the mystery of the yellow room-第27节

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since　it　was　restored？'　　And　with　the　same　gesture　he　pointed　to　the
half…open　door；　the　ladder；　the　terrace；　and　the　windows　in　the
'off…turning'　gallery　which；　a　little　while　before；　I　had　re…closed。

〃What　were　my　thoughts　then？　　I　had　no　time　to　think。　　I　felt　more
than　I　thought。

〃Evidently；　I　felt；　if　the　forest…keeper　is　up　there　in　the　chamber
（I　say；　if；　because　at　this　moment；　apart　from　the　presence　of　the
ladder　and　his　vacant　room；　there　are　no　evidences　which　permit　me
even　to　suspect　him）　？if　he　is　there；　he　has　been　obliged　to　pass
by　the　ladder；　and　the　rooms　which　lie　behind　his；　in　his　new
lodging；　are　occupied　by　the　family　of　the　steward　and　by　the　cook；
and　by　the　kitchens；　which　bar　the　way　by　the　vestibule　to　the
interior　of　the　chateau。　　And　if　he　had　been　there　during　the　evening
on　any　pretext；　it　would　have　been　easy　for　him　to　go　into　the
gallery　and　see　that　the　window　could　be　simply　pushed　open　from
the　outside。　　This　question　of　the　unfastened　window　easily　narrowed
the　field　of　search　for　the　murderer。　　He　must　belong　to　the　house；
unless　he　had　an　accomplice；　which　I　do　not　believe　he　had；　unless
？unless　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　herself　had　seen　that　that　window
was　not　fastened　from　the　inside。　　But；　then；　？what　could　be　the
frightful　secret　which　put　her　under　the　necessity　of　doing　away
with　obstacles　that　separated　her　from　the　murderer？

〃I　seized　hold　of　the　ladder；　and　we　returned　to　the　back　of　the
chateau　to　see　if　the　window　of　the　chamber　was　still　half…open。
The　blind　was　drawn　but　did　not　join　and　allowed　a　bright　stream
of　light　to　escape　and　fall　upon　the　path　at　our　feet。　　I　planted
the　ladder　under　the　window。　　I　am　almost　sure　that　I　made　no　noise；
and　while　Daddy　Jacques　remained　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder；　I
mounted　it；　very　quietly；　my　stout　stick　in　my　hand。　　I　held　my
breath　and　lifted　my　feet　with　the　greatest　care。　　Suddenly　a　heavy
cloud　discharged　itself　at　that　moment　in　a　fresh　downpour　of　rain。

〃At　the　same　instant　the　sinister　cry　of　the　Bete　du　bon　Dieu
arrested　me　in　my　ascent。　　It　seemed　to　me　to　have　come　from　close
by　me　？only　a　few　yards　away。　　Was　the　cry　a　signal？　　？Had　some
accomplice　of　the　man　seen　me　on　the　ladder！　？Would　the　cry　bring
the　man　to　the　window？　？Perhaps！　　Ah；　there　he　was　at　the　window！
I　felt　his　head　above　me。　　I　heard　the　sound　of　his　breath！　　I　could
not　look　up　towards　him；　the　least　movement　of　my　head；　and　？I
might　be　lost。　　Would　he　see　me？　？Would　he　peer　into　the　darkness？
No；　he　went　away。　　He　had　seen　nothing。　　I　felt；　rather　than　heard；
him　moving　on　tip…toe　in　the　room；　and　I　mounted　a　few　steps　higher。
My　head　reached　to　the　level　of　the　window…sill；　my　forehead　rose
above　it；　my　eyes　looked　between　the　opening　in　the　blinds　？and　I
saw　？〃A　man　seated　at　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　little　desk；
writing。　　His　back　was　turned　toward　me。　　A　candle　was　lit　before
him；　and　he　bent　over　the　flame；　the　light　from　it　projecting
shapeless　shadows。　　I　saw　nothing　but　a　monstrous；　stooping　back。

〃Mademoiselle　Stangerson　herself　was　not　there！　？Her　bed　had　not
been　lain　on！　　Where；　then；　was　she　sleeping　that　night？　　Doubtless
in　the　side…room　with　her　women。　　Perhaps　this　was　but　a　guess。　　I
must　content　myself　with　the　joy　of　finding　the　man　alone。　　I　must
be　calm　to　prepare　my　trap。

〃But　who；　then；　is　this　man　writing　there　before　my　eyes；　seated　at
the　desk；　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　home？　　If　there　had　not　been　that
ladder　under　the　window；　if　there　had　not　been　those　footprints　on
the　carpet　in　the　gallery；　if　there　had　not　been　that　open　window；
I　might　have　been　led　to　think　that　this　man　had　a　right　to　be　there；
and　that　he　was　there　as　a　matter　of　course　and　for　reasons　about
which　as　yet　I　knew　nothing。　　But　there　was　no　doubt　that　this
mysterious　unknown　was　the　man　of　The　Yellow　Room；　？the　man　to
whose　murderous　assault　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　？without　denouncing
him　？had　had　to　submit。　　If　I　could　but　see　his　face！　　Surprise
and　capture　him！

〃If　I　spring　into　the　room　at　this　moment；　he　will　escape　by　the
right…hand　door　opening　into　the　boudoir；　？or　crossing　the
drawing…room；　he　will　reach　the　gallery　and　I　shall　lose　him。　　I
have　him　now　and　in　five　minutes　more　he'll　be　safer　than　if　I　had
him　in　a　cage。　？What　is　he　doing　there；　alone　in　Mademoiselle
Stangerson's　room？　？What　is　he　writing？　　I　descend　and　place　the
ladder　on　the　ground。　　Daddy　Jacques　follows　me。　　We　re…enter　the
chateau。　　I　send　Daddy　Jacques　to　wake　Monsieur　Stangerson；　and
instruct　him　to　await　my　coming　in　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　room
and　to　say　nothing　definite　to　him　before　my　arrival。　　I　will　go
and　awaken　Frederic　Larsan。　　It's　a　bore　to　have　to　do　it；　for　I
should　have　liked　to　work　alone　and　to　have　carried　off　all　the
honors　of　this　affair　myself；　right　under　the　very　nose　of　the
sleeping　detective。　　But　Daddy　Jacques　and　Monsieur　Stangerson　are
old　men；　and　I　am　not　yet　fully　developed。　　I　might　not　be　strong
enough。　　Larsan　is　used　to　wrestling　and　putting　on　the　handcuffs。
He　opened　his　eyes　swollen　with　sleep；　ready　to　send　me　flying；
without　in　the　least　believing　in　my　reporter's　fancies。　　I　had　to
assure　him　that　the　man　was　there！

〃'That's　strange！'　he　said；　'I　thought　I　left　him　this　afternoon
in　Paris。'

〃He　dressed　himself　in　haste　and　armed　himself　with　a　revolver。　　We
stole　quietly　into　the　gallery。

〃'Where　is　he？'　Larsan　asked。

〃'In　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　room。

〃'And　？Mademoiselle　Stangerson？'

〃'She　is　not　in　there。'

'Let's　go　in。'

〃'Don't　go　there！　　On　the　least　alarm　the　man　will　escape。　　He　has
four　ways　by　which　to　do　it　？the　door；　the　window；　the　boudoir；　or
the　room　in　which　the　women　are　sleeping。'

〃'I'll　draw　him　from　below。'

〃'And　if　you　fail？　　？If　you　only　succeed　in　wounding　him　？he'll
escape　again；　without　reckoning　that　he　is　certainly　armed。　　No；
let　me　direct　the　expedition；　and　I'll　answer　for　everything。'

〃'As　you　like；'　he　replied；　with　fairly　good　grace。

〃Then；　after　satisfying　myself　that　all　the　windows　of　the　two
galleries　were　thoroughly　secure；　I　placed　Frederic　Larsan　at　the
end　of　the　'off…turning'　gallery；　before　the　window　which　I　had
found　open　and　had　reclosed。

〃'Under　no　consideration；'　I　said　to　him；　'must　you　stir　from　this
post　till　I　call　you。　　The　chances　are　even　that　the　man；　when　he
is　pursued；　will　return　to　this　window　and　try　to　save　himself　that
way；　for　it　is　by　that　way　he　came　in　and　made　a　way　ready　for　his
flight。　　You　have　a　dangerous　post。'

〃'What　will　be　yours？'　asked　Fred。

〃'I　shall　spring　into　the　room　and　knock　him　over　for　you。'

〃'Take　my　revolver；'　said　Fred；　'and　I'll　take　your　stick。'

'Thanks；'　I　said；　'You　are　a　brave　man。'

〃I　accepted　his　offer。　　I　was　going　to　be　alone　with　the　man　in　the
room　writing　and　was　really　thankful　to　have　the　weapon。

〃I　left　Fred；　having　posted　him　at　the　window　（No。　5　on　the　plan）；
and；　with　the　greatest　precaution；　went　towards　Monsieur　Stangerson's
apartment　in　the　left　wing　of　the　chateau。　　I　found　him　with　Daddy
Jacques；　who　had　faithfully　obeyed　my　directions；　confining　himself
to　asking　his　master　to　dress　as　quickly　as　possible。　　In　a　few
words　I　explained　to　Monsieur　Stangerson　what　was　passing。　　He　armed
himself　with　a　revolver；　followed　me；　and　we　were　all　three　speedily
in　the　gallery。　　Since　I　had　seen　the　murderer　seated　at　the　desk
ten　minutes　had　elapsed。　　Monsieur　Stangerson　wished　to　spring　upon
the　assassin　at　once　and　kill　him。　　I　made　him　understand　that；
above　all；　he　must　not；　in　his　desire　to　kill　him；　miss　him。

〃When　I　had　sworn　to　him　that　his　daughter　was　not　in　the　room；
and　in　no　danger；　he　conquered　his　impatience　and　left　me　to　direct
the　operations。　　I　told　them　that　they　must　come　to　me　the　moment
I　called　to　them；　or　when　I　fired　my　revolver。　　I　then　sent　Daddy
Jacques　to　place　himself　before　the　window　at　the　end　of　the　'right'
gallery。　　（No。　2　on　my　plan。）　　I　chose　that　position　'for　Daddy
Jacques　because　I　believed　that　the　murderer；　tracked；　on　leaving
the　room；　would　run　through　the　gallery　towards　the　window　which
he　had　left　open；　and；　instantly　seeing　that　it　was　guarded　by
Larsan；　would　pursue　his　course　along　the　'right'　gallery。　　There
he　would　encounter　Daddy　Jacques；　who　would　prevent　his　springing
out　of　the　window　into　the　park。　　Under　that　window　there　was　a　sort
of　buttress；　while　all　the　other　windows　in　the　galleries　were　at
such　a　height　from　the　ground　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　jump
from　them　without　breaking　one's　neck。　　All　the　doors　and　windows；
including　those　of　the　lumber…room　at　the　end　of　the　'right'　gallery
…　as　I　had　rapidly　assured　myself　…　were　strongly　secured。

〃Having　indicated　to　Daddy　Jacques　the　post　he　was　to　occupy；　and
having　seen　him　take　up　his　position；　I　placed　Monsieur　Stangerson
on　the　landing　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　not　far　from　the　door　of
his　daughter's　ante…room；　rather　than　the　boudoir；　where　the　women
were；　and　the　door　of　which　must　have　been　locked　by　Mademoiselle
Stangerson　herself　if；　as　I　thought；　she　had　taken　refuge　in　the
boudoir　for　the　purpose　of　avoid