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ever say what passes through the brain of an examining magistrate？〃
Rouletabille added with contemptuous irony。
〃Has a mutton…bone been found in The Yellow Room？〃 I asked him。
〃Yes； Monsieur；〃 said Robert Darzac； 〃at the foot of the bed； but I
beg of you not to say anything about it。〃 （I made a gesture of
assent。） 〃It was an enormous mutton…bone； the top of which； or
rather the 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 sent to the municipal laboratory at Paris to
be analysed。 In fact； he thinks he has detected on it； not only
the blood of the last victim； but other stains of dried blood；
evidences of previous crimes。〃
〃A mutton…bone in the hand of a skilled assassin is a frightful
weapon；〃 said Rouletabille； 〃a more certain weapon than a heavy
hammer。〃
〃The scoundrel has proved it to be so；〃 said Monsieur Robert
Darzac； sadly。 〃The joint of the bone found exactly fits the
wound inflicted。
My belief is that the wound would have been mortal； if the murderer's
blow had not been arrested in the act by Mademoiselle Stangerson's
revolver。 Wounded in the hand； he dropped the mutton…bone and fled。
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 would；
doubtless； have escaped the blow with the bone。 But she had
certainly employed her revolver too late； the first shot deviated and
lodged in the ceiling； it was the second only that took effect。〃
Having said this； Monsieur Darzac knocked at the door of the pavilion。
I must confess to feeling a strong impatience to reach the spot where
the crime had been committed。 It was some time before the door was
pened by a man whom I at once recognised as Daddy Jacques。
He appeared to be well over sixty years of age。 He had a long white
beard and white hair； on which he wore a flat Basque cap。 He was
dressed in a complete suit of chestnut…coloured velveteen； worn at
the sides； sabots were on his feet。 He had rather a waspish…looking
face； the expression of which lightened； however； as soon as he saw
Monsieur Darzac。
〃Friends；〃 said our guide。 〃Nobody in the pavilion； Daddy Jacques？〃
〃I ought not to allow anybody to enter； Monsieur Robert； but of
course the order does not apply to you。 These gentlemen of justice
have seen everything there is to be seen； and made enough drawings；
and drawn up enough reports …〃
〃Excuse me； Monsieur Jacques； one question before anything else；〃
said Rouletabille。
〃What is it； young man？ If I can answer it …〃
〃Did your mistress wear her hair in bands； that evening？ You know
what I mean … over her forehead？〃
〃No； young man。 My mistress never wore her hair in the way you
suggest； neither on that day nor on any other。 She had her hair
drawn up； as usual； so that her beautiful forehead could be seen；
pure as that of an unborn child！〃
Rouletabille grunted and set to work examining the door； finding
that it fastened itself automatically。 He satisfied himself that
it could never remain open and needed a key to open it。 Then we
entered the vestibule； a small； well…lit room paved with square
red tiles。
〃Ah！ This is the window by which the murderer escaped！〃 said
Rouletabille。
〃So they keep on saying； monsieur； so they keep on saying！ But if
he had gone off that way； we should have been sure to have seen him。
We are not blind； neither Monsieur Stangerson nor me； nor the
concierges who are in prison。 Why have they not put me in prison；
too； on account of my revolver？〃
Rouletabille had already opened the window and was examining the
shutters。
〃Were these closed at the time of the crime？〃
〃And fastened with the iron catch inside；〃 said Daddy Jacques； 〃and
I am quite sure that the murderer did not get out that way。〃
〃Are there any blood stains？〃
〃Yes； on the stones outside； but blood of what？〃
〃Ah！〃 said Rouletabille； 〃there are footmarks visible on the path
… the ground was very moist。 I will look into that presently。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 interrupted Daddy Jacques； 〃the murderer did not go
that way。〃
〃Which way did he go； then？〃
〃How do I know？〃
Rouletabille looked at everything； smelled everything。 He went down
on his knees and rapidly examined every one of the paving tiles。
Daddy Jacques went on：
〃Ah！ … you can't find anything； monsieur。 Nothing has been found。
And now it is all dirty； too many persons have tramped over it。
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 with
his hobnailed boots； I should not have failed to see where he had
been； he has left marks enough in Mademoiselle's chamber。〃
Rouletabille rose。
〃When was the last time you washed these tiles？〃 he asked； and he
fixed on Daddy Jacques a most searching look。
〃Why … as I told you … on the day of the crime； towards half…past
five … while Mademoiselle and her father were taking a little walk
before dinner； here in this room： they had dined in the laboratory。
The next day； the examining magistrate came and saw all the marks
there were on the floor as plainly as if they had been 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 cut his way through the roof
and dropped to the ground outside the vestibule window。 But
… there's no hole； neither in the ceiling of The Yellow Room nor
in the roof of my attic … that's absolutely certain！ So you see
we know nothing … nothing！ And nothing will ever be known！ It's
a mystery of the Devil's own making。〃
Rouletabille went down upon his knees again almost in front of a
small lavatory at the back of the vestibule。 In that position he
remained for about a minute。
〃Well？〃 I asked him when he got up。
〃Oh！ nothing very important； … a drop of blood；〃 he replied；
turning towards Daddy Jacques as he spoke。 〃While you were washing
the laboratory and this vestibule； was the vestibule window open？〃
he asked。
〃No； Monsieur； it was closed； but after I had done washing the floor；
I lit some charcoal for Monsieur in the laboratory furnace； and； as
I lit it with old newspapers； 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 this one open when I went out。 When
I returned to the pavilion； this window had been closed and Monsieur
and Mademoiselle were already at work in the laboratory。〃
〃Monsieur or Mademoiselle Stangerson had； no doubt； shut it？〃
〃No doubt。〃
〃You did not ask them？〃
After a close scrutiny of the little lavatory and of the staircase
leading up to the attic； Rouletabille … to whom we seemed no longer
to exist … entered the laboratory。 I follow