the mystery of the yellow room-第33章

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do　not　agree　with　him　as　to　the　way　the　murderer　escaped！〃

Everybody　turned　round；　astonished。　　The　clerks　of　the　court　sprang
towards　the　speaker；　calling　out　silence；　and　the　President　angrily
ordered　the　intruder　to　be　immediately　expelled。　　The　same　clear
voice；　however；　was　again　heard：

〃It　is　I；　Monsieur　President　…　Joseph　Rouletabille！〃





CHAPTER　XXVII

In　Which　Joseph　Rouletabille　Appears　in　All　His　Glory


The　excitement　was　extreme。　　Cries　from　fainting　women　were　to　be
heard　amid　the　extraordinary　bustle　and　stir。　　The　〃majesty　of　the
law〃　was　utterly　forgotten。　　The　President　tried　in　vain　to　make
himself　heard。　　Rouletabille　made　his　way　forward　with　difficulty；
but　by　dint　of　much　elbowing　reached　his　manager　and　greeted　him
cordially。　　The　letter　was　passed　to　him　and　pocketing　it　he　turned
to　the　witness…box。　　He　was　dressed　exactly　as　on　the　day　he　left
me　even　to　the　ulster　over　his　arm。　Turning　to　the　President；　he
said：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Monsieur　President；　but　I　have　only　just　arrived
from　America。　　The　steamer　was　late。　　My　name　is　Joseph　Rouletabille！〃

The　silence　which　followed　his　stepping　into　the　witness…box　was
broken　by　laughter　when　his　words　were　heard。　　Everybody　seemed
relieved　and　glad　to　find　him　there；　as　if　in　the　expectation　of
hearing　the　truth　at　last。

But　the　President　was　extremely　incensed：

〃So；　you　are　Joseph　Rouletabille；〃　he　replied；　〃well；　young　man；
I'll　teach　you　what　comes　of　making　a　farce　of　justice。　　By　virtue
of　my　discretionary　power；　I　hold　you　at　the　court's　disposition。〃

〃I　ask　nothing　better；　Monsieur　President。　　I　have　come　here　for
that　purpose。　　I　humbly　beg　the　court's　pardon　for　the　disturbance
of　which　I　have　been　the　innocent　cause。　　I　beg　you　to　believe　that
nobody　has　a　greater　respect　for　the　court　than　I　have。　　I　came　in
as　I　could。〃　　He　smiled。

〃Take　him　away！〃　ordered　the　President。

Maitre　Henri　Robert　intervened。　　He　began　by　apologising　for　the
young　man；　who；　he　said；　was　moved　only　by　the　best　intentions。
He　made　the　President　understand　that　the　evidence　of　a　witness　who
had　slept　at　the　Glandier　during　the　whole　of　that　eventful　week
could　not　be　omitted；　and　the　present　witness；　moreover；　had　come
to　name　the　real　murderer。

〃Are　you　going　to　tell　us　who　the　murderer　was？〃　asked　the　President；
somewhat　convinced　though　still　sceptical。

〃I　have　come　for　that　purpose；　Monsieur　President！〃　replied
Rouletabille。

An　attempt　at　applause　was　silenced　by　the　usher。

〃Joseph　Rouletabille；〃　said　Maitre　Henri　Robert；　〃has　not　been
regularly　subpoenaed　as　a　witness；　but　I　hope；　Monsieur　President；
you　will　examine　him　in　virtue　of　your　discretionary　powers。〃

〃Very　well！〃　said　the　President；　〃we　will　question　him。　　But　we　must
proceed　in　order。〃

The　Advocate…General　rose：

〃It　would；　perhaps；　be　better；〃　he　said；　〃if　the　young　man　were　to
tell　us　now　whom　he　suspects。〃

The　President　nodded　ironically：

〃If　the　Advocate…General　attaches　importance　to　the　deposition　of
Monsieur　Joseph　Rouletabille；　I　see　no　reason　why　this　witness
should　not　give　us　the　name　of　the　murderer。〃

A　pin　drop　could　have　been　heard。　　Rouletabille　stood　silent　looking
sympathetically　at　Darzac；　who；　for　the　first　time　since　the　opening
of　the　trial；　showed　himself　agitated。

〃Well；〃　cried　the　President；　〃we　wait　for　the　name　of　the　murderer。〃
Rouletabille；　feeling　in　his　waistcoat　pocket；　drew　his　watch　and；
looking　at　it；　said：

〃Monsieur　President；　I　cannot　name　the　murderer　before　half…past
six　o'clock！〃

Loud　murmurs　of　disappointment　filled　the　room。　　Some　of　the　lawyers
were　heard　to　say：　〃He's　making　fun　of　us！〃

The　President　in　a　stern　voice；　said：

〃This　joke　has　gone　far　enough。　　You　may　retire；　Monsieur；　into　the
witnesses'　room。　　I　hold　you　at　our　disposition。〃

Rouletabille　protested。

〃I　assure　you；　Monsieur　President；〃　he　cried　in　his　sharp；　clear
voice；　〃that　when　I　do　name　the　murderer　you　will　understand　why
I　could　not　speak　before　half…past　six。　　I　assert　this　on　my　honour。
I　can；　however；　give　you　now　some　explanation　of　the　murder　of　the
keeper。　　Monsieur　Frederic　Larsan；　who　has　seen　me　at　work　at　the
Glandier；　can　tell　you　with　what　care　I　studied　this　case。　　I　found
myself　compelled　to　differ　with　him　in　arresting　Monsieur　Robert
Darzac；　who　is　innocent。　　Monsieur　Larsan　knows　of　my　good　faith
and　knows　that　some　importance　may　be　attached　to　my　discoveries；
which　have　often　corroborated　his　own。〃

Frederic　Larsan　said：

〃Monsieur　President；　it　will　be　interesting　to　hear　Monsieur　Joseph
Rouletabille；　especially　as　he　differs　from　me。〃

A　murmur　of　approbation　greeted　the　detective's　speech。　　He　was　a
good　sportsman　and　accepted　the　challenge。　　The　struggle　between
the　two　promised　to　be　exciting。

As　the　President　remained　silent；　Frederic　Larsan　continued：

〃We　agree　that　the　murderer　of　the　keeper　was　the　assailant　of
Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　but　as　we　are　not　agreed　as　to　how　the
murderer　escaped；　I　am　curious　to　hear　Monsieur　Rouletabille's
explanation。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　you　are；〃　said　my　friend。

General　laughter　foliowed　this　remark。　　The　President　angrily
declared　that　if　it　was　repeated；　he　would　have　the　court　cleared。

〃Now；　young　man；〃　said　the　President；　〃you　have　heard　Monsieur
Frederic　Larsan；　how　did　the　murderer　get　away　from　the　court？〃

Rouletabille　looked　at　Madame　Mathieu；　who　smiled　back　at　him　sadly。

〃Since　Madame　Mathieu；〃　he　said；　〃has　freely　admitted　her　intimacy
with　the　keeper　…〃

〃Why；　it's　the　boy！〃　exclaimed　Daddy　Mathieu。

〃Remove　that　man！〃　ordered　the　President。

Mathieu　was　removed　from　the　court。　　Rouletabille　went　on：

〃Since　she　has　made　this　confession；　I　am　free　to　tell　you　that　she
often　met　the　keeper　at　night　on　the　first　floor　of　the　donjon；　in
the　room　which　was　once　an　oratory。　　These　meetings　became　more
frequent　when　her　husband　was　laid　up　by　his　rheumatism。　　She　gave
him　morphine　to　ease　his　pain　and　to　give　herself　more　time　for　the
meetings。　　Madame　Mathieu　came　to　the　chateau　that　night；　enveloped
in　a　large　black　shawl　which　served　also　as　a　disguise。　　This　was
the　phantom　that　disturbed　Daddy　Jacques。　　She　knew　how　to　imitate
the　mewing　of　Mother　Angenoux'　cat　and　she　would　make　the　cries　to
advise　the　keeper　of　her　presence。　　The　recent　repairs　of　the　donjon
did　not　interfere　with　their　meetings　in　the　keeper's　old　room；　in
the　donjon；　since　the　new　room　assigned　to　him　at　the　end　of　the
right　wing　was　separated　from　the　steward's　room　by　a　partition　only。

〃Previous　to　the　tragedy　in　the　courtyard　Madame　Mathieu　and　the
keeper　left　the　donjon　together。　　I　learnt　these　facts　from　my
examination　of　the　footmarks　in　the　court　the　next　morning。　　Bemier；
the　concierge；　whom　I　had　stationed　behind　the　donjon　…　as　he　will
explain　himself　…　could　not　see　what　passed　in　the　court。　　He　did
not　reach　the　court　until　he　heard　the　revolver　shots；　and　then　he
fired。　　When　the　woman　parted　from　the　man　she　went　towards　the　open
gate　of　the　court；　while　he　returned　to　his　room。

〃He　had　almost　reached　the　door　when　the　revolvers　rang　out。　　He
had　just　reached　the　corner　when　a　shadow　bounded　by。　　Meanwhile；
Madame　Mathieu；　surprised　by　the　revolver　shots　and　by　the　entrance
of　people　into　the　court；　crouched　in　the　darkness。　　The　court　is
a　large　one　and；　being　near　the　gate；　she　might　easily　have　passed
out　unseen。　　But　she　remained　and　saw　the　body　being　carried　away。
In　great　agony　of　mind　she　neared　the　vestibule　and　saw　the　dead
body　of　her　lover　on　the　stairs　lit　up　by　Daddy　Jacques'　lantern。
She　then　fled；　and　Daddy　Jacques　joined　her。

〃That　same　night；　before　the　murder；　Daddy　Jacques　had　been　awakened
by　the　cat's　cry；　and；　looking　through　his　window；　had　seen　the
black　phantom。　　Hastily　dressing　himself　he　went　out　and　recognised
her。　　He　is　an　old　friend　of　Madame　Mathieu；　and　when　she　saw　him
she　had　to　tell　him　of　her　relations　with　the　keeper　and　begged　his
assistance。　　Daddy　Jacques　took　pity　on　her　and　accompanied　her
through　the　oak　grove　out　of　the　park；　past　the　border　of　the　lake
to　the　road　to　Epinay。　　From　there　it　was　but　a　very　short　distance
to　her　home。

〃Daddy　Jacques　returned　to　the　chateau；　and；　seeing　how　important
it　was　for　Madame　Mathieu's　presence　at　the　chateau　to　remain
unknown；　he　did　all　he　could　to　hide　it。　　I　appeal　to　Monsieur
Larsan；　who　saw　me；　next　morning；　examine　the　two　sets　of
footprints。〃

Here　Rouletabille　turning　towards　Madame　Mathieu；　with　a　bow；　said：

〃The　footprints　of　Madame　bear　a　strange　resemblance　to　the　neat
footprints　of　the　murderer。〃

Madame　Mathieu　trembled　and　looked　at　him　with　wide　eyes　as　if　in
wonder　at　what　he　would　say　next。

〃Madame　has　a　shapely　foot；　long　and　rather　large　for　a　woman。　　The
imprint；　with　its　pointed　toe；　is　very　like　that　of　the　murderer's。〃

A　movement　in　the　court　was　repressed　by　Rouletabille。　　He　held
their　attention　at　once。

〃I　hasten　to　add；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　I　attach　no　importance　to　this。
Outward　signs　like　these　are　often　liable　to　lead　us　into　error；　if
we　do　not　reason　rightly。　　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac's　footprints　are
also　like　the　murderer's；　and　yet　he　is　not　the　murderer！〃

The　President　turning　to　Madame　Mathieu　asked：

〃Is　that　in　accordance　with　what　you　know　occurred？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　President；〃　she　replied；　〃it　is　as　if　Monsieur
Rouletabille　had　been　behind　us。〃

〃Did　you　see　the　murderer　running　towards　the　end　of　the　right　wing？〃

〃Yes；　as　clearly　as　I　saw　them　afterwards　carrying　the　keeper's
body。〃

〃What　became　of　the　murderer？　…　You　were　in　the　courtyard　and　could
easily　have　seen。

〃I　saw　nothing　of　him；　Monsieur　President。　　It　became　quite　dark
just　then。〃

〃Then　Monsieur　Rouletabille；〃　said　the　President；　〃must　explain
how　the　murderer　made　his　escape。〃

Rouletabille　continued：

〃It　was　impossible　for　the　murderer　to　escape　by　the　way　he　had
entered　the　court　without　our　seeing　him；　or　if　we　couldn't　see　him
we　must　certainly　have　felt　him；　since　the　court　is　a　very　narrow
one　enclosed　in　high　iron　railings。〃

〃Then　if　the　man　was　hemmed　in　that　narrow　square；　how　is　it　you
did　not　find　him？　　…　I　have　been　asking　you　that　for　the　last
half　hour。〃

〃Monsieur　President；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　〃I　cannot　answer　that
question　before　half…past　six！〃

By　this　time　the　people　in　the　court…room　were　beginning　to　believe
in　this　new　witness。　　They　were　amused　by　his　melodramatic　action
in　thus　fixing　the　hour；　but　they　seemed　to　have　confidence　in　the
outcome。　　As　for　the　President；　it　looked　as　if　he　also　had　made　up
his　mind　to　take　the　young　man　in　the　same　way。　　He　had　certainly
been　impressed　by　Rouletabille's　explanation　of　Madame　Mathieu's　part。

〃Well；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；〃　he　said；　〃as　you　say；　but　don't　let
us　see　any　more　of　you　before　half…past　six。〃

Rouletabille　bowed　to　the　President；　and　made　his　way　to　the　door
of　the　witnesses'　room。

I　quietly　made　my　way　through　the　crowd　and　left　the　court　almost
at　the　same　time　as　Rouletabille。　　He　greeted　me　heartily；　and
looked　happy。

〃I'll　not　ask　you；　my　dear　fellow；〃　I　said；　smili