the mystery of the yellow room-第26章

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concierges　free。

〃I　went　recently　to　see　Monsieur　Stangerson；　and　took　with　me　a
piece　of　paper　on　which　was　written：　'I　promise；　whatever　others
may　say；　to　keep　in　my　service　my　two　faithful　servants；　Bernier
and　his　wife。'　　I　explained　to　him　that；　by　signing　that　document；
he　would　enable　me　to　compel　those　two　people　to　speak　out；　and　I
declared　my　own　assurance　of　their　innocence　of　any　part　in　the
crime。　　That　was　also　his　opinion。　　The　examining　magistrate；　after
it　was　signed；　presented　the　document　to　the　Berniers；　who　then　did
speak。　　They　said；　what　I　was　certain　they　would　say；　as　soon　as
they　were　sure　they　would　not　lose　their　place。

〃They　confessed　to　poaching　on　Monsieur　Stangerson's　estates；　and
it　was　while　they　were　poaching；　on　the　night　of　the　crime；　that
they　were　found　not　far　from　the　pavilion　at　the　moment　when　the
outrage　was　being　committed。　　Some　rabbits　they　caught　in　that　way
were　sold　by　them　to　the　landlord　of　the　Donjon　Inn；　who　served　them
to　his　customers；　or　sent　them　to　Paris。　　That　was　the　truth；　as　I
had　guessed　from　the　first。　　Do　you　remember　what　I　said；　on
entering　the　Donjon　Inn？　…　'We　shall　have　to　eat　red　meat　…　now！'
I　had　heard　the　words　on　the　same　morning　when　we　arrived　at　the
park　gate。　　You　heard　them　also；　but　you　did　not　attach　any
importance　to　them。　　You　recollect；　when　we　reached　the　park　gate；
that　we　stopped　to　look　at　a　man　who　was　running　by　the　side　of　the
wall；　looking　every　minute　at　his　watch。　　That　was　Larsan。　　Well；
behind　us　the　landlord　of　the　Donjon　Inn；　standing　on　his　doorstep；
said　to　someone　inside：　'We　shall　have　to　eat　red　meat　…　now。'

〃Why　that　'now'？　　When　you　are；　as　I　am；　in　search　of　some　hidden
secret；　you　can't　afford　to　have　anything　escape　you。　　You've　got
to　know　the　meaning　of　everything。　　We　had　come　into　a　rather
out…of…the…way　part　of　the　country　which　had　been　turned　topsy…turvey
by　a　crime；　and　my　reason　led　me　to　suspect　every　phrase　that　could
bear　upon　the　event　of　the　day。　　'Now；'　I　took　to　mean；　'since　the
outrage。'　　In　the　course　of　my　inquiry；　therefore；　I　sought　to　find
a　relation　between　that　phrase　and　the　tragedy。　　We　went　to　the
Donjon　Inn　for　breakfast；　I　repeated　the　phrase　and　saw；　by　the
surprise　and　trouble　on　Daddy　Mathieu's　face；　that　I　had　not
exaggerated　its　importance；　so　far　as　he　was　concerned。

〃I　had　just　learned　that　the　concierges　had　been　arrested。　　Daddy
Mathieu　spoke　of　them　as　of　dear　friends　…　people　for　whom　one　is
sorry。　　That　was　a　reckless　conjunction　of　ideas；　I　said　tomyself。
'Now；'　that　the　concierges　are　arrested；　'we　shall　have　to　eat　red
meat。'　　No　more　concierges；　no　more　game！　　The　hatred　expressed　by
Daddy　Mathieu　for　Monsieur　Stangerson's　forest…keeper　…　a　hatred　he
pretended　was　shared　by　the　concierges　led　me　easily　to　think　of
poaching。　　Now　as　all　the　evidence　showed　the　concierges　had　not
been　in　bed　at　the　time　of　the　tragedy；　why　were　they　abroad　that
night？　　As　participants　in　the　crime？　　I　was　not　disposed　to　think
so。　　I　had　already　arrived　at　the　conclusion；　by　steps　of　which　I
will　tell　you　later　…　that　the　assassin　had　had　no　accomplice；　and
that　the　tragedy　held　a　mystery　between　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　and
the　murderer；　a　mystery　with　which　the　concierges　had　nothing　to　do。

〃With　that　theory　in　my　mind；　I　searched　for　proof　in　their　lodge；
which；　as　you　know；　I　entered。　　I　found　there　under　their　bed；　some
springs　and　brass　wire。　　'Ah！'　I　thought；　'these　things　explain　why
they　were　out　in　the　park　at　night！'　　I　was　not　surprised　at　the
dogged　silence　they　maintained　before　the　examining　magistrate；　even
under　the　accusation　so　grave　as　that　of　being　accomplices　in　the
crime。　　Poaching　would　save　them　from　the　Assize　Court；　but　it　would
lose　them　their　places；　and；　as　they　were　perfectly　sure　of　their
innocence　of　the　crime　they　hoped　it　would　soon　be　established；　and
then　their　poaching　might　go　on　as　usual。　　They　could　always　confess
later。　　I；　however；　hastened　their　confession　by　means　of　the
document　Monsieur　Stangerson　signed。　　They　gave　all　the　necessary
'proofs；'　were　set　at　liberty；　and　have　now　a　lively　gratitude　for　me。
Why　did　I　not　get　them　released　sooner？　　Because　I　was　not　sure　that
nothing　more　than　poaching　was　against　them。　　I　wanted　to　study　the
ground。　　As　the　days　went　by；　my　conviction　became　more　and　more
certain。　　The　day　after　the　events　of　the　inexplicable　gallery　I　had
need　of　help　I　could　rely　on；　so　I　resolved　to　have　them　released
at　once。〃

That　was　how　Joseph　Rouletabille　explained　himself。　　Once　more　I
could　not　but　be　astonished　at　the　simplicity　of　the　reasoning　which
had　brought　him　to　the　truth　of　the　matter。　　Certainly　this　was　no
big　thing；　but　I　think；　myself；　that　the　young　man　will；　one　of
these　days；　explain　with　the　same　simplicity；　the　fearful　tragedy
in　The　Yellow　Room　as　well　as　the　phenomenon　of　the　inexplicable
gallery。

We　reached　the　Donjon　Inn　and　entered　it。

This　time　we　did　not　see　the　landlord；　but　were　received　with　a
pleasant　smile　by　the　hostess。　　I　have　already　described　the　room
in　which　we　found　ourselves；　and　I　have　given　a　glimpse　of　the
charming　blonde　woman　with　the　gentle　eyes　who　now　immediately　began
to　prepare　our　breakfast。

〃How's　Daddy　Mathieu？〃　asked　Rouletabille。

〃Not　much　better　…　not　much　better；　he　is　still　confined　to　his　bed。〃

〃His　rheumatism　still　sticks　to　him；　then？〃

〃Yes。　　Last　night　I　was　again　obliged　to　give　him　morphine　…　the
only　drug　that　gives　him　any　relief。〃

She　spoke　in　a　soft　voice。　　Everything　about　her　expressed
gentleness。　　She　was；　indeed；　a　beautiful　woman；　somewhat　with　an
air　of　indolence；　with　great　eyes　seemingly　black　and　blue　…　amorous
eyes。　　Was　she　happy　with　her　crabbed；　rheumatic　husband？　　The　scene
at　which　we　had　once　been　present　did　not　lead　us　to　believe　that
she　was；　yet　there　was　something　in　her　bearing　that　was　not
suggestive　of　despair。　　She　disappeared　into　the　kitchen　to　prepare
our　repast；　leaving　on　the　table　a　bottle　of　excellent　cider。
Rouletabille　filled　our　earthenware　mugs；　loaded　his　pipe；　and
quietly　explained　to　me　his　reason　for　asking　me　to　come　to　the
Glandier　with　revolvers。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　contemplatively　looking　at　the　clouds　of　smoke　he
was　puffing　out；　〃yes；　my　dear　boy；　I　expect　the　assassin　to…night。〃
A　brief　silence　followed；　which　I　took　care　not　to　interrupt；　and
then　he　went　on：

〃Last　night；　just　as　I　was　going　to　bed；　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac
knocked　at　my　room。　　When　he　came　in　he　confided　to　me　that　he　was
compelled　to　go　to　Paris　the　next　day；　that　is；　this　morning。　　The
reason　which　made　this　journey　necessary　was　at　once　peremptory　and
mysterious；　it　was　not　possible　for　him　to　explain　its　object　to　me。
'I　go；　and　yet；'　he　added；　'I　would　give　my　life　not　to　leave
Mademoiselle　Stangerson　at　this　moment。'　　He　did　not　try　to　hide
that　he　believed　her　to　be　once　more　in　danger。　　'It　will　not
greatly　astonish　me　if　something　happens　to…morrow　night；'　he　avowed；
'and　yet　I　must　be　absent。　　I　cannot　be　back　at　the　Glandier　before
the　morning　of　the　day　after　to…morrow。'

〃I　asked　him　to　explain　himself；　and　this　is　all　he　would　tell　me。
His　anticipation　of　coming　danger　had　come　to　him　solely　from　the
coincidence　that　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　had　been　twice　attacked；
and　both　times　when　he　had　been　absent。　　On　the　night　of　the　incident
of　the　inexplicable　gallery　he　had　been　obliged　to　be　away　from　the
Glandier。　　On　the　night　of　the　tragedy　in　The　Yellow　Room　he　had
also　not　been　able　to　be　at　the　Glandier；　though　this　was　the　first
time　he　had　declared　himself　on　the　matter。　　Now　a　man　so　moved　who
would　still　go　away　must　be　acting　under　compulsion　…　must　be　obeying
a　will　stronger　than　his　own。　　That　was　how　I　reasoned；　and　I　told
him　so。　　He　replied　'Perhaps。'　…　I　asked　him　if　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　was　compelling　him。　　He　protested　that　she　was　not。　　His
determination　to　go　to　Paris　had　been　taken　without　any　conference
with　Mademoiselle　Stangerson。

〃To　cut　the　story　short；　he　repeated　that　his　belief　in　the
possibility　of　a　fresh　attack　was　founded　entirely　on　the
extraordinary　coincidence。　　'If　anything　happens　to　Mademoiselle
Stangerson；'　he　said；　'it　would　be　terrible　for　both　of　us。　　For　her；
because　her　life　would　be　in　danger；　for　me　because　I　could　neither
defend　her　from　the　attack　nor　tell　of　where　I　had　been。　　I　am
perfectly　aware　of　the　suspicions　cast　on　me。　　The　examining
magistrate　and　Monsieur　Larsan　are　both　on　the　point　of　believing
in　my　guilt。　　Larsan　tracked　me　the　last　time　I　went　to　Paris；　and
I　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world　to　get　rid　of　him。'

〃'Why　do　you　not　tell　me　the　name　of　the　murderer　now；　if　you　know
it？'　I　cried。

〃Monsieur　Darzac　appeared　extremely　troubled　by　my　question；　and
replied　to　me　in　a　hesitating　tone：

〃'I？　　…　I　know　the　name　of　the　murderer？　　Why；　how　could　I　know
his　name？'

〃I　at　once　replied：　'From　Mademoiselle　Stangerson。'

〃He　grew　so　pale　that　I　thought　he　was　about　to　faint；　and　I　saw
that　I　had　hit　the　nail　right　on　the　head。　　Mademoiselle　and　he
knew　the　name　of　the　murderer！　　When　he　recovered　himself；　he　said
to　me：　'I　am　going　to　leave　you。　　Since　you　have　been　here　I　have
appreciated　your　exceptional　intelligence　and　your　unequalled
ingenuity。　　But　I　ask　this　service　of　you。　　Perhaps　I　am　wrong　to
fear　an　attack　during　the　coming　night；　but；　as　I　must　act　with
foresight；　I　count　on　you　to　frustrate　any　attempt　that　may　be　made。
Take　every　step　needful　to　protect　Mademoiselle　Stangerson。　　Keep　a
most　careful　watch　of　her　room。　　Don't　go　to　sleep；　nor　allow
yourself　one　moment　of　repose。　　The　man　we　dread　is　remarkably
cunning　…　with　a　cunning　that　has　never　been　equalled。　　If　you　keep
watch　his　very　cunning　may　save　her；　because　it's　impossible　that
he　should　not　know　that　you　are　watching；　and　knowing　it；　he　may
not　venture。'

〃'Have　you　spoken　of　all　this　to　Monsieur　Stangerson？'

〃'No。　　I　do　not　wish　him　to　ask　me；　as　you　just　now　did；　for　the
name　of　the　murderer。　　I　tell　you　all　this；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；
because　I　have　great；　very　great；　confidence　in　you。　　I　know　that
you　do　not　suspect　me。'

〃The　poor　man　spoke　in　jerks。　　He　was　evidently　suffering。　　I　pitied
him；　the　more　because　I　felt　sure　that　he　would　rather　allow　himself
to　be　killed　than　tell　me　who　the　murderer　was。　　As　for　Mademoiselle
Stangerson；　I　felt　that　she　would　rather　allow　herself　to　be　murdered
than　denounce　the　man　of　The　Yellow　Room　and　of　the　inexplicable
gallery。　　The　man　must　be　dominating　her；　or　both；　by　some
inscrutable　power。　　They　were　dreading　nothing　so　much　as　the　chance
of　Monsieur　Stangerson　knowing　that　his　daughter　was　'held'　by　her
assailant。　　I　made　Monsieur　Darzac　understand　that　he　had　explained
himself　sufficiently；　and　that　he　might　refrain　from　telling　me　any
more　than　he　had　already　told　me。　　I　promised　him　to　watch　through
the　night。　　He　insisted　that　I　should　establish　an　absolutely
impassable　barrier　around　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　chamber；　around
the　boudoir　where　the　nurses　were　sleeping；　and　around　the
drawing…room　where；　since　the　affair　of　the　inexplicable　galle