the murderer！〃
With which words Daddy Mathieu immediately left us。 Rouletabille
returned towards the fireplace and said：
〃Now we'll grill our steak。 How do you like the cider？ … It's a
little tart； but I like it。〃
We saw no more of Daddy Mathieu that day； and absolute silence
reigned in the inn when we left it； after placing five francs on
the table in payment for our feast。
Rouletabille at once set off on a three mile walk round Professor
Stangerson's estate。 He halted for some ten minutes at the corner
of a narrow road black with soot； near to some charcoal…burners'
huts in the forest of Sainte…Genevieve； which touches on the road
from Epinay to Corbeil； to tell me that the murderer had certainly
passed that way； before entering the grounds and concealing himself
in the little clump of trees。
〃You don't think； then； that the keeper knows anything of it？〃 I
asked。
〃We shall see that； later；〃 he replied。 〃For the present I'm not
interested in what the landlord said about the man。 The landlord
hates him。 I didn't take you to breakfast at the Donjon Inn for
the sake of the Green Man。〃
Then Rouletabille； with great precaution glided； followed by me；
towards the little building which； standing near the park gate；
served for the home of the concierges； who had been arrested that
morning。 With the skill of an acrobat； he got into the lodge by
an upper window which had been left open； and returned ten minutes
later。 He said only； 〃Ah！〃 … a word which； in his mouth； signified
many things。
We were about to take the road leading to the chateau； when a
considerable stir at the park gate attracted our attention。 A
carriage had arrived and some people had come from the chateau to
meet it。 Rouletabille pointed out to me a gentleman who descended
from it。
〃That's the Chief of the Surete〃 he said。 〃Now we shall see what
Frederic Larsan has up his sleeve； and whether he is so much
cleverer than anybody else。〃
The carriage of the Chief of the Surete was followed by three other
vehicles containing reporters； who were also desirous of entering
the park。 But two gendarmes stationed at the gate had evidently
received orders to refuse admission to anybody。 The Chief of the
Surete calmed their impatience by undertaking to furnish to the
press； that evening； all the information he could give that would
not interfere with the judicial inquiry。
CHAPTER XI
In Which Frederic Larsan Explains How the Murderer Was Able to Get
Out of The Yellow Room
Among the mass of papers； legal documents； memoirs； and extracts
from newspapers； which I have collected； relating to the mystery
of The Yellow Room； there is one very interesting piece； it is a
detail of the famous examination which took place that afternoon；
in the laboratory of Professor Stangerson； before the Chief of the
Surete。 This narrative is from the pen of Monsieur Maleine； the
Registrar； who； like the examining magistrate； had spent some of
his leisure time in the pursuit of literature。 The piece was to
have made part of a book which； however； has never been published；
and which was to have been entitled： 〃My Examinations。〃 It was
given to me by the Registrar himself； some time after the
astonishing denouement to this case； and is unique in judicial
chronicles。
Here it is。 It is not a mere dry transcription of questions and
answers； because the Registrar often intersperses his story with
his own personal comments。
THE REGISTRAR'S NARRATIVE
The examining magistrate and I （the writer relates） found ourselves
in The Yellow Room in the company of the builder who had constructed
the pavilion after Professor Stangerson's designs。 He had a workman
with him。 Monsieur de Marquet had had the walls laid entirely bare；
that is to say； he had had them stripped of the paper which had
decorated them。 Blows with a pick； here and there； satisfied us of
the absence of any sort of opening。 The floor and the ceiling were
thoroughly sounded。 We found nothing。 There was nothing to be
found。 Monsieur de Marquet appeared to be delighted and never
ceased repeating：
〃What a case！ What a case！ We shall never know； you'll see； how
the murderer was able to get out of this room！〃
Then suddenly； with a radiant face； he called to the officer in
charge of the gendarmes。
〃Go to the chateau；〃 he said； 〃and request Monsieur Stangerson and
Monsieur Robert Darzac to come to me in the laboratory； also Daddy
Jacques； and let your men bring here the two concierges。〃
Five minutes later all were assembled in the laboratory。 The Chief
of the Surete； who had arrived at the Glandier； joined us at that
moment。 I was seated at Monsieur Stangerson's desk ready for work；
when Monsieur de Marquet made us the following little speech … as
original as it was unexpected：
〃With your permission； gentlemen … as examinations lead to nothing
… we will； for once； abandon the old system of interrogation。 I
will not have you brought before me one by one； but we will all
remain here as we are； … Monsieur Stangerson； Monsieur Robert Darzac；
Daddy Jacques and the two concierges； the Chief of the Surete； the
Registrar； and myself。 We shall all be on the same footing。 The
concierges may； for the moment； forget that they have been arrested。
We are going to confer together。 We are on the spot where the crime
was committed。 We have nothing else to discuss but the crime。 So
let us discuss it freely … intelligently or otherwise； so long as
we speak just what is in our minds。 There need be no formality or
method since this won't help us in any way。〃
Then； passing before me； he said in a low voice：
〃What do you think of that； eh？ What a scene！ Could you have
thought of that？ I'll make a little piece out of it for the
Vaudeville。〃 And he rubbed his hands with glee。
I turned my eyes on Monsieur Stangerson。 The hope he had received
from the doctor's latest reports； which stated that Mademoiselle
Stangerson might recover from her wounds； had not been able to efface
from his noble features the marks of the great sorrow that was upon
him。 He had believed his daughter to be dead； and he was still
broken by that belief。 His clear； soft； blue eyes expressed infinite
sorrow。 I had had occasion； many times； to see Monsieur Stangerson
at public ceremonies； and from the first had been struck by his
countenance； which seemed as pure as that of a child … the dreamy
gaze with the sublime and mystical expression of the inventor and
thinker。
On those occasions his daughter was always to be seen either
following him or by his side； for they never quitted each other； it
was said； and had shared the same labours for many years。 The young
lady； who was then five and thirty； though she looked no more than
thirty； had devoted herself entirely to science。 She still won
admiration for her imperial beauty which had remained intact； without
a wrinkle； withstanding time and love。 Who would have dreamed that
I should one day be seated by her pillow with my papers； and that I
should see her； on the point of death； painfully recounting to us
the most monstrous and most mysterious crime I have heard of in my
career？ Who would have thought that I should be； that afternoon；
listening to the despairing father vainly trying to explain how his
daughter's assailant had been able to escape from him？ Why bury
ourselves with our work in obscure retreats in the depths of woods；
if it may not protect us against those dangerous threats to life
which meet us in the busy cities？
〃Now； Monsieur Stangerson；〃 said Monsieur de Marquet； with somewhat
of an important air； 〃place yourself exactly where you were when
Mademoiselle Stangerson left you to go to her chamber。〃
Monsieur Stangerson rose and； standing at a certain distance from
the door of The Yellow Room； said； in an even voice and without the
least trace of emphasis … a voice which I can only describe as a
dead voice：
〃I was here。 About eleven o'clock； after I had made a brief chemical
experiment at the furnaces of the laboratory； needing all the space
behind me； I had my desk moved here by Daddy Jacques； who spent the
evening in cleaning some of my apparatus。 My daughter had been
working at the same desk with me。 When it was her time to leave
she rose； kissed me； and bade Daddy Jacques goodnight。 She had to
pass behind my desk and the door to enter her chamber； and she could
do this only with some difficulty。 That is to say； I was very near
the place where the crime occurred later。〃
〃And the desk？〃 I asked； obeying； in thus mixing myself in the
conversation； the express orders of my chief； 〃as soon as you heard
the cry of 'murder' followed by the revolver shots； what became of
the desk？〃
Daddy Jacques answered。
〃We pushed it back against the wall； here … close to where it is at
the present moment…so as to be able to get at the door at once。〃
I followed up my reasoning； to which； however； I attached but little
importance； regarding it as only a weak hypothesis； with another
question。
〃Might not a man in the room； the desk being so near to the door；
by stooping and slipping under the desk； have left it unobserved？〃
〃You are forgetting；〃 interrupted Monsieur Stangerson wearily； 〃that
my daughter had locked and bolted her door； that the door had
remained fastened； that we vainly tried to force it open when we
heard the noise； and that we were at the door while the struggle
between the murderer and my poor child was going on … immediately
after we heard her stifled cries as she was being held by the fingers
that have left their red mark upon her throat。 Rapid as the attack
was； we were no less rapid in our endeavors to get into the room
where the tragedy was taking place。〃
I rose from my seat and once more examined the door with the greatest
care。 Then I returned to my place with a despairing gesture。
〃If the lower panel of the door；〃 I said； 〃could be removed without
the whole door being necessarily opened； the problem would be solved。
But； unfortunately； that last hypothesis is untenable after an
examination of the door … it's of oak； solid and massive。 You can