the mystery of the yellow room-第53章

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Knowing　the　young　reporter　as　we　do；　we　can　understand　with　what
acumen　he　had　traced；　step　by　step；　the　story　of　Mathilde　Stangerson
and　Jean　Roussel。　　At　Philadelphia　he　had　quickly　informed　himself
as　to　Arthur　William　Rance。　　There　he　learned　of　Rance's　act　of
devotion　and　the　reward　he　thought　himself　entitled　to　for　it。　　A
rumour　of　his　marriage　with　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　had　once　found
its　way　into　the　drawing…rooms　of　Philadelphia。　　He　also　learned　of
Rance's　continued　attentions　to　her　and　his　importunities　for　her
hand。　　He　had　taken　to　drink；　he　had　said；　to　drown　his　grief　at
his　unrequited　love。　　It　can　now　be　understood　why　Rouletabille
had　shown　so　marked　a　coolness　of　demeanour　towards　Rance　when　they
met　in　the　witnesses'　room；　on　the　day　of　the　trial。

The　strange　Roussel…Stangerson　mystery　had　now　been　laid　bare。　　Who
was　this　Jean　Roussel？　　Rouletabille　had　traced　him　from　Philadelphia
to　Cincinnati。　　In　Cincinnati　he　became　acquainted　with　the　old　aunt；
and　had　found　means　to　open　her　mouth。　　The　story　of　Ballmeyer's
arrest　threw　the　right　light　on　the　whole　story。　　He　visited　the
〃presbytery〃…　a　small　and　pretty　dwelling　in　the　old　colonial　style
…　which　had；　indeed；　〃lost　nothing　of　its　charm。〃　　Then；　abandoning
his　pursuit　of　traces　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　he　took　up　those
of　Ballmeyer。　　He　followed　them　from　prison　to　prison；　from　crime
to　crime。　　Finally；　as　he　was　about　leaving　for　Europe；　he　learned
in　New　York　that　Ballmeyer　had；　five　years　before；　embarked　for
France　with　some　valuable　papers　belonging　to　a　merchant　of　New
Orleans　whom　he　had　murdered。

And　yet　the　whole　of　this　mystery　has　not　been　revealed。
Mademoiselle　Stangerson　had　a　child；　by　her　husband；　…　a　son。　　The
infant　was　born　in　the　old　aunt's　house。　　No　one　knew　of　it；　so
well　had　the　aunt　managed　to　conceal　the　event。

What　became　of　that　son？　…　That　is　another　story　which；　so　far；　I
am　not　permitted　to　relate。

About　two　months　after　these　events；　I　came　upon　Rouletabille　sitting
on　a　bench　in　the　Palais　de　Justice；　looking　very　depressed。

〃What's　the　matter；　old　man？〃　I　asked。　　〃You　are　looking　very　down。
cast。　　How　are　your　friends　getting　on？〃

〃Apart　from　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　no　friends。〃

〃I　hope　that　Monsieur　Darzac　…〃

〃No　doubt。〃

〃And　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　…　How　is　she？〃

〃Better　…　much　better。〃

〃Then　you　ought　not　to　be　sad。〃

〃I　am　sad；〃　he　said；　〃because　I　am　thinking　of　the　perfume　of　the
lady　in　black　…〃

〃The　perfume　of　the　lady　in　black！　　…　I　have　heard　you　often　refer
to　it。　　Tell　me　why　it　troubles　you。〃

〃Perhaps　…　some　day；　some　day；〃　said　Rouletabille。

And　he　heaved　a　profound　sigh。






End