the mystery of the yellow room-第24章

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passing　in　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　chamber。　　Evidently　that　was
what　Rouletabille　thought；　for；　enjoining　me　to　remain　hidden；　he
clasped　the　trunk　with　his　vigorous　arms　and　climbed　up。　　I　soon
lost　sight　of　him　amid　the　branches；　and　then　followed　a　deep
silence。　　In　front　of　me；　the　open　window　remained　lighted；　and　I
saw　no　shadow　move　across　it。　　I　listened；　and　presently　from　above
me　these　words　reached　my　ears：

〃After　you！〃

〃After　you；　pray！〃

Somebody　was　overhead；　speaking；　…　exchanging　courtesies。　　What　was
my　astonishment　to　see　on　the　slippery　column　of　the　tree　two　human
forms　appear　and　quietly　slip　down　to　the　ground。　　Rouletabille　had
mounted　alone；　and　had　returned　with　another。

〃Good　evening；　Monsieur　Sainclair！〃

It　was　Frederic　Larsan。　　The　detective　had　already　occupied　the　post
of　observation　when　my　young　friend　had　thought　to　reach　it　alone。
Neither　noticed　my　astonishment。　　I　explained　that　to　myself　by　the
fact　that　they　must　have　been　witnesses　of　some　tender　and　despairing
scene　between　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　lying　in　her　bed；　and　Monsieur
Darzac　on　his　knees　by　her　pillow。　　I　guessed　that　each　had　drawn
different　conclusions　from　what　they　had　seen。　　It　was　easy　to　see
that　the　scene　had　strongly　impressed　Rouletabille　in　favour　of
Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　while；　to　Larsan；　it　showed　nothing　but
consummate　hypocrisy；　acted　with　finished　art　by　Mademoiselle
Stangerson's　fiance。

As　we　reached　the　park　gate；　Larsan　stopped　us。

〃My　cane！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　left　it　near　the　tree。〃

He　left　us；　saying　he　would　rejoin　us　presently。

〃Have　you　noticed　Frederic　Larsan's　cane？〃　asked　the　young　reporter；
as　soon　as　we　were　alone。　　〃It　is　quite　a　new　one；　which　I　have
never　seen　him　use　before。　　He　seems　to　take　great　care　of　it　…　it
never　leaves　him。　　One　would　think　he　was　afraid　it　might　fall　into
the　hands　of　strangers。　　I　never　saw　it　before　to…day。　　Where　did　he
find　it？　　It　isn't　natural　that　a　man　who　had　never　before　used　a
walking…stick　should；　the　day　after　the　Glandier　crime；　never　move
a　step　without　one。　　On　the　day　of　our　arrival　at　the　chateau；　as
soon　as　he　saw　us；　he　put　his　watch　in　his　pocket　and　picked　up　his
cane　from　the　ground　…　a　proceeding　to　which　I　was　perhaps　wrong　not
to　attach　some　importance。〃

We　were　now　out　of　the　park。　　Rouletabille　had　dropped　into　silence。
His　thoughts　were　certainly　still　occupied　with　Frederic　Larsan's
new　cane。　　I　had　proof　of　that　when；　as　we　came　near　to　Epinay；　he
said：

〃Frederic　Larsan　arrived　at　the　Glandier　before　me；　he　began　his
inquiry　before　me；　he　has　had　time　to　find　out　things　about　which
I　know　nothing。　　Where　did　he　find　that　cane？〃　Then　he　added：　〃It
is　probable　that　his　suspicion　…　more　than　that；　his　reasoning
…　has　led　him　to　lay　his　hand　on　something　tangible。　　Has　this　cane
anything　to　do　with　it？　　Where　the　deuce　could　he　have　found　it？〃

As　I　had　to　wait　twenty　minutes　for　the　train　at　Epinay；　we　entered
a　wine　shop。　　Almost　immediately　the　door　opened　and　Frederic　Larsan
ade　his　appearance；　brandishing　his　famous　cane。

〃I　found　it！〃　he　said　laughingly。

The　three　of　us　seated　ourselves　at　a　table。　　Rouletabille　never　took
his　eyes　off　the　cane；　he　was　so　absorbed　that　he　did　not　notice　a
sign　Larsan　made　to　a　railway　employe；　a　young　man　with　a　chin
decorated　by　a　tiny　blond　and　ill…kept　beard。　　On　the　sign　he　rose；
paid　for　his　drink；　bowed；　and　went　out。　　I　should　not　myself　have
attached　any　importance　to　the　circumstance；　if　it　had　not　been
recalled　to　my　mind；　some　months　later；　by　the　reappearance　of　the
man　with　the　beard　at　one　of　the　most　tragic　moments　of　this　case。
I　then　learned　that　the　youth　was　one　of　Larsan's　assistants　and　had
been　charged　by　him　to　watch　the　going　and　coming　of　travellers　at
the　station　of　Epinay…sur…Orge。　　Larsan　neglected　nothing　in　any
case　on　which　he　was　engaged。

I　turned　my　eyes　again　on　Rouletabille。

〃Ah；　…　Monsieur　Fred！〃　he　said；　〃when　did　you　begin　to　use　a
walking…stick？　　I　have　always　seen　you　walking　with　your　hands　in
your　pockets！〃

〃It　is　a　present；〃　replied　the　detective。

〃Recent？〃　insisted　Rouletabille。

〃No；　it　was　given　to　me　in　London。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　I　remember　…　you　have　just　come　from　London。　　May　I　look
at　it？〃

〃Oh！　　…　certainly！〃

Fred　passed　the　cane　to　Rouletabille。　　It　was　a　large　yellow　bamboo
with　a　crutch　handle　and　ornamented　with　a　gold　ring。　　Rouletabille；
after　examining　it　minutely；　returned　it　to　Larsan；　with　a　bantering
expression　on　his　face；　saying：

〃You　were　given　a　French　cane　in　London！〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Fred；　imperturbably。

〃Read　the　mark　there；　in　tiny　letters：　Cassette；　6a；　Opera。〃

〃Cannot　English　people　buy　canes　in　Paris？〃

When　Rouletabille　had　seen　me　into　the　train；　he　said：

〃You'll　remember　the　address？〃

〃Yes；　…　Cassette；　6a；　Opera。　　Rely　on　me；　you　shall　have　word
tomorrow　morning。〃

That　evening；　on　reaching　Paris；　I　saw　Monsieur　Cassette；　dealer　in
walking…sticks　and　umbrellas；　and　wrote　to　my　friend：

〃A　man　unmistakably　answering　to　the　description　of　Monsieur　Robert
Darzac　…　same　height；　slightly　stooping；　putty…coloured　overcoat；
bowler　hat　…　purchased　a　cane　similar　to　the　one　in　which　we　are
interested；　on　the　evening　of　the　crime；　about　eight　o'clock。
Monsieur　Cassette　had　not　sold　another　such　cane　during　the　last　two
years。　　Fred's　cane　is　new。　　It　is　quite　clear　that　it's　the　same
cane。　　Fred　did　not　buy　it；　since　he　was　in　London。　　Like　you；　I
think　that　he　found　it　somewhere　near　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac。　　But
if；　as　you　suppose；　the　murderer　was　in　The　Yellow　Room　for　five；
or　even　six　hours；　and　the　crime　was　not　committed　until　towards
midnight；　the　purchase　of　this　cane　proves　an　incontestable　alibi
for　Darzac。〃





CHAPTER　XIII

〃The　Presbytery　Has　Lost　Nothing　of　Its　Charm；　Nor　the　Garden
Its　Brightness〃


A　week　after　the　occurrence　of　the　events　I　have　just　recounted　…　on
the　2nd　of　November；　to　be　exact　…　I　received　at　my　home　in　Paris　the
following　telegraphic　message：　〃Come　to　the　Glandier　by　the　earliest
train。　　Bring　revolvers。　　Friendly　greetings。　　Rouletabille。〃

I　have　already　said；　I　think；　that　at　that　period；　being　a　young
barrister　with　but　few　briefs；　I　frequented　the　Palais　de　Justice
rather　for　the　purpose　of　famiiarising　myself　with　my　professional
duties　than　for　the　defence　of　the　widow　and　orphan。　　I　could；
therefore；　feel　no　surprise　at　Rouletabille　disposing　of　my　time。
Moreover；　he　knew　how　keenly　interested　I　was　in　his　journalistic
adventures　in　general　and；　above　all；　in　the　murder　at　the　Glandier。
I　had　not　heard　from　him　for　a　week；　nor　of　the　progress　made　with
that　mysterious　case；　except　by　the　innumerable　paragraphs　in　the
newspapers　and　by　the　very　brief　notes　of　Rouletabille　in　the
〃Epoque。〃　　Those　notes　had　divulged　the　fact　that　traces　of　human
blood　had　been　found　on　the　muttonbone；　as　well　as　fresh　traces　of
the　blood　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　…　the　old　stains　belonged　to
other　crimes；　probably　dating　years　back。

It　may　be　easily　imagined　that　the　crime　engaged　the　attention　of
the　press　throughout　the　world。　　No　crime　known　had　more　absorbed
the　minds　of　people。　　It　appeared　to　me；　however；　that　the　judicial
inquiry　was　making　but　very　little　progress；　and　I　should　have　been
very　glad；　if；　on　the　receipt　of　my　friend's　invitation　to　rejoin
him　at　the　Glandier；　the　despatch　had　not　contained　the　words；
〃Bring　revolvers。〃

That　puzzled　me　greatly。　　Rouletabille　telegraphing　for　revolvers
meant　that　there　might　be　occasion　to　use　them。　　Now；　I　confess　it
without　shame；　I　am　not　a　hero。　　But　here　was　a　friend；　evidently
in　danger；　calling　on　me　to　go　to　his　aid。　　I　did　not　hesitate　long；
and　after　assuring　myself　that　the　only　revolver　I　possessed　was
properly　loaded；　I　hurried　towards　the　Orleans　station。　　On　the　way
I　remembered　that　Rouletabille　had　asked　for　two　revolvers；　I
therefore　entered　a　gunsmith's　shop　and　bought　an　excellent　weapon
for　my　friend。

I　had　hoped　to　find　him　at　the　station　at　Epinay；　but　he　was　not
there。　　However；　a　cab　was　waiting　for　me　and　I　was　soon　at　the
Glandier。　　Nobo