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won't tire you？〃
〃On the contrary；〃 I said with an expression that made Rouletabille
laugh。
〃No； no；〃 he said； 〃this is no time for laughing。 You remember the
phrase which was the 'open sesame' of this chateau full of mystery？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said； 〃perfectly； … 'The presbytery has lost nothing of its
charm； nor the garden its brightness。' It was the phrase which you
found on the half…burned piece of paper amongst the ashes in the
laboratory。〃
〃Yes； at the bottom of the paper； where the flame had not reached；
was this date： 23rd of October。 Remember this date； it is highly
important。 I am now going to tell you about that curious phrase。
On the evening before the crime； that is to say； on the 23rd；
Monsieur and Mademoiselle Stangerson were at a reception at the
Elysee。 I know that； because I was there on duty； having to
interview one of the savants of the Academy of Philadelphia； who
was being feted there。 I had never before seen either Monsieur or
Mademoiselle Stangerson。 I was seated in the room which precedes
the Salon des Ambassadeurs； and； tired of being jostled by so many
noble personages； I had fallen into a vague reverie； when I scented
near me the perfume of the lady in black。
〃Do you ask me what is the 'perfume of the lady in black'？ It must
suffice for you to know that it is a perfume of which I am very fond；
because it was that of a lady who had been very kind to me in my
childhood； … a lady whom I had always seen dressed in black。 The
lady who； that evening； was scented with the perfume of the lady in
black； was dressed in white。 She was wonderfully beautiful。 I
could not help rising and following her。 An old man gave her his
arm and； as they passed； I heard voices say： 'Professor Stangerson
and his daughter。' It was in that way I learned who it was I was
following。
〃They met Monsieur Robert Darzac； whom I knew by sight。 Professor
Stangerson； accosted by Mr。 Arthur William Rance； one of the
American savants； seated himself in the great gallery； and Monsieur
Robert Darzac led Mademoiselle Stangerson into the conservatory。 I
followed。 The weather was very mild that evening； the garden doors
were open。 Mademoiselle Stangerson threw a fichu shawl over her
shoulders and I plainly saw that it was she who was begging Monsieur
Darzac to go with her into the garden。 I continued to follow；
interested by the agitation plainly exhibited by the bearing of
Monsieur Darzac。 They slowly passed along the wall abutting on the
Avenue Marigny。 I took the central alley； walking parallel with
them； and then crossed over for the purpose of getting nearer to
them。 The night was dark； and the grass deadened the sound of my
steps。 They had stopped under the vacillating light of a gas jet
and appeared to be both bending over a paper held by Mademoiselle
Stangerson； reading something which deeply interested them。 I
stopped in the darkness and silence。
〃Neither of them saw me； and I distinctly heard Mademoiselle
Stangerson repeat； as she was refolding the paper： 'The presbytery
has lost nothing of its charm； nor the garden its brightness！' … It
was said in a tone at once mocking and despairing； and was followed
by a burst of such nervous laughter that I think her words will
never cease to sound in my ears。 But another phrase was uttered by
Monsieur Robert Darzac： 'Must I commit a crime； then； to win you？'
He was in an extraordinarily agitated state。 He took the hand of
Mademoiselle Stangerson and held it for a long time to his lips；
and I thought； from the movement of his shoulders； that he was
crying。 Then they went away。
〃When I returned to the great gallery；〃 continued Rouletabille； 〃I
saw no more of Monsieur Robert Darzac； and I was not to see him
again until after the tragedy at the Glandier。 Mademoiselle was
near Mr。 Rance； who was talking with much animation； his eyes；
during the conversation； glowing with a singular brightness。
Mademoiselle Stangerson； I thought； was not even listening to what
he was saying； her face expressing perfect indifference。 His face
was the red face of a drunkard。 When Monsieur and Mademoiselle
Stangerson left； he went to the bar and remained there。 I joined
him； and rendered him some little service in the midst of the
pressing crowd。 He thanked me and told me he was returning to
America three days later； that is to say； on the 26th （the day after
the crime）。 I talked with him about Philadelphia； he told me he
had lived there for five…and…twenty years； and that it was there he
had met the illustrious Professor Stangerson and his daughter。 He
drank a great deal of champagne； and when I left him he was very
nearly drunk。
〃Such were my experiences on that evening； and I leave you to
imagine what effect the news of the attempted murder of Mademoiselle
Stangerson produced on me； … with what force those words pronounced
by Monsieur Robert Darzac； 'Must I commit a crime； then； to win you？'
recurred to me。 It was not this phrase； however； that I repeated to
him； when we met here at Glandier。 The sentence of the presbytery
and the bright garden sufficed to open the gate of the chateau。 If
you ask me if I believe now that Monsieur Darzac is the murderer； I
must say I do not。 I do not think I ever quite thought that。 At
the time I could not really think seriously of anything。 I had so
little evidence to go on。 But I needed to have at once the proof
that he had not been wounded in the hand。
〃When we were alone together； I told him how I had chanced to
overhear a part of his conversation with Mademoiselle Stangerson in
the garden of the Elysee； and when I repeated to him the words；
'Must I commit a crime； then； to win you？' he was greatly troubled；
though much less so than he had been by hearing me repeat the phrase
about the presbytery。 What threw him into a state of real
consternation was to learn from me that the day on which he had
gone to meet Mademoiselle Stangerson at the Elysee； was the very
day on which she had gone to the Post Office for the letter。 It
was that letter； perhaps； which ended with the words： 'The presbytery
has lost nothing of its charm； nor the garden its brightness。' My
surmise was confirmed by my finding； if you remember； in the ashes
of the laboratory； the fragment of paper dated October the 23rd。
The letter had been written and withdrawn from the Post Office on
the same day。
〃There can be no doubt that； on returning from the Elysee that night；
Mademoiselle Stangerson had tried to destroy that compromising paper。
It was in vain that Monsieur Darzac denied that that letter had
anything whatever to do with the crime。 I told him that in an
affair so filled with mystery as this； he had no right to hide this
letter； that I was persuaded it was of considerable importance； that
the desperate tone in which Mademoiselle Stangerson had pronounced
the prophetic phrase； … that his own tears； and the threat of a
crime which he had professed after the letter was read … all these
facts tended to leave no room for me to doubt。 Monsieur Darzac
became more and more agitated； and I determined to take advantage
of the effect I had produced on him。