nd … other things； he was capable of committing any crime。〃
〃Did Mademoiselle Stangerson know this？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； but she was ignorant of the fact that the man who
was pursuing her was Frederic Larsan； otherwise； of course； he
would not have been allowed to be at the chateau。 I noticed； when
he was in her room after the incident in the gallery； that he kept
himself in the shadow； and that he kept his head bent down。 He was
looking for the lost eye…glasses。 Mademoiselle Stangerson knew
Larsan under another name。〃
〃Monsieur Darzac；〃 asked the President； 〃did Mademoiselle Stangerson
in any way confide in you on this matter？ How is it that she has
never spoken about it to anyone？ If you are innocent； she would
have wished to spare you the pain of being accused。〃
〃Mademoiselle Stangerson told me nothing；〃 replled Monsieur Darzac。
〃Does what this young man says appear probable to you？〃 the
President asked。
〃Mademoiselle Stangerson has told me nothing；〃 he replied stolidly。
〃How do you explain that； on the night of the murder of the keeper；〃
the President asked； turning to Rouletabille； 〃the murderer brought
back the papers stolen from Monsieur Stangerson？ … How do you explain
how the murderer gained entrance into Mademoiselle Stangerson's
locked room？〃
〃The last question is easily answered。 A man like Larsan； or
Ballmeyer； could have had made duplicate keys。 As to the documents；
I think Larsan had not intended to steal them； at first。 Closely
watching Mademoiselle with the purpose of preventing her marriage
with Monsieur Robert Darzac； he one day followed her and Monsieur
into the Grands Magasins de Ia Louvre。 There he got possession of
the reticule which she lost； or left behind。 In that reticule was
a key with a brass head。 He did not know there was any value
attached to the key till the advertisement in the newspapers revealed
it。 He then wrote to Mademoiselle； as the advertisement requested。
No doubt he asked for a meeting； making known to her that he was
also the person who had for some time pursued her with his love。
He received no answer。 He went to the Post Office and ascertained
that his letter was no longer there。 He had already taken complete
stock of Monsieur Darzac； and； having decided to go to any lengths
to gain Mademoiselle Stangerson； he had planned that； whatever might
happen； Monsieur Darzac； his hated rival； should be the man to be
suspected。
〃I do not think that Larsan had as yet thought of murdering
Mademoiselle Stangerson； but whatever he might do； he made sure that
Monsieur Darzac should suffer for it。 He was very nearly of the
same height as Monsieur Darzac and had almost the same sized feet。
It would not be difficult； to take an impression of Monsieur Darzac's
footprints； and have similar boots made for himself。 Such tricks
were mere child's play for Larsan； or Ballmeyer。
〃Receiving no reply to his letter； he determined； since Mademoiselle
Stangerson would not come to him； that he would go to her。 His plan
had long been formed。 He had made himself master of the plans of
the chateau and the pavilion。 So that； one afternoon； while Monsieur
and Mademoiselle Stangerson were out for a walk； and while Daddy
Jacques was away； he entered the latter by the vestibule window。 He
was alone； and； being in no hurry； he began examining the furniture。
One of the pieces； resembling a safe； had a very small keyhole。
That interested him！ He had with him the little key with the brass
head； and； associating one with the other； he tried the key in the
lock。 The door opened。 He saw nothing but papers。 They must be
very valuable to have been put away in a safe； and the key to which
to be of so much importance。 Perhaps a thought of blackmail occurred
to him as a useful possibility in helping him in his designs on
Mademoiselle Stangerson。 He quickly made a parcel of the papers and
took it to the lavatory in the vestibule。 Between the time of his
first examination of the pavilion and the night of the murder of the
keeper； Larsan had had time to find out what those papers contained。
He could do nothing with them； and they were rather compromising。
That night he took them back to the chateau。 Perhaps he hoped that；
by returning the papers he might obtain some gratitude from
Mademoiselle Stangerson。 But whatever may have been his reasons；
he took the papers back and so rid himself of an encumbrance。
Rouletabille coughed。 It was evident to me that he was embarrassed。
He had arrived at a point where he had to keep back his knowledge of
Larsan's true motive。 The explanation he had given had evidently
been unsatisfactory。 Rouletabille was quick enough to note the bad
impression he had made； for； turning to the President； he said：
〃And now we come to the explanation of the Mystery of The Yellow
Room！〃
A movement of chairs in the court with a rustling of dresses and an
energetic whispering of 〃Hush！〃 showed the curiosity that had been
aroused。
〃It seems to me；〃 said the President； 〃that the Mystery of The
Yellow Room； Monsieur Rouletabille； is wholly explained by your
hypothesis。 Frederic Larsan is the explanation。 We have merely
to substitute him for Monsieur Robert Darzac。 Evidently the door
of The Yellow Room was open at the time Monsieur Stangerson was
alone； and that he allowed the man who was coming out of his
daughter's chamber to pass without arresting him … perhaps at her
entreaty to avoid all scandal。〃
〃No； Monsieur President；〃 protested the young man。 〃You forget
that； stunned by the attack made on her； Mademoiselle Stangerson
was not in a condition to have made such an appeal。 Nor could she
have locked and bolted herself in her room。 You must also remember
that Monsieur Stangerson has sworn that the door was not open。〃
〃That； however； is the only way in which it can be explained。 The
Yellow Room was as closely shut as an iron safe。 To use your own
expression； it was impossible for the murderer to make his escape
either naturally or supernaturally。 When the room was broken into
he was not there！ He must； therefore； have escaped。〃
〃That does not follow。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃There was no need for him to escape … if he was not there！〃
〃Not there！〃
〃Evidently； not。 He could not have been there； if he were not found
there。〃
〃But； what about the evidences of his presence？〃 asked the President。
〃That； Monsieur President； is where we have taken hold of the wrong
end。 From the time Mademoiselle Stangerson shut herself in the room
to the time her door was burst open； it was impossible for the
murderer to escape。 He was not found because he was not there during
that time。〃
〃But the evidences？〃
〃They have led us astray。 In reasoning on this mystery we must not
take them to mean what they apparently mean。 Why do we conclude the
murderer was there？ … Because he left his tracks in the room？ Good！
But may he not have been there before the room was locked。 Nay； he
must have been there before！ Let us look into the matter of these
traces and see if they do not point to my conclusion。
〃After the publication of the article in the 'Matin' and my
conversation with the examining magistrate on the journey from Paris
to Epinaysur…Orge； I was certain that The Yellow Room had been
hermetically sealed； so to speak； and that consequently the murderer
had escaped before Mademoiselle Stangerson had gone into her chamber
at midnight。
〃At the time I was much puzzled。 Mademoiselle Stangerson could
not have been her own murderer； since the evidences pointed to some
other person。 The assassin； then； had come before。 If that were so；
how was it that Mademoiselle had been attacked after？ or rather；
that she appeared to have been attacked after？ It was necessary for
me to reconstruct the occurrence and make of it two phases … each
separated from the other； in time； by the space of several hours。
One phase in which Mademoiselle Stangerson had really been attacked
… the other phase in which those who heard her cries thought she
was being attacked。 I had not then examined The Yellow Room。 What
were the marks on Mademoiselle Stangerson？ There were marks of
strangulation and the wound from a hard blow on the temple。 The
marks of strangulation did not interest me much； they might have
been made before； and Mademoiselle Stangerson could have concealed
them by a collarette； or any similar article of apparel。 I had to
suppose this the moment I was compelled to reconstruct the occurrence
by two phases。 Mademoiselle Stangerson had； no doubt； her own
reasons for so doing； since she had told her father nothing of it；
and had made it understood to the examining magistrate that the
attack had taken place in the night； during the second phase。 She
was forced to say that； otherwise her father would have questioned
her as to her reason for having said nothing about it。
〃But I could not explain the blow on the temple。 I understood it
even less when I learned that the mutton…bone had been found in her
room。 She could not hide the fact that she had been struck on the
head； and yet that wound appeared evidently to have been inflicted
during the first phase； since it required the presence of the
murderer！ I thought Mademoiselle Stangerson had hidden the wound
by arranging her hair in bands on her forehead。
〃As to the mark of the hand on the wall； that had evidently been
made during the first phase … when the murderer was really there。
All the traces of his presence had naturally been left during the
first phase； the mutton…bone； the black footprints； the Basque cap；
the handkerchief； the blood on the wall； on the door； and on the
floor。 If those traces were still all there； they showed that
Mademoiselle Stangerson … who desired that nothing should be known
… had not yet had time to clear them away。 This led me to the
conclusion that the two phases had taken place one shortly after
the other。 She had not had the opportunity； after leaving her room
and going back to the laboratory to her father； to get back again
to her room and put it in order。 Her father was all the time with
her； working。 So that after the first phase