The Triumphs of Eugène Valmont | Page 9

his intention to come alongside the steamer before she left her berth in
Havre harbour, and thus transfer himself and his belongings unperceived by anyone on
watch at the land side of the liner.
All this, of course, was perfectly justifiable, and seemed, in truth, merely a well-laid
scheme for escaping observation. His only danger of being tracked was when he got into
the cab. Once away from the neighbourhood of the Boulevard des Italiens he was
reasonably sure to evade pursuit, and the five minutes which his friend with the pistols
had won for him afforded just the time he needed to get so far as the Place Madeleine,

and after that everything was easy. Yet, if it had not been for those five minutes secured
by coercion, I should not have found the slightest excuse for arresting him. But he was
accessory after the act in that piece of illegality--in fact, it was absolutely certain that he
had been accessory before the act, and guilty of conspiracy with the man who had
presented firearms to the auctioneer's audience, and who had interfered with an officer in
the discharge of his duty by threatening me and my men. So I was now legally in the
right if I arrested every person on board that steam launch.
* * * * *
With a map of the river before me I proceeded to make some calculations. It was now
nearly ten o'clock at night. The launch had had six hours in which to travel at its utmost
speed. It was doubtful if so small a vessel could make ten miles an hour, even with the
current in its favour, which is rather sluggish because of the locks and the level country.
Sixty miles would place her beyond Meulan, which is fifty-eight miles from the Pont
Royal, and, of course, a lesser distance from the Pont de Neuilly. But the navigation of
the river is difficult at all times, and almost impossible after dark. There were chances of
the boat running aground, and then there was the inevitable delay at the locks. So I
estimated that the launch could not yet have reached Meulan, which was less than
twenty-five miles from Paris by rail. Looking up the timetable I saw there were still two
trains to Meulan, the next at 10.25, which reached Meulan at 11.40. I therefore had time
to reach St. Lazare station, and accomplish some telegraphing before the train left.
With three of my assistants I got into a cab and drove to the station. On arrival I sent one
of my men to hold the train while I went into the telegraph office, cleared the wires, and
got into communication with the lock master at Meulan. He replied that no steam launch
had passed down since an hour before sunset. I then instructed him to allow the yacht to
enter the lock, close the upper gate, let half of the water out, and hold the vessel there
until I came. I also ordered the local Meulan police to send enough men to the lock to
enforce this command. Lastly, I sent messages all along the river asking the police to
report to me on the train the passage of the steam launch.
The 10.25 is a slow train, stopping at every station. However, every drawback has its
compensation, and these stoppages enabled me to receive and to send telegraphic
messages. I was quite well aware that I might be on a fool's errand in going to Meulan.
The yacht could have put about before it had steamed a mile, and so returned back to
Paris. There had been no time to learn whether this was so or not if I was to catch the
10.25. Also, it might have landed its passengers anywhere along the river. I may say at
once that neither of these two things happened, and my calculations regarding her
movements were accurate to the letter. But a trap most carefully set may be prematurely
sprung by inadvertence, or more often by the over-zeal of some stupid ass who fails to
understand his instructions, or oversteps them if they are understood. I received a most
annoying telegram from Denouval, a lock about thirteen miles above that of Meulan. The
local policeman, arriving at the lock, found that the yacht had just cleared. The fool
shouted to the captain to return, threatening him with all the pains and penalties of the
law if he refused. The captain did refuse, rung on full speed ahead, and disappeared in the
darkness. Through this well-meant blunder of an understrapper those on board the launch

had received warning that we were on their track. I telegraphed to the lock-keeper at
Denouval to allow no craft to pass toward Paris until further