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… not one part of their costume wanting。 The woman wore sabots；
but the man had on laced boots。 Now they assert that they went to
bed at half…past nine。 On arriving this morning； the examining
magistrate brought with him from Paris a revolver 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 have lied； of that there can be no doubt。 They must
have been already waiting； not far from the pavilion； waiting for
something！ Certainly they are not to be accused of being the authors
of the crime； but their complicity is not improbable。 That was why
Monsieur de Marquet had them arrested at once。〃
〃If they had been accomplices；〃 said Rouletabille； 〃they would not
have been there at all。 When people throw themselves into the arms
of justice with the proofs of complicity on them； you can be sure
they are not accomplices。 I don't believe there are any accomplices
in this affair。〃
〃Then； why were they abroad at midnight？ Why don't they say？〃
〃They have certainly some reason for their silence。 What that
reason is； has to be found out； for； even if they are not
accomplices； it may be of importance。 Everything that took place
on such a night is important。〃
We had crossed an old bridge thrown over the Douve and were entering
the part of the park called the Oak Grove； The oaks here were
centuries old。 Autumn had already shrivelled their tawny leaves；
and their high branches； black and contorted； 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 us as sad and funereal now。 The soil was black
and muddy from the recent rains and the rotting of the fallen
leaves； the trunks of the trees were black and the sky above us
was now； as if in mourning； charged with great； heavy clouds。
And it was in this sombre and desolate retreat that we saw the
white walls of the pavilion as we approached。 A queer…looking
building without a window visible on the side by which we neared
it。 A little door alone 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 light it needed from
the south； that is to say； from the open country。 The little door
closed on the park。 Monsieur and Mademoiselle Stangerson must
have found it an ideal seclusion for their work and their dreams。
___________________________________________________
ditch ｜
________________________________________________ ｜
enclosing wall ｜｜ ｜｜ ｜ ｜
｜｜ ｜｜ ｜ ｜
｜｜___ 1 ｜d ｜
｜｜bed｜ ｜｜ ｜i ｜
PARK ｜｜___｜________｜｜ ｜t ｜
｜｜：：：：：｜ 4 ｜｜ ｜c ｜
｜｜：：5：：｜ ｜｜ 2 ｜h ｜
oo oo ｜｜：： ：：｜___ _｜｜ ｜ ｜
Traces oo ｜｜ ｜｜ ｜ ｜
of oo oo oo ｜ ｜
Footsteps｜｜ ｜｜ ｜ ｜
｜｜ ｜｜ ｜ ｜
｜｜ 3 ｜｜___________｜ ｜______________
｜｜ ｜｜ 6 ｜ ditch
｜｜____ ____｜｜___________｜_________________
door enclosing wall
Here is the ground plan of the pavilion。 It had a ground…floor
which was reached by a few steps； and above it was an attic； with
which we need not concern ourselves。 The plan of the ground…floor
only； sketched roughly； is what I here submit to the reader。
1。 The Yellow Room； with its one window and its one door opening
into the laboratory。
2。 Laboratory； with its two large； barred windows and its doors；
one serving for the vestibule； the other for The Yellow Room。
3。 Vestibule； with its unbarred window and door opening into the
park。
4。 Lavatory。
5。 Stairs leading to the attic。
6。 Large and the only chimney in the pavilion； serving for the
experiments of the laboratory。
The plan was drawn by Rouletabille； and I assured myself that there
was not a line in it that was wanting to help to the solution of
the problem then set before the police。 With the lines 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 ask： How did the murderer
escape from The Yellow Room？ Before mounting the three steps
leading up to the door of the pavilion； Rouletabille stopped and
asked Monsieur Darzac point blank：
〃What was the motive for the crime？〃
〃Speaking for myself； Monsieur； there can be no doubt on the
matter；〃 said Mademoiselle Stangerson's fiance； greatly distressed。
〃The nails of the fingers； the deep scratches on the chest 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 that they were made by the
same hand as that which left its red imprint on the wall； an enormous
hand； Monsieur； much too large to go into my gloves；〃 he added with
an indefinable smile。
〃Could not that blood…stained hand；〃 I interrupted； 〃have been the
hand of Mademoiselle Stangerson who； in the moment of falling； had
pressed it against the wail； and； in slipping； enlarged the
impression？〃
〃There was not a drop of blood on either of her hands when she was
lifted up；〃 replied Monsieur Darzac。
〃We are now sure；〃 said I； 〃that it was Mademoiselle Stangerson
who was armed with Daddy Jacques's revolver； since she wounded the
hand of the murderer。 She was in fear； then； of somebody or
something。〃
〃Probably。〃
〃Do you suspect anybody？〃
〃No；〃 replied Monsieur Darzac； looking at Rouletabille。 Rouletabille
then said to me：
〃You must know； my friend； that the inquiry is a little more advanced
than Monsieur de Marquet has chosen to tell us。 He not only knows
that Mademoiselle Stangerson defended herself with the revolver；
but he knows what the weapon was that was used to attack her。
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 instrument of
crime； the most terrible invented； is going to be found amongst those
who are well…known in the slums of Paris who use it。 But who can
ever say what passes through the brain of an examining magistrate？〃
Rouletabille added with contemptuous irony。
〃Has a mutton…