Page:Leblanc Arsene Lupin (Doubleday, 1909).djvu/332

314 cucumber. . . I did the one thing I ought not to have done. . . . Instead of going quietly away as the Duke of Charmerace. . . what do you think I did? . . . I bolted. . . I started running. . . running like a thief. . . . In about two seconds I saw the slip I had made. It did not take me longer; but that was too long— Guerchard's men were on my track. . . I was done for."

"Then Guerchard understood—he recognized you?" said Victoire anxiously.

"As soon as the first paralysis had passed, Guerchard dared to see clearly . . . to see the truth," said Lupin. "And then it was a chase. There were ten—fifteen of them on my heels. Out of breath—grunting, furious—a mob—a regular mob. I had passed the night before in a motor-car. I was dead beat. In fact, I was done for before I started . . . and they were gaining ground all the time."

"Why didn't you hide?" said Victoire.

"For a long while they were too close. They must have been within five feet of me. I was done. Then I was crossing one of the bridges. . . . There was the Seine . . . handy . . . I made up my mind that, rather than be taken, I'd make an end of it . . . I'd throw myself over."