [´mæsiv] a.厚实的；魁伟的 (高中英语单词)


• inference [´infərəns] n.推论，推断(的结果) (英语四级单词)


• catastrophe [kə´tæstrəfi] n.大灾难；(悲剧)结局 (英语四级单词)


• adversary [´ædvəsəri] n.敌手，对手 (英语四级单词)


• appalling [ə´pɔ:liŋ] a.令人震惊的 (英语四级单词)


• accusation [ækju:´zeiʃən] n.谴责；告发 (英语四级单词)


• logical [´lɔdʒikəl] a.逻辑(上)的 (英语四级单词)


• huntsman [´hʌntsmən] n.猎人；管理猎犬的人 (英语四级单词)


• feudal [´fju:dl] a.封建的，封建制度的 (英语四级单词)


• stronghold [´strɔŋhəuld] n.要塞；根据地 (英语四级单词)


• feverish [´fi:vəriʃ] a.发烧的；狂热的 (英语四级单词)


• bridge [bridʒ] n.桥(梁)；鼻梁；桥牌 (英语四级单词)


• coincidence [kəu´insidəns] n.巧合；符合；一致 (英语四级单词)


• profile [´prəufail] n.侧面 vt.画…侧面 (英语六级单词)


• disappearance [,disə´piərəns] n.消失；失踪 (英语六级单词)


• invaluable [in´væljuəbəl] a.无价的，非常重要的 (英语六级单词)


• hopefully [´həupfəli] ad.抱着希望地 (英语六级单词)


• identity [ai´dentiti] n.身份；同一性；一致 (英语六级单词)


• reckoning [´rekəniŋ] n.计算；算帐；估计 (英语六级单词)


• benefactor [´beni,fæktə] n.捐助人；恩人 (英语六级单词)