the mystery of the yellow room-第15部分

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the　murderer！〃

With　which　words　Daddy　Mathieu　immediately　left　us。　　Rouletabille
returned　towards　the　fireplace　and　said：

〃Now　we'll　grill　our　steak。　　How　do　you　like　the　cider？　…　It's　a
little　tart；　but　I　like　it。〃

We　saw　no　more　of　Daddy　Mathieu　that　day；　and　absolute　silence
reigned　in　the　inn　when　we　left　it；　after　placing　five　francs　on
the　table　in　payment　for　our　feast。

Rouletabille　at　once　set　off　on　a　three　mile　walk　round　Professor
Stangerson's　estate。　　He　halted　for　some　ten　minutes　at　the　corner
of　a　narrow　road　black　with　soot；　near　to　some　charcoal…burners'
huts　in　the　forest　of　Sainte…Genevieve；　which　touches　on　the　road
from　Epinay　to　Corbeil；　to　tell　me　that　the　murderer　had　certainly
passed　that　way；　before　entering　the　grounds　and　concealing　himself
in　the　little　clump　of　trees。

〃You　don't　think；　then；　that　the　keeper　knows　anything　of　it？〃　I
asked。

〃We　shall　see　that；　later；〃　he　replied。　　〃For　the　present　I'm　not
interested　in　what　the　landlord　said　about　the　man。　　The　landlord
hates　him。　　I　didn't　take　you　to　breakfast　at　the　Donjon　Inn　for
the　sake　of　the　Green　Man。〃

Then　Rouletabille；　with　great　precaution　glided；　followed　by　me；
towards　the　little　building　which；　standing　near　the　park　gate；
served　for　the　home　of　the　concierges；　who　had　been　arrested　that
morning。　　With　the　skill　of　an　acrobat；　he　got　into　the　lodge　by
an　upper　window　which　had　been　left　open；　and　returned　ten　minutes
later。　　He　said　only；　〃Ah！〃　…　a　word　which；　in　his　mouth；　signified
many　things。

We　were　about　to　take　the　road　leading　to　the　chateau；　when　a
considerable　stir　at　the　park　gate　attracted　our　attention。　　A
carriage　had　arrived　and　some　people　had　come　from　the　chateau　to
meet　it。　　Rouletabille　pointed　out　to　me　a　gentleman　who　descended
from　it。

〃That's　the　Chief　of　the　Surete〃　he　said。　　〃Now　we　shall　see　what
Frederic　Larsan　has　up　his　sleeve；　and　whether　he　is　so　much
cleverer　than　anybody　else。〃

The　carriage　of　the　Chief　of　the　Surete　was　followed　by　three　other
vehicles　containing　reporters；　who　were　also　desirous　of　entering
the　park。　　But　two　gendarmes　stationed　at　the　gate　had　evidently
received　orders　to　refuse　admission　to　anybody。　　The　Chief　of　the
Surete　calmed　their　impatience　by　undertaking　to　furnish　to　the
press；　that　evening；　all　the　information　he　could　give　that　would
not　interfere　with　the　judicial　inquiry。





CHAPTER　XI

In　Which　Frederic　Larsan　Explains　How　the　Murderer　Was　Able　to　Get
Out　of　The　Yellow　Room


Among　the　mass　of　papers；　legal　documents；　memoirs；　and　extracts
from　newspapers；　which　I　have　collected；　relating　to　the　mystery
of　The　Yellow　Room；　there　is　one　very　interesting　piece；　it　is　a
detail　of　the　famous　examination　which　took　place　that　afternoon；
in　the　laboratory　of　Professor　Stangerson；　before　the　Chief　of　the
Surete。　　This　narrative　is　from　the　pen　of　Monsieur　Maleine；　the
Registrar；　who；　like　the　examining　magistrate；　had　spent　some　of
his　leisure　time　in　the　pursuit　of　literature。　　The　piece　was　to
have　made　part　of　a　book　which；　however；　has　never　been　published；
and　which　was　to　have　been　entitled：　〃My　Examinations。〃　　It　was
given　to　me　by　the　Registrar　himself；　some　time　after　the
astonishing　denouement　to　this　case；　and　is　unique　in　judicial
chronicles。

Here　it　is。　　It　is　not　a　mere　dry　transcription　of　questions　and
answers；　because　the　Registrar　often　intersperses　his　story　with
his　own　personal　comments。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　REGISTRAR'S　NARRATIVE

The　examining　magistrate　and　I　（the　writer　relates）　found　ourselves
in　The　Yellow　Room　in　the　company　of　the　builder　who　had　constructed
the　pavilion　after　Professor　Stangerson's　designs。　　He　had　a　workman
with　him。　　Monsieur　de　Marquet　had　had　the　walls　laid　entirely　bare；
that　is　to　say；　he　had　had　them　stripped　of　the　paper　which　had
decorated　them。　　Blows　with　a　pick；　here　and　there；　satisfied　us　of
the　absence　of　any　sort　of　opening。　　The　floor　and　the　ceiling　were
thoroughly　sounded。　　We　found　nothing。　　There　was　nothing　to　be
found。　　Monsieur　de　Marquet　appeared　to　be　delighted　and　never
ceased　repeating：

〃What　a　case！　　What　a　case！　　We　shall　never　know；　you'll　see；　how
the　murderer　was　able　to　get　out　of　this　room！〃

Then　suddenly；　with　a　radiant　face；　he　called　to　the　officer　in
charge　of　the　gendarmes。

〃Go　to　the　chateau；〃　he　said；　〃and　request　Monsieur　Stangerson　and
Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　to　come　to　me　in　the　laboratory；　also　Daddy
Jacques；　and　let　your　men　bring　here　the　two　concierges。〃

Five　minutes　later　all　were　assembled　in　the　laboratory。　　The　Chief
of　the　Surete；　who　had　arrived　at　the　Glandier；　joined　us　at　that
moment。　　I　was　seated　at　Monsieur　Stangerson's　desk　ready　for　work；
when　Monsieur　de　Marquet　made　us　the　following　little　speech　…　as
original　as　it　was　unexpected：

〃With　your　permission；　gentlemen　…　as　examinations　lead　to　nothing
…　we　will；　for　once；　abandon　the　old　system　of　interrogation。　　I
will　not　have　you　brought　before　me　one　by　one；　but　we　will　all
remain　here　as　we　are；　…　Monsieur　Stangerson；　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；
Daddy　Jacques　and　the　two　concierges；　the　Chief　of　the　Surete；　the
Registrar；　and　myself。　　We　shall　all　be　on　the　same　footing。　　The
concierges　may；　for　the　moment；　forget　that　they　have　been　arrested。
We　are　going　to　confer　together。　　We　are　on　the　spot　where　the　crime
was　committed。　　We　have　nothing　else　to　discuss　but　the　crime。　　So
let　us　discuss　it　freely　…　intelligently　or　otherwise；　so　long　as
we　speak　just　what　is　in　our　minds。　　There　need　be　no　formality　or
method　since　this　won't　help　us　in　any　way。〃

Then；　passing　before　me；　he　said　in　a　low　voice：

〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　eh？　　What　a　scene！　　Could　you　have
thought　of　that？　　I'll　make　a　little　piece　out　of　it　for　the
Vaudeville。〃　　And　he　rubbed　his　hands　with　glee。

I　turned　my　eyes　on　Monsieur　Stangerson。　　The　hope　he　had　received
from　the　doctor's　latest　reports；　which　stated　that　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　might　recover　from　her　wounds；　had　not　been　able　to　efface
from　his　noble　features　the　marks　of　the　great　sorrow　that　was　upon
him。　　He　had　believed　his　daughter　to　be　dead；　and　he　was　still
broken　by　that　belief。　　His　clear；　soft；　blue　eyes　expressed　infinite
sorrow。　　I　had　had　occasion；　many　times；　to　see　Monsieur　Stangerson
at　public　ceremonies；　and　from　the　first　had　been　struck　by　his
countenance；　which　seemed　as　pure　as　that　of　a　child　…　the　dreamy
gaze　with　the　sublime　and　mystical　expression　of　the　inventor　and
thinker。

On　those　occasions　his　daughter　was　always　to　be　seen　either
following　him　or　by　his　side；　for　they　never　quitted　each　other；　it
was　said；　and　had　shared　the　same　labours　for　many　years。　　The　young
lady；　who　was　then　five　and　thirty；　though　she　looked　no　more　than
thirty；　had　devoted　herself　entirely　to　science。　　She　still　won
admiration　for　her　imperial　beauty　which　had　remained　intact；　without
a　wrinkle；　withstanding　time　and　love。　　Who　would　have　dreamed　that
I　should　one　day　be　seated　by　her　pillow　with　my　papers；　and　that　I
should　see　her；　on　the　point　of　death；　painfully　recounting　to　us
the　most　monstrous　and　most　mysterious　crime　I　have　heard　of　in　my
career？　　Who　would　have　thought　that　I　should　be；　that　afternoon；
listening　to　the　despairing　father　vainly　trying　to　explain　how　his
daughter's　assailant　had　been　able　to　escape　from　him？　　Why　bury
ourselves　with　our　work　in　obscure　retreats　in　the　depths　of　woods；
if　it　may　not　protect　us　against　those　dangerous　threats　to　life
which　meet　us　in　the　busy　cities？

〃Now；　Monsieur　Stangerson；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Marquet；　with　somewhat
of　an　important　air；　〃place　yourself　exactly　where　you　were　when
Mademoiselle　Stangerson　left　you　to　go　to　her　chamber。〃

Monsieur　Stangerson　rose　and；　standing　at　a　certain　distance　from
the　door　of　The　Yellow　Room；　said；　in　an　even　voice　and　without　the
least　trace　of　emphasis　…　a　voice　which　I　can　only　describe　as　a
dead　voice：

〃I　was　here。　　About　eleven　o'clock；　after　I　had　made　a　brief　chemical
experiment　at　the　furnaces　of　the　laboratory；　needing　all　the　space
behind　me；　I　had　my　desk　moved　here　by　Daddy　Jacques；　who　spent　the
evening　in　cleaning　some　of　my　apparatus。　　My　daughter　had　been
working　at　the　same　desk　with　me。　　When　it　was　her　time　to　leave
she　rose；　kissed　me；　and　bade　Daddy　Jacques　goodnight。　　She　had　to
pass　behind　my　desk　and　the　door　to　enter　her　chamber；　and　she　could
do　this　only　with　some　difficulty。　　That　is　to　say；　I　was　very　near
the　place　where　the　crime　occurred　later。〃

〃And　the　desk？〃　I　asked；　obeying；　in　thus　mixing　myself　in　the
conversation；　the　express　orders　of　my　chief；　〃as　soon　as　you　heard
the　cry　of　'murder'　followed　by　the　revolver　shots；　what　became　of
the　desk？〃

Daddy　Jacques　answered。

〃We　pushed　it　back　against　the　wall；　here　…　close　to　where　it　is　at
the　present　moment…so　as　to　be　able　to　get　at　the　door　at　once。〃

I　followed　up　my　reasoning；　to　which；　however；　I　attached　but　little
importance；　regarding　it　as　only　a　weak　hypothesis；　with　another
question。

〃Might　not　a　man　in　the　room；　the　desk　being　so　near　to　the　door；
by　stooping　and　slipping　under　the　desk；　have　left　it　unobserved？〃

〃You　are　forgetting；〃　interrupted　Monsieur　Stangerson　wearily；　〃that
my　daughter　had　locked　and　bolted　her　door；　that　the　door　had
remained　fastened；　that　we　vainly　tried　to　force　it　open　when　we
heard　the　noise；　and　that　we　were　at　the　door　while　the　struggle
between　the　murderer　and　my　poor　child　was　going　on　…　immediately
after　we　heard　her　stifled　cries　as　she　was　being　held　by　the　fingers
that　have　left　their　red　mark　upon　her　throat。　　Rapid　as　the　attack
was；　we　were　no　less　rapid　in　our　endeavors　to　get　into　the　room
where　the　tragedy　was　taking　place。〃

I　rose　from　my　seat　and　once　more　examined　the　door　with　the　greatest
care。　　Then　I　returned　to　my　place　with　a　despairing　gesture。

〃If　the　lower　panel　of　the　door；〃　I　said；　〃could　be　removed　without
the　whole　door　being　necessarily　opened；　the　problem　would　be　solved。
But；　unfortunately；　that　last　hypothesis　is　untenable　after　an
examination　of　the　door　…　it's　of　oak；　solid　and　massive。　　You　can