the mystery of the yellow room-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
about it。 I am not to be deceived。〃
Having thus reassured his chief； Monsieur Maleine； with a discreet
movement of the head； drew Monsieur de Marquet's attention to us。
The face of that gentleman clouded； and； as he saw Rouletabille
approaching； hat in hand； he sprang into one of the empty carriages
saying； half aloud to his Registrar； as he did so； 〃Above all； no
journalists！〃
Monsieur Maleine replied in the same tone； 〃I understand！〃 and then
tried to prevent Rouletabille from entering the same compartment
with the examining magistrate。
〃Excuse me； gentlemen； … this compartment is reserved。〃
〃I am a journalist； Monsieur； engaged on the 'Epoque；'〃 said my
young friend with a great show of gesture and politeness； 〃and I
have a word or two to say to Monsieur de Marquet。〃
〃Monsieur is very much engaged with the inquiry he has in hand。〃
〃Ah！ his inquiry； pray believe me； is absolutely a matter of
indifference to me。 I am no scavenger of odds and ends；〃 he went
on； with infinite contempt in his lower lip； 〃I am a theatrical
reporter； and this evening I shall have to give a little account
of the play at the Scala。〃
〃Get in； sir； please；〃 said the Registrar。
Rouletabille was already in the compartment。 I went in after him
and seated myself by his side。 The Registrar followed and closed
the carriage door。
Monsieur de Marquet looked at him。
〃Ah； sir；〃 Rouletabille began； 〃You must not be angry with Monsieur
de Maleine。 It is not with Monsieur de Marquet that I desire to
have the honour of speaking； but with Monsieur 'Castigat Ridendo。'
Permit me to congratulate you … personally； as well as the writer
for the 'Epoque。' And Rouletabille； having first introduced me；
introduced himself。
Monsieur de Marquet； with a nervous gesture； caressed his beard into
a point； and explained to Rouletabille； in a few words； that he was
too modest an author to desire that the veil of his pseudonym should
be publicly raised； and that he hoped the enthusiasm of the
journalist for the dramatist's work would not lead him to tell the
public that Monsieur 〃Castigat Ridendo〃 and the examining magistrate
of Corbeil were one and the same person。
〃The work of the dramatic author may interfere；〃 he said； after a
slight hesitation； 〃with that of the magistrate； especially in a
province where one's labours are little more than routine。〃
〃Oh； you may rely on my discretion！〃 cried Rouletabille。
The train was in motion。
〃We have started！〃 said the examining magistrate； surprised at
seeing us still in the carriage。
〃Yes； Monsieur； … truth has started；〃 said Rouletabile； smiling
amiably； … 〃on its way to the Chateau du Glandier。 A fine case；
Monsieur de Marquet； … a fine case！〃
〃An obscure … incredible； unfathomable； inexplicable affair … and
there is only one thing I fear； Monsieur Rouletabille； … that the
journalists will be trying to explain it。〃
My friend felt this a rap on his knuckles。
〃Yes；〃 he said simply； 〃that is to be feared。 They meddle in
everything。 As for my interest； monsieur； I only referred to it by
mere chance； … the mere chance of finding myself in the same train
with you； and in the same compartment ofthe same carriage。〃
〃Where are you going； then？〃 asked Monsieur de Marquet。
〃To the Chateau du Glandier；〃 replied Rouletabille； without turnimg。
〃You'll not get in； Monsieur Rouletabile！〃
〃Will you prevent me？〃 said my friend； already prepared to fight。
〃Not I！ … I like the press and journalists too well to be in any
way disagreeable to them； but Monsieur Stangerson has given orders
for his door to be closed against everybody； and it is well guarded。
Not a journalist was able to pass through the gate of the Glandier
yesterday。〃
Monsieur de Marquet compressed his lips and seemed ready to relapse
into obstinate silence。 He only relaxed a little when Rouletabille
no longer left him in ignorance of the fact that we were going to
the Glandier for the purpose of shaking hands with an 〃old and
intimate friend；〃 Monsieur Robert Darzac … a man whom Rouletabille
had perhaps seen once in his life。
〃Poor Robert！〃 continued the young reporter； 〃this dreadful affair
may be his death； … he is so deeply in love with Mademoiselle
Stangerson。〃
〃His sufferings are truly painful to witness；〃 escaped like a regret
from the lips of Monsieur de Marquet。
〃But it is to be hoped that Mademoiselle Stangerson's life will be
saved。〃
〃Let us hope so。 Her father told me yesterday that； if she does not
recover； it will not be long before he joins her in the grave。 What
an incalculable loss to science his death would be！〃
〃The wound on her temple is serious； is it not？〃
〃Evidently； but； by a wonderful chance； it has not proved mortal。
The blow was given with great force。〃
〃Then it was not with the revolver she was wounded；〃 said
Rouletabille； glancing at me in triumph。
Monsieur de Marquet appeared greatly embarrassed。
〃I didn't say anything … I don't want to say anything … I will not
say anything；〃 he said。 And he turned towards his Registrar as if
he no longer knew us。
But Rouletabille was not to be so easily shaken off。 He moved
nearer to the examining magistrate and； drawing a copy of the
〃Matin〃 from his pocket； he showed it to him and said：
〃There is one thing； Monsieur； which I may enquire of you without
committing an indiscretion。 You have； of course； seen the account
given in the 'Matin'？ It is absurd； is it not？〃
〃Not in the slightest； Monsieur。〃
〃What！ The Yellow Room has but one barred window … the bars of
which have not been moved … and only one door； which had to be
broken open … and the assassin was not found！〃
〃That's so； monsieur； … that's so。 That's how the matter stands。〃
Rouletabille said no more but plunged into thought。 A quarter of
an hour thus passed。
Coming back to himself again he said； addressing the magistrate：
〃How did Mademoiselle Stangerson wear her hair on that evening？〃
〃I don't know；〃 replied Monsieur de Marquet。
〃That's a very important point；〃 said Rouletabile。 〃Her hair was
done up in bands； wasn't it？ I feel sure that on that evening； the
evening of the crime； she had her hair arranged in bands。〃
〃Then you are mistaken； Monsieur Rouletabile；〃 replied the
magistrate； 〃Mademoiselle Stangerson that evening had her hair drawn
up in a knot on the top of her head； … her usual way of arranging it
… her forehead completely uncovered。 I can assure you； for we have
carefully examined the wound。 There was no blood on the hair； and
the arrangement of it has not been disturbed since the crime was
committed。〃
〃You are sure！ You are sure that； on the night of the crime； she
had not her hair in bands？〃
〃Quite sure；〃 the magistrate continued； smiling； 〃because I
remember the Doctor saying to me； while he was examining the wound；
'It is a great pity Mademoiselle Stangerson was in the habit of
drawing her hair back from her forehead。 If she had worn it in
bands； the blow she received on the temple would have been weakened。'
It seems strange to me that you should attach so much importance
to this point。〃
〃Oh！ if she had not her hair in bands； I give it up；〃 said
Rouletabille； with a despairing gesture。
〃And was the wound on her temple a bad one？〃 he asked presently。
〃Terrible。〃
〃With what weapon was it made？〃
〃That is a secret of the investigation。〃
〃Have you found the weapon … whatever it was？〃
The magistrate did not answer。
〃And the wound in the throat？〃
Here the examining magistrate readily confirmed the decision of the
doctor that； if the murderer had pressed her throat a few seconds
longer； Mademoiselle Stangerson would have died of strangulation。
〃The affair as reported in the 'Matin；' 〃 said Rouletabille eagerly；
〃seems to me more and more inexplicable。 Can you tell me； Monsieur；
how many openings there are in the pavilion？ I mean doors and
windows。〃
〃There are five；〃 replied Monsieur de Marquet； after having coughed
once or twice； but no longer resisting the desire he felt to talk
of the whole of the incredible mystery of the affair he was
investigating。 〃There are five； of which the
