I have attempted to relate in detail the affairs aboard the Provence thus far. In light of the circumstances, I was not surprised that, after Lady Jerland’s jewels were stolen, all eyes shifted to Monsieur Rozaine. Everyone thought the captain would detain Rozaine (who surely had to be Lupin) for the remainder of the voyage. But to our amazement, the next day Rozaine was walking around a free man.
"What do you mean he’s been released?" barked Lady Jerland.
"His documents show that he is who he says he is," I explained. "And he did not have a wound on his right arm. The captain had no evidence to arrest him."
"Documents!" exclaimed Lady Jerland. "Lupin could furnish as many documents as might be desired!"
Soon after the theft, Rozaine announced a reward of ten thousand francs for the capture of Lupin.
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"If no one assists me," declared Rozaine, "I will find the scoundrel myself."
"Ah, Rozaine against Arsène Lupin, or rather, according to popular opinion, Arsène Lupin against himself," I thought. "The contest promises to be interesting."
The captain and crew displayed admirable tenacity as they ransacked every cabin, leaving no stone unturned. The jewels had to be concealed somewhere aboard ship.
All was quiet for the next few days. Miss Nelly and I watched as Rozaine searched everywhere, even in the life jackets stored under the lifeboats.
"What does he hope to find?" whispered Miss Nelly. "Does Lupin have magical powers to shrink himself to the size of a rat? Or would he be foolish enough to hide the jewels in plain view?"
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"If I were Rozaine, I would examine the lining of our hats, the hems of skirts, and everything we carry with us," I said, holding up my camera as an example. "Within a device as compact as this, a person could hide jewels. He could pretend to take pictures and nobody would suspect a thing."
"But even the cleverest of thieves must leave some clue behind," Miss Nelly insisted.
"Generally speaking, perhaps," I replied. "But with one exception: Lupin."
"Why must he be excluded?" demanded Miss Nelly.
"Because most thieves concentrate on the theft and carelessly leave behind some trace of themselves. Lupin, however, focuses on all the circumstances that could somehow serve as a clue to his identity," I explained. "That is why no one has been able to catch him. They don’t know who he is!"
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"Earlier you were so confident that you could discover the identity of Lupin, Monsieur d’Andrézy," Miss Nelly remarked.
"Indeed, I was," I admitted, "but since I have seen him at work, I think we are wasting our time."
The investigation into Lady Jerland’s stolen jewels resulted in disappointment. In the meantime the captain’s watch was stolen too. Furious, the captain once again turned his attention to Rozaine. The next evening, however, Rozaine’s claim of innocence was justified. An officer on deck heard groans coming from under the lifeboats. He found Rozaine tied up, his head wrapped in a scarf, and with a card that revealed the perpetrator pinned to his coat. It read: Arsène Lupin gladly accepts the ten thousand francs offered by Monsieur Rozaine. As for the captain, he should ask his second officer for the time of day. Rozaine’s wallet was empty, and the captain later found his watch inside the officer’s quarters.
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Arsène Lupin was now anybody and everybody. Fear permeated the ship as people prayed for the remainder of the voyage to pass without further incident.
I, on the other hand, was probably the only passenger to benefit from the near-panic on the ship. It brought Miss Nelly and me closer together. She was afraid and mistrusted others, so I availed myself of her companionship throughout the ordeal. Miss Nelly and I shared many delightful hours together. She spoke fondly of her world travels, and I took photos of her with my camera.
And now we waited anxiously as the Provence approached the shores of America.
"Monsieur d’Andrézy," Miss Nelly cried breathlessly, "it appears we have a welcoming committee." She pointed to a group of uniformed officers standing on the dock. As the Provence pulled in, the officers separated to allow one man to walk through. I gasped.
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"You are pale, monsieur." Miss Nelly grabbed my right arm. I flinched but managed to suppress a cry of pain.
"Do you see that little man?" I pointed and then handed my camera to her.
"The one wearing the green coat and carrying an umbrella?" said Miss Nelly.
"That very one. He is the famous Detective Ganimard," I replied.
"Ganimard?" repeated Miss Nelly.
"Yes, the detective who has dedicated his life to capturing Arsène Lupin," I continued. "That can mean only one thing . . ."
"He will arrest Lupin?" Miss Nelly asked excitedly.
I shrugged. "No doubt Lupin already knows his enemy is here. He will be in no hurry to leave the ship."
The passengers walked down the gangway, but Ganimard appeared to pay no attention to the crowd disembarking from the ship.
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Even Rozaine walked off without a glance from the detective.
"Who could Lupin be?" Miss Nelly wondered aloud, scrutinizing the few faces that remained on deck. The captain signaled for Miss Nelly and me to walk down the gangway next. We had not taken more than ten steps when Ganimard blocked our way.
"A moment, please," he said.
"What is the meaning of this, officer?" I demanded.
"You know well what the meaning is"—here Ganimard paused—"Monsieur Lupin."
I laughed loudly. "You are mistaken, sir. I am Bernard d’Andrézy. I believe Lupin was sailing under a name beginning with R."
Ganimard smiled coldly. "That telegram was a clever trick. It deceived everyone but me. I am well acquainted with your tactics, Lupin, and now your time is up."
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"Stop," Miss Nelly said. "Monsieur d’Andrézy is a gentleman."
"Bernard d’Andrézy died three years ago," said Ganimard, and he raised his umbrella and struck my right arm with it.
I cried out in pain. The wound had not yet healed and began to bleed again. I had no choice but to surrender.
"Yes, I am the man you are looking for. However, what evidence do you have that I committed any crime?" I turned to Miss Nelly. Our eyes locked, and she glanced at the camera in her hand. She now understood what was inside the camera.
"I am confident we will find what we are looking for," Ganimard said, his face close to mine.
Miss Nelly walked past the detective and me, and then suddenly she seemed to trip. Faking awkwardness, she let the camera fall into the water between the ship and the pier.
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Then she walked down the gangway and was quickly lost in the crowd. She had passed out of my life forever.
I turned to Ganimard and said, "It is indeed a shame that I am not an honest man."
This is the story Arsène Lupin told me of his arrest. We are friends, and he occasionally comes to see me, bringing his youthful spirit with him. I have seen him twenty times, and each time, he is a different person. As I sit here organizing my notes, I plan to one day publish the affairs of this gentleman burglar. I hope the public will be able to refer to my work and say: "Arsène Lupin did that!" Now let me share with you what happened to Lupin in prison.