the mystery of the yellow room-第34节

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think　me　a　coward；　I　was　filled　with　curiosity；　and　it　was　too　late
for　me　to　draw　back；　even　had　I　determined　to　do　so。　　That　I　had
not　had　these　scruples　sooner　was　because　my　curiosity　had　quite
got　the　better　of　me。　　I　might　also　urge　that　I　was　helping　to
save　the　life　of　a　woman；　and　even　a　lawyer　may　do　that
conscientiously。

We　returned　along　the　gallery。　　On　reaching　the　door　of　Mademoiselle
Stangerson's　apartment；　it　opened　from　a　push　given　by　the　steward
who　was　waiting　at　the　dinner…table。　　（Monsieur　Stangerson　had；　for
the　last　three　days；　dined　with　his　daughter　in　the　drawing…room　on
the　first　floor。）　　As　the　door　remained　open；　we　distinctly　saw
Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　taking　advantage　of　the　steward's　absence；
and　while　her　father　was　stooping　to　pick　up　something　he　had　let
fall；　pour　the　contents　of　a　phial　into　Monsieur　Stangerson's　glass。





CHAPTER　XXI

On　the　Watch


The　act；　which　staggered　me；　did　not　appear　to　affect　Rouletabille
much。　　We　returned　to　his　room　and；　without　even　referring　to　what
we　had　seen；　he　gave　me　his　final　instructions　for　the　night。　　First
we　were　to　go　to　dinner；　after　dinner；　I　was　to　take　my　stand　in　the
dark　closet　and　wait　there　as　long　as　it　was　necessary　…　to　look　out
for　what　might　happen。

〃If　you　see　anything　before　I　do；〃　he　explained；　〃you　must　let　me
know。　　If　the　man　gets　into　the　'right'　gallery　by　any　other　way
than　the　'off…tuming'　gallery；　you　will　see　him　before　I　shall；
because　you　have　a　view　along　the　whole　length　of　the　'right'
gallery；　while　I　can　only　command　a　view　of　the　'off…turning'
gallery。　　All　you　need　do　to　let　me　know　is　to　undo　the　cord　holding
the　curtain　of　the　'right'　gallery　window；　nearest　to　the　dark
closet。　　The　curtain　will　fall　of　itself　and　immediately　leave　a
square　of　shadow　where　previously　there　had　been　a　square　of　light。
To　do　this；　you　need　but　stretch　your　hand　out　of　the　closet；　I
shall　understand　your　signal　perfectly。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃Then　you　will　see　me　coming　round　the　corner　of　the　'off…turning'
gallery。〃

〃What　am　I　to　do　then？〃

〃You　will　immediately　come　towards　me；　behind　the　man；　but　I　shall
already　be　upon　him；　and　shall　have　seen　his　face。〃

I　attempted　a　feeble　smile。

〃Why　do　you　smile？　　Well；　you　may　smile　while　you　have　the　chance；
but　I　swear　you'll　have　no　time　for　that　a　few　hours　from　now。

〃And　if　the　man　escapes？〃

〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　Rouletabille；　coolly；　〃I　don't　want　to
capture　him。　　He　may　take　himself　off　any　way　he　can。　　I　will　let
him　go　…　after　I　have　seen　his　face。　　That's　all　I　want。　　I　shall
know　afterwards　what　to　do　so　that　as　far　as　Mademoiselle　Stangerson
is　concerned　he　shall　be　dead　to　her　even　though　he　continues　to
live。　　If　I　took　him　alive；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　and　Robert
Darzac　would；　perhaps；　never　forgive　me！　　And　I　wish　to　retain　their
good…will　and　respect。

〃Seeing；　as　I　have　just　now　seen；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　pour　a
narcotic　into　her　father's　glass；　so　that　he　might　not　be　awake　to
interrupt　the　conversation　she　is　going　to　have　with　her　murderer；
you　can　imagine　she　&ould　not　be　grateful　to　me　if　I　brought　the
man　of　The　Yellow　Room　and　the　inexplicable　gallery；bound　and　gagged；
to　her　father。　　I　realise　now　that　if　I　am　to　save　the　unhappy　lady；
I　must　silence　the　man　and　not　capture　him。　　To　kill　a　human　being
is　no　small　thing。　　Besides；　that's　not　my　business；　unless　the
man　himself　makes　it　my　business。　　On　the　other　hand；　to　render　him
forever　silent　without　the　lady's　assent　and　confidence　is　to　act
on　one's　own　initiative　and　assumes　a　knowledge　of　everything　with
nothing　for　a　basis。　　Fortunately；　my　friend；　I　have　guessed；　no；
I　have　reasoned　it　all　out。　　All　that　I　ask　of　the　man　who　is　coming
to…night　is　to　bring　me　his　face；　so　that　it　may　enter　…〃

〃Into　the　circle？〃

〃Exactly！　　And　his　face　won't　surprise　me！〃

〃But　I　thought　you　saw　his　face　on　the　night　when　you　sprang　into
the　chamber？〃

〃Only　imperfectly。　　The　candle　was　on　the　floor；　and；　his　beard　…〃

〃Will　he　wear　his　beard　this　evening？〃

〃I　think　I　can　say　for　certain　that　he　will。　　But　the　gallery　is
light　and；　now；　I　know　…　or　…　at　least；　my　brain　knows　…　and　my
eyes　will　see。〃

〃If　we　are　here　only　to　see　him　and　let　him　escape；　why　are　we　armed？〃

〃Because；　if　the　man　of　The　Yellow　Room　and　the　inexplicable　gallery
knows　that　I　know；　he　is　capable　of　doing　anything！　　We　should　then
have　to　defend　ourselves。〃

〃And　you　are　sure　he　will　come　to…night？〃

〃As　sure　as　that　you　are　standing　there！　　This　morning；　at　half…past
ten　o'clock；　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　in　the　cleverest　way　in　the
world；　arranged　to　have　no　nurses　to…night。　　She　gave　them　leave　of
absence　for　twenty…four　hours；　under　some　plausible　pretexts；　and
did　not　desire　anybody　to　be　with　her　but　her　father；　while　they
are　away。　　Her　father；　who　is　to　sleep　in　the　boudoir；　has　gladly
consented　to　the　arrangement。　　Darzac's　departure　and　what　he　told
me；　as　well　as　the　extraordinary　precautions　Mademoiselle　Stangerson
is　taking　to　be　alone　to…night　leaves　me　no　room　for　doubt。　　She　has
prepared　the　way　for　the　coming　of　the　man　whom　Darzac　dreads。〃

〃That's　awful！〃

〃It　is！〃

〃And　what　we　saw　her　do　was　done　to　send　her　father　to　sleep？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　there　are　but　two　of　us　for　to…night's　work？〃

〃Four；　the　concierge　and　his　wife　will　watch　at　all　hazards。　　I
don't　set　much　value　on　them　before　…　but　the　concierge　may　be
useful　after　…　if　there's　to　be　any　killing！〃

〃Then　you　think　there　may　be？〃

〃If　he　wishes　it。〃

〃Why　haven't　you　brought　in　Daddy　Jacques？　　…　Have　you　made　no　use
of　him　to…day？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Rouletabille　sharply。

I　kept　silence　for　awhile；　then；　anxious　to　know　his　thoughts；　I
asked　him　point　blank：

〃Why　not　tell　Arthur　Rance？　　…　He　may　be　of　great　assistance　to　us？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Rouletabille　crossly；　〃then　you　want　to　let　everybody
into　Mademoiselle　Stangerson's　secrets？　…　Come；　let　us　go　to　dinner；
it　is　time。　　This　evening　we　dine　in　Frederic　Larsan's　room；　…　at
least；　if　he　is　not　on　the　heels　of　Darzac。　　He　sticks　to　him　like
a　leech。　　But；　anyhow；　if　he　is　not　there　now；　I　am　quite　sure　he
will　be；　to…night！　　He's　the　one　I　am　going　to　knock　over！〃

At　this　moment　we　heard　a　noise　in　the　room　near　us。

〃It　must　be　he；〃　said　Rouletabille。

〃I　forgot　to　ask　you；〃　I　said；　〃if　we　are　to　make　any　allusion　to
to…night's　business　when　we　are　with　this　policeman。　　I　take　it　we
are　not。　　Is　that　so？〃

〃Evidently。　　We　are　going　to　operate　alone；　on　our　own　personal
account。〃

〃So　that　all　the　glory　will　be　ours？〃

Rouletabille　laughed。

We　dined　with　Frederic　Larsan　in　his　room。　　He　told　us　he　had　just
come　in　and　invited　us　to　be　seated　at　table。　　We　ate　our　dinner　in
the　best　of　humours；　and　I　had　no　difficulty　in　appreciating　the
feelings　of　certainty　which　both　Rouletabille　and　Larsan　felt。
Rouletabille　told　the　great　Fred　that　I　had　come　on　a　chance　visit；
and　that　he　had　asked　me　to　stay　and　help　him　in　the　heavy　batch　of
writing　he　had　to　get　through　for　the　〃Epoque。〃　　I　was　going　back
to　Paris；　he　said；　by　the　eleven　o'clock　train；　taking　his　〃copy；〃
which　took　a　story　form；　recounting　the　principal　episodes　in　the
mysteries　of　the　Glandier。　　Larsan　smiled　at　the　explanation　like
a　man　who　was　not　fooled　and　politely　refrains　from　making　the
slightest　remark　on　matters　which　did　not　concern　him。

With　infinite　precautions　as　to　the　words　they　used；　and　even　as　to
the　tones　of　their　voices；　Larsan　and　Rouletabille　discussed；　for　a
long　time；　Mr。　Arthur　Rance's　appearance　at　the　chateau；　and　his
past　in　America；　about　which　they　expressed　a　desire　to　know　more；
at　any　rate；　so　far　as　his　relations　with　the　Stangersons。　　At　one
time；　Larsan；　who　appeared　to　me　to　be　unwell；　said；　with　an　effort：

〃I　think；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；　that　we've　not　much　more　to　do　at
the　Glandier；　and　that　we　sha'n't　sleep　here　many　more　nights。〃

〃I　think　so；　too；　Monsieur　Fred。〃

〃Then　you　think　the　conclusion　of　the　matter　has　been　reached？〃

〃I　think；　indeed；　that　we　have　nothing　more　to　find　out；〃　replied
Rouletabille。

〃Have　you　found　your　criminal？〃　asked　Larsan。

〃Have　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃So　have　I；〃　said　Rouletabille。

〃Can　it　be　the　same　man？〃

〃I　don't　know　if　you　have　swerved　from　your　original　idea；〃　said
the　young　reporter。　　Then　he　added；　with　emphasis：　〃Monsieur　Darzac
is　an　honest　man！〃

〃Are　you　sure　of　that？〃　asked　Larsan。　　〃Well；　I　am　sure　he　is　not。
So　it's　a　fight　then？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　a　fight。　　But　I　shall　beat　you；　Monsieur　Frederic　Larsan。〃

〃Youth　never　doubts　anything；〃　said　the　great　Fred　laughingly；　and
held　out　his　hand　to　me　by　way　of　conclusion。

Rouletabille's　answer　came　like　an　echo：

〃Not　anything！〃

Suddenly　Larsan；　who　had　risen　to　wish　us　goodnight；　pressed　both
his　hands　to　his　chest　and　staggered。　　He　was　obliged　to　lean　on
Rouletabille　for　support；　and　to　save　himself　from　falling。

〃Oh！　　Oh！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　is　the　matter　with　me？　…　Have　I　been
poisoned？〃

He　looked　at　us　with　haggard　eyes。　　We　questioned　him　vainly；　he
did　not　answer　us。　　He　had　sunk　into　an　ar