the mystery of the yellow room-第46节

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o'clock。　　He　was　right　there　before　me；　and　I　could　afford　to　wait。
You　ought　to　have　suspected；　because　when　we　were　talking　of　the
murderer's　arrival；　I　said　to　you：　'I　am　quite　sure　Larsan　will　be
here　to…night。'

〃But　one　important　point　escaped　us　both。　　It　was　one　which　ought
to　have　opened　our　eyes　to　Larsan。　　Do　you　remember　the　bamboo　cane？
I　was　surprised　to　find　Larsan　had　made　no　use　of　that　evidence
against　Robert　Darzac。　　Had　it　not　been　purchased　by　a　man　whose
description　tallied　exactly　with　that　of　Darzac？　　Well；　just　before
I　saw　him　off　at　the　train；　after　the　recess　during　the　trial；　I
asked　him　why　he　hadn't　used　the　cane　evidence。　　He　told　me　he　had
never　had　any　intention　of　doing　so；　that　our　discovery　of　it　in
the　little　inn　at　Epinay　had　much　embarrassed　him。　　If　you　will
remember；　he　told　us　then　that　the　cane　had　been　given　him　in　London。
Why　did　we　not　immediately　say　to　ourselves：　'Fred　is　lying。　　He
could　not　have　had　this　cane　in　London。　　He　was　not　in　London。　　He
bought　it　in　Paris'？　　Then　you　found　out；　on　inquiry　at　Cassette's；
that　the　cane　had　been　bought　by　a　person　dressed　very　like　Robert
Darzac；　though；　as　we　learned　later；　from　Darzac　himself；　it　was
not　he　who　had　made　the　purchase。　　Couple　this　with　the　fact　we
already　knew；　from　the　letter　at　the　poste　restante；　that　there　was
actually　a　man　in　Paris　who　was　passing　as　Robert　Darzac；　why　did
we　not　immediately　fix　on　Fred　himself？

〃Of　course；　his　position　at　the　Surete　was　against　us；　but　when　we
saw　the　evident　eagerness　on　his　part　to　find　convicting　evidence
against　Darzac；　nay；　even　the　passion　he　displayed　in　his　pursuit
of　the　man；　the　lie　about　the　cane　should　have　had　a　new　meaning
for　us。　　If　you　ask　why　Larsan　bought　the　cane；　if　he　had　no
intention　of　manufacturing　evidence　against　Darzac　by　means　of　it；
the　answer　is　quite　simple。　　He　had　been　wounded　in　the　hand　by
Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　so　that　the　cane　was　useful　to　enable　him
to　close　his　hand　in　carrying　it。　　You　remember　I　noticed　that　he
always　carried　it？

〃All　these　details　came　back　to　my　mind　when　I　had　once　fixed　on
Larsan　as　the　criminal。　　But　they　were　too　late　then　to　be　of　any
use　to　me。　　On　the　evening　when　he　pretended　to　be　drugged　I　looked
at　his　hand　and　saw　a　thin　silk　bandage　covering　the　signs　of　a
slight　healing　wound。　　Had　we　taken　a　quicker　initiative　at　the
time　Larsan　told　us　that　lie　about　the　cane；　I　am　certain　he　would
have　gone　off；　to　avoid　suspicion。　　All　the　same；　we　worried　Larsan
or　Ballmeyer　without　our　knowing　it。〃

〃But；〃　I　interrupted；　〃if　Larsan　had　no　intention　of　using　the　cane
as　evidence　against　Darzac；　why　had　he　made　himself　up　to　look　like
the　man　when　he　went　in　to　buy　it？〃

〃He　had　not　specially　'made　up'　as　Darzac　to　buy　the　cane；　he　had
come　straight　to　Cassette's　immediately　after　he　had　attacked
Mademoiselle　Stangerson。　　His　wound　was　troubling　him　and；　as　he
was　passing　along　the　Avenue　de　l'Opera；　the　idea　of　the　cane　came
to　his　mind　and　he　acted　on　it。　　It　was　then　eight　o'clock。　　And
I；　who　had　hit　upon　the　very　hour　of　the　occurrence　of　the　tragedy；
almost　convinced　that　Darzac　was　not　the　criminal；　and　knowing　of
the　cane；　I　still　never　suspected　Larsan。　　There　are　times　。。。〃

〃There　are　times；〃　I　said；　〃when　the　greatest　intellects　…。。。〃
Rouletabille　shut　my　mouth。　　I　still　continued　to　chide　him；　but；
finding　he　did　not　reply；　I　saw　he　was　no　longer　paying　any
attention　to　what　I　was　saying。　　I　found　he　was　fast　asleep。





CHAPTER　XXIX

The　Mystery　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson


During　the　days　that　followed　I　had　several　opportunities　to　question
him　as　to　his　reason　for　his　voyage　to　America；　but　I　obtained　no
more　precise　answers　than　he　had　given　me　on　the　evening　of　the
adjournment　of　the　trial；　when　we　were　on　the　train　for　Paris。　　One
day；　however；　on　my　still　pressing　him；　he　said：

〃Can't　you　understand　that　I　had　to　know　Larsan's　true　personality？〃

〃No　doubt；〃　I　said；　〃but　why　did　you　go　to　America　to　find　that　out？〃

He　sat　smoking　his　pipe；　and　made　no　further　reply。　　I　began　to　see
that　I　was　touching　on　the　secret　that　concerned　Mademoiselle
Stangerson。　　Rouletabille　evidently　had　found　it　necessary　to　go　to
America　to　find　out　what　the　mysterious　tie　was　that　bound　her　to
Larsan　by　so　strange　and　terrible　a　bond。　　In　America　he　had　learned
who　Larsan　was　and　had　obtained　information　which　closed　his　mouth。
He　had　been　to　Philadelphia。

And　now；　what　was　this　mystery　which　held　Mademoiselle　Stangerson
and　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　in　so　inexplicable　a　silence？　　After　so
many　years　and　the　publicity　given　the　case　by　a　curious　and
shameless　press；　now　that　Monsieur　Stangerson　knows　all　and　has
forgiven　all；　all　may　be　told。　　In　every　phase　of　this　remarkable
story　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　had　always　been　the　sufferer。

The　beginning　dates　from　the　time　when；　as　a　young　girl；　she　was
living　with　her　father　in　Philadelphia。　　A　visitor　at　the　house；
a　Frenchman；　had　succeeded　by　his　wit；　grace　and　persistent
attention；　in　gaining　her　affections。　　He　was　said　to　be　rich　and
had　asked　her　of　her　father。　　Monsieur　Stangerson；　on　making
inquiries　as　to　Monsieur　Jean　Roussel；　found　that　the　man　was　a
swindler　and　an　adventurer。　　Jean　Roussel　was　but　another　of　the
many　names　under　which　the　notorious　Ballmeyer；　a　fugitive　from
France；　tried　to　hide　himself。　　Monsieur　Stangerson　did　not　know
of　his　identity　with　Ballmeyer；　he　learned　that　the　man　was　simply
undesirable　for　his　daughter。　　He　not　only　refused　to　give　his
consent　to　the　marriage　but　denied　him　admission　into　the　house。
Mathilde　Stangerson；　however；　had　fallen　in　love。　　To　her　Jean
Roussel　was　everything　that　her　love　painted　him。　　She　was　indignant
at　her　father's　attitude；　and　did　not　conceal　her　feelings。　　Her
father　sent　her　to　stay　with　an　aunt　in　Cincinnati。　　There　she　was
joined　by　Jean　Roussel　and；　in　spite　of　the　reverence　she　felt　for
her　father；　ran　away　with　him　to　get　married。

They　went　to　Louisville　and　lived　there　for　some　time。　　One　morning；
however；　a　knock　came　at　the　door　of　the　house　in　which　they　were
and　the　police　entered　to　arrest　Jean　Roussel。　　It　was　then　that
Mathilde　Stangerson；　or　Roussel；　learned　that　her　husband　was　no
other　than　the　notorious　Ballmeyer！

The　young　woman　in　her　despair　tried　to　commit　suicide。　　She　failed
in　this；　and　was　forced　to　rejoin　her　aunt　in　Cincinnati；　The　old
lady　was　overjoyed　to　see　her　again。　　She　had　been　anxiously
searching　for　her　and　had　not　dared　to　tell　Monsieur　Stangerson　of
her　disappearance。　　Mathilde　swore　her　to　secrecy；　so　that　her　father
should　not　know　she　had　been　away。　　A　month　later；　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　returned　to　her　father；　repentant；　her　heart　dead　within
her；　hoping　only　one　thing：　that　she　would　never　again　see　her
husband；　the　horrible　Ballmeyer。　　A　report　was　spread；　a　few　weeks
later；　that　he　was　dead；　and　she　now　determined　to　atone　for　her
disobedience　by　a　life　of　labour　and　devotion　for　her　father。　　And
she　kept　her　word。

All　this　she　had　confessed　to　Robert　Darzac；　and；　believing　Ballmeyer
dead；　had　given　herself　to　the　joy　of　a　union　with　him。　　But　fate　had
resuscitated　Jean　Roussel　…　the　Ballmeyer　of　her　youth。　　He　had　taken
steps　to　let　her　know　that　he　would　never　allow　her　to　marry　Darzac
…　that　he　still　loved　her。

Mademoiselle　Stangerson　never　for　one　moment　hesitated　to　confide
in　Monsieur　Darzac。　　She　showed　him　the　letter　in　which　Jean　Roussel
asked　her　to　recall　the　first　hours　of　their　union　in　their　beautiful
and　charming　Louisville　home。　　〃The　presbytery　has　lost　nothing　of
its　charm；　nor　the　garden　its　brightness；〃　he　had　written。　　The
scoundrel　pretended　to　be　rich　and　claimed　the　right　of　taking　her
back　to　Louisville。　　She　had　told　Darzac　that　if　her　father　should
know　of　her　dishonour；　she　would　kill　herself。　　Monsieur　Darzac　had
sworn　to　silence　her　persecutor；　even　if　he　had　to　kill　him。　　He
was　outwitted　and　would　have　succumbed　had　it　not　been　for　the
genius　of　Rouletabille。

Mademoiselle　Stangerson　was　herself　helpless　in　the　hands　of　such　a
villain。　　She　had　tried　to　kill　him　when　he　had　first　threatened　and
then　attacked　her　in　The　Yellow　Room。　　She　had；　unfortunately；
failed；　and　felt　herself　condemned　to　be　for　ever　at　the　mercy　of
this　unscrupulous　wretch　who　was　continually　demanding　her　presence
at　clandestine　interviews。　　When　he　sent　her　the　letter　through　the
Post　Office；　asking　her　to　meet　him；　she　had　refused。　　The　result
of　her　refusal　was　the　tragedy　of　The　Yellow　Room。　　The　second　time
he　wrote　asking　for　a　meeting；　the　letter　reaching　her　in　her　sick
chamber；　she　had　avoided　him　by　sleeping　with　her　servants。　　In　that
letter　the　scoundrel　had　warned　her　that；　since　she　was　too　ill　to
come　to　him；　he　would　come　to　her；　and　that　he　would　be　in　her
chamber　at　a　particular　hour　on　a　particular　night。　　Knowing　that
she　had　everything　to　fear　from　Ballmeyer；　she　had　left　her　chamber
on　that　night。　　It　was　then　that　the　incident　of　the　〃inexplicable
gallery〃　occurred。

The　third　time　she　had　determined　to　keep　the　appointment。　　He
asked　for　it　in　the　let