The Mystery of the Yellow Room

hich had formerly served as a prison, Monsieur and Madame Bernier, the concierges, were confined. Monsieur Robert Darzac led us into the modern part of the chateau by a large door,

ved hands of the Sorbonne professor. When we were in a tiny sitting-room fitt

do you

swered in an eq

you by t

shran

oes tha

n. The impression of the blood-stained hand on the walls of "The Yellow Room" was in his mind. I looked at the man closely. His haughty face

rendered me invaluable services in a just cause,

e extended hand. Lying with

Russia, where I have acquired the habit o

t, on the contrary, by a visibly violent effort, he calmed himself, took

ou sat

d," he said, turning to me, "I am obliged

t Darzac had not already shown the door to my impertinent, insulting, and stupid friend. I was angry m

Mademoiselle Stangerson in the course of a few days, had introduced himself into "The Yellow Room" to assassinate his fiancee? I could find no explanation as to how the murderer had been able to leave "The Yellow Room"; and so long as that mystery, which appeared to me so inexplicable, remained une

e, I saw, at a glance, that they were the best of friends. "We are going to "The Yellow Room". Come with us," Rouletabille

ast with me, h

young man. "We shall bre

adly there; you'll

letabille. "After breakfast, we'll set to work again. I'll write my

me back with

hall rem

seriously, and Monsieur Robert Darzac did no

njon and heard wailing vo

ese people b

es had had time to hear the revolver shots, to dress themselves, and to cover so great a distance as that which lies between their lodge and the pavili

tly," acquiesced Rouletabil

of the same calibre as that found in the room (for he couldn't use the one held for evidence), and made his Registrar fire two shots in "The Yellow Room" while the doors and windows were closed. We were with him in the lodge of the concierges, and yet we heard nothing, not a sound. The concierges h

n people throw themselves into the arms of justice with the proofs of complicity on them, you

abroad at midnight?

, has to be found out; for, even if they are not accomplices, it may be

orted, looked like horrid heads of hair, mingled with quaint reptiles such as the ancient sculptors have made on the head of Medusa. This place, which Mademoiselle found cheerful and in which she lived in the summer season, appeared to

lone marked the entrance to it. It might have passed for a tomb, a vast mausoleum in the midst of a thick forest. As we came nearer, we were able to make out its disposition. The building obtained all the ligh

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few steps, and above it was an attic, with which we need not concern ourselves. The

with its one window an

he lab

ts two large, barred

estibule, the other f

s unbarred window and

a

avat

leading to

y chimney in the pav

s of the l

es of this plan and the description of its parts before them, my readers will know as much as Rouletabille knew when he entered the pavilion for the first time. With him they may now as

e motive for

est and throat of Mademoiselle Stangerson show that the wretch who attacked her attempted to commit a frightful crime. The medical experts who examined these traces yesterday affirm th

and of Mademoiselle Stangerson who, in the moment of falling, had pr

either of her hands when she was l

was armed with Daddy Jacques's revolver, since she wounded the han

oba

suspect

c, looking at Rouletabille.

er. Monsieur Darzac tells me it was a mutton-bone. Why is Monsieur de Marquet surrounding this mutton-bone with so much mystery? No doubt for the purpose of facilitating the inquiries of the agents of the Surete? He imagines, perhaps, that the owner of this i

en found in "The Yell

he joint, was still red with the blood of the frightful wound. It was an old bone, which may, according to appearances, have served in other crimes. That's what Monsieur de Marquet thinks. He has had it

sin is a frightful weapon," said Rouletabille

onsieur Robert Darzac, sadly. "The joint of th

led. Unfortunately, the blow had been already given, and Mademoiselle was stunned after having been nearly strangled. If she had succeeded in wounding the man with the first shot of the revolver, she w

feeling a strong impatience to reach the spot where the crime had been committed. It was

que cap. He was dressed in a complete suit of chestnut-coloured velveteen, worn at the sides; sabots were on his feet

ide. "Nobody in the pa

rder does not apply to you. These gentlemen of justice have seen everything

, one question before anythi

oung man? If I

in bands, that evening? You kno

ther on that day nor on any other. She had her hair drawn up, as usual, so

automatically. He satisfied himself that it could never remain open and needed a key to o

by which the murderer es

uld have been sure to have seen him. We are not blind, neither Monsieur Stangerson nor me, nor the

opened the window and w

sed at the time

said Daddy Jacques, "and I am quite sure

e any blo

nes outside; but

rks visible on the path-the ground was ver

Daddy Jacques; "the murd

y did he

do I

ng. He went down on his knees and rapidly examined

They wouldn't let me wash it, but on the day of the crime I had washed the floor thoroughly, and if the murderer had crossed it

abille

ese tiles?" he asked, and he fixed on

en made with ink on white paper. Well, neither in the laboratory nor in the vestibule, which were both as clean as a new pin, were there any traces of a man's footmarks. Since they have been found near this window outside, he must have made his way through the ceiling of "The Yellow Room" into the attic, then cu

n front of a small lavatory at the back of the vesti

sked him wh

towards Daddy Jacques as he spoke. "While you were washing the labo

ewspapers, it smoked, so I opened both the windows in the laboratory and this one, to make a current of air; then I shut those in the laboratory and left thi

selle Stangerson had

do

d not a

red the laboratory. I followed him. It was, I confess, in a state of great excitement. Robert Darzac lost none of my friend's movements. As for me

ected by strong iron bars and looked out upon a wide extent of country. Through an opening in the forest, they commanded a wonderful view through the length of t

ical experiments; tables, loaded with phials, papers, reports, an electrical machine,-an apparatus, as Monsieur Darzac informed me, emp

, through which were visible microscopes, special pho

crucibles. Suddenly he drew himself up, and held up a piece of half-consumed p

us, Monsieur Da

eur Darzac took from the hand of Rouletabille, and

hing-charm, nor the

the same paralysing effect. Monsieur Darzac's first anxiety showed itself when he turned his eyes in the direction of Daddy Jacques. But, occupie

e bricks of a furnace-and was attentively examining the chimney, which grew narrower towards the top, the outlet

"Besides, even if he had tried to do it, he would have brought all that iro

. Then he came to the windows, through which he declared no one could possib

s," he said, "what

round the lake. Another of those fellows who

in that way," said Rouletabille in a melancholy tone. "If there is anyone who

have to learn how they lost him

d the door of "The

ok place," said Rouletabille, with a solemnity which,