# VII: The Profile of Napoleon explained — The Crystal Stopper

> Chapter companion for The Crystal Stopper by Maurice Leblanc.

## What happens

Prasville investigates Daubrecq's kidnapping. Clarisse Mergy introduces her companion, M. Nicole (Lupin in disguise), who deduces from a broken ivory piece that the Marquis d'Albufex is behind the abduction. Prasville agrees to provide information on d'Albufex. Later, Lupin scales a cliff to reach the Lovers' Tower, where Daubrecq is held, and discovers a barred opening.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Identity

Lupin disguises himself as the timid M. Nicole to gain information from Prasville.

### Power and Corruption

The list of the Twenty-Seven and the kidnapping show how political power and blackmail intertwine.

### Fate and Desperation

Lupin's perilous climb reflects his desperation to save Gilbert and recover the stopper.

## Character check-ins

### Prasville

Investigates Daubrecq's kidnapping and interviews Clarisse and M. Nicole.

### Clarisse Mergy

Brings M. Nicole to Prasville and vouches for his assistance.

### Arsène Lupin

Disguised as M. Nicole, he deduces d'Albufex's involvement and later climbs the cliff to the Lovers' Tower.

### Alexis Daubrecq

Kidnapped from his home by four masked men; his study shows signs of struggle.

### D'Albufex

Identified by M. Nicole as the likely fifth man in the kidnapping, based on the broken ivory knob.

### Gilbert

Mentioned as Lupin's motivation for continuing the climb.

## Key lines

> I say! Seems to me you're showing the white feather, Lupin, old boy. Throw up the enterprise? Then Daubrecq will babble his secret, the marquis will possess himself of the list, Lupin will return empty-handed, and Gilbert...

Lupin chides himself for cowardice, realizing that giving up means Daubrecq will reveal the secret, d'Albufex will get the list, and Gilbert will die.

_Lupin's internal motivation during the cliff climb._

> When Napoleon I fell from power, the Restoration placed a certain number of officers on half-pay. These officers were suspected by the authorities and kept under observation by the police. They remained faithful to the emperor's memory; and they contrived to reproduce the features of their idol on all sorts of objects of everyday use; snuffboxes, rings, breastpins, penknives and so on.

M. Nicole explains that after Napoleon's fall, loyal half-pay officers created everyday items bearing his profile.

_Lupin's deduction linking the broken ivory to a half-pay officer's cane._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crystal_stopper_se/chapters/vii-the-profile-of-napoleon
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crystal_stopper_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crystal_stopper_se/chapters