Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
Thisstatementmaybeliterallytranslatedasfollows:
"ItisnotoutofmereprideorboastingthatIgivethisinformation,for,ifthatweremyobject,Icouldtelladozenactionsofminewhicharequiteassplendid;butIdoitinorderthatcertaingentlemeninParismayunderstandthatI,whoamableheretotellaboutthefateofMonsieurCaratal,canalsotellinwhoseinterestandatwhoserequestthedeedwasdone,unlessthereprievewhichIamawaitingcomestomeveryquickly.Takewarning,messieurs,beforeitistoolate!YouknowHerbertdeLernac,andyouareawarethathisdeedsareasreadyashiswords.Hastenthen,oryouarelost!
"AtpresentIshallmentionnonames—ifyouonlyheardthenames,whatwouldyounotthink!—butIshallmerelytellyouhowcleverlyIdidit.Iwastruetomyemployersthen,andnodoubttheywillbetruetomenow.Ihopeso,anduntilIamconvincedthattheyhavebetrayedme,thesenames,whichwouldconvulseEurope,shallnotbedivulged.Butonthatday...well,Isaynomore!
"Inaword,then,therewasafamoustrialinParis,intheyear1890,inconnectionwithamonstrousscandalinpoliticsandfinance.Howmonstrousthatscandalwascanneverbeknownsavebysuchconfidentialagentsasmyself.ThehonourandcareersofmanyofthechiefmeninFrancewereatstake.Youhaveseenagroupofninepinsstanding,allsorigid,andprim,andunbending.Thentherecomestheballfromfarawayandpop,pop,pop—thereareyourninepinsonthefloor.
