Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
MESSENGERS OF EVIL
BEING A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE LURES AND DEVICES OF FANTOMAS
THE FANTOMAS DETECTIVE NOVELS
BY PIERRE SOUVESTRE AND MARCEL ALLAIN
AUTHORS OF "FANTOMAS," "THE EXPLOITS OF JUVE," ETC.
NEW YORKBRENTANO'S1917
COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY BRENTANO'S
CONTENTS
I. THE DRAMA OF THE RUE NORVINS
II. THOMERY'S TWO LOVES
III. UNEXPECTED COMPLICATIONS
IV. A SURPRISING ITINERARY
V. MOTHER TOULOUCHE AND CRANAJOUR
VI. IN THE OPPOSITE SENSE
VII. PEARLS AND DIAMONDS
VIII. END OF THE BALL
IX. FINGER PRINTS
X. IDENTITY OF A NAVVY
XI. AN AUDACIOUS THEFT
XII. INVESTIGATIONS
XIII. RUE RAFFET
XIV. SOMEONE TELEPHONED
XV. VAGUE SUSPICIONS
XVI. DISCUSSIONS
XVII. AN ARREST
XVIII. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUNK
XIX. CRIMINAL OR VICTIM?
XX. UNDER THE HOODED MASK
XXI. IN A PRISON VAN
XXII. AN EXECUTION
XXIII. FROM VAUGIRARD TO MONTMARTRE
XXIV. AT SAINT LAZARE
XXV. A MOUSE TRAP
XXVI. IN THE TRAP
XXVII. THE IMPRINT
XXVIII. COURAGE
MESSENGERS OF EVIL
I
THE DRAMA OF THE RUE NORVINS
On Monday, April 4th, 19--, the evening paper _La Capitale_ publishedthe following article on its first page:--
A drama, over the motives of which there is a bewildering host ofconjectures, was unfolded this morning on the heights of Montmartre. TheBaroness de Vibray, well known in the Parisian world and among artists,whose generous patroness she was, has been found dead in the studio ofthe ceramic painter, Jacques Dollon. The young painter, renderedcompletely helpless by a soporific, lay stretched out beside her whenthe crime was discovered. We say 'crime' designedly, because, when thepreliminary medical examination was completed, it was clear that thedeath of the Baroness de Vibray was due to the absorption of somepoison.
The painter, Jacques Dollon, whom the enlightened attentions of DoctorMayran had drawn from his condition of torpor, underwent a shortexamination from the superintendent of police, in the course of which hemade remarks of so suspicious a nature that the examining magistrate puthim under arrest then and there. At police headquarters they areabsolutely dumb regarding this strange affair. Nevertheless, thepersonal investigation undertaken by us throws a little light on what isalready called: _The Drama of the Rue Norvins_.
_The Discovery of the Crime_
This morning, about seven o'clock, Madame Beju, a housekeeper in theservice of the painter, Jacques Dollon, who, with his sister,Mademoiselle Elizabeth Dollon, occupied lodge number six, in the Closeof the rue Norvins, was on the ground-floor of the house, attending toher customary duties. She had been on the premises about half an hour,and, so far, had not noticed anything abnormal; however, astonished atnot hearing any movements on the floor above, for the painter generallyrose pretty early, Madame Beju decided to go upstairs and wake hermaster, who would be vexed at having let himself sleep so late. She hadto pass through the studio to reach Monsieur Jacques Dollon's bedroom.No sooner had she raised the door curtain of the studio than sherecoiled, horrorstruck!
Disorder reigned in the studio: a startling disorder!
Pieces of furniture displaced, some of them overturned, showed thatsomething extraordinary had happened there. In the middle of the room,on the floor, lay the inanimate form of a person whom Madame Beju knewwell, for she had seen her at the painter's house many a time--theBaroness de Vibray. Not far from her, buried in a large arm-chair,motionless, giving no sign of life, was Monsieur Jacques Dollon!
When the good woman saw the rigid attitude of these two persons, sherealised that she was in the presence of a tragedy.
Stirred to the depths, she redescended the stairs, calling for help:shortly afterwards, the entire Close was in a state of ferment: houseporters, neighbours, male and female, crowded round Madame Beju,endeavouring to understand her disconnected account of the terrifyingspectacle she had come face to face with but a minute before.
Sudden death, suicide, crime--all were plausible suppositions. The moreaudacious of these gossip-mongers had ventured as far as the studiodoor; from that standpoint, a rapid glance round enabled them to get aclear idea of the truth of the housekeeper's statements: they returnedto give a confirmation of them to the inquisitive and increasing crowdin the principal avenue of the Close.
'The police! The police must be informed!' cried the Close portress.
Whilst this woman, with considerable presence of mind, and aided byMadame Beju, exerted herself to keep out the people of the neighbourhoodwho had got wind of the tragedy, two men had set off to seek the police.
_Lodge Number 6_
On the summit of Montmartre is the rue Norvins. In shape it resembles adonkey's back, and at one particular spot it hugs the accentuated curveof the Butte. The Close of the rue Norvins is situated at number 47. Itis separated from the street by a strong iron gate, the porter's lodgebeing at the side. The Close consists of a series of little dwellings,separated by wooden railings, up which climbing plants grow. Fine treesencircle these abodes with so thick a curtain of leafage that theinhabitants might think themselves buried in the depths of the country.
Lodge Number 6 is even more isolated than the others. It consists of aground floor and a first floor, with an immense studio attached. Threeyears ago, Number 6 was leased to Monsieur Jacques Dollon, then astudent at the Fine Arts School. It has been continuously occupied bythe tenant and his sister, Miss Elizabeth Dollon, who has kept house forher brother. For the last fortnight the painter has been alone: hissister, who had gone to Switzerland to convalesce after a long illness,was expected back that same day, or the day following.
The reputation of the two young people is considered by their neighboursto be beyond criticism. The artist has led a regular and hard-workinglife: last year the Salon accorded him a medal of the second class.
His sister, an affable and unassuming girl, seemed always much attachedto her brother. In that very Bohemian neighbourhood she is highlythought of as a girl of the most estimable character.
The Baroness de Vibray visited them frequently, and her motor-car usedto attract attention in that high, remote suburb--the wilds ofMontmartre. The old lady liked to dress in rather showy colours; she wasconsidered eccentric, but was also known to be good and generous. Shetook a particular interest in the Dollons, whose family, so it was said,she had known in Provence. Jacques Dollon and his sister highly valuedtheir intimacy with the Baroness de Vibray, who was known all over Parisas a patroness of artists and the arts.
_First Verifications_
Already slander and imagination between them had concocted the wildeststories, when Monsieur Agram, the eminent police superintendent of theClignancourt Quarter, appeared at the entrance to the Close. Accompaniedby his secretary, he at once entered Number 6, charging the twopolicemen, who were assisting him, on no account to allow anyone toenter, excepting the doctor, whom he had at once sent for.
He requested the portress to hold herself at his disposal in the garden,and made Madame B
eju accompany him to the studio. Barely twenty minuteshad elapsed since the housekeeper had been terror-struck by the dreadfulspectacle which had met her eyes there. When she entered with thesuperintendent of police nothing had been altered. Madame de Vibray,horribly pale, her eyes closed, her lips violet-hued, lay stretched onthe floor: her body had assumed the rigidity of a corpse. That ofJacques Dollon, huddled in an arm-chair, was in a state of immobility.
Monsieur Agram at once noticed long, intersecting streaks on the floor,such as might have been traced by heavy furniture dragged over the waxedboards of the flooring. A pungent medicinal odour caught the throats ofthe visitors: Madame Beju was about to open a window: the superintendentstopped her:
'Let things remain as they are for the present,' was his order. Aftercasting an observant eye round the room he questioned the housekeeper:
'Is this state of disorder usual?'
'Never in this world, sir!' declared the good woman. 'Monsieur Dollonand his sister are very steady, very regular in their habits, especiallythe young lady. It is true that she has been absent for nearly a month,but her brother has often been left alone, and he has always insisted onhis studio being kept in good order.'
'Did Monsieur Dollon have many visitors?'
'Very seldom, monsieur. Sometimes his neighbours would come in; and thenthere was that poor lady lying there so deathly pale that it makes meill to look at her....'
_Jacques Dollon lives_
The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the doctor employedin connection with relief for the poor. The superintendent of policepointed out to this Dr. Mayran the two inanimate figures. A glance ofthe doctor's trained eye sufficed to show him that Madame de Vibray hadbeen dead for some time. Approaching Jacques Dollon, Dr. Mayran examinedhim attentively:
'Will you help me to lift him on to a bed or a table?' he asked. 'Itseems to me that this one is not dead.'
'His bedroom is next to this!' cried Madame Beju. 'Oh, heavens above! Ifonly the poor young man would recover!'
Silently the doctor, aided by the superintendent and a policeman,transported young Dollon into the next room.
'Air!' cried the doctor, 'give him air! Open all the windows! It seemsto me a case of suspended animation! There is partial suffocation. Thiswill probably yield to energetic treatment.'
Whilst good Madame Beju, whose legs were shaking under her, was carryingout the doctor's orders, the superintendent of police kept watch to seethat nothing was touched. The doctor's attention was concentrated onJacques Dollon. Monsieur Agram was searching for some indication whichmight throw light on the drama. So far he had been unable to formulateany hypothesis. Should the moribund painter return to consciousness, theexplanation he could give would certainly clear up the situation. Atthis point in the superintendent's cogitations, the doctor called out:
'He lives! He lives! Bring me a glass of water!'
Jacques Dollon was returning to consciousness! Slowly, painfully, hisfeatures contracting as at the remembrance of a horrible nightmare, theyoung man stretched his limbs, opened his eyes: he turned a dull gaze onthose about him, a gaze which became one of stupefaction when heperceived these unknown faces gathered round his bed. His eyes fell onhis housekeeper. He murmured:
'Mme ... Be-ju ... je...,' and fell back into unconsciousness.
'Is he dead?' whispered Monsieur Agram.
The doctor smiled:
'Be reassured, monsieur: he lives; but he finds it terribly difficult towake up. He has certainly swallowed some powerful narcotic and is stillunder its influence; but its effects will soon pass off now.'
The good doctor spoke the truth.
In a short time Jacques Dollon, making a violent effort, sat up. Castingscared and bewildered glances about him, he cried:
'Who are you? What do you want of me?... Ah, the ruffians! The bandits!'
'There is nothing to fear, monsieur. I am simply the doctor they havecalled in to attend to you! Be calm!... You must recover your senses,and tell us what has happened!'
Jacques Dollon pressed his hands to his forehead, as though in pain:
'How heavy my head is!' he muttered. 'What has happened to me?... Let mesee!... Wait.... Ah ... yes ... that's it!'
At a sign from the doctor, the superintendent had stationed himselfbeside the bed, behind the young painter.
Keeping a finger on his patient's pulse, the doctor asked him, in afatherly fashion, to tell him all about it.
'It is like this,' replied Jacques Dollon.... 'Yesterday evening I wassitting in my arm-chair reading. It was getting late. I had been workinghard.... I was tired.... All of a sudden I was surrounded by masked men,clothed in long black garments: they flung themselves on me. Before Icould make a movement I was gagged, bound with cords.... I feltsomething pointed driven into my leg--into my arm.... Then anoverpowering drowsiness overcame me, the strangest visions passed beforemy eyes; I lost consciousness rapidly.... I wanted to move, to cryout ... in vain ... there was no strength in me ... powerless ... andthat's all!'
'Is there nothing more?' asked the doctor.
After a minute's reflection Jacques answered:
'That is all.'
He now seemed fully awake. He moved: the movement was evidently painful:'It hurts,' he said, instinctively putting his hand on his left thigh.
'Let us see what is wrong,' said the doctor, and was preparing toexamine the place when a voice from the studio called:
'Monsieur!'
It was Monsieur Agram's secretary. The magistrate left his post by thebed and went into the studio.
'Monsieur,' said the secretary, 'I have just found this paper under thechair in which Monsieur Dollon was: will you acquaint yourself with itscontents?'
The magistrate seized the paper: it was a letter, couched in thefollowing terms:
_Dear Madame,_
_If you do not fear to climb the heights of Montmartre some evening, will you come to see the painted pottery I am preparing for the Salon: you will be welcome, and will confer on us a great pleasure. I say 'us,' because I have excellent news of Elizabeth, who is returning shortly: perhaps she will be here to receive you with me._
_I am your respectful and devoted_ _Jacques Dollon._
The magistrate was frowning as he handed back the letter to hissecretary, saying: 'Keep it carefully.' Then he went into the bedroom,where the doctor was talking to the invalid. The doctor turned toMonsieur Agram:
'Monsieur Dollon has just asked me who you are: I did not think I oughtto hide from him that you are a superintendent of police, monsieur.'
'Ah!' cried Jacques Dollon. 'Can you help me to discover what happenedto me last night?'
'You have just told us yourself, monsieur,' replied themagistrate.... 'But have you nothing further to tell us? Can you notrecollect whether or no you had a visitor before the arrival of themen who attacked you?'
'Why, no, monsieur, no one called.'
The doctor here intervened:
'The pain in the leg, Monsieur Dollon complained of, need not cause anyanxiety. It is a very slight superficial wound. A slight swelling abovethe broken skin possibly indicates an intra-muscular puncture, whichmight have been made by someone unaccustomed to such operations, for itis a clumsy performance. It is a queer business!...'
Monsieur Agram, who had been steadily observing Jacques Dollon,persisted:
'Is there not a gap, monsieur, in your recollections of whatoccurred?... Were you quite alone yesterday evening? Were you notexpecting anyone?... Are you certain that you did not have a visitor?Did not someone pay you a visit--someone you had asked to come and seeyou?'
Jacques Dollon opened his eyes--eyes of stupefaction--and stared at thesuperintendent:
'No, monsieur.'
'It is that----' went on Monsieur Agram. Then stopping short, anddrawing the doctor aside, he asked:
'Do you consider him in a fit state to bear a severe moral shock?... Aconfrontation?'
'He appears to me to be quite himself again: you can act as you see fit,monsieur.'
Jacques Dollon, astonished at this confabulation, and vaguely uneasy,was, in fact, able to get up without help.
'Be good enough to go into your studio, monsieur,' said the magistrate.
Jacques Dollon complied without a word. No sooner did he cross thethreshold than he recoiled, terror-struck.
He was shaking from head to foot; his lips were quivering; every featureexpressed horrified shrinking from the spectacle confronting him.
'The--the--the Baroness de Vibray!' he barely articulated: 'how can itbe possible?'
The superintendent of police did not lose a single movement made by theyoung painter, keeping a lynx-eyed watch on every expression thatflitted across his countenance. He said:
'It certainly is the Baroness de Vibray, dead--assassinated, no doubt.How do you explain that?'
'But,' retorted Jacques Dollon, who appeared overwhelmed: 'I do notknow! I do not understand!'
The magistrate replied:
'Yet, did you not invite her to your studio? Had you not asked her tocome some evening soon? Had you not certain pieces of painted pottery toshow her?'
'That is so,' confessed the painter: 'but I was not aware.... I did notknow....' He seemed about to faint. The doctor made him sit down in thechair where he had been found unconscious. Whilst he was recovering,Monsieur Agram continued his investigations. He opened a littlecupboard, in which were several poisonous powders: this was shown by thewriting on the flasks containing them. He spoke to the doctor, takingcare that Jacques Dollon should not overhear him:
'Did you not say that this woman's death is due to poison?'
'It certainly looks like it.... A post-mortem will ...'
_The Arrest_
Interrupting the doctor, Monsieur Agram went up to Jacques Dollon:
'In the exercise of your profession, monsieur, do you not make use ofvarious poisons, of which you have a reserve supply here?'
'That is so,' confirmed Jacques Dollon, in a faint voice: 'But it is avery long time since I employed any of them.'
'Very good, monsieur.'
Monsieur Agram now made Madame Beju leave the room. He asked her totransmit an order to his policemen: they were to drive back the crowd.Soon a cab brought by a constable entered the Close, and drew up beforethe door of Number 6.
Jacques Dollon, supported by two people, descended and entered the cab.
Immediately a rumour spread that he had been arrested.
This rumour was correct.
_Our Inquiry--Silence at Police Headquarters--Probable Motives of the Crime_
Such are the details referring to this strange affair, which we havebeen able to procure from those who were present. But the motives whichdetermined the arrest of Monsieur Dollon are obscure.
There are, however, two suspicious facts. The first is the puncture madein Monsieur Jacques Dollon's left leg: this puncture is aggravated by ascratch. According to the doctors, soporific, injected into the humanbody by the de Pravaz syringe, acts violently and efficaciously. It isbeyond a doubt that Monsieur Jacques Dollon has been renderedunconscious in this manner.
To begin with, the painter's first version was considered the true one,namely, that he had been surprised by robbers, who rendered himunconscious; but, on reflection, this explanation would not hold water.Murderous house-thieves do not send people to sleep: they kill them. Addto this that nothing has been stolen from Monsieur Dollon: therefore,mere robbery was not the motive of the crime.
Besides, Monsieur Dollon maintained that he was alone; yet at that timeMadame de Vibray was in his studio, and was there precisely because theartist himself had asked her to come. We know that the Baroness deVibray, who was very wealthy, took a particular interest in this youngman and his sister.
We should consider ourselves to blame, did we not now remind our readersthat the names of those personages--Dollon, Vibray--implicated in thedrama of the rue Norvins, have already figured in the chronicles ofcrimes, both recent and celebrated.
Thus the assassination of the Marquise de Langrune cannot have beenforgotten, an assassination which has remained a mystery, which wasperpetrated a few years ago, and brought into prominence thepersonalities of Monsieur Rambert and the charming ThereseAuvernois....
Madame de Vibray, who has just been so tragically done to death, was anintimate friend of the Marquise de Langrune....
Monsieur Jacques Dollon is a son of Madame de Langrune's old steward....
We do not, of course, pretend to connect, in any way whatever, the dramaof the rue Norvins with the bygone drama which ended in the execution ofGurn,[1] but we cannot pass over in silence the strange coincidencethat, within the space of a few years, the same halo of mysterysurrounds the same group of individuals....
[Footnote 1: See _Fantomas_.]
But let us return to our narrative:
Monsieur Jacques Dollon, interrogated by the superintendent of police,declared that he very rarely made use of the poisons locked up in thelittle cupboard of his studio....
Notwithstanding this, it was discovered, during the course of theperquisition, that one of the phials containing poison had been recentlyopened, and that traces of the powder were still to be found on thefloor. This powder is now being analysed, whilst the faculty are engagedin a post-mortem examination of the unfortunate victim's body; but, atthe present moment, everything leads to the belief that there does notexist an immediate and certain link between this poison and the suddendeath of the Baroness de Vibray.
It might easily be supposed, and this we believe is the view taken atPolice Headquarters, that for a motive as yet unknown, a motive thejudicial examination will certainly bring to light, the artist haspoisoned his patroness; and, in order to put the authorities on thewrong scent (perhaps he hoped she would leave the studio before thedeath-agony commenced), he has devised this species of tableau, inventedthe story of the masked men.
In fact, the doctor who first attended him has declared that thepuncture, clumsily made, might very well have been done by JacquesDollon himself.
It is worth noting that not a soul saw the Baroness de Vibray enterMonsieur Dollon's house yesterday evening: as a rule, she comes in hermotor-car, and all the neighbourhood can hear her arrival.
It seems evident that Jacques Dollon will abandon the line of defence hehas adopted: it can hardly be described as rational.
There is little doubt but that we shall have sensational revelationsregarding the crime of the rue Norvins.
_Last Hour_
Mademoiselle Elizabeth Dollon, to whom Police Headquarters hastelegraphed that a serious accident has happened to her brother, hassent a reply telegram from Lausanne to the effect that she will returnto-night.
The unfortunate girl is probably ignorant of all that has occurred.Nevertheless, we believe that two detectives have left at once for thefrontier, where they will meet her, and shadow her as far as Paris, incase she should get news on the way of what had occurred, and shouldeither attempt to escape, or make an attempt on her life.
Decidedly, to-morrow promises to be a day full of vicissitudes.
* * * * *
This article, published on the first page of _La Capitale_, was signed:
JEROME FANDOR.
Messengers of Evil Page 1