the mystery of the yellow room-第16章

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〃or　rather　of　our　lives　…　the　lives　of　myself　and　my　daughter！　　Yes；
our　most　precious　documents；　the　records　of　our　secret　experiments
and　our　labours　of　twenty　years　were　in　that　cabinet。　　It　is　an
rreparable　loss　to　us　and；　I　venture　to　say；　to　science。　　All　the
processes　by　which　I　had　been　able　to　arrive　at　the　precious　proof
of　the　destructibility　of　matter　were　there　…　all。　　The　man　who　came
wished　to　take　all　from　me；　…　my　daughter　and　my　work　…　my　heart
and　my　soul。〃

And　the　great　scientist　wept　like　a　child。

We　stood　around　him　in　silence；　deeply　affected　by　his　great
distress。　　Monsieur　Darzac　pressed　closely　to　his　side；　and　tried
in　vain　to　restrain　his　tears　…　a　sight　which；　for　the　moment；
almost　made　me　like　him；　in　spite　of　an　instinctive　repulsion　which
his　strange　demeanour　and　his　inexplicable　anxiety　had　inspired　me。

Monsieur　Rouletabille　alone；　…　as　if　his　precious　time　and　mission
on　earth　did　not　permit　him　to　dwell　in　the　contemplation　on　human
suffering　…　had；　very　calmly；　stepped　up　to　the　empty　cabinet　and；
pointing　at　it；　broke　the　almost　solemn　silence。　　He　entered　into
explanations；　for　which　there　was　no　need；　as　to　why　he　had　been　led
to　believe　that　a　robbery　had　been　committed；　which　included　the
simultaneous　discovery　he　had　made　in　the　lavatory；　and　the　empty
precious　cabinet　in　the　laboratory。　　The　first　thing　that　had　struck
him；　he　said；　was　the　unusual　form　of　that　piece　of　furniture。　　It
was　very　strongly　built　of　fire…proof　iron；　clearly　showing　that　it
was　intended　for　the　keeping　of　most　valuable　objects。　　Then　he
noticed　that　the　key　had　been　left　in　the　lock。　　〃One　does　not
ordinarily　have　a　safe　and　leave　it　open！〃　he　had　said　to　himself。
This　little　key；　with　its　brass　head　and　complicated　wards；　had
strongly　attracted　him；　…　its　presence　had　suggested　robbery。

Monsieur　de　Marquet　appeared　to　be　greatly　perplexed；　as　if　he　did
not　know　whether　he　ought　to　be　glad　of　the　new　direction　given　to
the　inquiry　by　the　young　reporter；　or　sorry　that　it　had　not　been
done　by　himself。　　In　our　profession　and　for　the　general　welfare；　we
have　to　put　up　with　such　mortifications　and　bury　selfish　feelings。
That　was　why　Monsieur　de　Marquet　controlled　himself　and　joined　his
compliments　with　those　of　Monsieur　Dax。　　As　for　Monsieur　Rouletabille；
he　simply　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said：　〃There's　nothing　at　all
in　that！〃　　I　should　have　liked　to　box　his　ears；　especially　when　he
added：　〃You　will　do　well；　Monsieur；　to　ask　Monsieur　Stangerson　who
usually　kept　that　key？〃

〃My　daughter；〃　replied　Monsieur　Stangerson；　〃she　was　never　without　it。

〃Ah！　　then　that　changes　the　aspect　of　things　which　no　longer
corresponds　with　Monsieur　Rouletabille's　ideas！〃　cried　Monsieur　de
Marquet。　　〃If　that　key　never　left　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　the
murderer　must　have　waited　for　her　in　her　room　for　the　purpose　of
stealing　it；　and　the　robbery　could　not　have　been　committed　until
after　the　attack　had　been　made　on　her。　　But　after　the　attack　four
persons　were　in　the　laboratory！　　I　can't　make　it　out！〃

〃The　robbery；〃　said　the　reporter；　〃could　only　have　been　committed
before　the　attack　upon　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　in　her　room。　　When
the　murderer　entered　the　pavilion　he　already　possessed　the
brass…headed　key。〃

〃That　is　impossible；〃　said　Monsieur　Stangerson　in　a　low　voice。

〃It　is　quite　possible；　Monsieur；　as　this　proves。〃

And　the　young　rascal　drew　a　copy　of　the　〃Epoque〃　from　his　pocket；
dated　the　21st　of　October　（I　recall　the　fact　that　the　crime　was
committed　on　the　night　between　the　24th　and　25th）；　and　showing　us
an　advertisement；　he　read：

〃'Yesterday　a　black　satin　reticule　was　lost　in　the　Grands　Magasins
de　la　Louvre。　　It　contained；　amongst　other　things；　a　small　key　with
a　brass　head。　　A　handsome　reward　will　be　given　to　the　person　who
has　found　it。　　This　person　must　write；　poste　restante；　bureau　40；　to
this　address：　M。　A。　T。　H。　S。　N。'　　Do　not　these　letters　suggest
Mademoiselle　Stangerson？〃　continued　the　reporter。　　〃The　'key　with
a　brass　head'　…　is　not　this　the　key？　　I　always　read　advertisements。
In　my　business；　as　in　yours；　Monsieur；　one　should　always　read　the
personals。'　They　are　often　the　keys　to　intrigues；　that　are　not
lways　brass…headed；　but　which　are　none　the　less　interesting。　　This
dvertisement　interested　me　specially；　the　woman　of　the　key　surrounded
it　with　a　kind　of　mystery。　　Evidently　she　valued　the　key；　since　she
promised　a　big　reward　for　its　restoration！　　And　I　thought　on　these
six　letters：　M。　A。　T。　H。　S。　N。　　The　first　four　at　once　pointed　to
a　Christian　name；　evidently　I　said　Math　is　Mathilde。　　But　I　could
make　nothing　of　the　two　last　letters。　　So　I　threw　the　journal　aside
and　occupied　myself　with　other　matters。　　Four　days　later；　when　the
evening　paper　appeared　with　enormous　head…lines　announcing　the　murder
of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　the　letters　in　the　advertisement
mechanically　recurred　to　me。　　I　had　forgotten　the　two　last　letters；
S。　N。　　When　I　saw　them　again　I　could　not　help　exclaiming；
'Stangerson！'　　I　jumped　into　a　cab　and　rushed　into　the　bureau　No。
40；　asking：　'Have　you　a　letter　addressed　to　M。　A。　T。　H。　S。　N。？'
The　clerk　replied　that　he　had　not。　　I　insisted；　begged　and　entreated
him　to　search。　　He　wanted　to　know　if　I　were　playing　a　joke　on　him；
and　then　told　me　that　he　had　had　a　letter　with　the　initials
M。　A。　T。　H。　S。　N；　but　he　had　given　it　up　three　days　ago；　to　a　lady
who　came　for　it。　　'You　come　to…day　to　claim　the　letter；　and　the　day
before　yesterday　another　gentleman　claimed　it！　　I've　had　enough　of
this；'　he　concluded　angrily。　　I　tried　to　question　him　as　to　the　two
persons　who　had　already　claimed　the　letter；　but　whether　he　wished
to　entrench　himself　behind　professional　secrecy；　…　he　may　have
thought　that　he　had　already　said　too　much；　…　or　whether　he　was
disgusted　at　the　joke　that　had　been　played　on　him　…　he　would　not
answer　any　of　my　questions。〃

Rouletabille　paused。　　We　all　remained　silent。　　Each　drew　his　own
conclusions　from　the　strange　story　of　the　poste　restante　letter。
It　seemed；　indeed；　that　we　now　had　a　thread　by　means　of　which　we
should　be　able　to　follow　up　this　extraordinary　mystery。

〃Then　it　is　almost　certain；〃　said　Monsieur　Stangerson；　〃that　my
daughter　did　lose　the　key；　and　that　she　did　not　tell　me　of　it；
wishing　to　spare　any　anxiety；　and　that　she　begged　whoever　had　found
it　to　write　to　the　poste　restante。　　She　evidently　feared　that；　by
giving　our　address；　inquiries　would　have　resulted　that　would　have
apprised　me　of　the　loss　of　the　key。　　It　was　quite　logical；　quite
natural　for　her　to　have　taken　that　course　…　for　I　have　been　robbed
once　before。〃

〃Where　was　that；　and　when？〃　asked　the　Chief　of　the　Surete。

〃Oh！　　many　years　ago；　in　America；　in　Philadelphia。　　There　were
stolen　from　my　laboratory　the　drawings　of　two　inventions　that　might
have　made　the　fortune　of　a　man。　　Not　ouly　have　I　never　learnt　who
the　thief　was；　but　I　have　never　heard　even　a　word　of　the　object　of
the　robbery；　doubtless　because；　in　order　to　defeat　the　plans　of　the
person　who　had　robbed　me；　I　myself　brought　these　two　inventions
before　the　public；　and　so　rendered　the　robbery　of　no　avail。　　From
that　time　on　I　have　been　very　careful　to　shut　myself　in　when　I　am
at　work。　　The　bars　to　these　windows；　the　lonely　situation　of　this
pavilion；　this　cabinet；　which　I　had　specially　constructed；　this
special　lock；　this　unique　key；　all　are　precautions　against　fears
inspired　by　a　sad　experience。〃

〃Most　interesting！〃　remarked　Monsieur　Dax。

Monsieur　Rouletabille　asked　about　the　reticule。　　Neither　Monsieur
Stangerson　nor　Daddy　Jacques　had　seen　it　for　several　days；　but　a　few
hours　later　we　learned　from　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　herself　that　the
reticule　had　either　been　stolen　from　her；　or　she　had　lost　it。　　She
further　corroborated　all　that　had　passed　just　as　her　father　had
stated。　　She　had　gone　to　the　poste　restante　and；　on　the　23rd　of
October；　had　received　a　letter　which；　she　affirmed；　contained　nothing
but　a　vulgar　pleasantry；　which　she　had　immediately　burned。

To　return　to　our　examination；　or　rather　to　our　conversation。　　I　must
state　that　the　Chief　of　the　Surete　having　inquired　of　Monsieur
Stangerson　under　what　conditions　his　daughter　had　gone　to　Paris　on
the　20th　of　October；　we　learned　that　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　had
accompanied　her；　and　Darzac　had　not　been　again　seen　at　the　chateau
from　that　time　to　the　day　after　the　crime　had　been　committed。　　The
fact　that　Monsieur　Darzac　was　with　her　in　the　Grands　Magasins　de　la
Louvre　when　the　reticule　disappeared　could　not　pass　unnoticed；　and；
it　must　be　said；　strongly　awakened　our　interest。

This　conversation　between　magistrates；　accused；　victim；　witnesses
and　journalist；　was　coming　to　a　close　when　quite　a　theatrical
sensation　…　an　incident　of　a　kind　displeasing　to　Monsieur　de
Marquet　…　was　produced。　　The　officer　of　the　gendarmes　came　to
announce　that　Frederic　Larsan　requested　to　be　admitted；　…　a　request
that　was　at　once　complied　with。　　He　held　in　his　hand　a　heavy　pair
of　muddy　boots；　which　he　threw　on　the　pavement　of　the　laboratory。

〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃are　the　boots　worn　by　the　murderer。　　Do　you
recognise　them；　Daddy　Jacques？〃

Daddy　Jacques　bent　over　them　and；　stupefied；　recognised　a　pair　of
old　boots　which　he　had；　some　time　back；　thrown　into　a　corner　of　his
attic。　　He　was　so　taken　aback　that　he　could　not　hide　his　agitation。

Then　pointing　to　the　handkerchief　in　the　old　man's　hand；　Frederic
Larsan　said：

〃That's　a　handkerchief　astonishingly　like　the　one　found　in　The
Yellow　Room。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Daddy　Jacques；　trembling；　〃they　are　almost　alike。〃

〃And　then；〃　continued　Frederic　Larsan；　〃the　old　Basque　cap　also
found　in　The　Yellow　Room　might　at　one　time　have　been　worn　by　Daddy
Jacques　himself。　　All　this；　gentlemen；　proves；　I　think；　that　the
murderer　wished　to　disguise　his　real　personality。　　He　did　it　in　a
very　clumsy　way　…　or；　at　least；　so　it　appears　to　us。　　Don't　be
alarmed；　Daddy　Jacques；　we　are　quite　sure　that　you　were　not　the
murderer；　you　never　left　the　side　of　Monsieur　Stangerson。　　But　if
Monsieur　Stangerson　had　not　been　working　that　night　and　had　gone
back　to　the　chateau　after　parting　with　his　daughter；　and　Daddy
Jacques　had　gone　to　sleep　in　his　attic；　no　one　would　have　doubted
that　he　was　the　murderer。　　He　owes　his　safety；　therefore；　to　the
tragedy　having　been　enacted　too　soon；　…　the　murderer；　no　doubt；
from　the　silence　in　the　laboratory；　imagined　that　it　was　empty；　and
that　the　moment　for　action　had　come。　　The　man　who　had　been　able　to
introduce　himself　here　so　mysteriously　and　to　leave　so　many　evidences
against　Daddy　Jacques；　was；　there　can　be　no　doubt；　familiar　with　the
house。　　At　what　hour　exactly　he　entered；　whether　in　the　afternoon　or
in　the　evening；　I　cannot　say。　　One　familiar　with　the　proceedings　and
persons　of　this　pavilion　could　choose　his　own　time　for　entering　The
Yellow　Room。〃

〃He　could　not　have　entered　it　if　anybody　had　been　in　the　laboratory；〃
said　Monsieur　de　Marquet。

〃How　do　we　know　that？〃　replied　Larsan。　　〃There　was　the　dinner　in
the　laboratory；　the　coming　and　going　of　the　servants　in　attendance。
There　was　a　chemical　experiment　being　carried　on　between　ten　and
eleven　o'clock；　with　Monsieur　Stanger