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Exploits of Juve

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<h2>XIX</h2> <h3>THE ENGLISHWOMAN OF BOULEVARD INKERMANN</h3> "To sum up what I have just learned." Juve was seated at his desk, and those who knew the private life of the great detective would assuredly have guessed that he was gravely preoccupied. He was trying to extract some useful information from the notary's visit, some hints essential to the investigation he had taken in hand, and that at all hazards he meant to pursue to a successful termination. The task was fraught with difficulties and even peril. But the triumph would be great if he should succeed in putting the "bracelets" on the "genius of crime," as he had called him to his friend Fandor. "Lady Beltham had gone to visit Gérin. She was an astute woman after all, and knew how to get her own way. There must have been power[Pg 148]ful motives which urged her to write that confession. What were those motives? "Remorse? No. A woman who loves has no remorse. Fear? Probably, but fear of what?" Juve, without being aware of it, had just written on the paper of his note-book the ill-omened name which haunted him. "Fantômas!" "Why, of course, Fantômas killed Lady Beltham, and killed her in the house of Doctor Chaleck, an accomplice. And Loupart, a third accomplice, got his mistress to write to me, and I believed the denunciation. Loupart got us to dog him, led me unawares behind the curtains in the study, and made me witness that Chaleck was innocent. Oh, the ruse was a clever one. Josephine herself, by the two shots she received some days later at Lâriboisière, became a victim. In short, the scent was crossed and broken." The detective snatched up his hat, saw carefully to the charges of his pocket revolver, then gravely and solemnly cried: "It is you and I now, Fantômas!" with which he left his rooms. <hr style="width: 45%;" /> Juve and Fandor were entering a taxi-cab. "To Neuilly Church," cried Juve to the driver. "And, now, my dear Fandor, you must be think[Pg 149]ing me crazy, as less than two hours ago I sent you off to write an article, and here I come taking you from your paper and carrying you away in this headlong fashion. But just listen to the tale of this morning's doings." Juve then gave a full account of Maître Gérin's visit and wound up by saying: "It is through Lady Beltham that we must unearth that monster, Fantômas." "That's all very well," replied Fandor, "but as the lady is dead, how are we going to set about it?" "By reconstructing the last hours of her life. We are now on our way to Lady Beltham's residence, Boulevard Inkermann." "And what are we to do when we arrive there?" "I shall examine the house, which is probably empty, and you are to 'pump' the neighbours, to ask questions of the tradespeople. I should attract too much attention if I were to do this myself, and that is why I dragged you away from your work." Some moments later the taxi pulled up at the corner of Boulevard Inkermann. "The house is number—" said Juve as he took Fandor by the arm. "Bless me, you remember the house! It is the one in which I arrested[Pg 150] Gurn three years ago; that famous day he came to see Lady Beltham, disguised as a beggar." The two friends soon found themselves at their destination. Through the garden railing, which was wholly covered with a dense growth of ivy, the two saw the house, which now looked very dilapidated. "It doesn't look as if it had been inhabited for a long while," said Fandor. "That's what we want to make sure of. Go and make your inquiries." Fandor left his companion and made his way back to the commercial section of Neuilly. He stopped opposite a sign which read: "Gardening done." "Anyone there?" he inquired. An old woman, standing in the doorway, came forward. "What can I do for you, sir?" "If I am not mistaken, it was you who attended to Lady Beltham's garden?" "Yes, sir, we kept her garden in order. But my husband hasn't worked there for several months, as Lady Beltham has been away." "I heard she was coming back to Paris, and called to-day, but found the house closed up." "Oh, I am sorry. Lady Beltham's an excellent customer and Mme. Raymond also bought flowers of us."[Pg 151] "Mme. Raymond. She is a friend of Lady Beltham?" "Her companion. It is now close to a year that Mme. Raymond has been living with her. Oh! a very pleasant lady; a pretty brunette, very elegant and not at all proud." Fandor thought it well not to seem astonished. "Oh, yes, of course," he cried, "Mme. Raymond. I remember now. Lady Beltham's life is so sad and lonely." "True enough," the woman replied, and, lowering her voice: "And then, what with all these tales of noises and ghosts, the house can't be too pleasant to live in, eh?" Fandor pretended to be well posted. "People still talk of these incidents?" "Oh, yes, sir." Fandor did not venture to press the subject, and, taking leave of the worthy woman, he made his way back to the Boulevard. As soon as Juve caught sight of him in the distance he ran up eagerly. "Well?" "Well, Juve, what have you found out during my absence?" "In the first place that it is exactly sixty-four days since Lady Beltham left Neuilly. I discovered this by the dates on a lot of circulars in the[Pg 152] letter box. I also had a talk with a butcher's man and learned that Lady Beltham had a companion." "Oh! I was bringing you that same news!" "This Mme. Raymond is young, dark, very pretty. Can't you guess who she is?" Fandor stared at Juve. "You mean——" "Josephine. It's perfectly clear. We know Lady Beltham wrote a confession, that Fantômas suspected this and murdered her to get hold of it, and further that in this murder Loupart was involved. Josephine was introduced to Lady Beltham by Fantômas. A spy going there to betray the great lady and possibly entice her later to the Cité Frochot. Let us make haste, lad. We thought we had to follow the trail of Loupart and Chaleck, but we mustn't lose sight of Josephine. She may be the means of helping us to the truth." <hr style="width: 65%;"/>[Pg 153] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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