Rouletabille at one of the gallery windows。 He heard Rouletabille
call out to him to fire； and he had fired。 He believed he had
killed the man until he learned； after Rouletabille had uncovered
the body； that the man had died from a knife thrust。 Who had given
it he could not imagine。 〃Nobody could have been near the spot
without my seeing him。〃 When the examining magistrate reminded him
that the spot where the body was found was very dark and that he
himself had not been able to recognise the keeper before firing；
Daddy Bernier replied that neither had they seen the other body；
nor had they found it。 In the narrow court where five people were
standing it would have been strange if the other body； had it been
there； could have escaped。 The only door that opened into the court
was that of the keeper's room； and that door was closed； and the
key of it was found in the keeper's pocket。
However that might be； the examining magistrate did not pursue his
inquiry further in this direction。 He was evidently convinced that
we had missed the man we were chasing and we had come upon the
keeper's body in our chase。 This matter of the keeper was another
matter entirely。 He wanted to satisfy himself about that without
any further delay。 Probably it fitted in with the conclusions he
had already arrived at as to the keeper and his intrigues with the
wife of Mathieu； the landlord of the Donjon Inn。 This Mathieu；
later in the afternoon； was arrested and taken to Corbeil in spite
of his rheumatism。 He had been heard to threaten the keeper； and
though no evidence against him had been found at his inn； the
evidence of carters who had heard the threats was enough to justify
his retention。
The examination had proceeded thus far when； to our surprise；
Frederic Larsan returned to the chateau。 He was accompanied by one
of the employes of the railway。 At that moment Rance and I were in
the vestibule discussing Mathieu's guilt or innocence； while
Rouletabille stood apart buried； apparently； in thought。 The
examining magistrate and his Registrar were in the little green
drawing…room； while Darzac was with the doctor and Stangerson in
the lady's chamber。 As Frederic Larsan entered the vestibule with
the railway employed； Rouletabille and I at once recognised him by
the small blond beard。 We exchanged meaningful glances。 Larsan
had himself announced to the examining magistrate by the gendarme
and entered with the railway servant as Daddy Jacques came out。
Some ten minutes went by during which Rouletabille appeared
extremely impatient。 The door of the drawing…room was then opened
and we heard the magistrate calling to the gendarme who entered。
Presently he came out； mounted the stairs and； coming back shortly；
went in to the magistrate and said：
〃Monsieur； … Monsieur Robert Darzac will not come！〃
〃What！ Not come！〃 cried Monsieur de Marquet。
〃He says he cannot leave Mademoiselle Stangerson in her present
state。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Monsieur de Marquet； 〃then we'll go to him。〃
Monsieur de Marquet and the gendarme mounted the stairs。 He made
a sign to Larsan and the railroad employe to follow。 Rouletabille
and I went along too。
On reaching the door of Mademoiselle Stangerson's chamber； Monsieur
de Marquet knocked。 A chambermaid appeared。 It was Sylvia； with
her hair all in disorder and consternation showing on her face。
〃Is Monsieur Stangerson within？〃 asked the magistrate。
〃Yes； Monsieur。〃
〃Tell him that I wish to speak with him。〃
Stangerson came out。 His appearance was wretched in the extreme。
〃What do you want？〃 he demanded of the magistrate。 〃May I not be
left in peace； Monsieur？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said the magistrate； 〃it is absolutely necessary that I
should see Monsieur Darzac at once。 If you cannot induce him to
come； I shall be compelled to use the help of the law。〃
The professor made no reply。 He looked at us all like a man being
led to execution； and then went back into the room。
Almost immediately after Monsieur Robert Darzac came out。 He was
very pale。 He looked at us and； his eyes falling on the railway
servant； his features stiffened and he could hardly repress a groan。
We were all much moved by the appearance of the man。 We felt that
what was about to happen would decide the fate of Monsieur Robert
Darzac。 Frederic Larsan's face alone was radiant； showing a joy
as of a dog that had at last got its prey。
Pointing to the railway servant； Monsieur de Marquet said to
Monsieur Darzac：
〃Do you recognise this man； Monsieur？〃
〃I do；〃 said Monsieur Darzac； in a tone which he vainly tried to
make firm。 〃He is an employe at the station at Epinay…sur…Orge。〃
〃This young man；〃 went on Monsieur de Marquet； 〃affirms that he saw
you get off the train at Epinay…sur…Orge …〃
〃That night；〃 said Monsieur Darzac； interrupting； 〃at half…past ten
… it is quite true。〃
An interval of silence followed。
〃Monsieur Darzac；〃 the magistrate went on in a tone of deep emotion；
〃Monsieur Darzac； what were you doing that night； at Epinay…sur…Orge
… at that time？〃
Monsieur Darzac remained silent； simply closing his eyes。
〃Monsieur Darzac；〃 insisted Monsieur de Marquet； 〃can you tell me
how you employed your time； that night？〃
Monsieur Darzac opened his eyes。 He seemed to have recovered his
self…control。
〃No； Monsieur。〃
〃Think； Monsieur！ For； if you persist in your strange refusal； I
shall be under the painful necessity of keeping you at my
disposition。〃
〃I refuse。〃
〃Monsieur Darzac！ … in the name of the law； I arrest you！〃
The magistrate had no sooner pronounced the words than I saw
Rouletabille move quickly towards Monsieur Darzac。 He would
certainly have spoken to him； but Darzac； by a gesture； held
him off。 As the gendarme approached his prisoner； a despairing
cry rang through the room：
〃Robert！ … Robert！〃
We recognised the voice of Mademoiselle Stangerson。 We all
shuddered。 Larsan himself turned pale。 Monsieur Darzac； in response
to the cry； had flown back into the room。
The magistrate； the gendarme； and Larsan followed closely after。
Rouletabille and I remained on the threshold。 It was a
heart…breaking sight that met our eyes。 Mademoiselle Stangerson；
with a face of deathly pallor； had risen on her bed； in spite of
the restraining efforts of two doctors and her father。 She was
holding out her trembling arms towards Robert Darzac； on whom
Larsan and the gendarme had laid hands。 Her distended eyes saw
… she understood … her lips seemed to form a word； but nobody made
it out； and she fell back insensible。
Monsieur Darzac was hurried out of the room and placed in the
vestibule to wait for the vehicle Larsan had gone to fetch。 We
were all overcome by emotion and even Monsieur de Marquet had tears
in his eyes。 Rouletabille took advantage of the opportunity to
say to Monsieur Darzac：
〃Are you going to put in any defense？〃
〃No！〃 replied the prisoner。
〃Very well； then I will； Monsieur。〃
〃You cannot do it；〃 said the unhappy man with a faint smile。
〃I can … and I will。〃
Rouletabille's voice had in it a strange strength and confidence。
〃I can do it； Monsieur Robert Darzac； because I know more than
you do！〃
〃Come！ Come！〃 murmured Darzac； almost angrily。
〃Have no fear！ I shall know only what will benefit you。〃
〃You must know nothing； young man； if you want me to be grateful。〃
Rouletabille shook his head； going close up to Darzac。
〃Listen to what I am about to say；〃 he said in a low tone； 〃and let
it give you confidence。 You do not know the name of the murderer。
Mademoiselle Stangerson knows it； but only half of it； but I know
his two halves； I know the whole man！〃
Robert Darzac opened his eyes； with a look that showed he had not
understood a word of what Rouletabille had said to him。 At that
moment the conveyance arrived； driven by Frederic Larsan。 Darzac
and the gendarme entered it； Larsan remaining on the driver's seat。
The prisoner was taken to Corbeil。
CHAPTER XXV CHAPTER XXVI
Rouletabille Goes on a Journey
That same evening Rouletabille and I left the Glandier。 We were
very glad to get away and there was nothing more to keep us there。
I declared my intention to give up the whole matter。 It had been
too much for me。 Rouletabille； with a friendly tap on my shoulder；
confessed that he had nothing more to learn at the Glandier； he had
learned there all it had to tell him。 We reached Paris about eight
o'clock； dined； and then； tired out； we separated； agreeing to meet
the next morning at my rooms。
Rouletabille arrived next day at the hour agreed on。 He was dressed
in a suit of English tweed； with an ulster on his arm； and a valise
in his hand。 Evidently he had prepared himself for a journey。
〃How long shall you be away？〃 I asked。
〃A month or two；〃 he said。 〃It all depends。〃
I asked him no more questions。
〃Do you know；〃 he asked； 〃what the word was that Mademoiselle
Stangerson tried to say before she fainted？〃
〃No … nobody heard it。〃
〃I heard it！〃 replied Rouletabille。 〃She said 'Speak！'〃
〃Do you think Darzac will speak？〃
〃Never。〃
I was about to make some further observations； but he wrung my hand
warmly and wished me good…bye。 I had only time to ask him one
question before he left。
〃Are you not afraid that other attempts may be made while you're
away？〃
〃No！ Not now that Darzac is in prison；〃 he answered。
With this strange remark he left。 I was not to see him again until
the day of Darzac's trial at the court when he appeared to explain
the inexplicable。
CHAPTER XXVI
In Which Joseph Rouletabille Is Awaited with Impatience
On the 15th of January； that is to say； two months and a half after
the tragic events I have narrated； the 〃Epoque〃 printed； as the
first column of the front page； the following sensational article：
〃The Seine…et…Oise jury is summoned to…day to give its verdict on
one of the most mysterious affairs in the annals of crime。 There
never has been a case with so many obscure； incomprehensible； and
inexplicable points。 And yet the prosecution has not hesitated to
put into the prisoner's dock a man who is respe