the mystery of the yellow room-第23章

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There　was　a　chemical　experiment　being　carried　on　between　ten　and
eleven　o'clock；　with　Monsieur　Stangerson；　his　daughter；　and　Daddy
Jacques　engaged　at　the　furnace　in　a　corner　of　the　high　chimney。
Who　can　say　that　the　murderer　…　an　intimate！　　…　a　friend！　　…　did
not　take　advantage　of　that　moment　to　slip　into　The　Yellow　Room；
after　having　taken　off　his　boots　in　the　lavatory？〃

〃It　is　very　improbable；〃　said　Monsieur　Stangerson。

〃Doubtless　…　but　it　is　not　impossible。　　I　assert　nothing。　　As　to
the　escape　from　the　pavilion　…　that's　another　thing；　the　most
natural　thing　in　the　world。〃

For　a　moment　Frederic　Larsan　paused；　…　a　moment　that　appeared　to
us　a　very　long　time。　　The　eagerness　with　which　we　awaited　what　he
was　going　to　tell　us　may　be　imagined。

〃I　have　not　been　in　The　Yellow　Room；〃　he　continued；　〃but　I　take　it
for　granted　that　you　have　satisfied　yourselves　that　he　could　have
left　the　room　only　by　way　of　the　door；　it　is　by　the　door；　then；　that
the　murderer　made　his　way　out。　　At　what　time？　　At　the　moment　when　it
was　most　easy　for　him　to　do　so；　at　the　moment　when　it　became　most
explainable　…　so　completely　explainable　that　there　can　be　no　other
explanation。　　Let　us　go　over　the　moments　which　followed　after　the
crime　had　been　committed。　　There　was　the　first　moment；　when　Monsieur
Stangerson　and　Daddy　Jacques　were　close　to　the　door；　ready　to　bar
the　way。　　There　was　the　second　moment；　during　which　Daddy　Jacques
was　absent　and　Monsieur　Stangerson　was　left　alone　before　the　door。
There　was　a　third　moment；　when　Monsieur　Stangerson　was　joined　by
the　concierge。　　There　was　a　fourth　moment；　during　which　Monsieur
Stangerson；　the　concierge　and　his　wife　and　Daddy　Jacques　were　before
the　door。　　There　was　a　fifth　moment；　during　which　the　door　was　burst
open　and　The　Yellow　Room　entered。　　The　moment　at　which　the　flight　is
explainable　is　the　very　moment　when　there　was　the　least　number　of
persons　before　the　door。　　There　was　one　moment　when　there　was　but
one　person；　…　Monsieur　Stangerson。　　Unless　a　complicity　of　silence
on　the　part　of　Daddy　Jacques　is　admitted　…　in　which　I　do　not　believe
…　the　door　was　opened　in　the　presence　of　Monsieur　Stangerson　alone
and　the　man　escaped。

〃Here　we　must　admit　that　Monsieur　Stangerson　had　powerful　reasons
for　not　arresting；　or　not　causing　the　arrest　of　the　murderer；　since
he　allowed　him　to　reach　the　window　in　the　vestibule　and　closed　it
after　him！　…　That　done；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　though　horribly
wounded；　had　still　strength　enough；　and　no　doubt　in　obedience　to　the
entreaties　of　her　father；　to　refasten　the　door　of　her　chamber；　with
both　the　bolt　and　the　lock；　before　sinking　on　the　floor。　　We　do　not
know　who　committed　the　crime；　we　do　not　know　of　what　wretch　Monsieur
and　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　are　the　victims；　but　there　is　no　doubt
that　they　both　know！　　The　secret　must　be　a　terrible　one；　for　the
father　had　not　hesitated　to　leave　his　daughter　to　die　behind　a　door
which　she　had　shut　upon　herself；　…　terrible　for　him　to　have　allowed
the　assassin　to　escape。　　For　there　is　no　other　way　in　the　world　to
explain　the　murderer's　flight　from　The　Yellow　Room！〃

The　silence　which　followed　this　dramatic　and　lucid　explanation　was
appalling。　　We　all　of　us　felt　grieved　for　the　illustrious　professor；
driven　into　a　corner　by　the　pitiless　logic　of　Frederic　Larsan；　forced
to　confess　the　whole　truth　of　his　martyrdom　or　to　keep　silent；　and
thus　make　a　yet　more　terrible　admission。　　The　man　himself；　a
veritable　statue　of　sorrow；　raised　his　hand　with　a　gesture　so　solemn
that　we　bowed　our　heads　to　it　as　before　something　sacred。　　He　then
pronounced　these　words；　in　a　voice　so　loud　that　it　seemed　to　exhaust
him：

〃I　swear　by　the　head　of　my　suffering　child　that　I　never　for　an
instant　left　the　door　of　her　chamber　after　hearing　her　cries　for
help；　that　that　door　was　not　opened　while　I　was　alone　in　the
laboratory；　and　that；　finally；　when　we　entered　The　Yellow　Room；　my
three　domestics　and　I；　the　murderer　was　no　longer　there！　　I　swear
I　do　not　know　the　murderer！〃

Must　I　say　it；　…　in　spite　of　the　solemnity　of　Monsieur　Stangerson's
words；　we　did　not　believe　in　his　denial。　　Frederic　Larsan　had　shown
us　the　truth　and　it　was　not　so　easily　given　up。

Monsieur　de　Marquet　announced　that　the　conversation　was　at　an　end；
and　as　we　were　about　to　leave　the　laboratory；　Joseph　Rouletabille
approached　Monsieur　Stangerson；　took　him　by　the　hand　with　the
greatest　respect；　and　Iheard　him　say：

〃I　believe　you；　Monsieur。〃

I　here　close　the　citation　which　I　have　thought　it　my　duty　to　make
from　Monsieur　Maleine's　narrative。　　I　need　not　tell　the　reader　that
all　that　passed　in　the　laboratory　was　immediately　and　faithfully
reported　to　me　by　Rouletabille。





CHAPTER　XII

Frederic　Larsan's　Cane


It　was　not　till　six　o'clock　that　I　left　the　chateau；　taking　with　me
the　article　hastily　written　by　my　friend　in　the　little　sitting…room
which　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　had　placed　at　our　disposal。　　The
reporter　was　to　sleep　at　the　chateau；　taking　advantage　of　the　to　me
inexplicable　hospitality　offered　him　by　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　to
whom　Monsieur　Stangerson；　in　that　sad　time；　left　the　care　of　all　his
domestic　affairs。　　Nevertheless　he　insisted　on　accompanying　me　to
the　station　at　Epinay。　　In　crossing　the　park；　he　said　to　me：

〃Frederic　is　really　very　clever　and　has　not　belied　his　reputation。
Do　you　know　how　he　came　to　find　Daddy　Jacques's　boots？　…　Near　the
spot　where　we　noticed　the　traces　of　the　neat　boots　and　the
disappearance　of　the　rough　ones；　there　was　a　square　hole；　freshly
made　in　the　moist　ground；　where　a　stone　had　evidently　been　removed。
Larsan　searched　for　that　stone　without　finding　it；　and　at　once
imagined　that　it　had　been　used　by　the　murderer　with　which　to　sink
the　boots　in　the　lake。　　Fred's　calculation　was　an　excellent　one；
as　the　success　of　his　search　proves。　　That　escaped　me；　but　my　mind
was　turned　in　another　direction　by　the　large　number　of　false
indications　of　his　track　which　the　murderer　left；　and　by　the　measure
of　the　black　foot…marks　corresponding　with　that　of　Daddy　Jacques's
boots；　which　I　had　established　without　his　suspecting　it；　on　the
floor　of　The　Yellow　Room。　　All　which　was　a　proof；　in　my　eyes；　that
the　murderer　had　sought　to　turn　suspicion　on　to　the　old　servant。　　Up
to　that　point；　Larsan　and　I　are　in　accord；　but　no　further。　　It　is
going　to　be　a　terrible　matter；　for　I　tell　you　he　is　working　on　wrong
lines；　and　I　…　I；　must　fight　him　with　nothing！〃

I　was　surprised　at　the　profoundly　grave　accent　with　which　my　young
friend　pronounced　the　last　words。

He　repeated：

〃Yes　terrible！　　…　terrible！　　For　it　is　fighting　with　nothing；　when
you　have　only　an　idea　to　fight　with。〃

At　that　moment　we　passed　by　the　back　of　the　chateau。　　Night　had　come。
A　window　on　the　first　floor　was　partly　open。　　A　feeble　light　came
from　it　as　well　as　some　sounds　which　drew　our　attention。　　We
approached　until　we　had　reached　the　side　of　a　door　that　was　situated
just　under　the　window。　　Rouletabille；　in　a　low　tone；　made　me
understand；　that　this　was　the　window　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's
chamber。　　The　sounds　which　had　attracted　our　attention　ceased；　then
were　renewed　for　a　moment；　and　then　we　heard　stifled　sobs。　　We　were
only　able　to　catch　these　words；　which　reached　us　distinctly：　〃My
poor　Robert！〃　…　Rouletabille　whispered　in　my　ear：

〃If　we　only　knew　what　was　being　said　in　that　chamber；　my　inquiry
would　soon　be　finished。〃

He　looked　about　him。　　The　darkness　of　the　evening　enveloped　us；　we
could　not　see　much　beyond　the　narrow　path　bordered　by　trees；　which
ran　behind　the　chateau。　　The　sobs　had　ceased。

〃If　we　can't　hear　we　may　at　least　try　to　see；〃　said　Rouletabille。

And；　making　a　sign　to　me　to　deaden　the　sound　of　my　steps；　he　led
me　across　the　path　to　the　trunk　of　a　tall　beech　tree；　the　white
bole　of　which　was　visible　in　the　darkness。　　This　tree　grew　exactly
in　front　of　the　window　in　which　we　were　so　much　interested；　its
lower　branches　being　on　a　level　with　the　first　floor　of　the　chateau。
》From　the　height　of　those　branches　one　might　certainly　see　what　was
passing　in　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　chamber。　　Evidently　that　was
what　Rouletabille　thought；　for；