the mystery of the yellow room-第21节

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！



Must　I　say　it；　…　in　spite　of　the　solemnity　of　Monsieur　Stangerson's
words；　we　did　not　believe　in　his　denial。　　Frederic　Larsan　had　shown
us　the　truth　and　it　was　not　so　easily　given　up。

Monsieur　de　Marquet　announced　that　the　conversation　was　at　an　end；
and　as　we　were　about　to　leave　the　laboratory；　Joseph　Rouletabille
approached　Monsieur　Stangerson；　took　him　by　the　hand　with　the
greatest　respect；　and　Iheard　him　say：

〃I　believe　you；　Monsieur。〃

I　here　close　the　citation　which　I　have　thought　it　my　duty　to　make
from　Monsieur　Maleine's　narrative。　　I　need　not　tell　the　reader　that
all　that　passed　in　the　laboratory　was　immediately　and　faithfully
reported　to　me　by　Rouletabille。





CHAPTER　XII

Frederic　Larsan's　Cane


It　was　not　till　six　o'clock　that　I　left　the　chateau；　taking　with　me
the　article　hastily　written　by　my　friend　in　the　little　sitting…room
which　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　had　placed　at　our　disposal。　　The
reporter　was　to　sleep　at　the　chateau；　taking　advantage　of　the　to　me
inexplicable　hospitality　offered　him　by　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　to
whom　Monsieur　Stangerson；　in　that　sad　time；　left　the　care　of　all　his
domestic　affairs。　　Nevertheless　he　insisted　on　accompanying　me　to
the　station　at　Epinay。　　In　crossing　the　park；　he　said　to　me：

〃Frederic　is　really　very　clever　and　has　not　belied　his　reputation。
Do　you　know　how　he　came　to　find　Daddy　Jacques's　boots？　…　Near　the
spot　where　we　noticed　the　traces　of　the　neat　boots　and　the
disappearance　of　the　rough　ones；　there　was　a　square　hole；　freshly
made　in　the　moist　ground；　where　a　stone　had　evidently　been　removed。
Larsan　searched　for　that　stone　without　finding　it；　and　at　once
imagined　that　it　had　been　used　by　the　murderer　with　which　to　sink
the　boots　in　the　lake。　　Fred's　calculation　was　an　excellent　one；
as　the　success　of　his　search　proves。　　That　escaped　me；　but　my　mind
was　turned　in　another　direction　by　the　large　number　of　false
indications　of　his　track　which　the　murderer　left；　and　by　the　measure
of　the　black　foot…marks　corresponding　with　that　of　Daddy　Jacques's
boots；　which　I　had　established　without　his　suspecting　it；　on　the
floor　of　The　Yellow　Room。　　All　which　was　a　proof；　in　my　eyes；　that
the　murderer　had　sought　to　turn　suspicion　on　to　the　old　servant。　　Up
to　that　point；　Larsan　and　I　are　in　accord；　but　no　further。　　It　is
going　to　be　a　terrible　matter；　for　I　tell　you　he　is　working　on　wrong
lines；　and　I　…　I；　must　fight　him　with　nothing！〃

I　was　surprised　at　the　profoundly　grave　accent　with　which　my　young
friend　pronounced　the　last　words。

He　repeated：

〃Yes　terrible！　　…　terrible！　　For　it　is　fighting　with　nothing；　when
you　have　only　an　idea　to　fight　with。〃

At　that　moment　we　passed　by　the　back　of　the　chateau。　　Night　had　come。
A　window　on　the　first　floor　was　partly　open。　　A　feeble　light　came
from　it　as　well　as　some　sounds　which　drew　our　attention。　　We
approached　until　we　had　reached　the　side　of　a　door　that　was　situated
just　under　the　window。　　Rouletabille；　in　a　low　tone；　made　me
understand；　that　this　was　the　window　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's
chamber。　　The　sounds　which　had　attracted　our　attention　ceased；　then
were　renewed　for　a　moment；　and　then　we　heard　stifled　sobs。　　We　were
only　able　to　catch　these　words；　which　reached　us　distinctly：　〃My
poor　Robert！〃　…　Rouletabille　whispered　in　my　ear：

〃If　we　only　knew　what　was　being　said　in　that　chamber；　my　inquiry
would　soon　be　finished。〃

He　looked　about　him。　　The　darkness　of　the　evening　enveloped　us；　we
could　not　see　much　beyond　the　narrow　path　bordered　by　trees；　which
ran　behind　the　chateau。　　The　sobs　had　ceased。

〃If　we　can't　hear　we　may　at　least　try　to　see；〃　said　Rouletabille。

And；　making　a　sign　to　me　to　deaden　the　sound　of　my　steps；　he　led
me　across　the　path　to　the　trunk　of　a　tall　beech　tree；　the　white
bole　of　which　was　visible　in　the　darkness。　　This　tree　grew　exactly
in　front　of　the　window　in　which　we　were　so　much　interested；　its
lower　branches　being　on　a　level　with　the　first　floor　of　the　chateau。
》From　the　height　of　those　branches　one　might　certainly　see　what　was
passing　in　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　chamber。　　Evidently　that　was
what　Rouletabille　thought；　for；　enjoining　me　to　remain　hidden；　he
clasped　the　trunk　with　his　vigorous　arms　and　climbed　up。　　I　soon
lost　sight　of　him　amid　the　branches；　and　then　followed　a　deep
silence。　　In　front　of　me；　the　open　window　remained　lighted；　and　I
saw　no　shadow　move　across　it。　　I　listened；　and　presently　from　above
me　these　words　reached　my　ears：

〃After　you！〃

〃After　you；　pray！〃

Somebody　was　overhead；　speaking；　…　exchanging　courtesies。　　What　was
my　astonishment　to　see　on　the　slippery　column　of　the　tree　two　human
forms　appear　and　quietly　slip　down　to　the　ground。　　Rouletabille　had
mounted　alone；　and　had　returned　with　another。

〃Good　evening；　Monsieur　Sainclair！〃

It　was　Frederic　Larsan。　　The　detective　had　already　occupied　the　post
of　observation　when　my　young　friend　had　thought　to　reach　it　alone。
Neither　noticed　my　astonishment。　　I　explained　that　to　myself　by　the
fact　that　they　must　have　been　witnesses　of　some　tender　and　despairing
scene　between　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　lying　in　her　bed；　and　Monsieur
Darzac　on　his　knees　by　her　pillow。　　I　guessed　that　each　had　drawn
different　conclusions　from　what　they　had　seen。　　It　was　easy　to　see
that　the　scene　had　strongly　impressed　Rouletabille　in　favour　of
Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　while；　to　Larsan；　it　showed　nothing　but
consummate　hypocrisy；　acted　with　finished　art　by　Mademoiselle
Stangerson's　fiance。

As　we　reached　the　park　gate；　Larsan　stopped　us。

〃My　cane！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　left　it　near　the　tree。〃

He　left　us；　saying　he　would　rejoin　us　presently。

〃Have　you　noticed　Frederic　Larsan's　cane？〃　asked　the　young　reporter；
as　soon　as　we　were　alone。　　〃It　is　quite　a　new　one；　which　I　have
never　seen　him　use　before。　　He　seems　to　take　great　care　of　it　…　it
never　leaves　him。　　One　would　think　he　was　afraid　it　might　fall　into
the　hands　of　strangers。　　I　never　saw　it　before　to…day。　　Where　did　he
find　it？　　It　isn't　natural　that　a　man　who　had　never　before　used　a
walking…stick　should；　the　day　after　the　Glandier　crime；　never　move
a　step　without　one。　　On　the　day　of　our　arrival　at　the　chateau；　as
soon　as　he　saw　us；　he　put　his　watch　in　his　pocket　and　picked　up　his
cane　from　the　ground　…　a　proceeding　to　which　I　was　perhaps　wrong　not
to　attach　some　importance。〃

We　were　now　out　of　the　park。　　Rouletabille　had　dropped　into　silence。
His　thoughts　were　certainly　still　occupied　with　Frederic　Larsan's
new　cane。　　I　had　proof　of　that　when；　as　we　came　near　to　Epinay；　he
said：

〃Frederic　Larsan　arrived　at　the　Glandier　before　me；　he　began　his
inquiry　before　me；　he　has　had　time　to　find　out　things　about　which
I　know　nothing。　　Where　did　he　find　that　cane？〃　Then　he　added：　〃It
is　probable　that　his　suspicion　…　more　than　that；　his　reasoning
…　has　led　him　to　lay　his　hand　on　something　tangible。　　Has　this　cane
anything　to　do　with　it？　　Where　the　deuce　could　he　have　found　it？〃

As　I　had　to　wait　twenty　minutes　for　the　train　at　Epinay；　we　entered
a　wine　shop。　　Almost　immediately　the　door　opened　and　Frederic　Larsan
ade　his　appearance；　brandishing　his　famous　cane。

〃I　found　it！〃　he　said　laughingly。

The　three　of　us　seated　ourselves　at　a　table。　　Rouletabille　never　took
his　eyes　off　the　cane；　he　was　so　absorbed　that　he　did　not　notice　a
sign　Larsan　made　to　a　railway　employe；　a　young　man　with　a　chin
decorated　by　a　tiny　blond　and　ill…kept　beard。　　On　the　sign　he　rose；
paid　for　his　drink；　bowed；　and　went　out。　　I　should　not　myself　have
attached　any　importance　to　the　circumstance；　if　it　had　not　been
recalled　to　my　mind；　some　months　later；　by　the　reappearance　of　the
man　with　the　beard　at　one　of　the　most　tragic　moments　of　this　case。
I　then　learned　that　the　youth　was　one　of　Larsan's　assistants　and　had
been　charged　by　him　to　watch　the　going　and　coming　of　travellers　at
the　station　of　Epinay…sur…Orge。　　Larsan　neglected　nothing　in　any
case　on　which　he　was　engaged。

I　turned　my　eyes　again　on　Rouletabille。

〃Ah；　…　Monsieur　Fred！〃　he　said；　〃when　did　you　begin　to　use　a
walking…stick？　　I　have　always　seen　you　walking　with　your　hands　in
your　pockets！〃

〃It　is　a　present；〃　replied　the　detective。

〃Recent？〃　insisted　Rouletabille。

〃No；　it　was　given　to　me　in　London。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　I　remember　…　you　have　just　come　from　London。　　May　I　look
at　it？〃

〃Oh！　　…　certainly！〃

Fred　passed　the　cane　to　Rouletabille。　　It　was　a　large　yellow　bamboo
with　a　crutch　handle　and　ornamented　with　a　gold　ring。　　Rouletabille；
after　examining　it　minutely；　returned　it　to　Larsan；　with　a　bantering
expression　on　his　face；　saying：

〃You　were　given　a　French　cane　in　London！〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Fred；　imperturbably。

〃Read　the　mark　there；　in　tiny　letters：　Cassette；　6a；　Opera。〃

〃Cannot　English　people　buy　canes　in　Paris？〃

When　Rouletabille　had　seen　me　into　the　train；　he　said：

〃You'll　remember　the　address？〃

〃Yes；　…　Cassette；　6a；　Opera。　　Rely　on　me；　you　shall　have　word
tomorrow　morning。〃

That　evening；　on　reaching　Paris；　I　saw　Monsieur　Cassette；　dealer　in
walking…sticks　and　umbrellas；　and　wrote　to　my　friend：

〃A　man　unmistakably　answering　to　the　description　of　Monsieur　Robert
Darzac　…　same　height