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that can lead to the pavilion； and that may perhaps lead to the
discovery of the assassin。 〃We have also wished to question the
concierges； but they are invisible。 Finally； we have waited in a
roadside inn； not far from the gate of the chateau； for the departure
of Monsieur de Marquet； the magistrate of Corbeil。 At half…past
five we saw him and his clerk and； before he was able to enter his
carriage； had an opportunity to ask him the following question：
〃'Can you； Monsieur de Marquet； give us any information as to this
affair； without inconvenience to the course of your inquiry？'
〃'It is impossible for us to do it；' replied Monsieur de Marquet。
'I can only say that it is the strangest affair I have ever known。
The more we think we know something； the further we are from knowing
anything！'
〃We asked Monsieur de Marquet to be good enough to explain his last
words； and this is what he said； … the importance of which no one
will fail to recognise：
〃'If nothing is added to the material facts so far established； I
fear that the mystery which surrounds the abominable crime of which
Mademoiselle Stangerson has been the victim will never be brought to
light； but it is to be hoped； for the sake of our human reason； that
the examination of the wails； and of the ceiling of The Yellow Room
… an examination which I shall to…morrow intrust to the builder who
constructed the pavilion four years ago … will afford us the proof
that may not discourage us。 For the problem is this： we know by
what way the assassin gained admission； … he entered by the door and
hid himself under the bed； awaiting Mademoiselle Stangerson。 But
how did he leave？ How did he escape？ If no trap； no secret door；
no hiding place； no opening of any sort is found； if the examination
of the walls … even to the demolition of the pavilion … does not
reveal any passage practicable … not only for a human being； but for
any being whatsoever … if the ceiling shows no crack； if the floor
hides no underground passage； one must really believe in the Devil；
as Daddy Jacques says！'〃
And the anonymous writer in the 〃Matin〃 added in this article
… which I have selected as the most interesting of all those that
were published on the subject of this affair … that the examining
magistrate appeared to place a peculiar significance to the last
sentence： 〃One must really believe in the Devil； as Jacques says。
The article concluded with these lines： 〃We wanted to know what
Daddy Jacques meant by the cry of the Bete Du Bon Dieu。〃 The
landlord of the Donjon Inn explained to us that it is the
particularly sinister cry which is uttered sometimes at night by
the cat of an old woman； … Mother Angenoux； as she is called in
the country。 Mother Angenoux is a sort of saint； who lives in a
hut in the heart of the forest； not far from the grotto of
Sainte…Genevieve。
〃The Yellow Room； the Bete Du Bon Dieu； Mother Angenoux； the Devil；
Sainte…Genevieve； Daddy Jacques； … here is a well entangled crime
which the stroke of a pickaxe in the wall may disentangle for us
to…morrow。 Let us at least hope that； for the sake of our human
reason； as the examining magistrate says。 Meanwhile； it is expected
that Mademoiselle Stangerson … who has not ceased to be delirious
and only pronounces one word distinctly； 'Murderer！ Murderer！'
… will not live through the night。〃
In conclusion； and at a late hour； the same journal announced that
the Chief of the Surete had telegraphed to the famous detective；
Frederic Larsan； who had been sent to London for an affair of
stolen securities； to return immediately to Paris。
CHAPTER II
In Which Joseph Rouktabille Appears for the First Time
I remember as well as if it had occurred yesterday； the entry of
young Rouletabille into my bedroom that morning。 It was about
eight o'clock and I was still in bed reading the article in the
〃Matin〃 relative to the Glandier crime。
But； before going further； it is time that I present my friend
to the reader。
I first knew Joseph Rouletabille when he was a young reporter。 At
that time I was a beginner at the Bar and often met him in the
corridors of examining magistrates； when I had gone to get a 〃permit
to communicate〃 for the prison of Mazas； or for Saint…Lazare。 He
had； as they say； 〃a good nut。〃 He seemed to have taken his head
… round as a bullet … out of a box of marbles； and it is from that；
I think； that his comrades of the press … all determined
billiard…players … had given him that nickname； which was to stick
to him and be made illustrious by him。 He was always as red as a
tomato； now gay as a lark； now grave as a judge。 How； while still
so young … he was only sixteen and a half years old when I saw him
for the first time … had he already won his way on the press？ That
was what everybody who came into contact with him might have asked；
if they had not known his history。 At the time of the affair of
the woman cut in pieces in the Rue Oberskampf … another forgotten
story … he had taken to one of the editors of the 〃Epoque；〃 … a
paper then rivalling the 〃Matin〃 for information； … the left foot；
which was missing from the basket in which the gruesome remains were
discovered。 For this left foot the police had been vainly searching
for a week； and young Rouletabille had found it in a drain where
nobody had thought of looking for it。 To do that he had dressed
himself as an extra sewer…man； one of a number engaged by the
administration of the city of Paris； owing to an overflow of the
Seine。
When the editor…in…chief was in possession of the precious foot and
informed as to the train of intelligent deductions the boy had been
led to make； he was divided between the admiration he felt for such
detective cunning in a brain of a lad of sixteen years； and delight
at being able to exhibit； in the 〃morgue window〃 of his paper； the
left foot of the Rue Oberskampf。
〃This foot；〃 he cried； 〃will make a great headline。〃
Then； when he had confided the gruesome packet to the medical lawyer
attached to the journal； he asked the lad； who was shortly to become
famous as Rouletabille； what he would expect to earn as a general
reporter onthe 〃Epoque〃？
〃Two hundred francs a month；〃 the youngster replied modestly； hardly
able to breathe from surprise at the proposal。
〃You shall have two hundred and fifty；〃 said the editor…in…chief；
only you must tell everybody that you have been engaged on the paper
for a month。 Let it be quite understood that it was not you but the
'Epoque' that discovered the left foot of the Rue Oberskampf。 Here；
my young friend； the man is nothing； the paper everything。〃
Having said this； he begged the new reporter to retire； but before
the youth had reached the door he called him back to ask his name。
The other replied：
〃Joseph Josephine。〃
〃That's not a name；〃 said the editor…in…chief； 〃but since you will
not be required to sign what you write it is of no consequence。〃
The boy…faced reporter speedily made himself many friends； for he
was serviceable and gifted with a good humour that enchanted the
most severe…tempered and disarmed the most zealous of his companions。