the mystery of the yellow room-第24部分

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Stangerson；　very　nervous　and　careful；　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　told
me；　sees　to　her　own　safety　since　she　has　been　well　enough　to　move
about　in　her　room；　which　I　have　not　yet　seen　her　leave。　　This
nervousness　and　sudden　care　on　her　part；　which　had　struck　Monsieur
Darzac；　had　given　me；　also；　food　for　thought。　　At　the　time　of　the
crime　in　The　Yellow　Room；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　she　expected
the　murderer。　　Was　he　expected　this　night？　　？Was　it　she　herself
who　had　opened　her　door　to　him？　　Had　she　some　reason　for　doing　so？
Was　she　obliged　to　do　it？　？Was　it　a　meeting　for　purposes　of　crime？
？Certainly　it　was　not　a　lover's　meeting；　for　I　believe　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　adores　Monsieur　Darzac。

〃All　these　reflections　ran　through　my　brain　like　a　flash　of
lightning。　　What　would　I　not　give　to　know！

〃It　is　possible　that　there　was　some　reason　for　the　awful　silence。
My　intervention　might　do　more　harm　than　good。　　How　could　I　tell？
How　could　I　know　I　might　not　any　moment　cause　another　crime？　　If
I　could　only　see　and　know；　without　breaking　that　silence！

〃I　left　the　ante…room　and　descended　the　central　stairs　to　the
vestibule　and；　as　silently　as　possible；　made　my　way　to　the　little
room　on　the　ground…floor　where　Daddy　Jacques　had　been　sleeping　since
the　attack　made　at　the　pavilion。

〃I　found　him　dressed；　his　eyes　wide　open；　almost　haggard。　　He　did
not　seem　surprised　to　see　me。　　He　told　me　that　he　had　got　up　because
he　had　heard　the　cry　of　the　Bete　du　bon　Dieu；　and　because　he　had
heard　footsteps　in　the　park；　close　to　his　window；　out　of　which　he
had　looked　and；　just　then；　had　seen　a　black　shadow　pass　by。　　I　asked
him　whether　he　had　a　firearm　of　any　kind。　　No；　he　no　longer　kept
one；　since　the　examining　magistrate　had　taken　his　revolver　from　him。
We　went　out　together；　by　a　little　back　door；　into　the　park；　and
stole　along　the　chateau　to　the　point　which　is　just　below　Mademoiselle
Stangerson's　window。

〃I　placed　Daddy　Jacques　against　the　wall；　ordering　him　not　to　stir
from　the　spot；　while　I；　taking　advantage　of　a　moment　when　the　moon
was　hidden　by　a　cloud；　moved　to　the　front　of　the　window；　out　of　the
patch　of　light　which　came　from　it；　？for　the　window　was　half…open！
If　I　could　only　know　what　was　passing　in　that　silent　chamber！　　I
returned　to　Daddy　Jacques　and　whispered　the　word　'ladder'　in　his　ear。
At　first　I　had　thought　of　the　tree　which；　a　week　ago；　served　me　for
an　observatory；　but　I　immediately　saw　that；　from　the　way　the　window
was　half…opened；　I　should　not　be　able　to　see　from　that　point　of　view
anything　that　was　passing　in　the　room；　and　I　wanted；　not　only　to　see；
but　to　hear；　and　？to　act。

〃Greatly　agitated；　almost　trembling；　Paddy　Jacques　disappeared　for
a　moment　and　returned　without　the　ladder；　but　making　signs　to　me
with　his　arms；　as　signals　to　me　to　come　quickly　to　him。　　When　I　got
near　him　he　gasped：　'Come！'

〃'I　went　to　the　donjon　in　search　of　my　ladder；　and　in　the　lower　part
of　the　donjon　which　serves　me　and　the　gardener　for　a　lumber　room；　I
found　the　door　open　and　the　ladder　gone。　　On　coming　out；　that's　what
I　caught　sight　of　by　the　light　of　the　moon。

〃And　he　pointed　to　the　further　end　of　the　chateau；　where　a　ladder
stood　resting　against　the　stone　brackets　supporting　the　terrace；
under　the　window　which　I　had　found　open。　　The　projection　of　the
terrace　had　prevented　my　seeing　it。　　Thanks　to　that　ladder；　it　was
quite　easy　to　get　into　the　'off…turning'　gallery　of　the　first　floor；
and　I　had　no　doubt　of　it　having　been　the　road　taken　by　the　unknown。

〃We　ran　to　the　ladder；　but　at　the　moment　of　reaching　it；　Daddy
Jacques　drew　my　attention　to　the　half…open　door　of　the　little
semi…circular　room；　situated　under　the　terrace；　at　the　extremity　of
the　right　wing　of　the　chateau；　having　the　terrace　for　its　roof。
Daddy　Jacques　pushed　the　door　open　a　little　further　and　looked　in。

〃'He's　not　there！〃　he　whispered。

〃Who　is　not　there？〃

〃The　forest梜eeper。〃

With　his　lips　once　more　to　my　ear；　he　added：

〃'Do　you　know　that　he　has　slept　in　the　upper　room　of　the　donjon　ever
since　it　was　restored？'　　And　with　the　same　gesture　he　pointed　to　the
half…open　door；　the　ladder；　the　terrace；　and　the　windows　in　the
'off…turning'　gallery　which；　a　little　while　before；　I　had　re…closed。

〃What　were　my　thoughts　then？　　I　had　no　time　to　think。　　I　felt　more
than　I　thought。

〃Evidently；　I　felt；　if　the　forest…keeper　is　up　there　in　the　chamber
（I　say；　if；　because　at　this　moment；　apart　from　the　presence　of　the
ladder　and　his　vacant　room；　there　are　no　evidences　which　permit　me
even　to　suspect　him）　？if　he　is　there；　he　has　been　obliged　to　pass
by　the　ladder；　and　the　rooms　which　lie　behind　his；　in　his　new
lodging；　are　occupied　by　the　family　of　the　steward　and　by　the　cook；
and　by　the　kitchens；　which　bar　the　way　by　the　vestibule　to　the
interior　of　the　chateau。　　And　if　he　had　been　there　during　the　evening
on　any　pretext；　it　would　have　been　easy　for　him　to　go　into　the
gallery　and　see　that　the　window　could　be　simply　pushed　open　from
the　outside。　　This　question　of　the　unfastened　window　easily　narrowed
the　field　of　search　for　the　murderer。　　He　must　belong　to　the　house；
unless　he　had　an　accomplice；　which　I　do　not　believe　he　had；　unless
？unless　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　herself　had　seen　that　that　window
was　not　fastened　from　the　inside。　　But；　then；　？what　could　be　the
frightful　secret　which　put　her　under　the　necessity　of　doing　away
with　obstacles　that　separated　her　from　the　murderer？

〃I　seized　hold　of　the　ladder；　and　we　returned　to　the　back　of　the
chateau　to　see　if　the　window　of　the　chamber　was　still　half…open。
The　blind　was　drawn　but　did　not　join　and　allowed　a　bright　stream
of　light　to　escape　and　fall　upon　the　path　at　our　feet。　　I　planted
the　ladder　under　the　window。　　I　am　almost　sure　that　I　made　no　noise；
and　while　Daddy　Jacques　remained　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder；　I
mounted　it；　very　quietly；　my　stout　stick　in　my　hand。　　I　held　my
breath　and　lifted　my　feet　with　the　greatest　care。　　Suddenly　a　heavy
cloud　discharged　itself　at　that　moment　in　a　fresh　downpour　of　rain。

〃At　the　same　instant　the　sinister　cry　of　the　Bete　du　bon　Dieu
arrested　me　in　my　ascent。　　It　seemed　to　me　to　have　come　from　close
by　me　？only　a　few　yards　away。　　Was　the　cry　a　signal？　　？Had　some
accomplice　of　the　man　seen　me　on　the　ladder！　？Would　the　cry　bring
the　man　to　the　window？　？Perhaps！　　Ah；　there　he　was　at　the　window！
I　felt　his　head　above　me。　　I　heard　the　sound　of　his　breath！　　I　could
not　look　up　towards　him；　the　least　movement　of　my　head；　and　？I
might　be　lost。　　Would　he　see　me？　？Would　he　peer　into　the　darkness？
No；　he　went　away。　　He　had　seen　nothing。　　I　felt；　rather　than　heard；
him　moving　on　tip…toe　in　the　room；　and　I　mounted　a　few　steps　higher。
My　head　reached　to　the　level　of　the　window…sill；　my　forehead　rose
above　it；　my　eyes　looked　between　the　opening　in　the　blinds　？and　I
saw　？〃A　man　seated　at　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　little　desk；
writing。　　His　back　was　turned　toward　me。　　A　candle　was　lit　before
him；　and　he　bent　over　the　flame；　the　light　from　it　projecting
shapeless　shadows。　　I　saw　nothing　but　a　monstrous；　stooping　back。

〃Mademoiselle　Stangerson　herself　was　not　there！　？Her　bed　had　not
been　lain　on！　　Where；　then；　was　she　sleeping　that　night？　　Doubtless
in　the　side…room　with　her　women。　　Perhaps　this　was　but　a　guess。　　I
must　content　myself　with　the　joy　of　finding　the　man　alone。　　I　must
be　calm　to　prepare　my　trap。

〃But　who；　then；　is　this　man　writing　there　before　my　eyes；　seated　at
the　desk；　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　home？　　If　there　had　not　been　that
ladder　under　the　window；　if　there　had　not　been　those　footprints　on
the　carpet　in　the　gallery；　if　there　had　not　been　that　open　window；
I　might　have　been　led　to　think　that　this　man　had　a　right　to　be　there；
and　that　he　was　there　as　a　matter　of　course　and　for　reasons　about
which　as　yet　I　knew　nothing。　　But　there　was　no　doubt　that　this
mysterious　unknown　was　the　man　of　The　Yellow　Room；　？the　man　to
whose　murderous　assault　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　？without　denouncing
him　？had　had　to　submit。　　If　I　could　but　see　his　face！　　Surprise
and　capture　him！

〃If　I　spring　into　the　room　at　this　moment；　he　will　escape　by　the
right…hand　door　opening　into　the　boudoir；　？or　crossing　the
drawing…room；　he　will　reach　the　gallery　and　I　shall　lose　him。　　I
have　him　now　and　in　five　minutes　more　he'll　be　safer　than　if　I　had
him　in　a　cage。　？What　is　he　doing　there；　alone　in　Mademoiselle
Stangerson's　room？　？What　is　he　writing？　　I　descend　and　place　the
ladder　on　the　ground。　　Daddy　Jacques　follows　me。　　We　re…enter　the
chateau。　　I　send　Daddy　Jacques　to　wake　Monsieur　Stangerson；　and
instruct　him　to　await　my　coming　in　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　room
and　to　say　nothing　definite　to　him　before　my　arrival。　　I　will　go
and　awaken　Frederic　Larsan。　　It's　a　bore　to　have　to　do　it；　for　I
should　have　liked　to　work　alone　and　to　have　carried　off　all　the
honors　of　this　affair　myself；　right　under　the　very　nose　of　the
sleeping　detective。　　But　Daddy　Jacques　and　Monsieur　Stangerson　are
old　men；　and　I　am　not　yet　fully　developed。　　I　might　not　be　strong
enough。　　Larsan　is　used　to　wrestling　and　putting　on　the　handcuffs。
He　opened　his　eyes　swollen　with　sleep；　ready　to　send　me　flying；
without　in　the　least　believing　in　my　reporter's　fancies。　　I　had　to
assure　him　that　the　man　was　there！

〃'That's　strange！'　he　said；　'I　thought　I　left　him　this　afternoon
in　Paris。'

〃He　dressed　himself　in　haste　and　armed　himself　with　a　revolver。　　We
stole　quietly　into　the　gallery。

〃'Where　is　he？'　Larsan　asked。

〃'In　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　room。

〃'And　？Mademoiselle　Stangerson？'

〃'She　is　not　in　there。'

'Let's　go　in。'

〃'Don't　go　there！　　On　the　least　alarm　the　man　will　escape。　　He　has
four　ways　by　which　to　do　it　？the　door；　the　window；　the　boudoir；　or
the　room　in　which　the　women　are　sleeping。'

〃'I'll　draw　him　from　below。'

〃'And　if　you　fail？　　？If　you　only　succeed　in　wounding　him　？he'll
escape　again；　without　reckoning　that　he　is　certainly　armed。　　No；
let　me　direct　the　expedition；　and　I'll　answer　for　everything。'

〃'As　you　like；'　he　replied；　with　fairly　good　grace。

〃Then；　after　satisfying　myself　that　all　the　windows　of　the　two
galleries　were　thoroughly　secure；　I　placed　Frederic　Larsan　at　the