The Nyctalope vs Lucifer 3: The Triumph of the Nyctalope by Jean de La Hire

Author:Jean de La Hire
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Coat Press
Published: 2013-08-09T00:00:00+00:00

XI. Professor Lourmel’s Idea

On the outskirts of the station, Leo Saint-Clair saw Professor Lourmel running towards him.

“Something new, Professor?” the Nyctalope said.

“As regards events, no. In my head, yes.” Taking Saint-Clair by the arm, the Professor spoke rapidly, while continuing to walk with him towards the buildings. “My dear friend, cast your mind back to the point you were at when, in the council, you envisaged what we might do with Laurence if your diva, in accordance with Rupert VI’s revelations, were to be hypnotized and subject to Lucifer’s suggestive influence.”

“I remember,” said the Nyctalope.

“You said then...?”

“I said, in effect: We’ll let him play the enemy, let him plant a suggestion in Laure’s mind, and we’ll listen to what he inspires you to tell us. As we’re now forewarned and won’t be fooled, perhaps what you say to me will be useful rather than inimical. That’s what I said.”

Lourmel cut him off abruptly. “No!”

“What do you mean, no?” said Saint-Clair, astonished.

“You’ll see. How do you know that Lucifer, hypnotizing Laurence at a distance, won’t be able to read the young woman’s thoughts as well? How do you know that he won’t learn by that means everything she knows about our plans–your plan, your imminent action?”

“Oh! That’s true!” said the Nyctalope, shivering.

“I think so too–so it’s necessary to modify it. It’s necessary to do something other than what you supposed then.”

“How?”

“Very simply. Since Lucifer intends to make use of Laurence or Rupert VI, let’s remove Rupert VI and Laurence from his as-yet-limited power. We know all about Lucifer, the Teledynamo and Fort Warteck. We even know that the accursed von Warteck will inform us, via Laurence or Rupert, that Irène, Henri and the Lampas are at the submarine station. What good does it do, then, to leave Laurence and Rupert at his disposition? That might be useful to him, but it is not useful to us.”

“So?”

“So, enclose Laurence and Rupert in the radioactive bell-jar. Then, when he seeks to plant suggestions in their minds, Lucifer will not find them–just as, previously, there was an interval in which he could no longer find Hunter.”

“True again–very true!” Saint-Clair said, approvingly. “But you can’t keep them in the atmosphere of the bell-jar indefinitely. Exactly when, and for how long...?”

“That objection’s anticipated. Since you agree with me, I’ll take Laurence aboard the Uberalles immediately. She and Rupert will be in the cabin where the bell-jar is, with me keeping a close watch on them. As soon as one or other of them betrays Lucifer’s magnetic influence by their attitude, I’ll put them in the bell-jar!”

Despite the seriousness of these conjectures, Saint-Clair could not help smiling, and his smile broadened as a thought struck him. “My dear Professor,” he said, “I agree entirely, Yes, that’s what we must do. It’s all the more necessary to do it because it gives us a good reason for preventing Laure from taking part in my expedition against Fort Warteck. She is absolutely determined to come. How could I oppose

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