Читать книгу The Crystal Stopper онлайн

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“Still,” said Lupin, “there must be something that’s not orthodox behind all this.”

“There’s nothing of the sort,” moaned Victoire. “You’re wasting your time and we shall be bowled out.”

The presence of the detectives and their habit of walking up and down outside the windows drove her mad. She refused to admit that they were there for any other purpose than to trap her, Victoire. And, each time that she went shopping, she was quite surprised that one of those men did not lay his hand upon her shoulder.

One day she returned all upset. Her basket of provisions was shaking on her arm.

“What’s the matter, my dear Victoire?” said Lupin. “You’re looking green.”

“Green? I dare say I do. So would you look green...”

She had to sit down and it was only after making repeated efforts that she succeeded in stuttering:

“A man... a man spoke to me... at the fruiterer’s.”

“By jingo! Did he want you to run away with him?”

“No, he gave me a letter...”

“Then what are you complaining about? It was a love-letter, of course!”