the mystery of the yellow room-第4节

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why　she　took　such　precautions　…　even　Daddy　Jacques's　revolver
…　without　telling　him　of　it。　　No　doubt　she　didn't　wish　to　alarm
anybody；　and　least　of　all；　her　father。　　What　she　dreaded　took　place；
and　she　defended　herself。　　There　was　a　struggle；　and　she　used　the
revolver　skilfully　enough　to　wound　the　assassin　in　the　hand　…　which
explains　the　impression　on　the　wall　and　on　the　door　of　the　large；
blood…stained　hand　of　the　man　who　was　searching　for　a　means　of
exit　from　the　chamber。　　But　she　didn't　fire　soon　enough　to　avoid
the　terrible　blow　on　the　right　temple。〃

〃Then　the　wound　on　the　temple　was　not　done　with　the　revolver？〃

〃The　paper　doesn't　say　it　was；　and　I　don't　think　it　was；　because
logically　it　appears　to　me　that　the　revolver　was　used　by　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　against　the　assassin。　　Now；　what　weapon　did　the　murderer
use？　　The　blow　on　the　temple　seems　to　show　that　the　murderer　wished
to　stun　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　…　after　he　had　unsuccessfully　tried
to　strangle　her。　　He　must　have　known　that　the　attic　was　inhabited
by　Daddy　Jacques；　and　that　was　one　of　the　reasons；　I　think；　why　he
must　have　used　a　quiet　weapon；　…　a　life…preserver；　or　a　hammer。〃

〃All　that　doesn't　explain　how　the　murderer　got　out　of　The　Yellow
Room；〃　I　observed。

〃Evidently；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　rising；　〃and　that　is　what　has　to
be　explained。　　I　am　going　to　the　Chateau　du　Glandier；　and　have　come
to　see　whether　you　will　go　with　me。〃

〃I？〃　…

〃Yes；　my　boy。　　I　want　you。　　The　'Epoque'　has　definitely　entrusted
this　case　to　me；　and　I　must　clear　it　up　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

〃But　in　what　way　can　I　be　of　any　use　to　you？〃

〃Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　is　at　the　Chateau　du　Glandier。〃

〃That's　true。　　His　despair　must　be　boundless。〃

〃I　must　have　a　talk　with　him。〃

Rouletabille　said　it　in　a　tone　that　surprised　me。

〃Is　it　because　…　you　think　there　is　something　to　be　got　out　of　him？〃
I　asked。

〃Yes。〃

That　was　all　he　would　say。　　He　retired　to　my　sitting…room；　begging
me　to　dress　quickly。

I　knew　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　from　having　been　of　great　service　to
him　in　a　civil　action；　while　I　was　acting　as　secretary　to　Maitre
Barbet　Delatour。　　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　who　was　at　that　time　about
forty　years　of　age；　was　a　professor　of　physics　at　the　Sorbonne。　　He
was　intimately　acquainted　with　the　Stangersons；　and；　after　an
assiduous　seven　years'　courtship　of　the　daughter；　had　been　on　the
point　of　marrying　her。　　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　she　has　become；　as
the　phrase　goes；　〃a　person　of　a　certain　age；〃　she　was　still
remarkably　good…looking。　　While　I　was　dressing　I　called　out　to
Rouletabille；　who　was　impatiently　moving　about　my　sitting…room：

〃Have　you　any　idea　as　to　the　murderer's　station　in　life？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　〃I　think　if　he　isn't　a　man　in　society；　he　is；　at
least；　a　man　belonging　to　the　upper　class。　　But　that；　again；　is　only
an　impression。〃

〃What　has　led　you　to　form　it？〃

〃Well；　…　the　greasy　cap；　the　common　handkerchief；　and　the　marks
of　the　rough　boots　on　the　floor；〃　he　replied。

〃I　understand；〃　I　said；　〃murderers　don't　leave　traces　behind　them
which　tell　the　truth。〃

〃We　shall　make　something　out　of　you　yet；　my　dear　Sainclair；〃
concluded　Rouletabille





CHAPTER　III

〃A　Man　Has　Passed　Like　a　Shadow　Through　the　Blinds〃


Half　an　hour　later　Rouletabille　and　I　were　on　the　platform　of　the
Orleans　station；　awaiting　the　departure　of　the　train　which　was　to
take　us　to　Epinay…sur…Orge。

On　the　platform　we　found　Monsieur　de　Marquet　and　his　Registrar；　who
represented　the　Judicial　Court　of　Corbeil。　　Monsieur　Marquet　had
spent　the　night　in　Paris；　attending　the　final　rehearsal；　at　the
Scala；　of　a　little　play　of　which　he　was　the　unknown　author；　signing
himself　simply　〃Castigat　Ridendo。〃

Monsieur　de　Marquet　was　beginning　to　be　a　〃noble　old　gentleman。〃
Generally　he　was　extremely　polite　and　full　of　gay　humour；　and　in
all　his　life　had　had　but　one　passion；　…　that　of　dramatic　art。
Throughout　his　magisterial　career　he　was　interested　solely　in　cases
capable　of　furnishing　him　with　something　in　the　nature　of　a　drama。
Though　he　might　very　well　have　aspired　to　the　highest　judicial
positions；　he　had　never　really　worked　for　anything　but　to　win　a
success　at　the　romantic　Porte…Saint…Martin；　or　at　the　sombre　Odeon。

Because　of　the　mystery　which　shrouded　it；　the　case　of　The　Yellow
Room　was　certain　to　fascinate　so　theatrical　a　mind。　　It　interested
him　enormously；　and　he　threw　himself　into　it；　less　as　a　magistrate
eager　to　know　the　truth；　than　as　an　amateur　of　dramatic　embroglios；
tending　wholly　to　mystery　and　intrigue；　who　dreads　nothing　so　much
as　the　explanatory　final　act。

So　that；　at　the　moment　of　meeting　him；　I　heard　Monsieur　de　Marquet
say　to　the　Registrar　with　a　sigh：

〃I　hope；　my　dear　Monsieur　Maleine；　this　builder　with　his　pickaxe
will　not　destroy　so　fine　a　mystery。〃

〃Have　no　fear；〃　replied　Monsieur　Maleine；　〃his　pickaxe　may　demolish
the　pavilion；　perhaps；　but　it　will　leave　our　case　intact。　　I　have
sounded　the　walls　and　examined　the　ceiling　and　floor　and　I　know　all
about　it。　　I　am　not　to　be　deceived。〃

Having　thus　reassured　his　chief；　Monsieur　Maleine；　with　a　discreet
movement　of　the　head；　drew　Monsieur　de　Marquet's　attention　to　us。
The　face　of　that　gentleman　clouded；　and；　as　he　saw　Rouletabille
approaching；　hat　in　hand；　he　sprang　into　one　of　the　empty　carriages
saying；　half　aloud　to　his　Registrar；　as　he　did　so；　〃Above　all；　no
journalists！〃

Monsieur　Maleine　replied　in　the　same　tone；　〃I　understand！〃　and　then
tried　to　prevent　Rouletabille　from　entering　the　same　compartment
with　the　examining　magistrate。

〃Excuse　me；　gentlemen；　…　this　compartment　is　reserved。〃

〃I　am　a　journalist；　Monsieur；　engaged　on　the　'Epoque；'〃　said　my
young　friend　with　a　great　show　of　gesture　and　politeness；　〃and　I
have　a　word　or　two　to　say　to　Monsieur　de　Marquet。〃

〃Monsieur　is　very　much　engaged　with　the　inquiry　he　has　in　hand。〃

〃Ah！　　his　inquiry；　pray　believe　me；　is　absolutely　a　matter　of
indifference　to　me。　　I　am　no　scavenger　of　odds　and　ends；〃　he　went
on；　with　infinite　contempt　in　his　lower　lip；　〃I　am　a　theatrical
reporter；　and　this　evening　I　shall　have　to　give　a　little　account
of　the　play　at　the　Scala。〃

〃Get　in；　sir；　please；〃　said　the　Registrar。

Rouletabille　was　already　in　the　compartment。　　I　went　in　after　him
and　seated　myself　by　his　side。　　The　Registrar　followed　and　closed
the　carriage　door。

Monsieur　de　Marquet　looked　at　him。

〃Ah；　sir；〃　Rouletabille　began；　〃You　must　not　be　angry　with　Monsieur
de　Maleine。　　It　is　not　with　Monsieur　de　Marquet　that　I　desire　to
have　the　honour　of　speaking；　but　with　Monsieur　'Castigat　Ridendo。'
Permit　me　to　congratulate　you　…　personally；　as　well　as　the　writer
for　the　'Epoque。'　　And　Rouletabille；　having　first　introduced　me；
introduced　himself。

Monsieur　de　Marquet；　with　a　nervous　gesture；　caressed　his　beard　into
a　point；　and　explained　to　Rouletabille；　in　a　few　words；　that　he　was
too　modest　an　author　to　desire　that　the　veil　of　his　pseudonym　should
be　publicly　raised；　and　that　he　hoped　the　enthusiasm　of　the
journalist　for　the　dramatist's　work　would　not　lead　him　to　tell　the
public　that　Monsieur　〃Castigat　Ridendo〃　and　the　examining　magistrate
of　Corbeil　were　one　and　the　same　person。

〃The　work　of　the　dramatic　author　may　interfere；〃　he　said；　after　a
slight　hesitation；　〃with　that　of　the　magistrate；　especially　in　a
province　where　one's　labours　are　little　more　than　routine。〃

〃Oh；　you　may　rely　on　my　discretion！〃　cried　Rouletabille。

The　train　was　in　motion。

〃We　have　started！〃　said　the　examining　magistrate；　surprised　at
seeing　us　still　in　the　carriage。

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　…　truth　has　started；〃　said　Rouletabile；　smiling
amiably；　…　〃on　its　way　to　the　Chateau　du　Glandier。　　A　fine　case；
Monsieur　de　Marquet；　…　a　fine　case！〃

〃An　obscure　…　incredible；　unfathomable；　inexplicable　affair　…　and
there　is　only　one　thing　I　fear；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；　…　that　the
journalists　will　be　trying　to　explain　it。〃

My　friend　felt　this　a　rap　on　his　knuckles。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　simply；　〃that　is　to　be　feared。　　They　meddle　in
everything。　　As　for　my　interest；　monsieur；　I　only　referred　to　it　by
mere　chance；　…　the　mere　chance　of　finding　myself　in　the　same　train
with　you；　and　in　the　same　compartment　ofthe　same　carriage。〃

〃Where　are　you　going；　then？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　Marquet。

〃To　the　Chateau　du　Glandier；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　without　turnimg。

〃You'll　not　get　in；　Monsieur　Rouletabile！〃

〃Will　you　prevent　me？〃　said　my　friend；　already　prepared　to　fight。

〃Not　I！　…　I　like　the　press　and　journalists　too　well　to　be　in　any
way　disagreeable　to　them；　but　Monsieur　Stangerson　has　given　orders
for　his　door　to　be　closed　against　everybody；　and　it　is　well　guarded。
Not　a　journalist　was　able　to　pass　through　the　gate　of　the　Glandier
yesterday。〃

Monsieur　de　Marquet　compressed　his　lips　and　seemed　ready　to　relapse
into　obstinate　silence。　　He　only　relaxed　a　little　when　Rouletabille
no　longer　left　him　in　ignorance　of　the　fact　that　we　were　going　to
the　Glandier　for　the　purpose　of　shaking　hands　with　an　〃old　and
intimate　friend；〃　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　…　a　man　whom　Rouletabille
had　perhaps　seen　once　in　his　life。

〃Poor　Robert！〃　continued　the　young