Lupin held him in the air, like a living shield, behind which he hid himself.
“Ten to one that I escape, Ganimard! Lupin, you see, has never quite exhausted his resources—”
He had taken a couple of brisk steps backward to the triptych. Holding Beautrelet with one hand flat against his chest, with the other he cleared the passage and closed the little door behind them.
A steep staircase appeared before their eyes.
“Come along,” said Lupin, pushing Beautrelet before him. “The land forces are beaten—let us turn our attention to the French fleet.—After Waterloo, Trafalgar.—You’re having some fun for your money, eh, my lad?—Oh, how good: listen to them knocking at the triptych now!—It’s too late, my children.—But hurry along, Beautrelet!”
The staircase, dug out in the wall of the Needle, dug in its very crust, turned round and round the pyramid, encircling it like the spiral of a tobogganslide. Each hurrying the other, they clattered down the treads, taking two or three at a bound. Here and there, a ray of light trickled through a fissure; and Beautrelet carried away the vision of the fishing-smacks hovering a few dozen fathoms off, and of the black torpedo-boat.
They went down and down, Isidore in silence, Lupin still bubbling over with merriment:
“I should like to know what Ganimard is doing? Is he tumbling down the other staircases to bar the entrance to the tunnel against me? No, he’s not such a fool as that. He must have left four men there—and four men are sufficient—” He stopped. “Listen—they’re shouting up above. That’s it, they’ve opened the window and are calling to their fleet.—Why, look, the men are busy on board the smacks—they’re exchanging signals.—The torpedo-boat is moving.—Dear old torpedo-boat! I know you, you’re from the Havre.—Guns’ crews to the guns!—Hullo, there’s the commander!—How are you, Duguay-Trouin?”
He put his arm through a cleft and waved his handkerchief. Then he continued his way downstairs:
“The enemy’s fleet have set all sail,” he said. “We shall be boarded before we know where we are. Heavens, what fun!”