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JennyP.S. - all of these are real actual names of our Mastodon cats!! Hello to <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Edgar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Edgar</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Henry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Henry</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/SissyCat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SissyCat</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Princess" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Princess</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Nugget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Nugget</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Mango" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mango</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Fudge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Fudge</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Waffles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Waffles</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Puffin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Puffin</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Mouse" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mouse</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Penguin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Penguin</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Ripley" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Ripley</a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Mercury" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mercury</a>, and <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Pharaoh" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Pharaoh</a>!

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 17 of 99 “It must be hard to be alone like that,” said the Duke. “No,” said Sonia, with a faint smile, “I don’t mind having no relations. I grew used to that so young ... so very young. But what is hard—but you’ll laugh at me—” “Heaven forbid!” said the Duke gravely. “Well, what is hard is, never to get a letter ... an envelope that one opens ... from some one who thinks about one—” She paused, and then added gravely: “But I tell myself that it’s nonsense. I have a certain amount of philosophy.” She smiled at him—an adorable child’s smile. The Duke smiled too. “A certain amount of philosophy,” he said softly. “You look like a philosopher!” As they stood looking at one another with serious eyes, almost with eyes that probed one another’s souls, the drawing-room door flung open, and Germaine’s harsh voice broke on their ears. “You’re getting quite impossible, Sonia!” she cried. “It’s absolutely useless telling you anything. I told you particularly to pack my leather writing-case in my bag with your own hand. I happen to open a drawer, and what do I see? My leather writing-case.” “I’m sorry,” said Sonia. “I was going—” “Oh, there’s no need to bother about it. I’ll see after it myself,” said Germaine. “But upon my word, you might be one of our guests, seeing how easily you take things. You’re negligence personified.” “Come, Germaine ... a mere oversight,” said the Duke, in a coaxing tone. “Now, excuse me, Jacques; but you’ve got an unfortunate habit of interfering in household matters. You did it only the other day. I can no longer say a word to a servant—” “Germaine!” said the Duke, in sharp protest. Germaine turned from him to Sonia, and pointed to a packet of envelopes and some letters, which Bernard Charolais had knocked off the table, and said, “Pick up those envelopes and letters, and bring everything to my room, and be quick about it!” She flung out of the room, and slammed the door behind her. Sonia seemed entirely unmoved by the outburst: no flush of mortification stained her cheeks, her lips did not quiver. She stooped to pick up the fallen papers. “No, no; let me, I beg you,” said the Duke, in a tone of distress. And dropping on one knee, he began to gather together the fallen papers. He set them on the table, and then he said: “You mustn’t mind what Germaine says. She’s—she’s—she’s all right at heart. It’s her manner. She’s always been happy, and had everything she wanted. She’s been spoiled, don’t you know. Those kind of people never have any consideration for any one else. You mustn’t let her outburst hurt you.” “Oh, but I don’t. I don’t really,” protested Sonia. “I’m glad of that,” said the Duke. “It isn’t really worth noticing.” He drew the envelopes and unused cards into a packet, and handed them to her. “There!” he said, with a smile. “That won’t be too heavy for you.” “Thank you,” said Sonia, taking it from him. “Shall I carry them for you?” said the Duke. “No, thank you, your Grace,” said Sonia. With a quick, careless, almost irresponsible movement, he caught her hand, bent down, and kissed it. A great wave of rosy colour flowed over her face, flooding its whiteness to her hair and throat. She stood for a moment turned to stone; she put her hand to her heart. Then on hasty, faltering feet she went to the door, opened it, paused on the threshold, turned and looked back at him, and vanished. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/BernardCharolais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BernardCharolais</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Grace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Grace</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 12 of 99 “I can never understand why you have left all these ancestors of mine staring from the walls and have taken away the quite admirable and interesting portrait of myself,” he said carelessly. Germaine turned sharply from the window; Sonia stopped in the middle of addressing an envelope; and both the girls stared at him in astonishment. “There certainly was a portrait of me where that tapestry hangs. What have you done with it?” said the Duke. “You’re making fun of us again,” said Germaine. “Surely your Grace knows what happened,” said Sonia. “We wrote all the details to you and sent you all the papers three years ago. Didn’t you get them?” said Germaine. “Not a detail or a newspaper. Three years ago I was in the neighbourhood of the South Pole, and lost at that,” said the Duke. “But it was most dramatic, my dear Jacques. All Paris was talking of it,” said Germaine. “Your portrait was stolen.” “Stolen? Who stole it?” said the Duke. Germaine crossed the hall quickly to the gap in the line of pictures. “I’ll show you,” she said. She drew aside the piece of tapestry, and in the middle of the panel over which the portrait of the Duke had hung he saw written in chalk the words: ARSÈNE LUPIN “What do you think of that autograph?” said Germaine. “‘Arsène Lupin?’” said the Duke in a tone of some bewilderment. “He left his signature. It seems that he always does so,” said Sonia in an explanatory tone. “But who is he?” said the Duke. “Arsène Lupin? Surely you know who Arsène Lupin is?” said Germaine impatiently. “I haven’t the slightest notion,” said the Duke. “Oh, come! No one is as South-Pole as all that!” cried Germaine. “You don’t know who Lupin is? The most whimsical, the most audacious, and the most genial thief in France. For the last ten years he has kept the police at bay. He has baffled Ganimard, Holmlock Shears, the great English detective, and even Guerchard, whom everybody says is the greatest detective we’ve had in France since Vidocq. In fact, he’s our national robber. Do you mean to say you don’t know him?” “Not even enough to ask him to lunch at a restaurant,” said the Duke flippantly. “What’s he like?” “Like? Nobody has the slightest idea. He has a thousand disguises. He has dined two evenings running at the English Embassy.” “But if nobody knows him, how did they learn that?” said the Duke, with a puzzled air. “Because the second evening, about ten o’clock, they noticed that one of the guests had disappeared, and with him all the jewels of the ambassadress.” “All of them?” said the Duke. “Yes; and Lupin left his card behind him with these words scribbled on it:” “‘This is not a robbery; it is a restitution. You took the Wallace collection from us.’” “But it was a hoax, wasn’t it?” said the Duke. “No, your Grace; and he has done better than that. You remember the affair of the Daray Bank—the savings bank for poor people?” said Sonia, her gentle face glowing with a sudden enthusiastic animation. “Let’s see,” said the Duke. “Wasn’t that the financier who doubled his fortune at the expense of a heap of poor wretches and ruined two thousand people?” “Yes; that’s the man,” said Sonia. “And Lupin stripped Daray’s house and took from him everything he had in his strong-box. He didn’t leave him a sou of the money. And then, when he’d taken it from him, he distributed it among all the poor wretches whom Daray had ruined.” “But this isn’t a thief you’re talking about—it’s a philanthropist,” said the Duke. “A fine sort of philanthropist!” broke in Germaine in a peevish tone. “There was a lot of philanthropy about his robbing papa, wasn’t there?” “Well,” said the Duke, with an air of profound reflection, “if you come to think of it, that robbery was not worthy of this national hero. My portrait, if you except the charm and beauty of the face itself, is not worth much.” “If you think he was satisfied with your portrait, you’re very much mistaken. All my father’s collections were robbed,” said Germaine. “Your father’s collections?” said the Duke. “But they’re better guarded than the Bank of France. Your father is as careful of them as the apple of his eye.” “That’s exactly it—he was too careful of them. That’s why Lupin succeeded.” “This is very interesting,” said the Duke; and he sat down on a couch before the gap in the pictures, to go into the matter more at his ease. “I suppose he had accomplices in the house itself?” “Yes, one accomplice,” said Germaine. “Who was that?” asked the Duke. “Papa!” said Germaine. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Grace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Grace</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/SouthPole" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SouthPole</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Paris" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Paris</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Ars%C3%A8neLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArsèneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/South" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#South</a>-Pole <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Lupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Lupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/France" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#France</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Ganimard" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Ganimard</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/HolmlockShears" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#HolmlockShears</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/English" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#English</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Guerchard" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Guerchard</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Vidocq" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Vidocq</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/EnglishEmbassy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EnglishEmbassy</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Wallace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wallace</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/DarayBank" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#DarayBank</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Daray" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Daray</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/BankofFrance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BankofFrance</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 11 of 99 Germaine finished admiring herself; she was incapable even of suspecting that so expensive a pendant could not suit her perfectly. The Duke said idly: “Goodness! Are all those invitations to the wedding?” “That’s only down to the letter V,” said Germaine proudly. “And there are twenty-five letters in the alphabet! You must be inviting the whole world. You’ll have to have the Madeleine enlarged. It won’t hold them all. There isn’t a church in Paris that will,” said the Duke. “Won’t it be a splendid marriage!” said Germaine. “There’ll be something like a crush. There are sure to be accidents.” “If I were you, I should have careful arrangements made,” said the Duke. “Oh, let people look after themselves. They’ll remember it better if they’re crushed a little,” said Germaine. There was a flicker of contemptuous wonder in the Duke’s eyes. But he only shrugged his shoulders, and turning to Sonia, said, “Will you be an angel and play me a little Grieg, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff? I heard you playing yesterday. No one plays Grieg like you.” “Excuse me, Jacques, but Mademoiselle Kritchnoff has her work to do,” said Germaine tartly. “Five minutes’ interval—just a morsel of Grieg, I beg,” said the Duke, with an irresistible smile. “All right,” said Germaine grudgingly. “But I’ve something important to talk to you about.” “By Jove! So have I. I was forgetting. I’ve the last photograph I took of you and Mademoiselle Sonia.” Germaine frowned and shrugged her shoulders. “With your light frocks in the open air, you look like two big flowers,” said the Duke. “You call that important!” cried Germaine. “It’s very important—like all trifles,” said the Duke, smiling. “Look! isn’t it nice?” And he took a photograph from his pocket, and held it out to her. “Nice? It’s shocking! We’re making the most appalling faces,” said Germaine, looking at the photograph in his hand. “Well, perhaps you ARE making faces,” said the Duke seriously, considering the photograph with grave earnestness. “But they’re not appalling faces—not by any means. You shall be judge, Mademoiselle Sonia. The faces—well, we won’t talk about the faces—but the outlines. Look at the movement of your scarf.” And he handed the photograph to Sonia. “Jacques!” said Germaine impatiently. “Oh, yes, you’ve something important to tell me. What is it?” said the Duke, with an air of resignation; and he took the photograph from Sonia and put it carefully back in his pocket. “Victoire has telephoned from Paris to say that we’ve had a paper-knife and a Louis Seize inkstand given us,” said Germaine. “Hurrah!” cried the Duke in a sudden shout that made them both jump. “And a pearl necklace,” said Germaine. “Hurrah!” cried the Duke. “You’re perfectly childish,” said Germaine pettishly. “I tell you we’ve been given a paper-knife, and you shout ‘hurrah!’ I say we’ve been given a pearl necklace, and you shout ‘hurrah!’ You can’t have the slightest sense of values.” “I beg your pardon. This pearl necklace is from one of your father’s friends, isn’t it?” said the Duke. “Yes; why?” said Germaine. “But the inkstand and the paper-knife must be from the Faubourg Saint-Germain, and well on the shabby side?” said the Duke. “Yes; well?” “Well then, my dear girl, what are you complaining about? They balance; the equilibrium is restored. You can’t have everything,” said the Duke; and he laughed mischievously. Germaine flushed, and bit her lip; her eyes sparkled. “You don’t care a rap about me,” she said stormily. “But I find you adorable,” said the Duke. “You keep annoying me,” said Germaine pettishly. “And you do it on purpose. I think it’s in very bad taste. I shall end by taking a dislike to you—I know I shall.” “Wait till we’re married for that, my dear girl,” said the Duke; and he laughed again, with a blithe, boyish cheerfulness, which deepened the angry flush in Germaine’s cheeks. “Can’t you be serious about anything?” she cried. “I am the most serious man in Europe,” said the Duke. Germaine went to the window and stared out of it sulkily. The Duke walked up and down the hall, looking at the pictures of some of his ancestors—somewhat grotesque persons—with humorous appreciation. Between addressing the envelopes Sonia kept glancing at him. Once he caught her eye, and smiled at her. Germaine’s back was eloquent of her displeasure. The Duke stopped at a gap in the line of pictures in which there hung a strip of old tapestry. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Madeleine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Madeleine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Paris" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Paris</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MademoiselleKritchnoff" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MademoiselleKritchnoff</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/I_" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#I_</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MademoiselleSonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MademoiselleSonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/LouisSeize" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LouisSeize</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Europe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Europe</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 9 of 99 “Perhaps the Duke went to the château de Relzières to see his cousin—though I fancy that at bottom the Duke does not care very much for the Baron de Relzières. They always look as though they detested one another,” said Sonia, without raising her eyes from the letter she was addressing. “You’ve noticed that, have you?” said Germaine. “Now, as far as Jacques is concerned—he’s—he’s so indifferent. None the less, when we were at the Relzières on Thursday, I caught him quarrelling with Paul de Relzières.” “Quarrelling?” said Sonia sharply, with a sudden uneasiness in air and eyes and voice. “Yes; quarrelling. And they said good-bye to one another in the oddest way.” “But surely they shook hands?” said Sonia. “Not a bit of it. They bowed as if each of them had swallowed a poker.” “Why—then—then—” said Sonia, starting up with a frightened air; and her voice stuck in her throat. “Then what?” said Germaine, a little startled by her panic-stricken face. “The duel! Monsieur de Relzières’ duel!” cried Sonia. “What? You don’t think it was with Jacques?” “I don’t know—but this quarrel—the Duke’s manner this morning—the Du Buits’ drive—” said Sonia. “Of course—of course! It’s quite possible—in fact it’s certain!” cried Germaine. “It’s horrible!” gasped Sonia. “Consider—just consider! Suppose something happened to him. Suppose the Duke—” “It’s me the Duke’s fighting about!” cried Germaine proudly, with a little skipping jump of triumphant joy. Sonia stared through her without seeing her. Her face was a dead white—fear had chilled the lustre from her skin; her breath panted through her parted lips; and her dilated eyes seemed to look on some dreadful picture. Germaine pirouetted about the hall at the very height of triumph. To have a Duke fighting a duel about her was far beyond the wildest dreams of snobbishness. She chuckled again and again, and once she clapped her hands and laughed aloud. “He’s fighting a swordsman of the first class—an invincible swordsman—you said so yourself,” Sonia muttered in a tone of anguish. “And there’s nothing to be done—nothing.” She pressed her hands to her eyes as if to shut out a hideous vision. Germaine did not hear her; she was staring at herself in a mirror, and bridling to her own image. Sonia tottered to the window and stared down at the road along which must come the tidings of weal or irremediable woe. She kept passing her hand over her eyes as if to clear their vision. Suddenly she started, and bent forward, rigid, all her being concentrated in the effort to see. Then she cried: “Mademoiselle Germaine! Look! Look!” “What is it?” said Germaine, coming to her side. “A horseman! Look! There!” said Sonia, waving a hand towards the road. “Yes; and isn’t he galloping!” said Germaine. “It’s he! It’s the Duke!” cried Sonia. “Do you think so?” said Germaine doubtfully. “I’m sure of it—sure!” “Well, he gets here just in time for tea,” said Germaine in a tone of extreme satisfaction. “He knows that I hate to be kept waiting. He said to me, ‘I shall be back by five at the latest.’ And here he is.” “It’s impossible,” said Sonia. “He has to go all the way round the park. There’s no direct road; the brook is between us.” “All the same, he’s coming in a straight line,” said Germaine. It was true. The horseman had left the road and was galloping across the meadows straight for the brook. In twenty seconds he reached its treacherous bank, and as he set his horse at it, Sonia covered her eyes. “He’s over!” said Germaine. “My father gave three hundred guineas for that horse.” <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Relzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Relzières</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/PauldeRelzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PauldeRelzières</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Quarrelling" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Quarrelling</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MonsieurdeRelzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MonsieurdeRelzières</a>’ <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MademoiselleGermaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MademoiselleGermaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 8 of 99 “Yes, my boy; it’s a very fine château,” said M. Charolais, looking round the hall with appreciative but greedy eyes. There was a pause. “It’s a very fine château, young ladies,” said M. Charolais. “Yes; but excuse me, what is it you have called about?” said Germaine. M. Charolais crossed his legs, leant back in his chair, thrust his thumbs into the arm-holes of his waistcoat, and said: “Well, we’ve come about the advertisement we saw in the RENNES ADVERTISER, that M. Gournay-Martin wanted to get rid of a motor-car; and my son is always saying to me, ‘I should like a motor-car which rushes the hills, papa.’ He means a sixty horse-power.” “We’ve got a sixty horse-power; but it’s not for sale. My father is even using it himself to-day,” said Germaine. “Perhaps it’s the car we saw in the stable-yard,” said M. Charolais. “No; that’s a thirty to forty horse-power. It belongs to me. But if your son really loves rushing hills, as you say, we have a hundred horse-power car which my father wants to get rid of. Wait; where’s the photograph of it, Sonia? It ought to be here somewhere.” The two girls rose, went to a table set against the wall beyond the window, and began turning over the papers with which it was loaded in the search for the photograph. They had barely turned their backs, when the hand of young Charolais shot out as swiftly as the tongue of a lizard catching a fly, closed round the silver statuette on the top of the cabinet beside him, and flashed it into his jacket pocket. Charolais was watching the two girls; one would have said that he had eyes for nothing else, yet, without moving a muscle of his face, set in its perpetual beaming smile, he hissed in an angry whisper, “Drop it, you idiot! Put it back!” The young man scowled askance at him. “Curse you! Put it back!” hissed Charolais. The young man’s arm shot out with the same quickness, and the statuette stood in its place. There was just the faintest sigh of relief from Charolais, as Germaine turned and came to him with the photograph in her hand. She gave it to him. “Ah, here we are,” he said, putting on a pair of gold-rimmed pince-nez. “A hundred horse-power car. Well, well, this is something to talk over. What’s the least you’ll take for it?” “I have nothing to do with this kind of thing,” cried Germaine. “You must see my father. He will be back from Rennes soon. Then you can settle the matter with him.” M. Charolais rose, and said: “Very good. We will go now, and come back presently. I’m sorry to have intruded on you, young ladies—taking up your time like this—” “Not at all—not at all,” murmured Germaine politely. “Good-bye—good-bye,” said M. Charolais; and he and his son went to the door, and bowed themselves out. “What creatures!” said Germaine, going to the window, as the door closed behind the two visitors. “All the same, if they do buy the hundred horse-power, papa will be awfully pleased. It is odd about that pane. I wonder how it happened. It’s odd too that Jacques hasn’t come back yet. He told me that he would be here between half-past four and five.” “And the Du Buits have not come either,” said Sonia. “But it’s hardly five yet.” “Yes; that’s so. The Du Buits have not come either. What on earth are you wasting your time for?” she added sharply, raising her voice. “Just finish addressing those letters while you’re waiting.” “They’re nearly finished,” said Sonia. “Nearly isn’t quite. Get on with them, can’t you!” snapped Germaine. Sonia went back to the writing-table; just the slightest deepening of the faint pink roses in her cheeks marked her sense of Germaine’s rudeness. After three years as companion to Germaine Gournay-Martin, she was well inured to millionaire manners; they had almost lost the power to move her. Germaine dropped into a chair for twenty seconds; then flung out of it. “Ten minutes to five!” she cried. “Jacques is late. It’s the first time I’ve ever known him late.” She went to the window, and looked across the wide stretch of meadow-land and woodland on which the château, set on the very crown of the ridge, looked down. The road, running with the irritating straightness of so many of the roads of France, was visible for a full three miles. It was empty. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/M_Charolais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#M_Charolais</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/M_Gournay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#M_Gournay</a>-Martin <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Charolais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Charolais</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Rennes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Rennes</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/GermaineGournay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GermaineGournay</a>-Martin <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/France" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#France</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/threemiles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#threemiles</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 5 of 99 “Speaking of Madame de Relzières, do you know that she is on pins and needles with anxiety? Her son is fighting a duel to-day,” she said. “With whom?” said Sonia. “No one knows. She got hold of a letter from the seconds,” said Marie. “My mind is quite at rest about Relzières,” said Germaine. “He’s a first-class swordsman. No one could beat him.” Sonia did not seem to share her freedom from anxiety. Her forehead was puckered in little lines of perplexity, as if she were puzzling out some problem; and there was a look of something very like fear in her gentle eyes. “Wasn’t Relzières a great friend of your fiance at one time?” said Jeanne. “A great friend? I should think he was,” said Germaine. “Why, it was through Relzières that we got to know Jacques.” “Where was that?” said Marie. “Here—in this very château,” said Germaine. “Actually in his own house?” said Marie, in some surprise. “Yes; actually here. Isn’t life funny?” said Germaine. “If, a few months after his father’s death, Jacques had not found himself hard-up, and obliged to dispose of this château, to raise the money for his expedition to the South Pole; and if papa and I had not wanted an historic château; and lastly, if papa had not suffered from rheumatism, I should not be calling myself in a month from now the Duchess of Charmerace.” “Now what on earth has your father’s rheumatism got to do with your being Duchess of Charmerace?” cried Jeanne. “Everything,” said Germaine. “Papa was afraid that this château was damp. To prove to papa that he had nothing to fear, Jacques, en grand seigneur, offered him his hospitality, here, at Charmerace, for three weeks.” “That was truly ducal,” said Marie. “But he is always like that,” said Sonia. “Oh, he’s all right in that way, little as he cares about society,” said Germaine. “Well, by a miracle my father got cured of his rheumatism here. Jacques fell in love with me; papa made up his mind to buy the château; and I demanded the hand of Jacques in marriage.” “You did? But you were only sixteen then,” said Marie, with some surprise. “Yes; but even at sixteen a girl ought to know that a duke is a duke. I did,” said Germaine. “Then since Jacques was setting out for the South Pole, and papa considered me much too young to get married, I promised Jacques to wait for his return.” “Why, it was everything that’s romantic!” cried Marie. “Romantic? Oh, yes,” said Germaine; and she pouted. “But between ourselves, if I’d known that he was going to stay all that time at the South Pole—” “That’s true,” broke in Marie. “To go away for three years and stay away seven—at the end of the world.” “All Germaine’s beautiful youth,” said Jeanne, with her malicious smile. “Thanks!” said Germaine tartly. “Well, you ARE twenty-three. It’s the flower of one’s age,” said Jeanne. “Not quite twenty-three,” said Germaine hastily. “And look at the wretched luck I’ve had. The Duke falls ill and is treated at Montevideo. As soon as he recovers, since he’s the most obstinate person in the world, he resolves to go on with the expedition. He sets out; and for an age, without a word of warning, there’s no more news of him—no news of any kind. For six months, you know, we believed him dead.” “Dead? Oh, how unhappy you must have been!” said Sonia. “Oh, don’t speak of it! For six months I daren’t put on a light frock,” said Germaine, turning to her. “A lot she must have cared for him,” whispered Jeanne to Marie. “Fortunately, one fine day, the letters began again. Three months ago a telegram informed us that he was coming back; and at last the Duke returned,” said Germaine, with a theatrical air. “The Duke returned,” cried Jeanne, mimicking her. “Never mind. Fancy waiting nearly seven years for one’s fiance. That was constancy,” said Sonia. “Oh, you’re a sentimentalist, Mlle. Kritchnoff,” said Jeanne, in a tone of mockery. “It was the influence of the castle.” “What do you mean?” said Germaine. “Oh, to own the castle of Charmerace and call oneself Mlle. Gournay-Martin—it’s not worth doing. One MUST become a duchess,” said Jeanne. “Yes, yes; and for all this wonderful constancy, seven years of it, Germaine was on the point of becoming engaged to another man,” said Marie, smiling. “And he a mere baron,” said Jeanne, laughing. “What? Is that true?” said Sonia. “Didn’t you know, Mlle. Kritchnoff? She nearly became engaged to the Duke’s cousin, the Baron de Relzières. It was not nearly so grand.” <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Marie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Marie</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Relzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Relzières</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jeanne" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jeanne</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/SouthPole" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SouthPole</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Charmerace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Charmerace</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Montevideo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Montevideo</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Mlle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mlle</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Kritchnoff" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Kritchnoff</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Gournay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Gournay</a>-Martin <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 4 of 99 Alfred came in, bearing the tea-tray, and set it on a little table near that at which Sonia was sitting. Germaine, who was feeling too important to sit still, was walking up and down the room. Suddenly she stopped short, and pointing to a silver statuette which stood on the piano, she said, “What’s this? Why is this statuette here?” “Why, when we came in, it was on the cabinet, in its usual place,” said Sonia in some astonishment. “Did you come into the hall while we were out in the garden, Alfred?” said Germaine to the footman. “No, miss,” said Alfred. “But some one must have come into it,” Germaine persisted. “I’ve not heard any one. I was in my pantry,” said Alfred. “It’s very odd,” said Germaine. “It is odd,” said Sonia. “Statuettes don’t move about of themselves.” All of them stared at the statuette as if they expected it to move again forthwith, under their very eyes. Then Alfred put it back in its usual place on one of the cabinets, and went out of the room. Sonia poured out the tea; and over it they babbled about the coming marriage, the frocks they would wear at it, and the presents Germaine had already received. That reminded her to ask Sonia if any one had yet telephoned from her father’s house in Paris; and Sonia said that no one had. “That’s very annoying,” said Germaine. “It shows that nobody has sent me a present to-day.” Pouting, she shrugged her shoulders with an air of a spoiled child, which sat but poorly on a well-developed young woman of twenty-three. “It’s Sunday. The shops don’t deliver things on Sunday,” said Sonia gently. But Germaine still pouted like a spoiled child. “Isn’t your beautiful Duke coming to have tea with us?” said Jeanne a little anxiously. “Oh, yes; I’m expecting him at half-past four. He had to go for a ride with the two Du Buits. They’re coming to tea here, too,” said Germaine. “Gone for a ride with the two Du Buits? But when?” cried Marie quickly. “This afternoon.” “He can’t be,” said Marie. “My brother went to the Du Buits’ house after lunch, to see Andre and Georges. They went for a drive this morning, and won’t be back till late to-night.” “Well, but—but why did the Duke tell me so?” said Germaine, knitting her brow with a puzzled air. “If I were you, I should inquire into this thoroughly. Dukes—well, we know what dukes are—it will be just as well to keep an eye on him,” said Jeanne maliciously. Germaine flushed quickly; and her eyes flashed. “Thank you. I have every confidence in Jacques. I am absolutely sure of him,” she said angrily. “Oh, well—if you’re sure, it’s all right,” said Jeanne. The ringing of the telephone-bell made a fortunate diversion. Germaine rushed to it, clapped the receiver to her ear, and cried: “Hello, is that you, Pierre? ... Oh, it’s Victoire, is it? ... Ah, some presents have come, have they? ... Well, well, what are they? ... What! a paper-knife—another paper-knife! ... Another Louis XVI. inkstand—oh, bother! ... Who are they from? ... Oh, from the Countess Rudolph and the Baron de Valery.” Her voice rose high, thrilling with pride. Then she turned her face to her friends, with the receiver still at her ear, and cried: “Oh, girls, a pearl necklace too! A large one! The pearls are big ones!” “How jolly!” said Marie. “Who sent it?” said Germaine, turning to the telephone again. “Oh, a friend of papa’s,” she added in a tone of disappointment. “Never mind, after all it’s a pearl necklace. You’ll be sure and lock the doors carefully, Victoire, won’t you? And lock up the necklace in the secret cupboard.... Yes; thanks very much, Victoire. I shall see you to-morrow.” She hung up the receiver, and came away from the telephone frowning. “It’s preposterous!” she said pettishly. “Papa’s friends and relations give me marvellous presents, and all the swells send me paper-knives. It’s all Jacques’ fault. He’s above all this kind of thing. The Faubourg Saint-Germain hardly knows that we’re engaged.” “He doesn’t go about advertising it,” said Jeanne, smiling. “You’re joking, but all the same what you say is true,” said Germaine. “That’s exactly what his cousin Madame de Relzières said to me the other day at the At Home she gave in my honour—wasn’t it, Sonia?” And she walked to the window, and, turning her back on them, stared out of it. “She HAS got her mouth full of that At Home,” said Jeanne to Marie in a low voice. There was an awkward silence. Marie broke it: <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Alfred" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Alfred</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Paris" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Paris</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jeanne" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jeanne</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/DuBuits" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#DuBuits</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Marie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Marie</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Andre" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Andre</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Georges" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Georges</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Pierre" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Pierre</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/AnotherLouisXVI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AnotherLouisXVI</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MadamedeRelzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MadamedeRelzières</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Home" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Home</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Maurice Leblanc - Arsene LupinMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 3 of 99 “Well, all the men are ready, I know, miss. But about the maids, miss, I can’t say. They’ve been bustling about all day; but it takes them longer than it does us.” “Tell them to hurry up; and be as quick as you can with the tea, please,” said Sonia. Alfred went out of the room; Sonia went back to the writing-table. She did not take up her pen; she took up one of the wedding-cards; and her lips moved slowly as she read it in a pondering depression. The petulant, imperious voice broke in upon her musing. “Whatever are you doing, Sonia? Aren’t you getting on with those letters?” it cried angrily; and Germaine Gournay-Martin came through the long window into the hall. The heiress to the Gournay-Martin millions carried her tennis racquet in her hand; and her rosy cheeks were flushed redder than ever by the game. She was a pretty girl in a striking, high-coloured, rather obvious way—the very foil to Sonia’s delicate beauty. Her lips were a little too thin, her eyes too shallow; and together they gave her a rather hard air, in strongest contrast to the gentle, sympathetic face of Sonia. The two friends with whom Germaine had been playing tennis followed her into the hall: Jeanne Gautier, tall, sallow, dark, with a somewhat malicious air; Marie Bullier, short, round, commonplace, and sentimental. They came to the table at which Sonia was at work; and pointing to the pile of envelopes, Marie said, “Are these all wedding-cards?” “Yes; and we’ve only got to the letter V,” said Germaine, frowning at Sonia. “Princesse de Vernan—Duchesse de Vauvieuse—Marquess—Marchioness? You’ve invited the whole Faubourg Saint-Germain,” said Marie, shuffling the pile of envelopes with an envious air. “You’ll know very few people at your wedding,” said Jeanne, with a spiteful little giggle. “I beg your pardon, my dear,” said Germaine boastfully. “Madame de Relzières, my fiance’s cousin, gave an At Home the other day in my honour. At it she introduced half Paris to me—the Paris I’m destined to know, the Paris you’ll see in my drawing-rooms.” “But we shall no longer be fit friends for you when you’re the Duchess of Charmerace,” said Jeanne. “Why?” said Germaine; and then she added quickly, “Above everything, Sonia, don’t forget Veauléglise, 33, University Street—33, University Street.” “Veauléglise—33, University Street,” said Sonia, taking a fresh envelope, and beginning to address it. “Wait—wait! don’t close the envelope. I’m wondering whether Veauléglise ought to have a cross, a double cross, or a triple cross,” said Germaine, with an air of extreme importance. “What’s that?” cried Marie and Jeanne together. “A single cross means an invitation to the church, a double cross an invitation to the marriage and the wedding-breakfast, and the triple cross means an invitation to the marriage, the breakfast, and the signing of the marriage-contract. What do you think the Duchess of Veauléglise ought to have?” “Don’t ask me. I haven’t the honour of knowing that great lady,” cried Jeanne. “Nor I,” said Marie. “Nor I,” said Germaine. “But I have here the visiting-list of the late Duchess of Charmerace, Jacques’ mother. The two duchesses were on excellent terms. Besides the Duchess of Veauléglise is rather worn-out, but greatly admired for her piety. She goes to early service three times a week.” “Then put three crosses,” said Jeanne. “I shouldn’t,” said Marie quickly. “In your place, my dear, I shouldn’t risk a slip. I should ask my fiance’s advice. He knows this world.” “Oh, goodness—my fiance! He doesn’t care a rap about this kind of thing. He has changed so in the last seven years. Seven years ago he took nothing seriously. Why, he set off on an expedition to the South Pole—just to show off. Oh, in those days he was truly a duke.” “And to-day?” said Jeanne. “Oh, to-day he’s a regular slow-coach. Society gets on his nerves. He’s as sober as a judge,” said Germaine. “He’s as gay as a lark,” said Sonia, in sudden protest. Germaine pouted at her, and said: “Oh, he’s gay enough when he’s making fun of people. But apart from that he’s as sober as a judge.” “Your father must be delighted with the change,” said Jeanne. “Naturally he’s delighted. Why, he’s lunching at Rennes to-day with the Minister, with the sole object of getting Jacques decorated.” “Well; the Legion of Honour is a fine thing to have,” said Marie. “My dear! The Legion of Honour is all very well for middle-class people, but it’s quite out of place for a duke!” cried Germaine. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/GermaineGournay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GermaineGournay</a>-Martin <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/JeanneGautier" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#JeanneGautier</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MarieBullier" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MarieBullier</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Marie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Marie</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/FaubourgSaint" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FaubourgSaint</a>-Germain <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jeanne" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jeanne</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Paris" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Paris</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Veaul%C3%A9glise" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Veauléglise</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/UniversityStreet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#UniversityStreet</a>—33 <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/UniversityStreet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#UniversityStreet</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Veaul%C3%A9glise" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Veauléglise</a>—33 <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/SouthPole" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SouthPole</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Rennes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Rennes</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Test Bot on OziosoMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 11 of 99 Germaine finished admiring herself; she was incapable even of suspecting that so expensive a pendant could not suit her perfectly. The Duke said idly: “Goodness! Are all those invitations to the wedding?” “That’s only down to the letter V,” said Germaine proudly. “And there are twenty-five letters in the alphabet! You must be inviting the whole world. You’ll have to have the Madeleine enlarged. It won’t hold them all. There isn’t a church in Paris that will,” said the Duke. “Won’t it be a splendid marriage!” said Germaine. “There’ll be something like a crush. There are sure to be accidents.” “If I were you, I should have careful arrangements made,” said the Duke. “Oh, let people look after themselves. They’ll remember it better if they’re crushed a little,” said Germaine. There was a flicker of contemptuous wonder in the Duke’s eyes. But he only shrugged his shoulders, and turning to Sonia, said, “Will you be an angel and play me a little Grieg, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff? I heard you playing yesterday. No one plays Grieg like you.” “Excuse me, Jacques, but Mademoiselle Kritchnoff has her work to do,” said Germaine tartly. “Five minutes’ interval—just a morsel of Grieg, I beg,” said the Duke, with an irresistible smile. “All right,” said Germaine grudgingly. “But I’ve something important to talk to you about.” “By Jove! So have I. I was forgetting. I’ve the last photograph I took of you and Mademoiselle Sonia.” Germaine frowned and shrugged her shoulders. “With your light frocks in the open air, you look like two big flowers,” said the Duke. “You call that important!” cried Germaine. “It’s very important—like all trifles,” said the Duke, smiling. “Look! isn’t it nice?” And he took a photograph from his pocket, and held it out to her. “Nice? It’s shocking! We’re making the most appalling faces,” said Germaine, looking at the photograph in his hand. “Well, perhaps you ARE making faces,” said the Duke seriously, considering the photograph with grave earnestness. “But they’re not appalling faces—not by any means. You shall be judge, Mademoiselle Sonia. The faces—well, we won’t talk about the faces—but the outlines. Look at the movement of your scarf.” And he handed the photograph to Sonia. “Jacques!” said Germaine impatiently. “Oh, yes, you’ve something important to tell me. What is it?” said the Duke, with an air of resignation; and he took the photograph from Sonia and put it carefully back in his pocket. “Victoire has telephoned from Paris to say that we’ve had a paper-knife and a Louis Seize inkstand given us,” said Germaine. “Hurrah!” cried the Duke in a sudden shout that made them both jump. “And a pearl necklace,” said Germaine. “Hurrah!” cried the Duke. “You’re perfectly childish,” said Germaine pettishly. “I tell you we’ve been given a paper-knife, and you shout ‘hurrah!’ I say we’ve been given a pearl necklace, and you shout ‘hurrah!’ You can’t have the slightest sense of values.” “I beg your pardon. This pearl necklace is from one of your father’s friends, isn’t it?” said the Duke. “Yes; why?” said Germaine. “But the inkstand and the paper-knife must be from the Faubourg Saint-Germain, and well on the shabby side?” said the Duke. “Yes; well?” “Well then, my dear girl, what are you complaining about? They balance; the equilibrium is restored. You can’t have everything,” said the Duke; and he laughed mischievously. Germaine flushed, and bit her lip; her eyes sparkled. “You don’t care a rap about me,” she said stormily. “But I find you adorable,” said the Duke. “You keep annoying me,” said Germaine pettishly. “And you do it on purpose. I think it’s in very bad taste. I shall end by taking a dislike to you—I know I shall.” “Wait till we’re married for that, my dear girl,” said the Duke; and he laughed again, with a blithe, boyish cheerfulness, which deepened the angry flush in Germaine’s cheeks. “Can’t you be serious about anything?” she cried. “I am the most serious man in Europe,” said the Duke. Germaine went to the window and stared out of it sulkily. The Duke walked up and down the hall, looking at the pictures of some of his ancestors—somewhat grotesque persons—with humorous appreciation. Between addressing the envelopes Sonia kept glancing at him. Once he caught her eye, and smiled at her. Germaine’s back was eloquent of her displeasure. The Duke stopped at a gap in the line of pictures in which there hung a strip of old tapestry. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Madeleine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Madeleine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Paris" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Paris</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MademoiselleKritchnoff" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MademoiselleKritchnoff</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/I_" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#I_</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MademoiselleSonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MademoiselleSonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/LouisSeize" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LouisSeize</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Europe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Europe</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Test Bot on OziosoMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 9 of 99 “Perhaps the Duke went to the château de Relzières to see his cousin—though I fancy that at bottom the Duke does not care very much for the Baron de Relzières. They always look as though they detested one another,” said Sonia, without raising her eyes from the letter she was addressing. “You’ve noticed that, have you?” said Germaine. “Now, as far as Jacques is concerned—he’s—he’s so indifferent. None the less, when we were at the Relzières on Thursday, I caught him quarrelling with Paul de Relzières.” “Quarrelling?” said Sonia sharply, with a sudden uneasiness in air and eyes and voice. “Yes; quarrelling. And they said good-bye to one another in the oddest way.” “But surely they shook hands?” said Sonia. “Not a bit of it. They bowed as if each of them had swallowed a poker.” “Why—then—then—” said Sonia, starting up with a frightened air; and her voice stuck in her throat. “Then what?” said Germaine, a little startled by her panic-stricken face. “The duel! Monsieur de Relzières’ duel!” cried Sonia. “What? You don’t think it was with Jacques?” “I don’t know—but this quarrel—the Duke’s manner this morning—the Du Buits’ drive—” said Sonia. “Of course—of course! It’s quite possible—in fact it’s certain!” cried Germaine. “It’s horrible!” gasped Sonia. “Consider—just consider! Suppose something happened to him. Suppose the Duke—” “It’s me the Duke’s fighting about!” cried Germaine proudly, with a little skipping jump of triumphant joy. Sonia stared through her without seeing her. Her face was a dead white—fear had chilled the lustre from her skin; her breath panted through her parted lips; and her dilated eyes seemed to look on some dreadful picture. Germaine pirouetted about the hall at the very height of triumph. To have a Duke fighting a duel about her was far beyond the wildest dreams of snobbishness. She chuckled again and again, and once she clapped her hands and laughed aloud. “He’s fighting a swordsman of the first class—an invincible swordsman—you said so yourself,” Sonia muttered in a tone of anguish. “And there’s nothing to be done—nothing.” She pressed her hands to her eyes as if to shut out a hideous vision. Germaine did not hear her; she was staring at herself in a mirror, and bridling to her own image. Sonia tottered to the window and stared down at the road along which must come the tidings of weal or irremediable woe. She kept passing her hand over her eyes as if to clear their vision. Suddenly she started, and bent forward, rigid, all her being concentrated in the effort to see. Then she cried: “Mademoiselle Germaine! Look! Look!” “What is it?” said Germaine, coming to her side. “A horseman! Look! There!” said Sonia, waving a hand towards the road. “Yes; and isn’t he galloping!” said Germaine. “It’s he! It’s the Duke!” cried Sonia. “Do you think so?” said Germaine doubtfully. “I’m sure of it—sure!” “Well, he gets here just in time for tea,” said Germaine in a tone of extreme satisfaction. “He knows that I hate to be kept waiting. He said to me, ‘I shall be back by five at the latest.’ And here he is.” “It’s impossible,” said Sonia. “He has to go all the way round the park. There’s no direct road; the brook is between us.” “All the same, he’s coming in a straight line,” said Germaine. It was true. The horseman had left the road and was galloping across the meadows straight for the brook. In twenty seconds he reached its treacherous bank, and as he set his horse at it, Sonia covered her eyes. “He’s over!” said Germaine. “My father gave three hundred guineas for that horse.” <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Relzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Relzières</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/PauldeRelzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PauldeRelzières</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Quarrelling" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Quarrelling</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MonsieurdeRelzi%C3%A8res" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MonsieurdeRelzières</a>’ <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/first" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#first</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MademoiselleGermaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MademoiselleGermaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

Test Bot on OziosoMaurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Maurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin Part 8 of 99 “Yes, my boy; it’s a very fine château,” said M. Charolais, looking round the hall with appreciative but greedy eyes. There was a pause. “It’s a very fine château, young ladies,” said M. Charolais. “Yes; but excuse me, what is it you have called about?” said Germaine. M. Charolais crossed his legs, leant back in his chair, thrust his thumbs into the arm-holes of his waistcoat, and said: “Well, we’ve come about the advertisement we saw in the RENNES ADVERTISER, that M. Gournay-Martin wanted to get rid of a motor-car; and my son is always saying to me, ‘I should like a motor-car which rushes the hills, papa.’ He means a sixty horse-power.” “We’ve got a sixty horse-power; but it’s not for sale. My father is even using it himself to-day,” said Germaine. “Perhaps it’s the car we saw in the stable-yard,” said M. Charolais. “No; that’s a thirty to forty horse-power. It belongs to me. But if your son really loves rushing hills, as you say, we have a hundred horse-power car which my father wants to get rid of. Wait; where’s the photograph of it, Sonia? It ought to be here somewhere.” The two girls rose, went to a table set against the wall beyond the window, and began turning over the papers with which it was loaded in the search for the photograph. They had barely turned their backs, when the hand of young Charolais shot out as swiftly as the tongue of a lizard catching a fly, closed round the silver statuette on the top of the cabinet beside him, and flashed it into his jacket pocket. Charolais was watching the two girls; one would have said that he had eyes for nothing else, yet, without moving a muscle of his face, set in its perpetual beaming smile, he hissed in an angry whisper, “Drop it, you idiot! Put it back!” The young man scowled askance at him. “Curse you! Put it back!” hissed Charolais. The young man’s arm shot out with the same quickness, and the statuette stood in its place. There was just the faintest sigh of relief from Charolais, as Germaine turned and came to him with the photograph in her hand. She gave it to him. “Ah, here we are,” he said, putting on a pair of gold-rimmed pince-nez. “A hundred horse-power car. Well, well, this is something to talk over. What’s the least you’ll take for it?” “I have nothing to do with this kind of thing,” cried Germaine. “You must see my father. He will be back from Rennes soon. Then you can settle the matter with him.” M. Charolais rose, and said: “Very good. We will go now, and come back presently. I’m sorry to have intruded on you, young ladies—taking up your time like this—” “Not at all—not at all,” murmured Germaine politely. “Good-bye—good-bye,” said M. Charolais; and he and his son went to the door, and bowed themselves out. “What creatures!” said Germaine, going to the window, as the door closed behind the two visitors. “All the same, if they do buy the hundred horse-power, papa will be awfully pleased. It is odd about that pane. I wonder how it happened. It’s odd too that Jacques hasn’t come back yet. He told me that he would be here between half-past four and five.” “And the Du Buits have not come either,” said Sonia. “But it’s hardly five yet.” “Yes; that’s so. The Du Buits have not come either. What on earth are you wasting your time for?” she added sharply, raising her voice. “Just finish addressing those letters while you’re waiting.” “They’re nearly finished,” said Sonia. “Nearly isn’t quite. Get on with them, can’t you!” snapped Germaine. Sonia went back to the writing-table; just the slightest deepening of the faint pink roses in her cheeks marked her sense of Germaine’s rudeness. After three years as companion to Germaine Gournay-Martin, she was well inured to millionaire manners; they had almost lost the power to move her. Germaine dropped into a chair for twenty seconds; then flung out of it. “Ten minutes to five!” she cried. “Jacques is late. It’s the first time I’ve ever known him late.” She went to the window, and looked across the wide stretch of meadow-land and woodland on which the château, set on the very crown of the ridge, looked down. The road, running with the irritating straightness of so many of the roads of France, was visible for a full three miles. It was empty. <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/M_Charolais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#M_Charolais</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Germaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Germaine</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/M_Gournay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#M_Gournay</a>-Martin <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Sonia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sonia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Charolais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Charolais</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Rennes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Rennes</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/Jacques" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Jacques</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/GermaineGournay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#GermaineGournay</a>-Martin <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/first" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#first</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/France" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#France</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/threemiles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#threemiles</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/ArseneLupin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ArseneLupin</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/MauriceLeBlanc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MauriceLeBlanc</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/mystery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mystery</a> <a href="https://mastodon.ozioso.online/tags/booktoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#booktoot</a>

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