the mystery of the yellow room-第50章

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falling　to　the　floor；　discharges　itself；　the　bullet　lodging　in　the
ceiling。　　I　knew　from　the　first　that　the　bullet　in　the　ceiling　must
have　resulted　from　an　accident。　　Its　very　position　suggested　an
accident　to　my　mind；　and　so　fell　in　with　my　theory　of　a　nightmare。
I　no　longer　doubted　that　the　attack　had　taken　place　before
Mademoiselle　had　retired　for　the　night。　　After　wakening　from　her
rightful　dream　and　crying　aloud　for　help；　she　had　fainted。

〃My　theory；　based　on　the　evidence　of　the　shots　that　were　heard　at
midnight；　demanded　two　shots　…　one　which　wounded　the　murderer　at
the　time　of　his　attack；　and　one　fired　at　the　time　of　the　nightmare。
The　evidence　given　by　the　Berniers　before　the　examining　magistrate
was　to　the　effect　that　only　one　shot　had　been　heard。　　Monsieur
Stangerson　testified　to　hearing　a　dull　sound　first　followed　by　a
sharp　ringing　sound。　　The　dull　sound　I　explained　by　the　falling　of
the　marble…topped　table；　the　ringing　sound　was　the　shot　from　the
revolver。　　I　was　now　convinced　I　was　right。　　The　shot　that　had
wounded　the　hand　of　the　murderer　and　had　caused　it　to　bleed　so　that
he　left　the　bloody　imprint　on　the　wall　was　fired　by　Mademoiselle　in
self…defence；　before　the　second　phase；　when　she　had　been　really
attacked。　　The　shot　in　the　ceiling　which　the　Berniers　heard　was　the
accidental　shot　during　the　nightmare。

〃I　had　now　to　explain　the　wound　on　the　temple。　　It　was　not　severe
enough　to　have　been　made　by　means　of　the　mutton…bone；　and
Mademoiselle　had　not　attempted　to　hide　it。　　It　must　have　been　made
during　the　second　phase。　　It　was　to　find　this　out　that　I　went　to
The　Yellow　Room；　and　I　obtained　my　answer　there。〃

Rouletabille　drew　a　piece　of　white　folded　paper　from　his　pocket；　and
drew　out　of　it　an　almost　invisible　object　which　he　held　between　his
thumb　and　forefinger。

〃This；　Monsieur　President；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　hair　…　a　blond　hair
stained　with　blood；　…　it　is　a　hair　from　the　head　of　Mademoiselle
Stangerson。　　I　found　it　sticking　to　one　of　the　corners　of　the
overturned　table。　　The　corner　of　the　table　was　itself　stained　with
blood　…　a　tiny　stain　…　hardly　visible；　but　it　told　me　that；　on
rising　from　her　bed；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　had　fallen　heavily
and　had　struck　her　head　on　the　corner　of　its　marble　top。

〃I　still　had　to　learn；　in　addition　to　the　name　of　the　assassin；
which　I　did　later；　the　time　of　the　original　attack。　　I　learned
this　from　the　examination　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　and　her
father；　though　the　answers　given　by　the　former　were　well　calculated
to　deceive　the　examining　magistrate　…　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　had
stated　very　minutely　how　she　had　spent　the　whole　of　her　time　that
day。　　We　established　the　fact　that　the　murderer　had　introduced
himself　into　the　pavilion　between　five　and　six　o'clock。　　At　a
quarter　past　six　the　professor　and　his　daughter　had　resumed　their
work。　　At　five　the　professor　had　been　with　his　daughter；　and　since
the　attack　took　place　in　the　professor's　absence　from　his　daughter；
I　had　to　find　out　just　when　he　left　her。　　The　professor　had　stated
that　at　the　time　when　he　and　his　daughter　were　about　to　re…enter
the　laboratory　he　was　met　by　the　keeper　and　held　in　conversation
about　the　cutting　of　some　wood　and　the　poachers。　　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　was　not　with　him　then　since　the　professor　said：　'I　left
the　keeper　and　rejoined　my　daughter　who　was　at　work　in　the
laboratory。'

〃It　was　during　that　short　interval　of　time　that　the　tragedy　took
place。　　That　is　certain。　　In　my　mind's　eye　I　saw　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　re…enter　the　pavilion；　go　to　her　room　to　take　off　her
hat；　and　find　herself　faced　by　the　murderer。　　He　had　been　in　the
pavilion　for　some　time　waiting　for　her。　　He　had　arranged　to　pass
the　whole　night　there。　　He　had　taken　off　Daddy　Jacques's　boots；　he
had　removed　the　papers　from　the　cabinet；　and　had　then　slipped　under
the　bed。　　Finding　the　time　long；　he　had　risen；　gone　again　into　the
laboratory；　then　into　the　vestibule；　looked　into　the　garden；　and
had　seen；　coming　towards　the　pavilion；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson
…　alone。　　He　would　never　have　dared　to　attack　her　at　that　hour；　if
he　had　not　found　her　alone。　　His　mind　was　made　up。　　He　would　be
more　at　ease　alone　with　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　in　the　pavilion；
than　he　would　have　been　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　with　Daddy
Jacques　sleeping　in　the　attic。　　So　he　shut　the　vestibule　window。
That　explains　why　neither　Monsieur　Stangerson；　nor　the　keeper；　who
were　at　some　distance　from　the　pavilion；　had　heard　the　revolver　shot。

〃Then　he　went　back　to　The　Yellow　Room。　　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　came
in。　　What　passed　must　have　taken　place　very　quickly。　　Mademoiselle
tried　to　call　for　help；　but　the　man　had　seized　her　by　the　throat。
Her　hand　had　sought　and　grasped　the　revolver　which　she　had　been
keeping　in　the　drawer　of　her　night…table；　since　she　had　come　to
fear　the　threats　of　her　pursuer。　　The　murderer　was　about　to　strike
her　on　the　head　with　the　mutton…bone　…　a　terrible　weapon　in　the
hands　of　a　Larsan　or　Ballmeyer；　but　she　fired　in　time；　and　the　shot
wounded　the　hand　that　held　the　weapon。　　The　bone　fell　to　the　floor
covered　with　the　blood　of　the　murderer；　who　staggered；　clutched　at
the　wall　for　support　…　imprinting　on　it　the　red　marks　…　and；　fearing
another　bullet；　fled。

〃She　saw　him　pass　through　the　laboratory；　and　listened。　　He　was　long
at　the　window。　　At　length　he　jumped　from　it。　　She　flew　to　it　and
shut　it。　　The　danger　past；　all　her　thoughts　were　of　her　father。　　Had
he　either　seen　or　heard？　　At　any　cost　to　herself　she　must　keep　this
from　him。　　Thus　when　Monsieur　Stangerson　returned；　he　found　the　door
of　The　Yellow　Room　closed；　and　his　daughter　in　the　laboratory；
bending　over　her　desk；　at　work！〃

Turning　towards　Monsieur　Darzac；　Rouletabille　cried：　　〃You　know　the
truth！　　Tell　us；　then；　if　that　is　not　how　things　happened。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it；〃　replied　Monsieur　Darzac。

　〃I　admire　you　for　your　silence；〃　said　Rouletabille；　〃but　if
Mademoiselle　Stangerson　knew　of　your　danger；　she　would　release　you
from　your　oath。　　She　would　beg　of　you　to　tell　all　she　has　confided
to　you。　　She　would　be　here　to　defend　you！〃

Monsieur　Darzac　made　no　movement；　nor　uttered　a　word。　　He　looked
at　Rouletabille　sadly。

〃However；〃　said　the　young　reporter；　〃since　Mademoiselle　is　not　here；
I　must　do　it　myself。　　But；　believe　me；　Monsieur　Darzac；　the　only
means　to　save　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　and　restore　her　to　her　reason；
is　to　secure　your　acquittal。〃

〃What　is　this　secret　motive　that　compels　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　to
hide　her　knowledge　from　her　father？〃　asked　the　President。

〃That；　Monsieur；　I　do　not　know；〃　said　Rouletabile。　　〃It　is　no
business　of　mine。〃

The　President；　turning　to　Monsieur　Darzac；　endeavoured　to　induce
him　to　tell　what　he　knew。

〃Do　you　still　refuse；　Monsieur；　to　tell　us　how　you　employed　your
time　during　the　attempts　on　the　life　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson？〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you　anything；　Monsieur。〃

The　President　turned　to　Rouletabille　as　if　appealing　for　an
explanation。

〃We　must　assume；　Monsieur　President；　that　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac's
absensions　are　closely　connected　with　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's
secret；　and　that　Monsieur　Darzac　feels　himself　in　honour　bound　to
remain　silent。　　It　may　be　that　Larsan；　who；　since　his　three　attempts；
has　had　everything　in　training　to　cast　suspicion　on　Monsieur　Darzac；
had　fixed　on　just　those　occasions　for　a　meeting　with　Monsieur　Darzac
at　a　spot　most　compromising。　　Larsan　is　cunning　enough　to　have　done
that。〃

The　President　seemed　partly　convinced；　but　still　curious；　he　asked：

〃But　what　is　this　secret　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson？〃

〃That　I　cannot　tell　you；〃　said　Rouletabille。　　〃I　think；　however；
you　know　enough　now　to　acquit　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac！　　Unless
Larsan　should　return；　and　I　don't　think　he　will；〃　he　added；　with
a　laugh。

〃One　question　more；〃　said　the　President。　　〃Admitting　your
explanation；　we　know　that　Larsan　wished　to　turn　suspicion　on　Monsieur
Robert　Darzac；　but　why　should　he　throw　suspicion　on　Daddy　Jacques
also？〃

〃There　came　in　the　professional　detective；　Monsieur；　who　proves
himself　an　unraveller　of　mysteries；　by　annihilating　the　very　proofs
he　had　accumulated