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〃If I spring into the room at this moment； he will escape by the
right…hand door opening into the boudoir； ？or crossing the
drawing…room； he will reach the gallery and I shall lose him。 I
have him now and in five minutes more he'll be safer than if I had
him in a cage。 ？What is he doing there； alone in Mademoiselle
Stangerson's room？ ？What is he writing？ I descend and place the
ladder on the ground。 Daddy Jacques follows me。 We re…enter the
chateau。 I send Daddy Jacques to wake Monsieur Stangerson； and
instruct him to await my coming in Mademoiselle Stangerson's room
and to say nothing definite to him before my arrival。 I will go
and awaken Frederic Larsan。 It's a bore to have to do it； for I
should have liked to work alone and to have carried off all the
honors of this affair myself； right under the very nose of the
sleeping detective。 But Daddy Jacques and Monsieur Stangerson are
old men； and I am not yet fully developed。 I might not be strong
enough。 Larsan is used to wrestling and putting on the handcuffs。
He opened his eyes swollen with sleep； ready to send me flying；
without in the least believing in my reporter's fancies。 I had to
assure him that the man was there！
〃'That's strange！' he said； 'I thought I left him this afternoon
in Paris。'
〃He dressed himself in haste and armed himself with a revolver。 We
stole quietly into the gallery。
〃'Where is he？' Larsan asked。
〃'In Mademoiselle Stangerson's room。
〃'And ？Mademoiselle Stangerson？'
〃'She is not in there。'
'Let's go in。'
〃'Don't go there！ On the least alarm the man will escape。 He has
four ways by which to do it ？the door； the window； the boudoir； or
the room in which the women are sleeping。'
〃'I'll draw him from below。'
〃'And if you fail？ ？If you only succeed in wounding him ？he'll
escape again； without reckoning that he is certainly armed。 No；
let me direct the expedition； and I'll answer for everything。'
〃'As you like；' he replied； with fairly good grace。
〃Then； after satisfying myself that all the windows of the two
galleries were thoroughly secure； I placed Frederic Larsan at the
end of the 'off…turning' gallery； before the window which I had
found open and had reclosed。
〃'Under no consideration；' I said to him； 'must you stir from this
post till I call you。 The chances are even that the man； when he
is pursued； will return to this window and try to save himself that
way； for it is by that way he came in and made a way ready for his
flight。 You have a dangerous post。'
〃'What will be yours？' asked Fred。
〃'I shall spring into the room and knock him over for you。'
〃'Take my revolver；' said Fred； 'and I'll take your stick。'
'Thanks；' I said； 'You are a brave man。'
〃I accepted his offer。 I was going to be alone with the man in the
room writing and was really thankful to have the weapon。
〃I left Fred； having posted him at the window （No。 5 on the plan）；
and； with the greatest precaution； went towards Monsieur Stangerson's
apartment in the left wing of the chateau。 I found him with Daddy
Jacques； who had faithfully obeyed my directions； confining himself
to asking his master to dress as quickly as possible。 In a few
words I explained to Monsieur Stangerson what was passing。 He armed
himself with a revolver； followed me； and we were all three speedily
in the gallery。 Since I had seen the murderer seated at the desk
ten minutes had elapsed。 Monsieur Stangerson wished to spring upon
the assassin at once and kill him。 I made him understand that；
above all； he must not； in his desire to kill him； miss him。
〃When I had sworn to him that his daughter was not in the room；
and in no danger； he conquered his impatience and left me to direct
the operations。 I told them that they must come to me the moment
I called to them； or when I fired my revolver。 I then sent Daddy
Jacques to place himself before the window at the end of the 'right'
gallery。 （No。 2 on my plan。） I chose that position 'for Daddy
Jacques because I believed that the murderer； tracked； on leaving
the room； would run through the gallery towards the window which
he had left open； and； instantly seeing that it was guarded by
Larsan； would pursue his course along the 'right' gallery。 There
he would encounter Daddy Jacques； who would prevent his springing
out of the window into the park。 Under that window there was a sort
of buttress； while all the other windows in the galleries were at
such a height from the ground that it was almost impossible to jump
from them without breaking one's neck。 All the doors and windows；
including those of the lumber…room at the end of the 'right' gallery
… as I had rapidly assured myself … were strongly secured。
〃Having indicated to Daddy Jacques the post he was to occupy； and
having seen him take up his position； I placed Monsieur Stangerson
on the landing at the head of the stairs not far from the door of
his daughter's ante…room； rather than the boudoir； where the women
were； and the door of which must have been locked by Mademoiselle
Stangerson herself if； as I thought； she had taken refuge in the
boudoir for the purpose of avoiding the murderer who was coming
to see her。 In any case； he must return to the gallery where my
people were awaiting him at every possible exit。
〃On coming there； he would see on his left； Monsieur Stangerson； he
would turn to the right； towards the 'off…turning' gallery … the way
he had pre…arranged for flight； where； at the intersection of the
two galleries； he would see at once； as I have explained； on his
left； Frederic Larsan at the end of the 'off…turning' gallery； and
in front； Daddy Jacques； at the end of the 'right' gallery。 Monsieur
Stangerson and myself would arrive by way of the back of the chateau。
… He is ours！ … He can no longer escape us！ I was sure of that。
〃The plan I had formed seemed to me the best； the surest； and the
most simple。 It would； no doubt； have been simpler still； if we
had been able to place some one directly behind the door of
Mademoiselle's boudoir； which opened out of her bedchamber； and；
in that way； had been in a position to besiege the two doors of the
room in which the man was。 But we could not penetrate the boudoir
except by way of the drawing…room； the door of which had been
locked on the inside by Mademoiselle Stangerson。 But even if I had
had the free disposition of the boudoir； I should have held to the
plan I had formed； because any other plan of attack would have
separated us at the moment of the struggle with the man； while my
plan united us all for the attack； at a spot which I had selected
with almost mathematical precision； … the intersection of the two
galleries。
〃Having so placed my people； I again left the chateau； hurried to
my ladder； and； replacing it； climbed up； revolver in hand。
〃If there be any inclined to smile at my taking so many precautionary
measures； I refer them to the mystery of The Yellow Room； and to all
the proofs we have of the weird cunning of the murderer。 Further； if
there be some who think my observations needlessly minute at a moment
when they ought to be completely held by rapidity