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most severe…tempered and disarmed the most zealous of his companions。
At the Bar cafe； where the reporters assembled before going to any
of the courts； or to the Prefecture； in search of their news of
crime； he began to win a reputation as an unraveller of intricate
and obscure affairs which found its way to the office of the Chief
of the Surete。 When a case was worth the trouble and Rouletabille
… he had already been given his nickname … had been started on the
scent by his editor…in…chief； he often got the better of the most
famous detective。
It was at the Bar cafe that I became intimately acquainted with him。
Criminal lawyers and journalists are not enemies； the former need
advertisement； the latter information。 We chatted together； and I
soon warmed towards him。 His intelligence was so keen； and so
original！ …and he had a quality of thought such as I have never
found in any other person。
Some time after this I was put in charge of the law news of the 〃Cri
du Boulevard。〃 My entry into journalism could not but strengthen
the ties which united me to Rouletabille。 After a while； my new
friend being allowed to carry out an idea of a judicial
correspondence column； which he was allowed to sign 〃Business；〃 in
the 〃Epoque；〃 I was often able to furnish him with the legal
information of which he stood in need。
Nearly two years passed in this way； and the better I knew him； the
more I learned to love him； for； in spite of his careless
extravagance； I had discovered in him what was； considering his age；
an extraordinary seriousness of mind。 Accustomed as I was to seeing
him gay and； indeed； often too gay； I would many times find him
plunged in the deepest melancholy。 I tried then to question him as
to the cause of this change of humour； but each time he laughed and
made me no answer。 One day； having questioned him about his parents；
of whom he never spoke； he left me； pretending not to have heard
what I said。
While things were in this state between us； the famous case of The
Yellow Room took place。 It was this case which was to rank him as
the leading newspaper reporter； and to obtain for him the reputation
of being the greatest detective in the world。 It should not surprise
us to find in the one man the perfection of two such lines of
activity if we remember that the daily press was already beginning
to transform itself and to become what it is to…day … the gazette
of crime。
Morose…minded people may complain of this； for myself I regard it
a matter for congratulation。 We can never have too many arms；
public or private； against the criminal。 To this some people may
answer that； by continually publishing the details of crimes； the
press ends by encouraging their commission。 But then； with some
people we can never do right。 Rouletabille； as I have said； entered
my room that morning of the 26th of October； 1892。 He was looking
redder than usual； and his eyes were bulging out of his head； as
the phrase is； and altogether he appeared to be in a state of
extreme excitement。 He waved the 〃Matin〃 with a trembling hand；
and cried：
〃Well； my dear Sainclair； … have you read it？〃
〃The Glandier crime？〃
〃Yes； The Yellow Room！ … What do you think of it？〃
〃I think that it must have been the Devil or the Bete du Bon Dieu
that committed the crime。〃
〃Be serious！〃
〃Well； I don't much believe in murderers* who make their escape
through walls of solid brick。 I think Daddy Jacques did wrong to
leave behind him the weapon with which the crime was committed and；
as he occupied the attic immediately above Mademoiselle Stangerson's
room； the builder's job ordered by the examining magistrate will
give us the key of the enigma and it will not be long before we
learn by what natural trap； or by what secret door； the old fellow
was able to slip in and out； and return immediately to the laboratory
to Monsieur Stangerson； without his absence being noticed。 That； of
course； is only an hypothesis。〃
____________________________________________________________________
*Although the original English translation often uses the words
〃murder〃 and 〃murderer；〃 the reader may substitute 〃attack〃 and
〃attacker〃 since no murder is actually committed。
____________________________________________________________________
Rouletabille sat down in an armchair； lit his pipe； which he was
never without； smoked for a few minutes in silence … no doubt to
calm the excitement which； visibly； dominated him … and then
replied：
〃Young man；〃 he said； in a tone the sad irony of which I will not
attempt to render； 〃young man； you are a lawyer and I doubt not your
ability to save the guilty from conviction； but if you were a
magistrate on the bench； how easy it would be for you to condemn
innocent persons！ … You are really gifted； young man！〃
He continued to smoke energetically； and then went on：
〃No trap will be found； and the mystery of The Yellow Room will
become more and more mysterious。 That's why it interests me。
The examining magistrate is right； nothing stranger than this crime
has ever been known。〃
〃Have you any idea of the way by which the murderer escaped？〃 I
asked。
〃None；〃 replied Rouletabille … 〃none； for the present。 But I have
an idea as to the revolver； the murderer did not use it。〃
〃Good Heavens！ By whom； then； was it used？〃
〃Why … by Mademoiselle Stangerson。〃
〃I don't understand； … or rather； I have never understood；〃 I said。
Rouletabille shrugged his shoulders。
〃Is there nothing in this article in the 'Matin' by which you were
particularly struck？〃
〃Nothing； … I have found the whole of the story it tells equally
strange。〃
〃Well； but … the locked door … with the key on the inside？〃
〃That's the only perfectly natural thing in the whole article。〃
〃Really！ … And the bolt？〃
〃The bolt？〃
〃Yes； the bolt … also inside the room … a still further protection
against entry？ Mademoiselle Stangerson took quite extraordinary
precautions！ It is clear to me that she feared someone。 That was
why she took such precautions … even Daddy Jacques's revolver
… without telling him of it。 No doubt she didn't wish to alarm
anybody； and least of all； her father。 What she dreaded took place；
and she defended herself。 There was a struggle； and she used the
revolver skilfully enough to wound the assassin in the hand … which
explains the impression on the wall and on the door of the large；
blood…stained hand of the man who was searching for a means of
exit from the chamber。 But she didn't fire soon enough to avoid
the terrible blow on the right temple。〃
〃Then the wound on the temple was not done with the revolver？〃
〃The paper doesn't say it was； and I don't think it was； because
logically it appears to me that the revolver was used by Mademoiselle
Stangerson against the assassin。 Now； what weapon did the murderer
use？ The blow on the temple seems to show that the murderer wished
to stun Mademoiselle Stangerson； … after he had unsuccessfully tried
to strangle her。 He must have known that the attic was inhabited
by Daddy Jacques； and that was one of the reasons； I think； why he
must have use