the mystery of the yellow room-第41节

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assistance。　　Daddy　Jacques　took　pity　on　her　and　accompanied　her
through　the　oak　grove　out　of　the　park；　past　the　border　of　the　lake
to　the　road　to　Epinay。　　From　there　it　was　but　a　very　short　distance
to　her　home。

〃Daddy　Jacques　returned　to　the　chateau；　and；　seeing　how　important
it　was　for　Madame　Mathieu's　presence　at　the　chateau　to　remain
unknown；　he　did　all　he　could　to　hide　it。　　I　appeal　to　Monsieur
Larsan；　who　saw　me；　next　morning；　examine　the　two　sets　of
footprints。〃

Here　Rouletabille　turning　towards　Madame　Mathieu；　with　a　bow；　said：

〃The　footprints　of　Madame　bear　a　strange　resemblance　to　the　neat
footprints　of　the　murderer。〃

Madame　Mathieu　trembled　and　looked　at　him　with　wide　eyes　as　if　in
wonder　at　what　he　would　say　next。

〃Madame　has　a　shapely　foot；　long　and　rather　large　for　a　woman。　　The
imprint；　with　its　pointed　toe；　is　very　like　that　of　the　murderer's。〃

A　movement　in　the　court　was　repressed　by　Rouletabille。　　He　held
their　attention　at　once。

〃I　hasten　to　add；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　I　attach　no　importance　to　this。
Outward　signs　like　these　are　often　liable　to　lead　us　into　error；　if
we　do　not　reason　rightly。　　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac's　footprints　are
also　like　the　murderer's；　and　yet　he　is　not　the　murderer！〃

The　President　turning　to　Madame　Mathieu　asked：

〃Is　that　in　accordance　with　what　you　know　occurred？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　President；〃　she　replied；　〃it　is　as　if　Monsieur
Rouletabille　had　been　behind　us。〃

〃Did　you　see　the　murderer　running　towards　the　end　of　the　right　wing？〃

〃Yes；　as　clearly　as　I　saw　them　afterwards　carrying　the　keeper's
body。〃

〃What　became　of　the　murderer？　…　You　were　in　the　courtyard　and　could
easily　have　seen。

〃I　saw　nothing　of　him；　Monsieur　President。　　It　became　quite　dark
just　then。〃

〃Then　Monsieur　Rouletabille；〃　said　the　President；　〃must　explain
how　the　murderer　made　his　escape。〃

Rouletabille　continued：

〃It　was　impossible　for　the　murderer　to　escape　by　the　way　he　had
entered　the　court　without　our　seeing　him；　or　if　we　couldn't　see　him
we　must　certainly　have　felt　him；　since　the　court　is　a　very　narrow
one　enclosed　in　high　iron　railings。〃

〃Then　if　the　man　was　hemmed　in　that　narrow　square；　how　is　it　you
did　not　find　him？　　…　I　have　been　asking　you　that　for　the　last
half　hour。〃

〃Monsieur　President；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　〃I　cannot　answer　that
question　before　half…past　six！〃

By　this　time　the　people　in　the　court…room　were　beginning　to　believe
in　this　new　witness。　　They　were　amused　by　his　melodramatic　action
in　thus　fixing　the　hour；　but　they　seemed　to　have　confidence　in　the
outcome。　　As　for　the　President；　it　looked　as　if　he　also　had　made　up
his　mind　to　take　the　young　man　in　the　same　way。　　He　had　certainly
been　impressed　by　Rouletabille's　explanation　of　Madame　Mathieu's　part。

〃Well；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；〃　he　said；　〃as　you　say；　but　don't　let
us　see　any　more　of　you　before　half…past　six。〃

Rouletabille　bowed　to　the　President；　and　made　his　way　to　the　door
of　the　witnesses'　room。

I　quietly　made　my　way　through　the　crowd　and　left　the　court　almost
at　the　same　time　as　Rouletabille。　　He　greeted　me　heartily；　and
looked　happy。

〃I'll　not　ask　you；　my　dear　fellow；〃　I　said；　smiling；　〃what　you've
been　doing　in　America；　because　I've　no　doubt　you'll　say　you　can't
tell　me　until　after　half…past　six。〃

〃No；　my　dear　Sainclair；　I'll　tell　you　right　now　why　I　went　to
America。　　I　went　in　search　of　the　name　of　the　other　half　of　the
murderer！〃

〃The　name　of　the　other　half？〃

〃Exactly。　　When　we　last　left　the　Glandier　I　knew　there　were　two
halves　to　the　murderer　and　the　name　of　only　one　of　them。　　I　went
to　America　for　the　name　of　the　other　half。〃

I　was　too　puzzled　to　answer。　　Just　then　we　entered　the　witnesses'
room；　and　Rouletabille　was　immediately　surrounded。　　He　showed
himself　very　friendly　to　all　except　Arthur　Rance　to　whom　he
exhibited　a　marked　coldness　of　manner。　　Frederic　Larsan　came　in
also。　　Rouletabille　went　up　and　shook　him　heartily　by　the　hand。
His　manner　toward　the　detective　showed　that　he　had　got　the　better
of　the　policeman。　　Larsan　smiled　and　asked　him　what　he　had　been
doing　in　America；　Rouletabille　began　by　telling　him　some　anecdotes
of　his　voyage。　　They　then　turned　aside　together　apparently　with
the　object　of　speaking　confidentially。　　I；　therefore；　discreetly
left　them　and；　being　curious　to　hear　the　evidence；　returned　to　my
seat　in　the　court…room　where　the　public　plainly　showed　its　lack
of　interest　in　what　was　going　on　in　their　impatience　for
Rouletabille's　return　at　the　appointed　time。

On　the　stroke　of　half…past　six　Joseph　Rouletabille　was　again　brought
in。　　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　picture　the　tense　excitement　which
appeared　on　every　face；　as　he　made　his　way　to　the　bar。　　Darzac　rose
to　his　feet；　frightfully　pale。

The　President；　addressing　Rouletabille；　said　gravely：

〃I　will　not　ask　you　to　take　the　oath；　because　you　have　not　been
regularly　summoned；　but　I　trust　there　is　no　need　to　urge　upon　you
the　gravity　of　the　statement　you　are　about　to　make。〃

Rouletabille　looked　the　President　quite　calmly　and　steadily　in　the
face；　and　replied：

〃Yes；　Monsieur。〃

〃At　your　last　appearance　here；〃　said　the　President；　〃we　had　arrived
at　the　point　where　you　were　to　tell　us　how　the　murderer　escaped；
and　also　his　name。　　Now；　Monsieur　Rouletabille；　we　await　your
explanation。〃

〃Very　well；　Monsieur；〃　began　my　friend　amidst　a　profound　silence。
〃I　had　explained　how　it　was　impossible　for　the　murderer　to　get　away
without　being　seen。　　And　yet　he　was　there　with　us　in　the　courtyard。〃

〃And　you　did　not　see　him？　　At　least　that　is　what　the　prosecution
declares。〃

〃No！　　We　all　of　us　saw　him；　Monsieur　le　President！〃　cried
Rouletabille。

〃Then　why　was　he　not　arrested？〃

〃Because　no　one；　besides　myself；　knew　that　he　was　the　murderer。　　It
would　have　spoiled　my　plans　to　have　had　him　arrested；　and　I　had　then
no　proof　other　than　my　own　reasoning。　　I　was　convinced　we　had　the
murderer　before　us　and　that　we　were　actually　looking　at　him。　　I
have　now　brought　what　I　consider　the　indisputable　proof。〃

〃Speak　out；　Monsieur！　　Tell　us　the　murderer's　name。〃

〃You　will　find　it　on　the　list　of　names　present　in　the　court　on　the
night　of　the　tragedy；〃　replied　Rouletabille。

The　people　present　in　the　court…room　began　showing　impatience。
Some　of　them　even　called　for　the　name；　and　were　silenced　by　the
usher。

〃The　list　includes　Daddy　Jacques；　Bemier　the　concierge；　and　Mr。
Arthur　Rance；〃　said　the　President。　　〃Do　you　accuse　any　of　these？〃

〃No；　Monsieur！〃

〃Then　I　do　not　understand　what　you　are　driving　at。　　There　was　no
other　person　at　the　end　of　the　court。〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　there　was；　not　at　the　end；　but　above　the　court；　who
was　leaning　out　of　the　window。〃

〃Do　you　mean　Frederic　Larsan！〃　exclaimed　the　President。

〃Yes！　　Frederic　Larsan！〃　replied　Rouletabille　in　a　ringing　tone。
〃Frederic　Larsan　is　the　murderer！〃

The　court…room　became　immediately　filled　with　loud　and　indignant
protests。　　So　astonished　was　he　that　the　President　did　not　attempt
to　quiet　it。　　The　quick　silence　which　followed　was　broken　by　the
distinctly　whispered　words　from　the　lips　of　Robert　Darzac：

〃It's　impossible！　　He's　mad！〃

〃You　dare　to　accuse　Frederic　Larsan；　Monsieur？〃　asked　the　President。
〃If　you　are　not　mad；　what　are　your　proofs？〃

〃Proofs；　Monsieur？　…　Do　you　want　proofs？　　Well；　here　is　one；〃　cried
Rouletabille　shrilly。　　〃Let　Frederic　Larsan　be　called！〃

〃Usher；　call　Frederic　Larsan。〃

The　usher　hurried　to　the　side　door；　opened　it；　and　disappeared。　　The
door　remained　open；　while　all　eyes　turned　expectantly　towards　it。
The　clerk　re…appeared　and；　stepping　forward；　said：

〃Monsieur　President；　Frederic　Larsan　is　not　here。　　He　left　at　about
four　o'clock　and　has　not　been　seen　since。〃

〃That　is　my　proof！〃　cried　Rouletabille；　triumphantly。

〃Explain　yourself？〃　demanded　the　President。

〃My　proof　is　Larsan's　flight；〃　said　the　young　reporter。　　〃He　will
not　come　back。　　You　will　see　no　more　of　Frederic　Larsan。〃

〃Unless　you　are　playing　with　the　court；　Monsieur；　why　did　you　not
accuse　him　when　he　was　present？　　He　would　then　have　answered　you。〃

〃He　could　give　no　other　answer　than　the　one　he　has　now　given　by　his
flight。〃

〃We　cannot　believe　that　Larsan　has　fled。　　There　was　no　reason　for
his　doing　so。　　Did　he　know　you'd　make　this　charge？〃

〃He　did。　　I　told　him　I　would。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　knowing　Larsan　was　the　murderer　you　gave
him　the　opportunity　to　escape？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　President；　I　did；〃　replied　Rouletabille；　proudly。
〃I　am　not　a　policeman；　I　am　a　journalist；　and　my　business　is　not
to　arrest　people。　　My　business　is　in　the　service　of　truth；　and　is
not　that　of　an　executioner。　　If　you　are　just；　Monsieur；　you　will
see　that　I　am　right。　　You　can　now　understand　why　I　refrained　until
this　hour　to　divulge　the　name。　　I　gave　Larsan　time　to　catch　the
4：17　train　for　Paris；　where　he　would　know　where　to　hide　himself；
and　leave　no　traces。　　You　will　not　find　Frederic　Larsan；〃　declared
Rouletabille；　fixing　his　eyes　on　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac。　　〃He　is
too　cunning。　　He　is　a　man　who　has　always　escaped　you　and　whom　you
have　long　searched　for　in　vain。　　If　he　did　not　succeed　in
outwitting　me；　he　can　yet　eas