the mystery of the yellow room-第21章

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turned　to　me；　his　look　haggard；　after　having　carefully　refastened
the　door；　muttering　some　incomprehensible　phrases。

〃If　the　thing　is　mathematically　possible；　why　should　it　not　be　hu…
manly！　　…　And　if　it　is　humanly　possible；　the　matter　is　simply　awful。〃
I　interrupted　him　in　his　soliloquy：

〃Have　they　set　the　concierges　at　liberty；　then？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　〃I　had　them　liberated；　I　needed　people　I　could
trust。　　The　woman　is　thoroughly　devoted　to　me；　and　her　husband　would
lay　down　his　life　for　me。〃

〃Oho！〃　I　said；　〃when　will　he　have　occasion　to　do　it？〃

〃This　evening；　…　for　this　evening　I　expect　the　murderer。〃

〃You　expect　the　murderer　this　evening？　　Then　you　know　him？〃

〃I　shall　know　him；　but　I　should　be　mad　to　affirm；　categorically；　at
this　moment　that　I　do　know　him。　　The　mathematical　idea　I　have　of　the
murderer　gives　results　so　frightful；　so　monstrous；　that　I　hope　it　is
still　possible　that　I　am　mistaken。　　I　hope　so；　with　all　my　heart！〃

〃Five　minutes　ago；　you　did　not　know　the　murderer；　how　can　you　say
that　you　expect　him　this　evening？〃

〃Because　I　know　that　he　must　come。〃

Rouletabille　very　slowly　filled　his　pipe　and　lit　it。　　That　meant　an
interesting　story。　　At　that　moment　we　heard　some　one　walking　in　the
gallery　and　passing　before　our　door。　　Rouletabille　listened。　　The
sound　of　the　footstep　died　away　in　the　distance。

〃Is　Frederic　Larsan　in　his　room？〃　I　asked；　pointing　to　the　partition。

〃No；〃　my　friend　answered。　　〃He　went　to　Paris　this　morning；　…　still
on　the　scent　of　Darzac；　who　also　left　for　Paris。　　That　matter　will
turn　out　badly。　　I　expect　that　Monsieur　Darzac　will　be　arrested　in
the　course　of　the　next　week。　　The　worst　of　it　is　that　everything
seems　to　be　in　league　against　him；　…　circumstances；　things；　people。
Not　an　hour　passes　without　bringing　some　new　evidence　against　him。
The　examining　magistrate　is　overwhelmed　by　it　…　and　blind。〃

〃Frederic　Larsan；　however；　is　not　a　novice；〃　I　said。

〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Rouletabile；　with　a　slightly　contemptuous　turn
of　his　lips；　〃I　fancied　he　was　a　much　abler　man。　　I　had；　indeed；　a
great　admiration　for　him；　before　I　got　to　know　his　method　of　working。
It's　deplorable。　　He　owes　his　reputation　solely　to　his　ability；　but
he　lacks　reasoning　power；　…　the　mathematics　of　his　ideas　are　very
poor。〃

I　looked　closely　at　Rouletabille　and　could　not　help　smiling；　on
hearing　this　boy　of　eighteeen　talking　of　a　man　who　had　proved　to
the　world　that　he　was　the　finest　police　sleuth　in　Europe。

〃You　smile；〃　he　said？　　〃you　are　wrong！　　I　swear　I　will　outwit　him
…　and　in　a　striking　way！　　But　I　must　make　haste　about　it；　for　he　has
an　enormous　start　on　me　…　given　him　by　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　who
is　this　evening　going　to　increase　it　still　more。　　Think　of　it！
…　every　time　the　murderer　comes　to　the　chateau；　Monsieur　Darzac；　by
a　strange　fatality；　absents　himself　and　refuses　to　give　any　account
of　how　he　employs　his　time。〃

〃Every　time　the　assassin　comes　to　the　chateau！〃　I　cried。　　〃Has　he
returned　then　…？〃

〃Yes；　during　that　famous　night　when　the　strange　phenomenon　occurred。〃

I　was　now　going　to　learn　about　the　astonishing　phenomenon　to　which
Rouletabille　had　made　allusion　half　an　hour　earlier　without　giving
me　any　explanation　of　it。　　But　I　had　learned　never　to　press
Rouletabille　in　his　narratives。　　He　spoke　when　the　fancy　took　him
and　when　he　judged　it　to　be　right。　　He　was　less　concerned　about　my
curiosity　than　he　was　for　making　a　complete　summing　up　for　himself
of　any　important　matter　in　which　he　was　interested。

At　last；　in　short　rapid　phrases；　he　acquainted　me　with　things　which
plunged　me　into　a　state　bordering　on　complete　bewilderment。　　Indeed；
the　results　of　that　still　unknown　science　known　as　hypnotism；　for
example；　were　not　more　inexplicable　than　the　disappearance　of　the
〃matter〃　of　the　murderer　at　the　moment　when　four　persons　were　within
touch　of　him。　　I　speak　of　hypnotism　as　I　would　of　electricity；　for
of　the　nature　of　both　we　are　ignorant　and　we　know　little　of　their
laws。　　I　cite　these　examples　because；　at　the　time；　the　case　appeared
to　me　to　be　only　explicable　by　the　inexplicable；　…　that　is　to　say；
by　an　event　outside　of　known　natural　laws。　　And　yet；　if　I　had　had
Rouletabille's　brain；　I　should；　like　him；　have　had　a　presentiment
of　the　natural　explanation；　for　the　most　curious　thing　about　all
the　mysteries　of　the　Glandier　case　was　the　natural　manner　in　which
he　explained　them。

I　have　among　the　papers　that　were　sent　me　by　the　young　man；　after
the　affair　was　over；　a　note…book　of　his；　in　which　a　complete　account
is　given　of　the　phenomenon　of　the　disappearance　of　the　〃matter〃　of
the　assassin；　and　the　thoughts　to　which　it　gave　rise　in　the　mind　of
my　young　friend。　　It　is　preferable；　I　think；　to　give　the　reader　this
account；　rather　than　continue　to　reproduce　my　conversation　with
Rouletabille；　for　I　should　be　afraid；　in　a　history　of　this　nature；
to　add　a　word　that　was　not　in　accordance　with　the　strictest　truth。





CHAPTER　XV

The　Trap


（EXTRACT　FROM　THE　NOTE…BOOK　OF　JOSEPH　ROULETABILLE）

〃Last　night　？the　night　between　the　29th　and　30th　of　October　？〃wrote
Joseph　Rouletabille；　〃I　woke　up　towards　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。
Was　it　sleeplessness；　or　noise　without？　　？The　cry　of　the　Bete　du
Bon　Dieu　rang　out　with　sinister　loudness　from　the　end　of　the　park。
I　rose　and　opened　the　window。　　Cold　wind　and　rain；　opaque　darkness；
silence。　　I　reclosed　my　window。　　Again　the　sound　of　the　cat's　weird
cry　in　the　distance。　　I　partly　dressed　in　haste。　　The　weather　was
too　bad　for　even　a　cat　to　be　turned　out　in　it。　　What　did　it　mean；
then　？that　imitating　of　the　mewing　of　Mother　Angenoux'　cat　so　near
the　chateau？　　I　seized　a　good…sized　stick；　the　only　weapon　I　had；
and；　without　making　any　noise；　opened　the　door。

〃The　gallery　into　which　I　went　was　well　lit　by　a　lamp　with　a
reflector。　　I　felt　a　keen　current　of　air　and；　on　turning；　found　the
window　open；　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　gallery；　which　I　call　the
'off…turning'　gallery；　to　distinguish　it　from　the　'right'　gallery；
on　to　which　the　apartment　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　opened。　　These
two　galleries　cross　each　other　at　right　angles。　　Who　had　left　that
window　open？　　Or；　who　had　come　to　open　it？　　I　went　to　the　window　and
leaned　out。　　Five　feet　below　me　there　was　a　sort　of　terrace　over　the
semi…circular　projection　of　a　room　on　the　ground…floor。　　One　could；
if　one　wanted；　jump　from　the　window　on　to　the　terrace；　and　allow
oneself　to　drop　from　it　into　the　court　of　the　chateau。　　Whoever　had
entered　by　this　road　had；　evidently；　not　had　a　key　to　the　vestibule
door。　　But　why　should　I　be　thinking　of　my　previous　night's　attempt
with　the　ladder？　　？Because　of　the　open　window　？left　open；　perhaps；
by　the　negligence　of　a　servant？　　I　reclosed　it；　smiling　at　the　ease
with　which　I　built　a　drama　on　the　mere　suggestion　of　an　open　window。

〃Again　the　cry　of　the　Bete　du　Bon　Dieu！　　？and　then　silence。　　The
rain　ceased　to　beat　on　the　window。　　All　in　the　chateau　slept。　　I
walked　with　infinite　precaution　on　the　carpet　of　the　gallery。　　On
reaching　the　corner　of　the　'right'　gallery；　I　peered　round　it
cautiously。　　There　was　another　lamp　there　with　a　reflector　which
quite　lit　up　the　several　objects　in　it；　？three　chairs　and　some
pictures　hanging　on　the　wall。　　What　was　I　doing　there？　　Perfect
silence　reigned　throughout。　　Everything　was　sunk　in　repose。　　What
was　the　instinct　that　urged　me　towards　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's
chamber？　　Why　did　a　voice　within　me　cry：　'Go　on；　to　the　chamber　of
Mademoiselle　Stangerson！'　　I　cast　my　eyes　down　upon　the　carpet　on
which　I　was　treading　and　saw　that　my　steps　were　being　directed
towards　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　chamber　by　the　marks　of　steps
that　had　already　been　made　there。　　Yes；　on　the　carpet　were　traces
of　footsteps　stained　with　mud　leading　to　the　chamber　of　Mademoiselle
Stangerson。　　Horror！　　Horror！　　？I　recognised　in　those　footprints
the　impression　of　the　neat　boots　of　the　murderer！　　He　had　come；　then；
from　without　in　this　wretched　night。　　If　you　could　descend　from　the
gallery　by　way　of　the　window；　by　means　of　the　terrace；　then　you　could
get　into　the　chateau　by　the　same　means。

〃The　murderer　was　still　in　the　chateau；　for　here　were　marks　as　of
returning　footsteps。　　He　had　entered　by　the　open　window　at　the
extremity　of　the　'off…turning'　gallery；　he　had　passed　Frederic
Larsan's　door　and　mine；　had　turned　to　the　right；　and　had　entered
Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　room。　　I　am　before　the　door　of　her
ante…room　？it　is　open。　　I　push　it；　without　making　the　least　noise。
Under　the　door　of　the　room　itself　I　see　a　streak　of　light。　　I
listen　？no　sound　？not　even　of　breathing！　　Ah！　？if　I　only　knew
what　was　passing　in　the　silence　that　is　behind　that　door！　　I　find
the　door　locked　and　the　key　turned　on　the　inner　side。　　And　the
murderer　is　there；　perhaps。　　He　must　be　there！　　Will　he　escape　this
time？　　？All　depends　on　me！　？I　must　be　calm；　and　above　all；　I　must
make　no　false　steps。　　I　must　see　into　that　room。　　I　can　enter　it　by
Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　drawing…room；　but；　to　do　that　I　should
have　to　cross　her　boudoir；　and　while　I　am　there；　the　murderer　may
escape　by　the　gallery　door　？the　door　in　front　of　which　I　am　now
standing。

〃I　am　sure　that　no　other　crime　is　being　committed；　on　this　night；
for　there　is　complete　silence　in　the　boudoir；　where　two　nurses　are
taking　care　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　until　she　is　restored　to
health。

〃As　I　am　almost　sure　that　the　murderer　is　there；　why　do　I　not　at
once　give　the　alarm？　　The　murderer　may；　perhaps；　escape；　but；
perhaps；　I　may　be　able　to　save　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　life。
Suppose　the　murderer　on　this　occasion　is　not　here　to　murder？　　The
door　has　been　opened　to　allow　him　to　enter；　by　whom？　　？And　it　has
been　refastened　？by　whom？　？Mademoiselle　Stangerson　shuts　herself
up　in　her　apartment　with　her　nurses　every　night。　　Who　turned　the
key　of　that　chamber　to　allow　the　murderer　to　enter？　？The　nurses；
？two　faithful　domestics？　　The　old　chambermaid；　Sylvia？　　It　is　very
improbable。　　Besides；　they　slept　in　the　boudoir；　and　Mademoiselle
Stangerson；　very　nervous　and　careful；　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　told
me；　sees　to　her　own　safety　since　she　has　been　well　enough　to　move
about　in　her　room；　which　I　have　not　yet　seen　her　leave。　　This
nervousness　and　sudden　care　on　her　part；　which　had　struck　Monsieur
Darzac；　had　given　me；　also；　food　for　thought。　　At　the　time　of　the
crime　in　The　Yellow　Room；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　she　expected
the　murderer。　　Was　he　expected　this　night？　　？Was　it　she　herself
who　had　opened　her　door　to　him？　　Had　she　some　reason　for　doing　so？
Was　she　obliged　to　do　it？　？Was　it　a　meeting　for　purposes　of　crime？
？Certainly　it　was　not　a　lover's　meeting；　for　I　believe　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　adores　Monsieur　Darzac。

〃All　these　reflections　ran　through　my　brain　like　a　flash　of
lightning。　　What　would　I　not　give　to　know！

〃It　is　possible　that　there　was　some　reason　for　the　awful　silence。
My　intervention　might　do　more　harm　than　good。　　How　could　I　tell？
How　could　I　know　I　might　not　any　moment　cause　another　crime？　　If
I　could　only　see　and　know；　without　breaking　that　silence！

〃I　left　the　ante…room　and　descended　the　central　stairs　to　the
vestibule　and；　as　silently