Chapter 2
Before achieving global renown, Inspector Victor—whose real name was Victor Hautin—was a skilled but cantankerous and unpredictable detective within the Brigade mondaine. He treated police work almost like a hobby, operating with a highly eccentric style that occasionally drew public scrutiny and press criticism. According to a confidential note from M. Gautier, the Director of the Judicial Police, Victor was the son of a prosecutor from Toulouse and had spent a significant portion of his earlier life in the colonies. His career in colonial administration was marred by personal scandals involving the seduction of wives and daughters, which ultimately barred him from higher administrative positions despite his competence in handling delicate and perilous missions. After inheriting a substantial fortune, a matured Victor sought to occupy his leisure time by joining the police force, where he became highly valued by his superiors for his discretion, lack of personal ambition, and effectiveness, despite his stubborn and independent nature.
Initially, Victor's reputation remained confined to a narrow circle of colleagues and superiors. His true rise to prominence occurred only when he was pitted against the extraordinary and formidable master thief, Arsène Lupin. This confrontation centered around a dark and complex case involving the theft of National Defense Bonds and the double murder of Father Lescot and Élise Masson. The formidable nature of his opponent seemed to elevate the old inspector’s existing skills to their absolute peak. Victor engaged in a relentless, bitter, and fierce struggle against Lupin, moving from the shadows into the public eye. Ultimately, the investigation culminated in an unexpected and dramatic twist that simultaneously enhanced Lupin’s legendary prestige and immortalized Victor's name across the world.
Chapter 4
This text introduces Victor of the Vice Squad, an inspector who achieved international renown following the theft of the National Defense Bonds, the double murder of Father Lescot and Élise Masson, and his relentless struggle against the legendary thief Arsène Lupin.
Prior to these defining events, Victor was known among his colleagues and the press as a highly skilled yet unpredictable, cunning, and bad-tempered veteran policeman. He treated his duties almost like a hobby, working only when it pleased him, and frequently drew scrutiny for his highly unconventional and imaginative methods.
To address complaints about Victor's behavior, M. Gautier, the Director of the Judicial Police, submitted a confidential note to the Prefect defending his subordinate. The note reveals that Victor’s real name is Victor Hautin, the son of a public prosecutor who passed away in Toulouse forty years prior. Victor spent a significant portion of his life working in the colonies. While he was recognized as an excellent official capable of handling the most delicate and perilous missions, his career was frequently disrupted. He faced constant transfers due to numerous scandals involving the seduction of married women and the abduction of young girls. These personal indiscretions ultimately blocked him from rising to higher administrative ranks.
As the years passed, Victor grew calmer and inherited a substantial fortune. Looking to occupy his leisure time, he used a recommendation from Gautier's cousin in Madagascar to secure a position under Gautier. Despite his advanced age, excessive independence, and touchy temperament, Gautier valued him as a highly discreet, reliable, and unpretentious asset who sought neither ambition nor publicity.
Initially, Victor's reputation remained confined to a small circle of superiors and peers. His breakthrough into the public eye occurred only when he was suddenly pitted against the extraordinary and formidable Arsène Lupin, whose involvement turned the dark National Defense Bonds case into a highly publicized affair. The appearance of such a prodigious adversary seemed to instantly push the old inspector’s remarkable abilities to their absolute peak. Victor pursued an intense, devious, and implacable hatred against Lupin, fighting first in the shadows and later in the public eye. Ultimately, the unexpected and theatrical climax of this investigation cemented the global fame of Victor of the Vice Squad while simultaneously enhancing the prestige of Arsène Lupin.
