supreme irony； 〃you can always indulge in the luxury of discovering
accomplices。〃
〃Did you have them arrested； Monsieur Fred？〃
〃Not I！ … I haven't had them arrested。 In the first place； I am
pretty sure that they have not had anything to do with the affair；
and then because …〃
〃Because of what？〃 asked Rouletabille eagerly。
〃Because of nothing；〃 said Larsan； shaking his head。
〃Because there were no accomplices！〃 said Rouletabille。
〃Aha！ … you have an idea； then； about this matter？〃 said Larsan；
looking at Rouletabille intently； 〃yet you have seen nothing； young
man … you have not yet gained admission here！〃
〃I shall get admission。〃
〃I doubt it。 The orders are strict。〃
〃I shall gain admission； if you let me see Monsieur Robert Darzac。
Do that for me。 You know we are old friends。 I beg of you；
Monsieur Fred。 Do you remember the article I wrote about you on
the gold bar case？〃
The face of Rouletabille at the moment was really funny to look at。
It showed such an irresistible desire to cross the threshold beyond
which some prodigious mystery had occurred； it appealed with so much
eloquence； not only of the mouth and eyes； but with all its features；
that I could not refrain from bursting into laughter。 Frederic
Larsan； no more than myself； could retain his gravity。 Meanwhile；
standing on the other side of the gate； he calmly put the key in
his pocket。 I closely scrutinised him。
He might be about fifty years of age。 He had a fine head； his hair
turning grey； a colourless complexion； and a firm profile。 His
forehead was prominent； his chin and cheeks clean shaven。 His upper
lip； without moustache； was finely chiselled。 His eyes were rather
small and round； with a look in them that was at once searching and
disquieting。 He was of middle height and well built； with a general
bearing elegant and gentlemanly。 There was nothing about him of
the vulgar policeman。 In his way； he was an artist； and one felt
that he had a high opinion of himself。 The sceptical tone of his
conversation was that of a man who had been taught by experience。
His strange profession had brought him into contact with so many
crimes and villanies that it would have been remarkable if his
nature had not been a little hardened。
Larsan turned his head at the sound of a vehicle which had come from
the chateau and reached the gate behind him。 We recognised the cab
which had conveyed the examining magistrate and his Registrar from
the station at Epinay。
〃Ah！〃 said Frederic Larsan； 〃if you want to speak with Monsieur
Robert Darzac； he is here。〃
The cab was already at the park gate and Robert Darzac was begging
Frederic Larsan to open it for him； explaining that he was pressed
for time to catch the next train leaving Epinay for Paris。 Then he
recognised me。 While Larsan was unlocking the gate； Monsieur Darzac
inquired what had brought me to the Glandier at such a tragic moment。
I noticed that he was frightfully pale； and that his face was lined
as if from the effects of some terrible suffering。
〃Is Mademoiselle getting better？〃 I immediately asked。
〃Yes ；〃he said。 〃She will be saved perhaps。 She must be saved！〃
He did not add 〃or it will be my death〃； but I felt that the phrase
trembled on his pale lips。
Rouletabille intervened：
〃You are in a hurry； Monsieur； but I must speak with you。 I have
something of the greatest importance to tell you。〃
Frederic Larsan interrupted：
〃May I leave you？〃 he asked of Robert Darzac。 〃Have you a key； or
do you wish me to give you this one。〃
〃Thank you。 I have a key and will lock the gate。〃
Larsan hurried off in the direction of the chateau； the imposing
pile of which could be perceived a few hundred yards away。
Robert Darzac； with knit brow； was beginning to show impatience。 I
presented Rouletabille as a good friend of mine； but； as soon as he
learnt that the young man was a journalist； he looked at me very
reproachfully； excused himself； under the necessity of having to
reach Epinay in twenty minutes； bowed； and whipped up his horse。
But Rouletabille had seized the bridle and； to my utter astonishment；
stopped the carriage with a vigorous hand。 Then he gave utterance
to a sentence which was utterly meaningless to me。
〃The presbytery has lost nothing of its charm； nor the garden its
brightness。〃
The words had no sooner left the lips of Rouletabille than I saw
Robert Darzac quail。 Pale as he was； he became paler。 His eyes
were fixed on the young man in terror； and he immediately
descended from the vehicle in an inexpressible state of agitation。
〃Come！ … come in！〃 he stammered。
hen； suddenly； and with a sort of fury； he repeated：
〃Let us go； monsieur。〃
He turned up by the road he had come from the chateau； Rouletabille
still retaining his hold on the horse's bridle。 I addressed a few
words to Monsieur Darzac； but he made no answer。 My looks
questioned Rouletabille； but his gaze was elsewhere。
CHAPTER VI
in the Heart of the Oak Grove
We reached the chateau； and； as we approached it； saw four
gendarmes pacing in front of a little door in the ground floor of
the donjon。 We soon learned that in this ground floor； which had
formerly served as a prison； Monsieur and Madame Bernier； the
concierges； were confined。 Monsieur Robert Darzac led us into the
modern part of the chateau by a large door； protected by a
projecting awning … a 〃marquise〃 as it is called。 Rouletabille；
who had resigned the horse and the cab to the care of a servant；
never took his eyes off Monsieur Darzac。 I followed his look and
perceived that it was directed solely towards the gloved hands of
the Sorbonne professor。 When we were in a tiny sitting…room
fitted with old furniture； Monsieur Darzac turned to Rouletabille
and said sharply：
〃What do you want？〃
The reporter answered in an equally sharp tone：
〃To shake you by the hand。〃
Darzac shrank back。
〃What does that mean？〃
Evidently he understood； what I also understood； that my friend
suspected him of the abominable attempt on the life of
Mademoiselle Stangerson。 The impression of the blood…stained hand
on the walls of The Yellow Room was in his mind。 I looked at the
man closely。 His haughty face with its expression ordinarily so
straightforward was at this moment strangely troubled。 He held out
his right hand and； referring to me； said：
〃As you are a friend of Monsieur Sainclair who has rendered me
invaluable services in a just cause； monsieur； I see no reason for
refusing you my hand …〃
Rouletabille did not take the extended hand。 Lying with the utmost
audacity； he said：
〃Monsieur； I have lived several years in Russia； where I have
acquired the habit of never taking any but an ungloved hand。〃
I thought that the Sorbonne professor would express his anger openly；
but； on the contrary； by a visibly violent effort； he calmed himself；
took off his gloves； and showed his hands； they were unmarked by any
cicatrix。
〃Are you satisfied？〃
〃No！〃 replied Rouletabille。 〃My dear friend；〃 he said； turning
to me； 〃I am obliged to ask you to leave us alone for a moment。〃
I bowed and retired； stupefied by what I had seen and heard。 I
could not understand why Monsieur Robert Darzac had not already
shown the door to my impertinent； insulting； and stupid friend。
I was angry myself with Rouletabille at that moment； for his
suspicions； which had led to this scene of the gloves。
For some twenty minutes I walked about in front of the chateau；
trying vainly to link together the different events of the day。
What was in Rouletabile's mind？ Was it possible that he thought
Monsieur Robert Darzac to be the murderer？ How could it be
thought that this man； who was to have married Mademoiselle
Stangerson in the course of a few days； had introduced himself
into The Yellow Room to assassinate his fiancee？ I could find no
explanation as to how the murderer had been able to leave The Yellow
Room； and so long as that mystery； which appeared to me so
inexplicable； remained unexplained； I thought it was the duty of
all of us to refrain from suspecting anybody。 But； then； that
seemingly senseless phrase … 〃The presbytery has lost nothing of its
charm； nor the garden its brightness〃 … still rang in my ears。 What
did it mean？ I was eager to rejoin Rouletabille and question him。
At that moment the young man came out of the chateau in the company
of Monsieur Robert Darzac； and； extraordinary to relate； I saw； at
a glance； that they were the best of friends。 〃We are going to The
Yellow Room。 Come with us；〃 Rouletabille said to me。 〃You know；
my dear boy； I am going to keep you with me all day。 We'll breakfast
together somewhere about here …〃
〃You'll breakfast with me； here； gentlemen …〃
〃No； thanks；〃 replied the young man。 〃We shall breakfast at the
Donjon Inn。〃
〃You'll fare very badly there； you'll not find anything …〃
〃Do you think so？ Well； I hope to find something there；〃 replied
Rouletabille。 〃After breakfast； we'll set to work again。 I'll
write my article and if you'll be so good as to take it to the
office for me …〃
〃Won't you come back with me to Paris？〃
〃No； I shall remain here。〃
I turned towards Rouletabille。 He spoke quite seriously； and
Monsieur Robert Darzac did not appear to be in the least degree
surprised。
We were passing by the donjon and heard wailing voices。 Rouletabille
asked：
〃Why have these people been arrested？〃
〃It is a little my fault；〃 said Monsieur Darzac。 〃I happened to
remark to the examining magistrate yesterday that it was inexplicable
that the concierges had had time to hear the revolver shots； to dress
themselves； and to cover so great a distance as that which lies
between their lodge and the pavilion； in the space of two minutes；
for not more than that interval of time had elapsed after the firing
of the shots when they were met by Daddy Jacques。〃
〃That was suspicious evidently；〃 acquiesced Rouletabille。 〃And
were they dressed？〃
〃That is what is so incredible … they were dressed … completely
… not one part of their costume wanting。 The woman wore sabots；
but the man had on laced boots。 Now they