Chapter 11 1. Forville's chance

The atmosphere at lunch was very lively. Five people ate together, only one of them spoke, two listened and laughed, and the other two remained silent. The so-called lively was roughly that. On her return from Sicily, Nathalie Manoelsen stayed at the most luxurious and modern Hotel de Paris on the Champs-Élysées, where she ate in the suite she had been renting for six weeks.There were Maxime Duthierre, his two girlfriends, the sisters Henriette and Janine, and Forville.Of course, it was Maxime Duthierre who was talking, and his two girlfriends who were laughing.Natalie is preoccupied.Falwell became huffed and silent.

Maxim's enthusiasm remained undiminished from the beginning to the end. He ate and drank big cups, and he chatted endlessly before anyone asked questions. "May I have some more lobster? Seriously! Once upon a time, as I remember, I used to be on a diet of toast and pasta. This is the end! Maxime Duthier forced himself to go on until now, Drink more when you get the chance. Hygiene, fresh air, physical exercise, total movement, that's his motto. My savior? Uh! Alan Rock, of course!" He raised his glass and proposed: "Cheers to the physical fitness teacher, coach, criminal killer, and Alan Rock!"

Nathalie agreed absent-mindedly: "Really, Maxime, he's changed you." "He turned me into a real human being." "What were you?..." asked Henriette. "I was once a coward, a wretch." "What a miracle!" Natalie said. "The miracle started when I went to Sicily several times. I realized my value. I took two men - Henriette and Janina. I discovered all kinds of clues and understood Alan Rock's thoughts. .” "You have very good eyesight!" said Janine. "It's unprecedented! Anyone I meet on the street, I just take a look and write it down. Crack! That's it. My head is a Kodak camera. Physical features. Master. Digital printing. I don't care. One, record everything."

"We are the ones in charge," Janine pointed out. "I sort the cards." "And me, I'll file it." "Maxim Services," Maxim said loudly, "private detective agency. The police above the law." "How is it that you married both of us?" asked Janine. "Bosses don't marry their subordinates. I can provide you with a husband. That's it. A luxurious husband. Henriette, a gentleman robber; Janine, a condemned prisoner. Oh! Fiery." life!" "Still the target?" Natalie asked. "Catch Jericho. What else can you do with Aaron Rock? Pirate Jericho, heinous Jericho... Jericho who makes you restless."

"Is there any progress?" "It will take a few more hours." "Ok?" "Yes, a few more hours." "Well, what's going to happen in a few hours?" "This play, that is to say, the intrigues woven around you, without whom you would be a poor victim, will be performed in two acts, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening." "But, you keep everything from me!" "Why should you be alarmed? Activists don't tell the truth. They take action. Only you know the hardships of preparation and the anxiety that comes with the unexpected."

"That is to say, there are still unpredictable elements?" "No. Everything is measured in millimeters and milligrams. Otherwise, can I chat here?" "This is truly liberating!" Natalie exclaimed. "So, today, June fourteenth..." "Today, the fourteenth of June, is the day of the finale. Your enemies will lay down their arms and Jericho will be knocked to the ground." "Can I see these two big events?" she said with a smile. "certainly." "Then I have been summoned to be present?" "Another person was summoned."

"Where to go?" "Tonight, here." "What about this afternoon?" "Secret, I can't say it for now." "You know, I have to go out today. A friend is sick. She has someone to call me. I have to go to Versailles to see her." "From what time to what time?" "From four to eight." "It happened to be an intermission, and it didn't conflict with my programming. Well, let's get started, and there are a few last details to deal with. My two little boys, Henriette, Janina, shall we go? " As soon as they got to the door, he stopped them and said, "Ah! I forgot one thing. Alan Rock will come here."

"Alan Rock?" Natalie said, frowning. "Without him, the play would not have been possible." "Does he come in the afternoon and evening?" "Yes, and at a time when he is indispensable! It's called heaven!" Maxim walked back to Nathalie and whispered to her: "I laugh, my dear friend, because laughter is my smile." A habit, a habit that will not be changed even in the face of great danger. But, listen to me, you have to be prepared for everything." She felt the weight of his words, but she still couldn't help laughing up. "Maxim, I'm all ready."

"See you later, Natalie. See you later, Falwell." Falwell said nothing.Maxim put on a coat over his fine suit. The coat was too long and out of date. He turned up the collar and took an old hat from his pocket.He put his hat down so low that it almost covered his eyes, and, smoking his pipe, he turned to Forville and shouted: "Long live Alan-Rock!" Then, he pushed the two men out and left. "What a clown!" Forville muttered in a low voice. Natalie closed the door, rang the bell for the waiter, and ordered the table to be removed.Falville was silent, and she ignored her, just lay down on a bench and lit a cigarette.

After a while, seeing that she ignored her, Fauville was so angry that he deliberately knocked on a small one-legged round table next to him with his fingers.Natalie watched the rising smoke.He got up and walked around the room, stomping the floorboards.A few minutes passed like this.The silence finally became unbearable for him, and he decided to break the silence.So he picked up a newspaper, glanced at it, and said, "Another burglary... Well, it's in this hotel! Just be careful, Natalie. Look for a big hotel like that." Living in resting places often encounters unexpected dangers. For example, like that door... You see it is locked. And it is bolted, and you think it is safe. But, you don’t know if there is a door behind the door? There is a villain hiding, waiting for you... The newspapers have daily news to prove it."

He pointed to the article and continued reading its headlines. "A burglary at the Hotel de Paris . . . Two million dollars worth of jewels were stolen from an American guest. With the assistance of Baron Allen, the robber was captured." Natalie helped him name the baron in a mocking tone: "With the assistance of Baron Allen Rock." He waved his hand angrily.But she refused to let it go: "Forwell, you are out of luck. During the whole lunch, Maxime and his two friends kept talking about Alan Rock. You open the newspaper and drop The first name under your nose . . . is Alan Rock again." He continued pacing the room, becoming more and more nervous, murmuring: "What is he doing here again? He's walking in the corridors, wandering around the hotel. I've seen him no less than ten times. Why is he?" "Everyone has the right to walk around my hotel, and Alan Rock is no exception." "Alan Rock is more empowered." "More powerful, why?" "Because he cares about you! . . . he's in charge of your defense! He's protecting you! He's hunting down your so-called enemies! Ah! the wretch! Unknown, swindler, low-level wizard . . . Paris continued to play the role of Gagliostro the great adventurer, to the admiration of the sartorial crowd. The newspapers sold his deeds and myths. One day he threw himself on a galloping horse. The next day, He jumped into the Seine to rescue an old lady. Grandstander stuff." Natalie was very calm and said, "Saving the old lady is considered grandstanding?" "Of course, if it's just pretending to be seen by others." "You are really difficult to deal with." "Ah!" he said, "because I feel that you are completely confused." "I'm confused?" "Yes. Your whole person has changed suddenly. Your expression, smile, tone of voice, attitude, everything about you is different from before." "Envy has driven you out of your senses, my poor Fauville," she said with great indulgence. "You clearly know that Alan Rock never came to visit me at all. We only met twice in the lobby of the hotel. I was with you at the time. He at most said hello to me." "Ah! That's the point. Why is he so reserved? Who forbids him to come and talk to you in a fair manner?" "You can ask him," Natalie retorted. "His scrupulousness is really impolite, and I agree with you, but it has nothing to do with me. Besides, I don't care. He's a queer man, and I honestly think he's rather annoying." "On the face of it," Forville responded, his heart becoming more and more agitated. "But deep down, you're excited, you're restrained, and I can tell intuitively that you're so excited, it's as if the wave of a magic wand has changed your nature and destroyed your perfect psychological balance. Yes, I know that, Natalie, I'm a fool to say this to you. Do I need to tell you?" He continued jokingly: "I admit, I was really impressed by his deeds. Rescuing the old woman from the water... subduing the runaway horse... "You make a fuss about everything, Natalie. Well, yes, that night, when he and Maxim went into the restaurant, and you and I were eating downstairs, I saw the corners of your mouth twitch and your eyes shine. I'm not saying you love him..." "Why not?" "No, a woman like you would not love such a man. But he annoys you more than love. You have been under his bad influence, and from your time at the Villa Mirador It started from the first minute we met." "That's right, the evil effect was revealed immediately. The ghost is obsessed with...drinking the soup of fascination." "Exactly," said Falville sullenly, "... this potion of ecstasy has made you lose your mind. Otherwise, after a day's interval, would you have escaped with this bastard?" "Me, did I run away with Alan Rock?" Falwell waved his clenched fist. "Ah! what happened in those few days in Sicily? It makes me so angry to think about it, the story of Pascaella, the mad sister and the Greek, Jericho, Boniface, your supposedly assassinated Father, how many lies, how many dramatic mutations, all designed to confuse you and blindfold you! Ah! Yes, a grandstanding clown, a good showman, plus the trick of memory loss and forgetting the past. A no Man of the past, how much it spices up a thrilling tale! Certainly he is far superior to a pirate to a romantic-minded woman!" Natalie was getting impatient. "Have you said enough?" she said curtly. "I can understand jealousy and unfair talk, but I don't allow people to insult me." Falwell showed no sign of weakness. "What can I do! I'd rather it be over." "What do you mean by closing?" Natalie said angrily. "Ending is asking you to make a choice." "I don't have a choice." "Yes, the choice is between him and me. We are almost engaged. Although you have not promised me explicitly, but I have the right to hope. If you finally decide to say no, please feel free Just say it. I’m fine with anything, I just don’t like this kind of situation.” She didn't answer, but gave him a defiant look, with a slight smile on her face, so stern that he was suddenly terrified of what she was about to say, of the inevitable rupture between them. , although deep down in his heart he was convinced of it.In order to prevent an immediate break, he murmured: "Needless to say... I know... I know..." He stood very close to her, trembling all over, very nervous: "Ah!" he said, "How can I get rid of your arrogance? Really, sometimes I think maybe the only way is to do it hard." She stepped back slightly, immediately adopting a defensive posture.He whispered at the side: "Yes, one day, you said to me: I am very proud of myself, and I am very personal. If someone kisses me forcefully or secretly, I will feel that this is a disgraceful thing. Accept the fact of failure. So... I sometimes think... I think... ah! Force you... to overwhelm your will." He really got excited and grabbed her by the shoulders.She didn't change her expression, she didn't believe that he would dare to speak and act.However, he was already unaware of what he was doing, he just tried to hug her with all his strength, and put his face close to hers. Terrified, she stretched her arms against him.He bent her elbow all at once, embraced her upper body which was leaning back, and held her tightly in his arms, his mouth almost touched her mouth which was desperately dodging around.In the end, she yelled twice in madness: "Alan Rock!...Alan Rock!..." This happened in a matter of seconds, in the midst of violent chaos.Nathalie's yell and Falwell's attack were almost equally involuntary actions.Surprised, the room became silent for a moment.Falwell slowly let go of his hand, and Natalie was freed from it. His face showed an expression of anxious waiting, as if he really believed that Alan Rock would appear at the door soon.Out of the instinct for help, he summoned an opponent who was hidden somewhere, like the one who would emerge at any time from behind the walls of Villa Mirador. Highly nervous, at this moment he laughed. "You see, he really protects me, poor Forville. His name is enough to ward off evil... Ah! You are a funny man! You look so frightened!" He walked towards her angrily. "Am I afraid of this robber? Impossible. But, Natalie, I understand now how much he means to you. When you are in danger, he is the first thing you think of to save you! What you blurted out was him." name! How dare you say you don't care about him?" He was so angry that he couldn't speak, gasped and gasped, and his face was very ugly.Natalie rang the bell. "Hey! What are you doing?" cried Falville. She laughed even harder. "Don't worry. I'm not ringing the bell for him. I'm calling for the maid." "What did you call her for?" "My God, I asked her to show you the way out." "Oh! Don't do it so badly." He muttered vaguely. There was the sound of a maid knocking on the door.Natalie hesitated.She figured it would be enough if she wasn't alone and Falville knew that.So she opened the door and said simply, "Susan, call the garage and ask them to send a car at four o'clock." "Yes, miss." Then, it was time for her to go back to her room.Falwell calmed down a little on the surface, trying to block her way. "You'll never forgive me, will you?" She made a dismissive gesture and replied, "Why don't you forgive me? You were so ridiculous just now, so that's all." "So I can see you again?" "My God, I can't guarantee that." He insisted: "Yes, absolutely, you can guarantee... I hope there is a guarantee, at least a clear answer, I ask you, can I still see you, can or can't?" "No," she said, standing in the doorway. His anger came up again. "Because of the man, isn't it? Is it because of the bastard? ... Wait a minute, Natalie. We can't break up like this ... We haven't said everything we need to say." "All that needs to be said has been said." "Stop, Natalie, if you don't make it clear today, our conversation will continue in the future, and it will continue under very bad circumstances for you. What I said is true!  …" "I'm not afraid of you." "Probably because of his protection, isn't it?" "Who?" She slammed the door shut.He heard the turning of the key and the locking of the latch. "Ah! It's your fault!" he whispered, raising his fist as if to smash the wooden sign on the door. "I didn't make up my mind to act just now. But, it's your fault! What happens in the future is all your own." He was walking out and saw a picture of Alan Rock in the newspaper and thought, "Besides, it's time to wrap up anyway. The bastard's out in the dark and he doesn't know what the hell he's up to. If you don't want to be left behind by him..." He went out. Taxi stops outside the hotel.He said hello to one of the drivers, and when he got into the car, he said: "Versailles, take the road of Ville-du-Fry." The taxi drove away, and a young man wearing a peaked cap and tucking his head into the collar of his coat, who seemed to be waiting on the side of the road, heard what he said.He hurried to a car parked on a nearby road, and there was a person in the car. "Alan Rock, our estimate is correct, they are scheduled to act today." "He went to Versailles?" "yes." "Everything went well. Which way did he go?" "The one through Ville-du-Fry." "From Sevres. We can get there before him." Baron Allen-Rock added: "Ah! Maxim, I like this operation very much. Not to mention that we have taken another step towards the truth!..."