the mystery of the yellow room-第39节

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certain　parties　in　the　case　demand　that　we　should　take　that　course。
Our　readers　may　remember　the　unsigned　reports　we　published　relating
to　the　'Left　foot　of　the　Rue　Oberkampf；'　at　the　time　of　the　famous
robbery　of　the　Credit　Universel；　and　the　famous　case　of　the　'Gold
Ingots　of　the　Mint。'　　In　both　those　cases　we　were　able　to　discover
the　truth　long　before　even　the　excellent　ingenuity　of　Frederic
Larsan　had　been　able　to　unravel　it。　　These　reports　were　written　by
our　youngest　reporter；　Joseph　Rouletabille；　a　youth　of　eighteen；
whose　fame　to…morrow　will　be　world…wide。　　When　attention　was　first
drawn　to　the　Glandier　case；　our　youthful　reporter　was　on　the　spot
and　installed　in　the　chateau；　when　every　other　representative　of
the　press　had　been　denied　admission。　　He　worked　side　by　side　with
Frederic　Larsan。　　He　was　amazed　and　terrified　at　the　grave　mistake
the　celebrated　detective　was　about　to　make；　and　tried　to　divert
him　from　the　false　scent　he　was　following；　but　the　great　Fred
refused　to　receive　instructions　from　this　young　journalist。　　We
know　now　where　it　brought　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac。

〃But　now；　France　must　know　…　the　whole　world　must　know；　that；　on
the　very　evening　on　which　Monsieur　Darzac　was　arrested；　young
Rouletabille　entered　our　editorial　office　and　informed　us　that　he
was　about　to　go　away　on　a　journey。　　'How　long　I　shall　be　away；'
he　said；　'I　cannot　say；　perhaps　a　month　…　perhaps　two　…　perhaps
three　perhaps　I　may　never　return。　　Here　is　a　letter。　　If　I　am　not
back　on　the　day　on　which　Monsieur　Darzac　is　to　appear　before　the
Assize　Court；　have　this　letter　opened　and　read　to　the　court；　after
all　the　witnesses　have　been　heard。　　Arrange　it　with　Monsieur　Darzac's
counsel。　　Monsieur　Darzac　is　innocent。　　In　this　letter　is　written
the　name　of　the　murderer；　and　…　that　is　all　I　have　to　say。　　I　am
leaving　to　get　my　proofs　…　for　the　irrefutable　evidence　of　the
murderer's　guilt。'　　Our　reporter　departed。　　For　a　long　time　we
were　without　news　from　him；　but；　a　week　ago；　a　stranger　called
upon　our　manager　and　said：　'Act　in　accordance　with　the　instructions
of　Joseph　Rouletabille；　if　it　becomes　necessary　to　do　so。　　The
letter　left　by　him　holds　the　truth。'　The　gentleman　who　brought　us
this　message　would　not　give　us　his　name。

〃To…day；　the　15th　of　January；　is　the　day　of　the　trial。　　Joseph
Rouletabille　has　not　returned。　　It　may　be　we　shall　never　see　him
again。　　The　press　also　counts　its　heroes；　its　martyrs　to　duty。　　It
may　be　he　is　no　longer　living。　　We　shall　know　how　to　avenge　him。
Our　manager　will；　this　afternoon；　be　at　the　Court　of　Assize　at
Versailles；　with　the　letter　…　the　letter　containing　the　name　of
the　murderer！〃

Those　Parisians　who　flocked　to　the　Assize　Court　at　Versailles；　to
be　present　at　the　trial　of　what　was　known　as　the　〃Mystery　of　The
Yellow　Room；〃　will　certainly　remember　the　terrible　crush　at　the
Saint…Lazare　station。　　The　ordinary　trains　were　so　full　that　special
trains　had　to　be　made　up。　　The　article　in　the　〃Epoque〃　had　so
excited　the　populace　that　discussion　was　rife　everywhere　even　to
the　verge　of　blows。　　Partisans　of　Rouletabille　fought　with　the
supporters　of　Frederic　Larsan。　　Curiously　enough　the　excitement
was　due　less　to　the　fact　that　an　innocent　man　was　in　danger　of　a
wrongful　conviction　than　to　the　interest　taken　in　their　own　ideas
as　to　the　Mystery　of　The　Yellow　Room。　　Each　had　his　explanation　to
which　each　held　fast。　　Those　who　explained　the　crime　on　Frederic
Larsan's　theory　would　not　admit　that　there　could　be　any　doubt　as
to　the　perspicacity　of　the　popular　detective。　　Others　who　had
arrived　at　a　different　solution；　naturally　insisted　that　this　was
Rouletabille's　explanation；　though　they　did　not　as　yet　know　what
that　was。

With　the　day's　〃Epoque〃　in　their　hands；　the　〃Larsans〃　and　the
〃Rouletabilles〃　fought　and　shoved　each　other　on　the　steps　of　the
Palais　de　Justice；　right　into　the　court　itself。　　Those　who　could
not　get　in　remained　in　the　neighbourhood　until　evening　and　were；
with　great　difficulty；　kept　back　by　the　soldiery　and　the　police。
They　became　hungry　for　news；　welcoming　the　most　absurd　rumours。
At　one　time　the　rumour　spread　that　Monsieur　Stangerson　himself　had
been　arrested　in　the　court　and　had　confessed　to　being　the　murderer。
This　goes　to　show　to　what　a　pitch　of　madness　nervous　excitement
may　carry　people。　　Rouletabille　was　still　expected。　　Some　pretended
to　know　him；　and　when　a　young　man　with　a　〃pass〃　crossed　the　open
space　which　separated　the　crowd　from　the　Court　House；　a　scuffle
took　place。　　Cries　were　raised　of　〃Rouletabille！　　…　there's
Rouletabille！〃　　The　arrival　of　the　manager　of　the　paper　was　the
signal　for　a　great　demonstration。　　Some　applauded；　others　hissed。

The　trial　itself　was　presided　over　by　Monsieur　de　Rocouz；　a　judge
filled　with　the　prejudice　of　his　class；　but　a　man　honest　at　heart。
The　witnesses　had　been　called。　　I　was　there；　of　course；　as　were　all
who　had；　in　any　way；　been　in　touch　with　the　mysteries　of　the
Glandier。　　Monsieur　Stangerson　…　looking　many　years　older　and　almost
unrecognisable　…　Larsan；　Arthur　Rance；　with　his　face　ruddy　as　ever；
Daddy　Jacques；　Daddy　Mathieu；　who　was　brought　into　court　handcuffed
between　two　gendarmes；　Madame　Mathieu；　in　tears；　the　two　Berniers；
he　two　nurses；　the　steward；　all　the　domestics　of　the　chateau；　the
employe　of　the　Paris　Post　Office；　the　railway　employe　from　Epinay；
some　friends　of　Monsieur　and　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；　and　all
Monsieur　Darzac's　witnesses。　　I　was　lucky　enough　to　be　called　early
in　the　trial；　so　that　I　was　then　able　to　watch　and　be　present　at
almost　the　whole　of　the　proceedings。

The　court　was　so　crowded　that　many　lawyers　were　compelled　to　find
seats　on　the　steps。　　Behind　the　bench　of　justices　were
representatives　from　other　benches。　　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac　stood
in　the　prisoner's　dock　between　policemen；　tall；　handsome；　and　calm。
A　murmur　of　admiration　rather　than　of　compassion　greeted　his
appearance。　　He　leaned　forward　towards　his　counsel；　Maitre　Henri
Robert；　who；　assisted　by　his　chief　secretary；　Maitre　Andre　Hesse；
was　busily　turning　over　the　folios　of　his　brief。

Many　expected　that　Monsieur　Stangerson；　after　giving　his　evidence；
would　have　gone　over　to　the　prisoner　and　shaken　hands　with　him；　but
he　left　the　court　without　another　word。　　It　was　remarked　that　the
jurors　appeared　to　be　deeply　interested　in　a　rapid　conversation
which　the　manager　of　the　〃Epoque〃　was　having　with　Maitre　Henri
Robert。　　The　manager；　later；　sat　down　in　the　front　row　of　the　public
seats。　　Some　were　surprised　that　he　was　not　asked　to　remain　with
the　other　witnesses　in　the　room　reserved　for　them。

The　reading　of　the　indictment　was　got　through；　as　it　always　is；
without　any　incident。　　I　shall　not　here　report　the　long　examination
to　which　Monsieur　Darzac　was　subjected。　　He　answered　all　the
questions　quickly　and　easily。　　His　silence　as　to　the　important
matters　of　which　we　know　was　dead　against　him。　　It　would　seem　as　if
this　reticence　would　be　fatal　for　him。　　He　resented　the　President's
reprimands。　　He　was　told　that　his　silence　might　mean　death。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　submit　to　it；　but　I　am　innocent。〃

With　that　splendid　ability　which　has　made　his　fame；　Maitre　Robert
took　advantage　of　the　incident；　and　tried　to　show　that　it　brought
out　in　noble　relief　his　client's　character；　for　only　heroic　natures
could　remain　silent　for　moral　reasons　in　face　of　such　a　danger。
The　eminent　advocate　however；　only　succeeded　in　assuring　those　who
were　already　assured　of　Darzac's　innocence。　　At　the　adjournment
Rouletabille　had　not　yet　arrived。　　Every　time　a　door　opened；　all
eyes　there　turned　towards　it　and　back　to　the　manager　of　the　〃Epoque；〃
who　sat　impassive　in　his　place。　　When　he　once　was　feeling　in　his
pocket　a　loud　murmur　of　expectation　followed。　　The　letter！

It　is　not；　however；　my　intention　to　report　in　detail　the　course　of
the　trial。　　My　readers　are　sufficiently　acquainted　with　the
mysteries　surrounding　the　Glandier　case　to　enable　me　to　go　on　to
the　really　dramatic　denouement　of　this　ever…memorable　day。

When　the　trial　was　resumed；　Maitre　Henri　Robert　questioned　Daddy
Mathieu　as　to　his　complicity　in　the　death　of　the　keeper。　　His　wife
was　also　brought　in　and　was　confronted　by　her　husband。　　She　burst
into　tears　and　confessed　that　she　had　been　the　keeper's　mistress；
and　that　her　husband　had　suspected　it。　　She　again；　however；
affirmed　that　he　had　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　murder　of　her　lover。
Maitre　Henri　Robert　thereupon　asked　the　court　to　hear　Frederic
Larsan　on　this　point。

〃In　a　short　conversation　which　I　have　had　with　Frederic　Larsan；
during　the　adjournment；〃　declared　the　advocate；　〃he　has　made　me
understand　that　the　death　of　the　keeper　may　have　been　brought　about
otherwise　than　by　the　hand　of　Mathieu。　　It　will　be　interesting　to
hear　Frederic　Larsan's　theory。〃

Frederic　Larsan　was　brought　in。　　His　explanation　was　quite　clear。

〃I　see　no　necessity；〃　he　said；　〃for　bringing　Mathieu　in　this。　　I
have　told　Monsieur　de　Marquet　that　the　man's　threats　had　biassed
the　examining　magistrate　against　him。　　To　me　the　attempt　to　murder
Mademoiselle　and　the　death　of　the　keeper　are　the　work　of　one　and
the　same　person。　　Mademoiselle　Stangerson