shock。
〃Mr。 Arthur Rance！〃 he cried。
Mr。 Arthur Rance stood before us calmly bowing。
CHAPTER XX
An Act of Mademoiselle Stangerson
〃You remember me； Monsieur？〃 asked Rouletabile。
〃Perfectly！〃 replied Arthur Rance。 〃I recognise you as the lad at
the bar。 ＇The face of Rouletabille crimsoned at being called a
〃lad。〃＇ I want to shake hands with you。 You are a bright little
fellow。〃
The American extended his hand and Rouletabille； relaxing his frown；
shook it and introduced Mr。 Arthur Rance to me。 He invited him to
share our meal。
〃No thanks。 I breakfasted with Monsieur Stangerson。〃
Arthur Rance spoke French perfectly； … almost without an accent。
〃I did not expect to have the pleasure of seeing you again；
Monsieur。 I thought you were to have left France the day after the
reception at the Elysee。〃
Rouletabille and I； outwardly indifferent； listened most intently
for every word the American would say。
The man's purplish red face； his heavy eyelids； the nervous
twitchings； all spoke of his addiction to drink。 How came it that
so sorry a specimen of a man should be so intimate with Monsieur
Stangerson？
Some days later； I learned from Frederic Larsan … who； like
ourselves； was surprised and mystified by his appearance and
reception at the chateau … that Mr。 Rance had been an inebriate
for only about fifteen years； that is to say； since the professor
and his daughter left Philadelphia。 During the time the Stangersons
lived in America they were very intimate with Arthur Rance； who was
one of the most distinguished phrenologists of the new world。 Owing
to new experiments； he had made enormous strides beyond the science
of Gall and Lavater。 The friendliness with which he was received at
the Glandier may be explained by the fact that he had once rendered
Mademoiselle Stangerson a great service by stopping； at the peril of
his own life； the runaway horses of her carriage。 The immediate
result of that could； however； have been no more than a mere
friendly association with the Stangersons； certainly； not a love
affair。
Frederic Larsan did not tell me where he had picked up this
information； but he appeared to be quite sure of what he said。
Had we known these facts at the time Arthur Rance met us at the
Donjon Inn； his presence at the chateau might not have puzzled us；
but they could not have failed to increase our interest in the man
himself。 The American must have been at least forty…five years old。
He spoke in a perfectly natural tone in reply to Rouletabille's
question。
〃I put off my return to America when I heard of the attack on
Mademoiselle Stangerson。 I wanted to be certain the lady had not
been killed； and I shall not go away until she is perfectly
recovered。〃
Arthur Rance then took the lead in talk； paying no heed to some of
Rouletabille's questions。 He gave us； without our inviting him； his
personal views on the subject of the tragedy； … views which； as well
as I could make out； were not far from those held by Frederic Larzan。
The American also thought that Robert Darzac had something to do
with the matter。 He did not mention him by name； but there was no
room to doubt whom he meant。 He told us he was aware of the efforts
young Rouletabille was making to unravel the tangled skein of The
Yellow Room mystery。 He explained that Monsieur Stangerson had
related to him all that had taken place in the inexplicable gallery。
He several times expressed his regret at Monsieur Darzac's absence
from the chateau on all these occasions； and thought that Monsieur
Darzac had done cleverly in allying himself with Monsieur Joseph
Rouletabille； who could not fail； sooner or later； to discover the
murderer。 He spoke the last sentence with unconcealed irony。 Then
he rose； bowed to us； and left the inn。
Rouletabille watched him through the window。
〃An odd fish； that！〃 he said。
〃Do you think he'll pass the night at the Glandier？〃 I asked。
To my amazement the young reporter answered that it was a matter
of entire indifference to him whether he did or not。
As to how we spent our time during the afternoon； all I need say is
that Rouletabille led me to the grotto of Sainte…Genevieve； and； all
the time； talked of every subject but the one in which we were most
interested。 Towards evening I was surprised to find Rouletabille
making none of the preparations I had expected him to make。 I spoke
to him about it when night had come on； and we were once more in his
room。 He replied that all his arrangements had already been made；
and this time the murderer would not get away from him。
I expressed some doubt on this； reminding him of his disappearance
in the gallery； and suggested that the same phenomenon might occur
again。 He answered that he hoped it would。 He desired nothing more。
I did not insist； knowing by experience how useless that would have
been。 He told me that； with the help of the concierges； the chateau
had since early dawn been watched in such a way that nobody could
approach it without his knowing it； and that he had no concern for
those who might have left it and remained without。
It was then six o'clock。 by his watch。 Rising； he made a sign to
me to follow him； and； without in the least tying to conceal his
movements or the sound of his footsteps； he led me through the
gallery。 We reached the 'right' gallery and came to the
landing…place which we crossed。 We then continued our way in the
gallery of the left wing； passing Professor Stangerson's apartment。
At the far end of the gallery； before coming to the donjon； is the
room occupied by Arthur Rance。 We knew that； because we had seen
him at the window looking on to the court。 The door of the room
opens on to the end of the gallery； exactly facing the east window；
at the extremity of the 'right' gallery； where Rouletabille had
placed Daddy Jacques； and commands an uninterrupted view of the
gallery from end to end of the chateau。
〃That 'off…turning' gallery；〃 said Rouletabille； 〃I reserve for
myself； when I tell you you'll come and take your place here。〃
And he made me enter a little dark； triangular closet built in a
bend of the wall； to the left of the door of Arthur Rance's room。
》From this recess I could see all that occurred in the gallery as
well as if I had been standing in front of Arthur Rance's door；
and I could watch that door； too。 The door of the closet； which
was to be my place of observation； was fitted with panels of
transparent glass。 In the gallery； where all the lamps had been
lit； it was quite light。 In the closet； however； it was quite
dark。 It was a splendid place from which to observe and remain
unobserved。
I was soon to play the part of a spy … a common policeman。 I
wonder what my leader at the bar would have said had he known！ I
was not altogether pleased with my duties； but I could not refuse
Rouletabille the assistance he had begged me to give him。 I took
care not to make him see that I in the least objected； and for
several reasons。 I wanted to oblige him； I did not wish him to
think me a coward； I was filled with curiosity； and it was too late
for me to draw back； even had I determined to do so。 That I had
not had these scruples sooner was because my curiosity had quite
got the better of me。 I might also urge that I was helping to
save the life of a woman； and even a lawyer may do that
conscientiously。
We returned along the gallery。 On reaching the door of Mademoiselle
Stangerson's apartment； it opened from a push given by the steward
who was waiting at the dinner…table。 （Monsieur Stangerson had； for
the last three days； dined with his daughter in the drawing…room on
the first floor。） As the door remained open； we distinctly saw
Mademoiselle Stangerson； taking advantage of the steward's absence；
and while her father was stooping to pick up something he had let
fall； pour the contents of a phial into Monsieur Stangerson's glass。
CHAPTER XXI
On the Watch
The act； which staggered me； did not appear to affect Rouletabille
much。 We returned to his room and； without even referring to what
we had seen； he gave me his final instructions for the night。 First
we were to go to dinner； after dinner； I was to take my stand in the
dark closet and wait there as long as it was necessary … to look out
for what might happen。
〃If you see anything before I do；〃 he explained； 〃you must let me
know。 If the man gets into the 'right' gallery by any other way
than the 'off…tuming' gallery； you will see him before I shall；
because you have a view along the whole length of the 'right'
gallery； while I can only command a view of the 'off…turning'
gallery。 All you need do to let me know is to undo the cord holding
the curtain of the 'right' gallery window； nearest to the dark
closet。 The curtain will fall of itself and immediately leave a
square of shadow where previously there had been a square of light。
To do this； you need but stretch your hand out of the closet； I
shall understand your signal perfectly。〃
〃And then？〃
〃Then you will see me coming round the corner of the 'off…turning'
gallery。〃
〃What am I to do then？〃
〃You will immediately come towards me； behind the man； but I shall
already be upon him； and shall have seen his face。〃
I attempted a feeble smile。
〃Why do you smile？ Well； you may smile while you have the chance；
but I swear you'll have no time for that a few hours from now。
〃And if the man escapes？〃
〃So much the better；〃 said Rouletabille； coolly； 〃I don't want to
capture him。 He may take himself off any way he can。 I will let
him go … after I have seen his face。 That's all I want。 I shall
know afterwards what to do so that as far as Mademoiselle Stangerson
is concerned he shall be dead to her even though he continues to
live。 If I took him alive； Mademoiselle Stangerson and Robert
Darzac would； perhaps； never forgive me！ And I wish to retain their
good…will and respect。
〃Seeing； as I have just now seen； Mademoiselle Stangerson pour a
narcotic into her father's glass； so that he might not be awake to
interrupt the conversation she is going to have with her murderer；
you can imag