the mystery of the yellow room-第32部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

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　gallery；
Monsieur　Stangerson　had　slept。　　In　short；　I　was　to　put　a　cordon
round　the　whole　apartment。

〃From　his　insistence　I　gathered　that　Monsieur　Darzac　intended　not
only　to　make　it　impossible　for　the　expected　man　to　reach　the　chamber
of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　but　to　make　that　impossibility　so
visibly　clear　that；　seeing　himself　expected；　he　would　at　once　go
away。　　That　was　how　I　interpreted　his　final　words　when　we　parted：
'You　may　mention　your　suspicions　of　the　expected　attack　to　Monsieur
Stangerson；　to　Daddy　Jacques；　to　Frederic　Larsan；　and　to　anybody　in
the　chateau。'

〃The　poor　fellow　left　me　hardly　knowing　what　he　was　saying。　　My
silence　and　my　eyes　told　him　that　I　had　guessed　a　large　part　of　his
secret。　　And；　indeed；　he　must　have　been　at　his　wits'　end；　to　have
come　to　me　at　such　a　time；　and　to　abandon　Mademoiselle　Stangerson
in　spite　of　his　fixed　idea　as　to　the　consequence。

〃When　he　was　gone；　I　began　to　think　that　I　should　have　to　use　even
a　greater　cunning　than　his　so　that　if　the　man　should　come　that
night；　he　might　not　for　a　moment　suspect　that　his　coming　had　been
expected。　　Certainly！　　I　would　allow　him　to　get　in　far　enough；　so
that；　dead　or　alive；　I　might　see　his　face　clearly！　　He　must　be　got
rid　of。　　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　must　be　freed　from　this　continual
impending　danger。

〃Yes；　my　boy；〃　said　Rouletabille；　after　placing　his　pipe　on　the
table；　and　emptying　his　mug　of　cider；　〃I　must　see　his　face
distinctly；　so　as　to　make　sure　to　impress　it　on　that　part　of　my
brain　where　I　have　drawn　my　circle　of　reasoning。〃

The　landlady　re…appeared　at　that　moment；　bringing　in　the
traditional　bacon　omelette。　　Rouletabille　chaffed　her　a　little；　and
she　took　the　chaff　with　the　most　charming　good　humour。

〃She　is　much　jollier　when　Daddy　Mathieu　is　in　bed　with　his
rheumatism；〃　Rouletabille　said　to　me。

But　I　had　eyes　neither　for　Rouletabille　nor　for　the　landlady's
smiles。　　I　was　entirely　absorbed　over　the　last　words　of　my　young
friend　and　in　thinking　over　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac's　str