astrologers worked hand in hand. The positions of planets on certain days were very important. Metals and chemicals were named after heavenly bodies. For instance, mercury—which we use in the laboratory today—was named after the planet Mercury.”
He sketched the symbol and Bess began to giggle. “That’s a sassy-looking sign. It reminds me of a scarecrow with only a smashed-in hat on!”
Everyone laughed, then the teacher continued, “I translated one of Aubert’s letters to mean, ‘Turn all gold to silver quickly with mercury.’ Very odd to correspond in this manner. The writer must also be interested in alchemy.”
Nancy herself had exactly the same idea. Not only was Monsieur Neuf the mysterious chemist, but his brother might be one also! But how did this connect either brother—or both of them—with Monsieur Leblanc’s secret? Was the financier buying up the rights to some important formula concocted by the Aubert twins?
As Nancy was speculating on this, the schoolmaster took up his chalk again. “The story regarding numbers is really quite fascinating,” he said. “Take the 9, which appears so frequently in that other Louis Aubert’s letters. The number was considered a sign of immortality.”
On the board he wrote 9 = 9, and then the number 18. As if he were addressing students, the teacher went on, “The sum of digits in successive multiples of 9 are constant. For instance, if we take 18, which is twice 9, and add 1 plus 8, we get 9.” He grinned. “Who can figure out the next multiple of 9?”
Jokingly George raised her hand. “I feel as though I were back in school,” she said with a laugh. “The third multiple of 9 is 27. The 2 plus the 7 equals 9.”
“Très bien,” the schoolmaster said. “And, Mademoiselle Marvin, how about you answering next?”
“I never was very good at arithmetic,” Bess admitted, giggling. “But I do remember that 4 X 9 is 36. Add the 3 and the 6 and you get 9!”
“Exactly,” said Monsieur Aubert. “This is true all the way to 90. After that, the sums become multiples of 9.”
The girls were fascinated and would have loved to hear more, but Nancy said they had taken up enough of the Auberts’ time.
“We’ve had a wonderful evening,” she added, rising.
Twenty minutes later the girls were back in their hotel. While getting ready for bed, Bess remarked, “I still think Louis Aubert, alias Mr. Nine, has cast some kind of a spell over Monsieur Leblanc. All this alchemy business sounds like black magic.”
George scoffed at the idea. “I think Monsieur Neuf is just a plain crook who’s robbing Monsieur Leblanc unmercifully. All we have to do is prove it.”
“A big order.” Nancy knit her brow. “I feel what we must do now is find Lucille Manon Aubert. I have a hunch she is the key that will unlock at least one mystery.”
The following morning the girls set out early for the Bardot chateau and two hours later pulled into the driveway. Madame Bardot herself opened the door. At once the girls detected a worried expression on her face and sensed that she had bad news for them.
“What is wrong, Madame Bardot?” Nancy asked quickly.
The Frenchwoman’s voice quivered. “My darling poodle Fifi has disappeared!”
“Oh dear!” Bess exclaimed. “You mean she ran away?”
Madame Bardot shook her head. “Fifi was locked in our house and could not possibly have left it of her own accord. But somehow she has just vanished!”
CHAPTER XV
Missing Gold
“POOR Fifi!” cried Bess. “She must have been stolen!”
“But that seems impossible,” said Madame Bardot. “Every window and door on the first floor was locked. If some thief did get in, he must have had a key. But where did he obtain it?”
“Do you mind if we make a thorough search of the house?” Nancy requested.
“Oh, please do. We must find Fifi!” Madame Bardot’s eyes filled with tears.
The group divided up to hunt, but with no success. As time went on,
He sketched the symbol and Bess began to giggle. “That’s a sassy-looking sign. It reminds me of a scarecrow with only a smashed-in hat on!”
Everyone laughed, then the teacher continued, “I translated one of Aubert’s letters to mean, ‘Turn all gold to silver quickly with mercury.’ Very odd to correspond in this manner. The writer must also be interested in alchemy.”
Nancy herself had exactly the same idea. Not only was Monsieur Neuf the mysterious chemist, but his brother might be one also! But how did this connect either brother—or both of them—with Monsieur Leblanc’s secret? Was the financier buying up the rights to some important formula concocted by the Aubert twins?
As Nancy was speculating on this, the schoolmaster took up his chalk again. “The story regarding numbers is really quite fascinating,” he said. “Take the 9, which appears so frequently in that other Louis Aubert’s letters. The number was considered a sign of immortality.”
On the board he wrote 9 = 9, and then the number 18. As if he were addressing students, the teacher went on, “The sum of digits in successive multiples of 9 are constant. For instance, if we take 18, which is twice 9, and add 1 plus 8, we get 9.” He grinned. “Who can figure out the next multiple of 9?”
Jokingly George raised her hand. “I feel as though I were back in school,” she said with a laugh. “The third multiple of 9 is 27. The 2 plus the 7 equals 9.”
“Très bien,” the schoolmaster said. “And, Mademoiselle Marvin, how about you answering next?”
“I never was very good at arithmetic,” Bess admitted, giggling. “But I do remember that 4 X 9 is 36. Add the 3 and the 6 and you get 9!”
“Exactly,” said Monsieur Aubert. “This is true all the way to 90. After that, the sums become multiples of 9.”
The girls were fascinated and would have loved to hear more, but Nancy said they had taken up enough of the Auberts’ time.
“We’ve had a wonderful evening,” she added, rising.
Twenty minutes later the girls were back in their hotel. While getting ready for bed, Bess remarked, “I still think Louis Aubert, alias Mr. Nine, has cast some kind of a spell over Monsieur Leblanc. All this alchemy business sounds like black magic.”
George scoffed at the idea. “I think Monsieur Neuf is just a plain crook who’s robbing Monsieur Leblanc unmercifully. All we have to do is prove it.”
“A big order.” Nancy knit her brow. “I feel what we must do now is find Lucille Manon Aubert. I have a hunch she is the key that will unlock at least one mystery.”
The following morning the girls set out early for the Bardot chateau and two hours later pulled into the driveway. Madame Bardot herself opened the door. At once the girls detected a worried expression on her face and sensed that she had bad news for them.
“What is wrong, Madame Bardot?” Nancy asked quickly.
The Frenchwoman’s voice quivered. “My darling poodle Fifi has disappeared!”
“Oh dear!” Bess exclaimed. “You mean she ran away?”
Madame Bardot shook her head. “Fifi was locked in our house and could not possibly have left it of her own accord. But somehow she has just vanished!”
CHAPTER XV
Missing Gold
“POOR Fifi!” cried Bess. “She must have been stolen!”
“But that seems impossible,” said Madame Bardot. “Every window and door on the first floor was locked. If some thief did get in, he must have had a key. But where did he obtain it?”
“Do you mind if we make a thorough search of the house?” Nancy requested.
“Oh, please do. We must find Fifi!” Madame Bardot’s eyes filled with tears.
The group divided up to hunt, but with no success. As time went on,
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