the mystery of the yellow room-第35节

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poisoned？〃

He　looked　at　us　with　haggard　eyes。　　We　questioned　him　vainly；　he
did　not　answer　us。　　He　had　sunk　into　an　armchair　and　we　could　get
not　a　word　from　him。　　We　were　extremely　distressed；　both　on　his
account　and　on　our　own；　for　we　had　partaken　of　all　the　dishes　he　had
eaten。　　He　seemed　to　be　out　of　pain；　but　his　heavy　head　had　fallen
on　his　shoulder　and　his　eyelids　were　tightly　closed。　　Rouletabille
bent　over　him；　listening　for　the　beatings　of　the　heart。

My　friend's　face；　however；　when　he　stood　up；　was　as　calm　as　it　had
been　a　moment　before　agitated。

〃He　is　asleep；〃　he　said。

He　led　me　to　his　chamber；　after　closing　Larsan's　room。

〃The　drug？〃　I　asked。　　〃Does　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　wish　to　put
everybody　to　sleep；　to…night？〃

〃Perhaps；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　but　I　could　see　he　was　thinking　of
something　else。

〃But　what　about　us？〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃How　do　we　know　that　we　have　not
been　drugged？〃

〃Do　you　feel　indisposed？〃　Rouletabille　asked　me　coolly。

〃Not　in　the　least。〃

〃Do　you　feel　any　inclination　to　go　to　sleep？〃

〃None　whatever。〃

〃Well；　then；　my　friend；　smoke　this　excellent　cigar。〃

And　he　handed　me　a　choice　Havana；　one　Monsieur　Darzac　had　given；him；
while　he　lit　his　briarwood　…　his　eternal　briarwood。

We　remained　in　his　room　until　about　ten　o'clock　without　a　word
passing　between　us。　　Buried　in　an　armchair　Rouletabille　sat　and
smoked　steadily；　his　brow　in　thought　and　a　far…away　look　in　his
eyes。　　On　the　stroke　of　ten　he　took　off　his　boots　and　signalled　to
me　to　do　the　same。　　As　we　stood　in　our　socks　he　said；　in　so　low　a
tone　that　I　guessed；　rather　than　heard；　the　word：

〃Revolver。〃

I　drew　my　revolver　from　my　jacket　pocket。

〃Cock　it！〃　he　said。

I　did　as　he　directed。

Then　moving　towards　the　door　of　his　room；　he　opened　it　with　infinite
precaution；　it　made　no　sound。　　We　were　in　the　〃off…turning〃　gallery。
Rouletabille　made　another　sign　to　me　which　I　understood　to　mean　that
I　was　to　take　up　my　post　in　the　dark　closet。

When　I　was　some　distance　from　him；　he　rejoined　me　and　embraced　me；
and　then　I　saw　him；　with　the　same　precaution；　return　to　his　room。
Astonished　by　his　embrace；　and　somewhat　disquieted　by　it；　I　arrived
at　the　right　gallery　without　difficulty；　crossing　the　landing…place；
and　reaching　the　dark　closet。

Before　entering　it　I　examined　the　curtain…cord　of　the　window　and
found　that　I　had　only　to　release　it　from　its　fastening　with　my
fingers　for　the　curtain　to　fall　by　its　own　weight　and　hide　the
square　of　light　from　Rouletabille　…　the　signal　agreed　upon。　　The
sound　of　a　footstep　made　me　halt　before　Arthur　Rance's　door。　　He
was　not　yet　in　bed；　then！　　How　was　it　that；　being　in　the　chateau；
he　had　not　dined　with　Monsieur　Stangerson　and　his　daughter？　　I　had
not　seen　him　at　table　with　them；　at　the　moment　when　we　looked　in。

I　retired　into　the　dark　closet。　　I　found　myself　perfectly　situated。
I　could　see　along　the　whole　length　of　the　gallery。　　Nothing；
absolutely　nothing　could　pass　there　without　my　seeing　it。　　But　what
was　going　to　pass　there？　　Rouletabille's　embrace　came　back　to　my
mind。　　I　argued　that　people　don't　part　from　each；　other　in　that　way
unless　on　an　important　or　dangerous　occasion。　　Was　I　then　in　danger？

My　hand　closed　on　the　butt　of　my　revolver　and　I　waited。　　I　am　not
a　hero；　but　neither　am　I　a　coward。

I　waited　about　an　hour；　and　during　all　that　time　I　saw　nothing
unusual。　　The　rain；　which　had　begun　to　come　down　strongly　towards
nine　o'clock；　had　now　ceased。

My　friend　had　told　me　that；　probably；　nothing　would　occur　before
midnight　or　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　It　was　not　more　than
half…past　eleven；　however；　when　I　heard　the　door　of　Arthur　Rance's
room　open　very　slowly。　　The　door　remained　open　for　a　minute；　which
seemed　to　me　a　long　time。　　As　it　opened　into　the　gallery；　that　is
to　say；　outwards；　I　could　not　see　what　was　passing　in　the　room
behind　the　door。

At　that　moment　I　noticed　a　strange　sound；　three　times　repeated；
coming　from　the　park。　　Ordinarily　I　should　not　have　attached　any
more　importance　to　it　than　I　would　to　the　noise　of　cats　on　the　roof。
But　the　third　time；　the　mew　was　so　sharp　and　penetrating　that　I
remembered　what　I　had　heard　about　the　cry　of　the　Bete　du　bon　Dieu。
As　the　cry　had　accompanied　all　the　events　at　the　Glandier；　I　could
not　refrain　from　shuddering　at　the　thought。

Directly　afterwards　I　saw　a　man　appear　on　the　outside　of　the　door；
and　close　it　after　him。　　At　first　I　could　not　recognise　him；　for
his　back　was　towards　me　and　he　was　bending　over　a　rather　bulky
package。　　When　he　had　closed　the　door　and　picked　up　the　package；
he　turned　towards　the　dark　closet；　and　then　I　saw　who　he　was。　　He
was　the　forest…keeper；　the　Green　Man。　　He　was　wearing　the　same
costume　that　he　had　worn　when　I　first　saw　him　on　the　road　in　front
of　the　Donjon　Inn。　　There　was　no　doubt　about　his　being　the　keeper。
As　the　cry　of　the　Bete　du　Bon　Dieu　came　for　the　third　time；　he　put
down　the　package　and　went　to　the　second　window；　counting　from　the
dark　closet。　　I　dared　not　risk　making　any　movement；　fearing　I　might
betray　my　presence。

Arriving　at　the　window；　he　peered　out　on　to　the　park。　　The　night
was　now　light；　the　moon　showing　at　intervals。　　The　Green　Man　raised
his　arms　twice；　making　signs　which　I　did　not　understand；　then；
leaving　the　window；　he　again　took　up　his　package　and　moved　along
the　gallery　towards　the　landing…place。

Rouletabille　had　instructed　me　to　undo　the　curtain…cord　when　I　saw
anything。　　Was　Rouletabille　expecting　this？　　It　was　not　my　business
to　question。　　All　I　had　to　do　was　obey　instructions。　　I　unfastened
the　window…cord；　my　heart　beating　the　while　as　if　it　would　burst。
The　man　reached　the　landing…place；　but；　to　my　utter　surprise　…　I
had　expected　to　see　him　continue　to　pass　along　the　gallery　…　I　saw
him　descend　the　stairs　leading　to　the　vestibule。

What　was　I　to　do？　　I　looked　stupidly　at　the　heavy　curtain　which　had
shut　the　light　from　the　window。　　The　signal　had　been　given；　and　I
did　not　see　Rouletabille　appear　at　the　corner　of　the　off…turning
gallery。　　Nobody　appeared。　　I　was　exceedingly　perplexed。　　Half　an
hour　passed；　an　age　to　me。　　What　was　I　to　do　now；　even　if　I　saw
something？　　The　signal　once　given　I　could　not　give　it　a　second　time。
To　venture　into　the　gallery　might　upset　all　Rouletabille's　plans。
After　all；　I　had　nothing　to　reproach　myself　for；　and　if　something
had　happened　that　my　friend　had　not　expected　he　could　only　blame
himself。　　Unable　to　be　of　any　further　assistance　to　him　by　means
of　a　signal；　I　left　the　dark　closet　and；　still　in　my　socks；　made
my　way　to　the　〃off…turning〃　gallery。

There　was　no　one　there。　　I　went　to　the　door　of　Rouletabille's　room
and　listened。　　I　could　hear　nothing。　　I　knocked　gently。　　There　was
no　answer。　　I　turned　the　door…handle　and　the　door　opened。　　I　entered。
Rouletabille　lay　extended　at　full　length　on　the　floor。





CHAPTER　XXII

The　Incredible　Body


I　bent　in　great　anxiety　over　the　body　of　the　reporter　and　had　the
joy　to　find　that　he　was　deeply　sleeping；　the　same　unhealthy　sleep
that　I　had　seen　fall　upon　Frederic　Larsan。　　He　had　succumbed　to　the
influence　of　the　same　drug　that　had　been　mixed　with　our　food。　　How
was　it　then；　that　I；　also；　had　not　been　overcome　by　it？　　I　reflected
that　the　drug　must　have　been　put　into　our　wine；　because　that　would
explain　my　condition。　　I　never　drink　when　eating。　　Naturally
inclined　to　obesity；　I　am　restricted　to　a　dry　diet。　　I　shook
Rouletabille；　but　could　not　succeed　in　waking　him。　　This；　no　doubt；
was　the　work　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson。

She　had　certainly　thought　it　necessary　to　guard　herself　against　this
young　man　as　well　as　her　father。　　I　recalled　that　the　steward；　in
serving　us；　had　recommended　an　excellent　Chablis　which；　no　doubt；
had　come　from　the　professor's　table。

More…than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　passed。　　I　resolved；　under　the
pressing　circumstances；　to　resort　to　extreme　measures。　　I　threw　a
pitcher　of　cold　water　over　Rouletabille's　head。　　He　opened　his　eyes。
I　beat　his　face；　and　raised　him　up。　　I　felt　him　stiffen　in　my　arms
and　heard　him　murmur：　〃Go　on；　go　on；　but　don't　make　any　noise。〃　　I
pinched　him　and　shook　him　until　he　was　able　to　stand　up。　　We　were
saved！

〃They　sent　me　to　sleep；〃　he　said。　　〃Ah！　　I　passed　an　awful　quarter
of　an　hour　before　giving　way。　　But　it　is　over　now。　　Don't　leave　me。〃

He　had　no　sooner　uttered　those　words　than　we　were　thrilled　by　a
frightful　cry　that　rang　through　the　chateau；　…　a　veritable　death　cry。

〃Malheur！〃　roared　Rouletabille；　〃we　shall　be　too　late！〃

He　tried　to　rush　to　the　door；　but　he　was　too　dazed；　and　fell　against
the　wall。　　I　was　already　in　the　gallery；　revolver　in　hand；　rushing
like　a　madman　towards　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　room。　　The　moment　I
arrived　at　the　intersection　of　the　〃offturning〃　gallery　and　the
〃right〃　gallery；　I　saw　a　figure　leaving　her　apartment；　which；　in　a
few　strides　had　reached　the　landing…place。

I　was　not　master　of　myself。　　I　fired。　　The　report　from　the　revolver
made　a　deafening　noise；　but　the　man　continued　his　flight　down　the
stairs。　　I　ran　behind　him；　shouting：　〃Stop！　…　stop！　　or　I　will　kill
you！〃　　As　I　rushed　after　him　down　the　stairs；　I　came　face　to　face
with　Art