THE EIGHT STROKES OF THE CLOCK
BY
MAURICE LE BLANC
AUTHOR'S NOTE
These adventures were told to me in the old days by Arsène Lupin, asthough they had happened to a friend of his, named Prince Rénine. As forme, considering the way in which they were conducted, the actions, thebehaviour and the very character of the hero, I find it very difficult notto identify the two friends as one and the same person. Arsène Lupin isgifted with a powerful imagination and is quite capable of attributing tohimself adventures which are not his at all and of disowning those whichare really his. The reader will judge for himself.
M. L.
CONTENTS
I
ON THE TOP OF THE TOWER
Hortense Daniel pushed her window ajar and whispered:
"Are you there, Rossigny?"
"I am here," replied a voice from the shrubbery at the front of the house.
Leaning forward, she saw a rather fat man looking up at her out of a grossred face with its cheeks and chin set in unpleasantly fair whiskers.
"Well?" he asked.
"Well, I had a great argument with my uncle and aunt last night. Theyabsolutely refuse to sign the document of which my lawyer sent them thedraft, or to restore the dowry squandered by my husband."
"But your uncle is responsible by the terms of the marriage-settlement."
"No matter. He refuses."
"Well, what do you propose to do?"
"Are you still determined to run away with me?" she asked, with a laugh.
"More so than ever."
"Your intentions are strictly honourable, remember!"
"Just as you please. You know that I am madly in love with you."
"Unfortunately I am not madly in love with you!"
"Then what made you choose me?"
"Chance. I was bored. I was growing tired of my humdrum existence. So I'mready to run risks.... Here's my luggage: catch!"
She let down from the window a couple of large leather kit-bags. Rossignycaught them in his arms.
"The die is cast," she whispered. "Go and wait for me with your car at theIf cross-roads. I shall come on horseback."
"Hang it, I can't run off with your horse!"
"He will go home by himself."
"Capital!... Oh, by the way...."
"What is it?"
"Who is this Prince Rénine, who's been here the last three days and whomnobody seems to know?"
"I don't know much about him. My uncle met him at a friend's shoot andasked him here to stay."
"You seem to have made a great impression on him. You went for a long ridewith him yesterday. He's a man I don't care for."
"In two ho