the mystery of the yellow room-第14章
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waiting below。
The family doctor； finding that Mademoiselle Stangerson was much
better； but fearing a relapse which would no longer permit of her
being questioned； had thought it his duty to inform the examining
magistrate of this； who decided to proceed immediately with a brief
examination。 At this examination； the Registrar； Monsieur
Stangerson； and the doctor were present。 Later； I obtained the text
of the report of the examination； and I give it here； in all its
legal dryness：
〃Question。 Are you able； mademoiselle； without too much fatiguing
yourself； to give some necessary details of the frightful attack of
which you have been the victim？
〃Answer。 I feel much better； monsieur； and I will tell you all I
know。 When I entered my chamber I did not notice anything unusual
there。
〃Q。 Excuse me； mademoiselle； … if you will allow me； I will ask you
some questions and you will answer them。 That will fatigue you less
than making a long recital。
〃A。 Do so； monsieur。
〃Q。 What did you do on that day？ … I want you to be as minute and
precise as possible。 I wish to know all you did that day； if it is
not asking too much of you。
〃A。 I rose late； at ten o'clock； for my father and I had returned
home late on the night previously； having been to dinner at the
reception given by the President of the Republic； in honour of the
Academy of Science of Philadelphia。 When I left my chamber； at
half…past ten； my father was already at work in the laboratory。 We
worked together till midday。 We then took half…an…hour's walk in
the park； as we were accustomed to do； before breakfasting at the
chateau。 After breakfast； we took another walk for half an hour；
and then returned to the laboratory。 There we found my chambermaid；
who had come to set my room in order。 I went into The Yellow Room
to give her some slight orders and she directly afterwards left the
pavilion； and I resumed my work with my father。 At five o'clock；
we again went for a walk in the park and afterward had tea。
〃Q。 Before leaving the pavilion at five o'clock； did you go into your
chamber？
〃A。 No； monsieur； my father went into it； at my request to bring
me my hat。
〃Q。 And he found nothing suspicious there？
〃A。 Evidently no； monsieur。
〃0。 It is； then； almost certain that the murderer was not yet
concealed under the bed。 When you went out； was the door of the
room locked？
〃A。 No； there was no reason for locking it。
〃Q。 You were absent from the pavilion some length of time； Monsieur
Stangerson and you？
〃A。 About an hour。
〃Q。 It was during that hour； no doubt； that the murderer got into
the pavilion。 But how？ Nobody knows。 Footmarks have been found
in the park； leading away from the window of the vestibule； but none
has been found going towards it。 Did you notice whether the
vestibule window was open when you went out？
〃A。 I don't remember。
〃Monsieur Stangerson。 It was closed。
〃Q。 And when you returned？
〃Mademoiselle Stangerson。 I did not notice。
〃M。 Stangerson。 It was still closed。 I remember remarking aloud：
'Daddy Jacques must surely have opened it while we were away。'
〃Q。 Strange！ … Do you recollect； Monsieur Stangerson； if during
your absence； and before going out； he had opened it？ You returned
to the laboratory at six o'clock and resumed work？
〃Mademoiselle Stangerson。 Yes； monsieur。
〃Q。 And you did not leave the laboratory from that hour up to the
moment when you entered your chamber？
〃M。 Stangerson。 Neither my daughter nor I； monsieur。 We were
engaged on work that was pressing； and we lost not a moment；
… neglecting everything else on that account。
〃Q。 Did you dine in the laboratory？
〃A。 For that reason。
〃Q。 Are you accustomed to dine in the laboratory？
〃A。 We rarely dine there。
〃Q。 Could the murderer have known that you would dine there that
evening？
〃M。 Stangerson。 Good Heavens！ … I think not。 It was only when
we returned to the pavilion at six o'clock； that we decided； my
daughter and I； to dine there。 At that moment I was spoken to by
my gamekeeper； who detained me a moment； to ask me to accompany
him on an urgent tour of inspection in a part of the woods which I
had decided to thin。 I put this off until the next day； and begged
him； as he was going by the chateau； to tell the steward that we
should dine in the laboratory。 He left me； to execute the errand
and I rejoined my daughter； who was already at work。
〃Q。 At what hour； mademoiselle； did you go to your chamber while
your father continued to work there？
〃A。 At midnight。
〃Q。 Did Daddy Jacques enter The Yellow Room in the course of
the evening？
〃A。 To shut the blinds and light the night…light。
〃Q。 He saw nothing suspicious？
〃A。 He would have told us if he had seen。 Daddy Jacques is an
honest man and very attached to me。
〃Q。 You affirm； Monsieur Stangerson； that Daddy Jacques remained
with you all the time you were in the laboratory？
〃M。 Stangerson。 I am sure of it。 I have no doubt of that。
〃Q。 When you entered your chamber； mademoiselle； you immediately
shut the door and locked and bolted it？ That was taking unusual
precautions； knowing that your father and your servant were there？
Were you in fear of something； then？
〃A。 My father would be returning to the chateau and Daddy Jacques
would be going to his bed。 And； in fact； I did fear something。
〃Q。 You were so much in fear of something that you borrowed Daddy
Jacques's revolver without telling him you had done so？
〃A。 That is true。 I did not wish to alarm anybody； … the more；
because my fears might have proved to have been foolish。
〃Q。 What was it you feared？
〃A。 I hardly know how to tell you。 For several nights； I seemed
to hear； both in the park and out of the park； round the pavilion；
unusual sounds； sometimes footsteps； at other times the cracking
of branches。 The night before the attack on me； when I did not
get to bed before three o'clock in the morning； on our return from
the Elysee； I stood for a moment before my window； and I felt sure
I saw shadows。
〃Q。 How many？
〃A。 Two。 They moved round the lake； … then the moon became clouded
and I lost sight of them。 At this time of the season； every year； I
have generally returned to my apartment in the chateau for the
winter； but this year I said to myself that I would not quit the
pavilion before my father had finished the resume of his works on
the 'Dissociation of Matter' for the Academy。 I did not wish that
that important work； which was to have been finished in the course
of a few days； should be delayed by a change in our daily habit。
You can well understand that I did not wish to speak of my childish
fears to my father； nor did I say anything to Daddy Jacques who； I
knew； would not have been able to hold his tongue。 Knowing that he
had a revolver in his room； I took advantage of his absence and
borrowed it； placing it in the drawer of my night…table。
〃Q。 You know of no enemies you have？
〃A。 None。
〃Q。 You understand； mademoiselle； that these precautions are
calculated to cause surprise？
〃M。 Stangerson。 Evidently； my child； such precautions are very
surprising。
〃A。 No； … because I have told you that I had been uneasy for two
nights。
〃M。 Stangerson。 You ought to have told me of that！ This misfortune
would have been avoided。
〃Q。 The door of The Yellow Room locked； did you go to bed？
〃A。 Yes； and； being very tired； I at once went to sleep。
〃Q。 The night…light was still burning？
〃A。 Yes； but it gave a very feeble light。
〃Q。 Then； mademoiselle； tell us what happened。
〃A。 I do not know whether I had been long asleep； but suddenly I
awoke … and uttered a loud cry。
〃M。 Stangerson。 Yes … a horrible cry … 'Murder！' … It still rings
in my ears。
〃Q。 You uttered a loud cry？
〃A。 A man was in my chamber。 He sprang at me and tried to strangle
me。 I was nearly stifled when suddenly I was able to reach the
drawer of my night…table and grasp the revolver which I had
placed in it。 At that moment the man had forced me to the foot
