the mystery of the yellow room-第8节

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as　if　from　the　effects　of　some　terrible　suffering。

〃Is　Mademoiselle　getting　better？〃　I　immediately　asked。

〃Yes　；〃he　said。　　〃She　will　be　saved　perhaps。　　She　must　be　saved！〃

He　did　not　add　〃or　it　will　be　my　death〃；　but　I　felt　that　the　phrase
trembled　on　his　pale　lips。

Rouletabille　intervened：

〃You　are　in　a　hurry；　Monsieur；　but　I　must　speak　with　you。　　I　have
something　of　the　greatest　importance　to　tell　you。〃

Frederic　Larsan　interrupted：

〃May　I　leave　you？〃　he　asked　of　Robert　Darzac。　　〃Have　you　a　key；　or
do　you　wish　me　to　give　you　this　one。〃

〃Thank　you。　　I　have　a　key　and　will　lock　the　gate。〃

Larsan　hurried　off　in　the　direction　of　the　chateau；　the　imposing
pile　of　which　could　be　perceived　a　few　hundred　yards　away。

Robert　Darzac；　with　knit　brow；　was　beginning　to　show　impatience。　　I
presented　Rouletabille　as　a　good　friend　of　mine；　but；　as　soon　as　he
learnt　that　the　young　man　was　a　journalist；　he　looked　at　me　very
reproachfully；　excused　himself；　under　the　necessity　of　having　to
reach　Epinay　in　twenty　minutes；　bowed；　and　whipped　up　his　horse。
But　Rouletabille　had　seized　the　bridle　and；　to　my　utter　astonishment；
stopped　the　carriage　with　a　vigorous　hand。　　Then　he　gave　utterance
to　a　sentence　which　was　utterly　meaningless　to　me。

〃The　presbytery　has　lost　nothing　of　its　charm；　nor　the　garden　its
brightness。〃

The　words　had　no　sooner　left　the　lips　of　Rouletabille　than　I　saw
Robert　Darzac　quail。　　Pale　as　he　was；　he　became　paler。　　His　eyes
were　fixed　on　the　young　man　in　terror；　and　he　immediately
descended　from　the　vehicle　in　an　inexpressible　state　of　agitation。

〃Come！　　…　come　in！〃　he　stammered。

hen；　suddenly；　and　with　a　sort　of　fury；　he　repeated：

〃Let　us　go；　monsieur。〃

He　turned　up　by　the　road　he　had　come　from　the　chateau；　Rouletabille
still　retaining　his　hold　on　the　horse's　bridle。　　I　addressed　a　few
words　to　Monsieur　Darzac；　but　he　made　no　answer。　　My　looks
questioned　Rouletabille；　but　his　gaze　was　elsewhere。





CHAPTER　VI

in　the　Heart　of　the　Oak　Grove


We　reached　the　chateau；　and；　as　we　approached　it；　saw　four
gendarmes　pacing　in　front　of　a　little　door　in　the　ground　floor　of
the　donjon。　　We　soon　learned　that　in　this　ground　floor；　which　had
formerly　served　as　a　prison；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Bernier；　the
concierges；　were　confined。　　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　led　us　into　the
modern　part　of　the　chateau　by　a　large　door；　protected　by　a
projecting　awning　…　a　〃marquise〃　as　it　is　called。　　Rouletabille；
who　had　resigned　the　horse　and　the　cab　to　the　care　of　a　servant；
never　took　his　eyes　off　Monsieur　Darzac。　　I　followed　his　look　and
perceived　that　it　was　directed　solely　towards　the　gloved　hands　of
the　Sorbonne　professor。　　When　we　were　in　a　tiny　sitting…room
fitted　with　old　furniture；　Monsieur　Darzac　turned　to　Rouletabille
and　said　sharply：

〃What　do　you　want？〃

The　reporter　answered　in　an　equally　sharp　tone：

〃To　shake　you　by　the　hand。〃

Darzac　shrank　back。

〃What　does　that　mean？〃

Evidently　he　understood；　what　I　also　understood；　that　my　friend
suspected　him　of　the　abominable　attempt　on　the　life　of
Mademoiselle　Stangerson。　　The　impression　of　the　blood…stained　hand
on　the　walls　of　The　Yellow　Room　was　in　his　mind。　　I　looked　at　the
man　closely。　　His　haughty　face　with　its　expression　ordinarily　so
straightforward　was　at　this　moment　strangely　troubled。　　He　held　out
his　right　hand　and；　referring　to　me；　said：

〃As　you　are　a　friend　of　Monsieur　Sainclair　who　has　rendered　me
invaluable　services　in　a　just　cause；　monsieur；　I　see　no　reason　for
refusing　you　my　hand　…〃

Rouletabille　did　not　take　the　extended　hand。　　Lying　with　the　utmost
audacity；　he　said：

〃Monsieur；　I　have　lived　several　years　in　Russia；　where　I　have
acquired　the　habit　of　never　taking　any　but　an　ungloved　hand。〃

I　thought　that　the　Sorbonne　professor　would　express　his　anger　openly；
but；　on　the　contrary；　by　a　visibly　violent　effort；　he　calmed　himself；
took　off　his　gloves；　and　showed　his　hands；　they　were　unmarked　by　any
cicatrix。

〃Are　you　satisfied？〃

〃No！〃　replied　Rouletabille。　　〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　said；　turning
to　me；　〃I　am　obliged　to　ask　you　to　leave　us　alone　for　a　moment。〃

I　bowed　and　retired；　stupefied　by　what　I　had　seen　and　heard。　　I
could　not　understand　why　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　had　not　already
shown　the　door　to　my　impertinent；　insulting；　and　stupid　friend。
I　was　angry　myself　with　Rouletabille　at　that　moment；　for　his
suspicions；　which　had　led　to　this　scene　of　the　gloves。


For　some　twenty　minutes　I　walked　about　in　front　of　the　chateau；
trying　vainly　to　link　together　the　different　events　of　the　day。
What　was　in　Rouletabile's　mind？　　Was　it　possible　that　he　thought
Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　to　be　the　murderer？　　How　could　it　be
thought　that　this　man；　who　was　to　have　married　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　in　the　course　of　a　few　days；　had　introduced　himself
into　The　Yellow　Room　to　assassinate　his　fiancee？　　I　could　find　no
explanation　as　to　how　the　murderer　had　been　able　to　leave　The　Yellow
Room；　and　so　long　as　that　mystery；　which　appeared　to　me　so
inexplicable；　remained　unexplained；　I　thought　it　was　the　duty　of
all　of　us　to　refrain　from　suspecting　anybody。　　But；　then；　that
seemingly　senseless　phrase　…　〃The　presbytery　has　lost　nothing　of　its
charm；　nor　the　garden　its　brightness〃　…　still　rang　in　my　ears。　　What
did　it　mean？　　I　was　eager　to　rejoin　Rouletabille　and　question　him。

At　that　moment　the　young　man　came　out　of　the　chateau　in　the　company
of　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　and；　extraordinary　to　relate；　I　saw；　at
a　glance；　that　they　were　the　best　of　friends。　　〃We　are　going　to　The
Yellow　Room。　　Come　with　us；〃　Rouletabille　said　to　me。　　〃You　know；
my　dear　boy；　I　am　going　to　keep　you　with　me　all　day。　　We'll　breakfast
together　somewhere　about　here　…〃

〃You'll　breakfast　with　me；　here；　gentlemen　…〃

〃No；　thanks；〃　replied　the　young　man。　　〃We　shall　breakfast　at　the
Donjon　Inn。〃

〃You'll　fare　very　badly　there；　you'll　not　find　anything　…〃

〃Do　you　think　so？　　Well；　I　hope　to　find　something　there；〃　replied
Rouletabille。　　〃After　breakfast；　we'll　set　to　work　again。　　I'll
write　my　article　and　if　you'll　be　so　good　as　to　take　it　to　the
office　for　me　…〃

〃Won't　you　come　back　with　me　to　Paris？〃

〃No；　I　shall　remain　here。〃

I　turned　towards　Rouletabille。　　He　spoke　quite　seriously；　and
Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　did　not　appear　to　be　in　the　least　degree
surprised。

We　were　passing　by　the　donjon　and　heard　wailing　voices。　　Rouletabille
asked：

〃Why　have　these　people　been　arrested？〃

〃It　is　a　little　my　fault；〃　said　Monsieur　Darzac。　　〃I　happened　to
remark　to　the　examining　magistrate　yesterday　that　it　was　inexplicable
that　the　concierges　had　had　time　to　hear　the　revolver　shots；　to　dress
themselves；　and　to　cover　so　great　a　distance　as　that　which　lies
between　their　lodge　and　the　pavilion；　in　the　space　of　two　minutes；
for　not　more　than　that　interval　of　time　had　elapsed　after　the　firing
of　the　shots　when　they　were　met　by　Daddy　Jacques。〃

〃That　was　suspicious　evidently；〃　acquiesced　Rouletabille。　　〃And
were　they　dressed？〃

〃That　is　what　is　so　incredible　…　they　were　dressed　…　completely
…　not　one　part　of　their　costume　wanting。　　The　woman　wore　sabots；
but　the　man　had　on　laced　boots。　　Now　they　assert　that　they　went　to
bed　at　half…past　nine。　　On　arriving　this　morning；　the　examining
magistrate　brought　with　him　from　Paris　a　revolver　of　the　same　calibre
as　that　found　in　the　room　（for　he　couldn't　use　the　one　held　for
evidence）；　and　made　his　Registrar　fire　two　shots　in　The　Yellow　Room
while　the　doors　and　windows　were　closed。　　We　were　with　him　in　the
lodge　of　the　concierges；　and　yet　we　heard　nothing；　not　a　sound。
The　concierges　have　lied；　of　that　there　can　be　no　doubt。　　They　must
have　been　already　waiting；　not　far　from　the　pavilion；　waiting　for
something！　　Certainly　they　are　not　to　be　accused　of　being　the　authors
of　the　crime；　but　their　complicity　is　not　improbable。　　That　was　why
Monsieur　de　Marquet　had　them　arrested　at　once。〃

〃If　they　had　been　accomplices；〃　said　Rouletabille；　〃they　would　not
have　been　there　at　all。　　When　people　throw　themselves　into　the　arms
of　justice　with　the　proofs　of　complicity　on　them；　you　can　be　sure
they　are　not　accomplices。　　I　don't　believe　there　are　any　accomplices
in　this　affair。〃

〃Then；　why　were　they　abroad　at　midnight？　　Why　don't　they　say？〃

〃They　have　certainly　some　reason　for　their　silence。　　What　that
reason　is；　has　to　be　found　out；　for；　even　if　they　are　not
accomplices；　it　may　be　of　importance。　　Everything　that　took　place
on　such　a　night　is　important。〃

We　had　crossed　an　old　bridge　thrown　over　the　Douve　and　were　entering
the　part　of　the　park　called　the　Oak　Grove；　The　oaks　here　were
centuries　old。　　Autumn　had　already　shrivelled　their　tawny　leaves；
and　their　high　branches；　black　and　contorted；　looked　like　horrid
heads　of　hair；　mingled　with　quaint　reptiles　such　as　the　ancient
sculptors　have　made　on　the　head　of　Medusa。　　This　place；　which
Mademoiselle　found　cheerful　and　in　which　she　lived　in　the　summer
season；　appeared　to　us　as　sad　and　funereal　now。　　The　soil　was　black
and　muddy　from　the　recent　rains　and　the　rotting　of　the　fallen
leaves；　the　trunks　of　the　trees　were　black　and　the　sky　above　us
was　now；　as　if　in　mournin