'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 Stangerson； his daughter； and Daddy
Jacques engaged at the furnace in a corner of the high chimney。
Who can say that the murderer … an intimate！ … a friend！ … did
not take advantage of that moment to slip into The Yellow Room；
after having taken off his boots in the lavatory？〃
〃It is very improbable；〃 said Monsieur Stangerson。
〃Doubtless … but it is not impossible。 I assert nothing。 As to
the escape from the pavilion … that's another thing； the most
natural thing in the world。〃
For a moment Frederic Larsan paused； … a moment that appeared to
us a very long time。 The eagerness with which we awaited what he
was going to tell us may be imagined。
〃I have not been in The Yellow Room；〃 he continued； 〃but I take it
for granted that you have satisfied yourselves that he could have
left the room only by way of the door； it is by the door； then； that
the murderer made his way out。 At what time？ At the moment when it
was most easy for him to do so； at the moment when it became most
explainable … so completely explainable that there can be no other
explanation。 Let us go over the moments which followed after the
crime had been committed。 There was the first moment； when Monsieur
Stangerson and Daddy Jacques were close to the door； ready to bar
the way。 There was the second moment； during which Daddy Jacques
was absent and Monsieur Stangerson was left alone before the door。
There was a third moment； when Monsieur Stangerson was joined by
the concierge。 There was a fourth moment； during which Monsieur
Stangerson； the concierge and his wife and Daddy Jacques were before
the door。 There was a fifth moment； during which the door was burst
open and The Yellow Room entered。 The moment at which the flight is
explainable is the very moment when there was the least number of
persons before the door。 There was one moment when there was but
one person； … Monsieur Stangerson。 Unless a complicity of silence
on the part of Daddy Jacques is admitted … in which I do not believe
… the door was opened in the presence of Monsieur Stangerson alone
and the man escaped。
〃Here we must admit that Monsieur Stangerson had powerful reasons
for not arresting； or not causing the arrest of the murderer； since
he allowed him to reach the window in the vestibule and closed it
after him！ … That done； Mademoiselle Stangerson； though horribly
wounded； had still strength enough； and no doubt in obedience to the
entreaties of her father； to refasten the door of her chamber； with
both the bolt and the lock； before sinking on the floor。 We do not
know who committed the crime； we do not know of what wretch Monsieur
and Mademoiselle Stangerson are the victims； but there is no doubt
that they both know！ The secret must be a terrible one； for the
father had not hesitated to leave his daughter to die behind a door
which she had shut upon herself； … terrible for him to have allowed
the assassin to escape。 For there is no other way in the world to
explain the murderer's flight from The Yellow Room！〃
The silence which followed this dramatic and lucid explanation was
appalling。 We all of us felt grieved for the illustrious professor；
driven into a corner by the pitiless logic of Frederic Larsan； forced
to confess the whole truth of his martyrdom or to keep silent； and
thus make a yet more terrible admission。 The man himself； a
veritable statue of sorrow； raised his hand with a gesture so solemn
that we bowed our heads to it as before something sacred。 He then
pronounced these words； in a voice so loud that it seemed to exhaust
him：
〃I swear by the head of my suffering child that I never for an
instant left the door of her chamber after hearing her cries for
help； that that door was not opened while I was alone in the
laboratory； and that； finally； when we entered The Yellow Room； my
three domestics and I； the murderer was no longer there！ I swear
I do not know the murderer！〃
Must I say it； … in spite of the solemnity of Monsieur Stangerson's
words； we did n