He was received in the best
society, and was a member of some of the most exclusive clubs. On
many of his depredatory expeditions he had not hesitated to use
the knife and the mutton-bone. No difficulty stopped him and no
"operation" was too dangerous. He had been caught, but escaped
on the very morning of his trial, by throwing pepper into the
eyes of the guards who were conducting him to Court. It was known
later that, in spite of the keen hunt after him by the most expert
of detectives, he had sat that same evening at a first performance
in the Theatre Francais, without the slightest disguise.
He left France, later, to "work" America. The police there
succeeded in capturing him once, but the extraordinary man escaped
the next day. It would need a volume to recount the adventures of
this master-criminal. And yet this was the man Rouletabille had
allowed to get away! Knowing all about him and who he was, he
afforded the criminal an opportunity for another laugh at the
society he had defied! I could not help admiring the bold stroke
of the young journalist, because I felt certain his motive had been
to protect both Mademoiselle Stangerson and rid Darzac of an enemy
at the same time.
Pages:
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338