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became more and more agitated； and I determined to take advantage
of the effect I had produced on him。 'You were on the point of
being married； Monsieur；' I said negligently and without looking
at him； 'and suddenly your marriage becomes impossible because of
the writer of that letter； because as soon as his letter was read；
you spoke of the necessity for a crime to win Mademoiselle
Stangerson。 Therefore there is someone between you and her someone
who has attempted to kill her； so that she should not be able to
marry！' And I concluded with these words： 'Now； monsieur； you have
only to tell me in confidence the name of the murderer！' … The words
I had uttered must have struck him ominously； for when I turned my
eyes on him； I saw that his face was haggard； the perspiration
standing on his forehead； and terror showing in his eyes。
〃'Monsieur；' he said to me； 'I am going to ask of you something
which may appear insane； but in exchange for which I place my life
in your hands。 You must not tell the magistrates of what you saw
and heard in the garden of the Elysee； … neither to them nor to
anybody。 I swear to you； that I am innocent； and I know； I feel；
that you believe me； but I would rather be taken for the guilty man
than see justice go astray on that phrase； 〃The presbytery has lost
nothing of its charm； nor the garden its brightness。〃 The judges
must know nothing about that phrase。 All this matter is in your
hands。 Monsieur； I leave it there； but forget the evening at the
Elysee。 A hundred other roads are open to you in your search for
the criminal。 I will open them for you myself。 I will help you。
Will you take up your quarters here？ … You may remain here to do
as you please。 … Eat … sleep here … watch my actions … the actions
of all here。 You shall be master of the Glandier； Monsieur； but
forget the evening at the Elysee。'
Rouletabille here paused to take breath。 I now understood what had
appeared so unexplainable in the demeanour of Monsieur Robert Darzac
towards my friend； and the facility with which the young reporter
had been able to install himself on the scene of the crime。 My
curiosity could not fail to be excited by all I had heard。 I asked
Rouletabille to satisfy it still further。 What had happened at the
landier during the past week？ … Had he not told me that there were
surface indications against Monsieur Darzac much more terrible than
that of the cane found by Larsan？
〃Everything seems to be pointing against him；〃 replied my friend；
〃and the situation is becoming exceedingly grave。 Monsieur Darzac
appears not to mind it much； but in that he is wrong。 I was
interested only in the health of Mademoiselle Stangerson； which
was daily improving； when something occurred that is even more
mysterious than … than the mystery of The Yellow Room！〃
〃Impossible！〃 I cried； 〃What could be more mysterious than that？〃
〃Let us first go back to Monsieur Robert Darzac；〃 said Rouletabille；
calming me。 〃I have said that everything seems to be pointing
against him。 The marks of the neat boots found by Frederic Larsan
appear to be really the footprints of Mademoiselle Stangerson's
fiance。 The marks made by the bicycle may have been made by his
bicycle。 He had usually left it at the chateau； why did he take
it to Paris on that particular occasion？ Was it because he was
not going to return again to the chateau？ Was it because； owing
to the breaking off of his marriage； his relations with the
Stangersons were to cease？ All who are interested in the matter
affirm that those relations were to continue unchanged。
〃Frederic Larsan； however； believes that all relations were at an
end。 From the day when Monsieur Darzac accompanied Mademoiselle
Stangerson to the Grands Magasins de la Louvre until the day after
the crime； he had not been at the Glandier。 Remember that
Mademoiselle Stangerson lost her reticule containing the key with
the brass head while she was in his company。 From that day to the
evening at the Elysee； the Sorbonne professor and Mademoiselle
Stangerson did not see one another； but they may have written to
each other。 Mademoiselle Stangerson went to the Post Office to
get a letter； which Larsan says was written by Robert Darzac； for
knowing nothing of what had passed at the Elysee； Larsan believes
that it was Monsieur Darzac himself who stole the reticule with
the key； with the design of forcing her consent； by getting
possession of the precious papers of her father … papers which
he would have restored to him on condition that the marriage
engagement was to be fulfilled。
〃All that would have been a very doubtful and almost absurd
hypothesis； as Larsan admitted to me； but for another and much
graver circumstance。 In the first place here is something which I
have not been able to explain … Monsieur Darzac had himself； on the
24th； gone to the Post Office to ask for the letter which
Mademoiselle had called for and received on the previous evening。
The description of the man who made application tallies in every
respect with the appearance of Monsieur Darzac； who； in answer to
the questions put to him by the examining magistrate； denies that
he went to the Post Office。 Now even admitting that the letter was
written by him … which I do not believe … he knew that Mademoiselle
Stangerson had received it； since he had seen it in her hands in
the garden at the Elysee。 It could not have been he； then； who
had gone to the Post Office； the day after the 24th； to ask for a
letter which he knew was no longer there。
〃To me it appears clear that somebody； strongly resembling him；
stole Mademoiselle Stangerson's reticule and in that letter； had
demanded of her something which she had not sent him。 He must have
been surprised at the failure of his demand； hence his application
at the Post Office； to learn whether his letter had been delivered
to the person to whom it had been addressed。 Finding that it had
been claimed； he had become furious。 What had he demanded？ Nobody
but Mademoiselle Stangerson knows。 Then； on the day following； it
is reported that she had been attacked during the night； and； the
next day； I discovered that the Professor had； at the same time；
been robbed by means of the key referred to in the poste restante
letter。 It would seem； then； that the man who went to the Post
Office to inquire for the letter must have been the murderer。 All
these arguments Larsan applies as against Monsieur Darzac。 You
may be sure that the examining magistrate； Larsan； and myself； have
done our best to get from the Post Office precise details relative
to the singular personage who applied there on the 24th of October。
But nothing has been learned。 We don't know where he came from … or
where he went。 Beyond the description which makes him resemble
Monsieur Darzac； we know nothing。
〃I have announced in the leading journals that a handsome reward
will be given to a driver of any public conveyance who drove a fare
to No。 40； Post Office； about ten o'clock on the morning of the 24th
of October。 Information to be addressed to 'M。 R。；' at the office
of the 'Epoque'； but no answer has result