the mystery of the yellow room- 第4部分

〃I　understand；〃　I　said；　〃murderers　don't　leave　traces　behind　them
which　tell　the　truth。〃

〃We　shall　make　something　out　of　you　yet；　my　dear　Sainclair；〃
concluded　Rouletabille





CHAPTER　III

〃A　Man　Has　Passed　Like　a　Shadow　Through　the　Blinds〃


Half　an　hour　later　Rouletabille　and　I　were　on　the　platform　of　the
Orleans　station；　awaiting　the　departure　of　the　train　which　was　to
take　us　to　Epinay…sur…Orge。

On　the　platform　we　found　Monsieur　de　Marquet　and　his　Registrar；　who
represented　the　Judicial　Court　of　Corbeil。　　Monsieur　Marquet　had
spent　the　night　in　Paris；　attending　the　final　rehearsal；　at　the
Scala；　of　a　little　play　of　which　he　was　the　unknown　author；　signing
himself　simply　〃Castigat　Ridendo。〃

Monsieur　de　Marquet　was　beginning　to　be　a　〃noble　old　gentleman。〃
Generally　he　was　extremely　polite　and　full　of　gay　humour；　and　in
all　his　life　had　had　but　one　passion；　…　that　of　dramatic　art。
Throughout　his　magisterial　career　he　was　interested　solely　in　cases
capable　of　furnishing　him　with　something　in　the　nature　of　a　drama。
Though　he　might　very　well　have　aspired　to　the　highest　judicial
positions；　he　had　never　really　worked　for　anything　but　to　win　a
success　at　the　romantic　Porte…Saint…Martin；　or　at　the　sombre　Odeon。

Because　of　the　mystery　which　shrouded　it；　the　case　of　The　Yellow
Room　was　certain　to　fascinate　so　theatrical　a　mind。　　It　interested
him　enormously；　and　he　threw　himself　into　it；　less　as　a　magistrate
eager　to　know　the　truth；　than　as　an　amateur　of　dramatic　embroglios；
tending　wholly　to　mystery　and　intrigue；　who　dreads　nothing　so　much
as　the　explanatory　final　act。

So　that；　at　the　moment　of　meeting　him；　I　heard　Monsieur　de　Marquet
say　to　the　Registrar　with　a　sigh：

〃I　hope；　my　dear　Monsieur　Maleine；　this　builder　with　his　pickaxe
will　not　destroy　so　fine　a　mystery。〃

〃Have　no　fear；〃　replied　Monsieur　Maleine；　〃his　pickaxe　may　demolish
the　pavilion；　perhaps；　but　it　will　leave　our　case　intact。　　I　have
sounded　the　walls　and　examined　the　ceiling　and　floor　and　I　know　all
about　it。　　I　am　not　to　be　deceived。〃

Having　thus　reassured　his　chief；　Monsieur　Maleine；　with　a　discreet
movement　of　the　head；　drew　Monsieur　de　Marquet's　attention　to　us。
The　face　of　that　gentleman　clouded；　and；　as　he　saw　Rouletabille
approaching；　hat　in　hand；　he　sprang　into　one　of　the　empty　carriages
saying；　half　aloud　to　his　Registrar；　as　he　did　so；　〃Above　all；　no
journalists！〃

Monsieur　Maleine　replied　in　the　same　tone；　〃I　understand！〃　and　then
tried　to　prevent　Rouletabille　from　entering　the　same　compartment
with　the　examining　magistrate。

〃Excuse　me；　gentlemen；　…　this　compartment　is　reserved。〃

〃I　am　a　journalist；　Monsieur；　engaged　on　the　'Epoque；'〃　said　my
young　friend　with　a　great　show　of　gesture　and　politeness；　〃and　I
have　a　word　or　two　to　say　to　Monsieur　de　Marquet。〃

〃Monsieur　is　very　much　engaged　with　the　inquiry　he　has　in　hand。〃

〃Ah！　　his　inquiry；　pray　believe　me；　is　absolutely　a　matter　of
indifference　to　me。　　I　am　no　scavenger　of　odds　and　ends；〃　he　went
on；　with　infinite　contempt　in　his　lower　lip；　〃I　am　a　theatrical
reporter；　and　this　evening　I　shall　have　to　give　a　little　account
of　the　play　at　the　Scala。〃

〃Get　in；　sir；　please；〃　said　the　Registrar。

Rouletabille　was　already　in　the　compartment。　　I　went　in　after　him
and　seated　myself　by　his　side。　　The　Registrar　followed　and　closed
the　carriage　door。

Monsieur　de　Marquet　looked　at　him。

〃Ah；　sir；〃　Rouletabille　began；　〃You　must　not　be　angry　with　Monsieur
de　Maleine。　　It　is　not　with　Monsieur　de　Marquet　that　I　desire　to
have　the　honour　of　speaking；　but　with　Monsieur　'Castigat　Ridendo。'
Permit　me　to　congratulate　you　…　personally；　as　well　as　the　writer
for　the　'Epoque。'　　And　Rouletabille；　having　first　introduced　me；
introduced　himself。

Monsieur　de　Marquet；　with　a　nervous　gesture；　caressed　his　beard　into
a　point；　and　explained　to　Rouletabille；　in　a　few　words；　that　he　was
too　modest　an　author　to　desire　that　the　veil　of　his　pseudonym　should
be　publicly　raised；　and　that　he　hoped　the　enthusiasm　of　the
journalist　for　the　dramatist's　work　would　not　lead　him　to　tell　the
public　that　Monsieur　〃Castigat　Ridendo〃　and　the　examining　magistrate
of　Corbeil　were　one　and　the　same　person。

〃The　work　of　the　dramatic　author　may　interfere；〃　he　said；　after　a
slight　hesitation；　〃with　that　of　the　magistrate；　especially　in　a
province　where　one's　labours　are　little　more　than　routine。〃

〃Oh；　you　may　rely　on　my　discretion！〃　cried　Rouletabille。

The　train　was　in　motion。

〃We　have　started！〃　said　the　examining　magistrate；　surprised　at
seeing　us　still　in　the　carriage。

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　…　truth　has　started；〃　said　Rouletabile；　smiling
amiably；　…　〃on　its　way　to　the　Chateau　du　Glandier。　　A　fine　case；
Monsieur　de　Marquet；　…　a　fine　case！〃

〃An　obscure　…　incredible；　unfathomable；　inexplicable　affair　…　and
there　is　only　one　thing　I　fear；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；　…　that　the
journalists　will　be　trying　to　explain　it。〃

My　friend　felt　this　a　rap　on　his　knuckles。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　simply；　〃that　is　to　be　feared。　　They　meddle　in
everything。　　As　for　my　interest；　monsieur；　I　only　referred　to　it　by
mere　chance；　…　the　mere　chance　of　finding　myself　in　the　same　train
with　you；　and　in　the　same　compartment　ofthe　same　carriage。〃

〃Where　are　you　going；　then？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　Marquet。

〃To　the　Chateau　du　Glandier；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　without　turnimg。

〃You'll　not　get　in；　Monsieur　Rouletabile！〃

〃Will　you　prevent　me？〃　said　my　friend；　already　prepared　to　fight。

〃Not　I！　…　I　like　the　press　and　journalists　too　well　to　be　in　any
way　disagreeable　to　them；　but　Monsieur　Stangerson　has　given　orders
for　his　door　to　be　closed　against　everybody；　and　it　is　well　guarded。
Not　a　journalist　was　able　to　pass　through　the　gate　of　the　Glandier
yesterday。〃

Monsieur　de　Marquet　compressed　his　lips　and　seemed　ready　to　relapse
into　obstinate　silence。　　He　only　relaxed　a　little　when　Rouletabille
no　longer　left　him　in　ignorance　of　the　fact　that　we　were　going　to
the　Glandier　for　the　purpose　of　shaking　hands　with　an　〃old　and
intimate　friend；〃　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　…　a　man　whom　Rouletabille
had　perhaps　seen　once　in　his　life。

〃Poor　Robert！〃　continued　the　young　reporter；　〃this　dreadful　affair
may　be　his　death；　…　he　is　so　deeply　in　love　with　Mademoiselle
Stangerson。〃

〃His　sufferings　are　truly　painful　to　witness；〃　escaped　like　a　regret
from　the　lips　of　Monsieur　de　Marquet。

〃But　it　is　to　be　hoped　that　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　life　will　be
saved。〃

〃Let　us　hope　so。　　Her　father　told　me　yesterday　that；　if　she　does　not
recover；　it　will　not　be　long　before　he　joins　her　in　the　grave。　　What
an　incalculable　loss　to　science　his　death　would　be！〃

〃The　wound　on　her　temple　is　serious；　is　it　not？〃

〃Evidently；　but；　by　a　wonderful　chance；　it　has　not　proved　mortal。
The　blow　was　given　with　great　force。〃

〃Then　it　was　not　with　the　revolver　she　was　wounded；〃　said
Rouletabille；　glancing　at　me　in　triumph。

Monsieur　de　Marquet　appeared　greatly　embarrassed。

〃I　didn't　say　anything　…　I　don't　want　to　say　anything　…　I　will　not
say　anything；〃　he　said。　　And　he　turned　towards　his　Registrar　as　if
he　no　longer　knew　us。

But　Rouletabille　was　not　to　be　so　easily　shaken　off。　　He　moved
nearer　to　the　examining　magistrate　and；　drawing　a　copy　of　the
〃Matin〃　from　his　pocket；　he　showed　it　to　him　and　said：

〃There　is　one　thing；　Monsieur；　which　I　may　enquire　of　you　without
committing　an　indiscretion。　　You　have；　of　course；　seen　the　account
given　in　the　'Matin'？　　It　is　absurd；　is　it　not？〃

〃Not　in　the　slightest；　Monsieur。〃

〃What！　　The　Yellow　Room　has　but　one　barred　window　…　the　bars　of
which　have　not　been　moved　…　and　only　one　door；　which　had　to　be
broken　open　…　and　the　assassin　was　not　found！〃

〃That's　so；　monsieur；　…　that's　so。　　That's　how　the　matter　stands。〃

Rouletabille　said　no　more　but　plunged　into　thought。　　A　quarter　of
an　hour　thus　passed。

Coming　back　to　himself　again　he　said；　addressing　the　magistrate：

〃How　did　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　wear　her　hair　on　that　evening？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Marquet。

〃That's　a　very　important　point；〃　said　Rouletabile。　　〃Her　hair　was
done　up　in　bands；　wasn't　it？　　I　feel　sure　that　on　that　evening；　the
evening　of　the　crime；　she　had　her　hair　arranged　in　bands。〃

〃Then　you　are　mistaken；　Monsieur　Rouletabile；〃　replied　the
magistrate；　〃Mademoiselle　Stangerson　that　evening　had　her　hair　drawn
up　in　a　knot　on　the　top　of　her　head；　…　her　usual　way　of　arranging　it
…　her　forehead　completely　uncovered。　　I　can　assure　you；　for　we　have
carefully　examined　the　wound。　　There　was　no　blood　on　the　hair；　and
the　arrangement　of　it　has　not　been　disturbed　since　the　crime　was
committed。〃

〃You　are　sure！　　You　are　sure　that；　on　the　night　of　the　crime；　she
had　not　her　hair　in　bands？〃

〃Quite　sure；〃　the　magistrate　continued；　smiling；　〃because　I
remember　the　Doctor　saying　to　me；　while　he　was　examining　the　wound；
'It　is　a　great　pity　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　was　in　the　habit　of
drawing　her　hair　back　from　her　forehead。　　If　she　had　worn　it　in
bands；　the　blow　she　received　on　the　temple　would　have　been　weakened。'
It　seems　strange　to　me　that　you　should　attach　so　much　importance
to　this　point。〃

〃Oh！　　if　she　had　not　her　hair　in　bands；　I　give　it　up；〃　said
Rouletabille；　with　a　despairing　gesture。

〃And　was　the　wound　on　her　temple　a　bad　one？〃　he　asked　presently。

〃Terrible。〃

〃With　what　weapon　was　it　made？〃

〃That　is　a　secret　of　the　investigation。〃

〃Have　you　found　the　weapon　…　whatever　it　was？〃

The　magistrate　did　not　answer。

　〃And　the　wound　in　the　throat？〃

Here　the　examining　magistrate　readily　confirmed　the　decision　of　the
doctor　that；　if　the　murderer　had　pressed　her　throat　a　few　seconds
longer；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　would　have　died　of　strangulation。

〃The　affair　as　reported　in　the　'Matin；'　〃　said　Rouletabille　eagerly；
〃seems　to　me　more　and　more　inexplicable。　　Can　you　tell　me；　Monsieur；
how　many　openings　there　are　in　the　pavilion？　　I　mean　doors　and
windows。〃

〃There　are　five；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Marquet；　after　having　coughed
once　or　twice；　but　no　longer　resisting　the　desire　he　felt　to　talk
of　the　whole　of　the　incredible　mystery　of　the　affair　he　was
investigating。　　〃There　are　five；　of　whi