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immediately after the doctor had arrived。 On pressing him； however；
for it was evident to us he was not speaking the truth； he confessed
that he had been away from the chateau。 He explained his absence
by saying that he had a headache and went out into the fresh air；
but had gone no further than the oak grove。 When we then described
to him the whole route he had followed； he sat up in bed trembling。
〃'And you were not alone！' cried Larsan。
〃'Did you see it then？' gasped Daddy Jacques。
'What？' I asked。
〃'The phantom … the black phantom！'
〃Then he told us that for several nights he had seen what he kept
calling the black phantom。 It came into the park at the stroke of
midnight and glided stealthily through the trees； it appeared to
him to pass through the trunks of the trees。 Twice he had seen
it from his window； by the light of the moon and had risen and
followed the strange apparition。 The night before last he had
almost overtaken it； but it had vanished at the corner of the
donjon。 Last night； however； he had not left the chateau； his
mind being disturbed by a presentiment that some new crime would
be attempted。 Suddenly he saw the black phantom rush out from
somewhere in the middle of the court。 He followed it to the lake
and to the high road to Epinay； where the phantom suddenly
disappeared。
〃'Did you see his face？' demanded Larsan。
〃'No！ … I saw nothing but black veils。'
〃'Did you go out after what passed on the gallery？'
〃'I could not！ … I was terrified。'
〃'Daddy Jacques；' I said； in a threatening voice； 'you did not follow
it； you and the phantom walked to Epinay together … arm in arm！'
〃'No！' he cried； turning his eyes away； 'I did not。 It came on to
pour； and … I turned back。 I don't know what became of the black
phantom。〃
〃We left him； and when we were outside I turned to Larsan； looking
him full in the face； and put my question suddenly to take him off
his guard：
〃'An accomplice？'
〃'How can I tell？' he replied； shrugging his shoulders。 'You can't
be sure of anything in a case like this。 Twenty…four hours ago I
would have sworn that there was no accomplice！' He left me saying
he was off to Epinay。〃
〃Well； what do you make of it？〃 I asked Rouletabille； after he had
ended his recital。 〃Personally I am utterly in the dark。 I can't
make anything out of it。 What do you gather？〃
〃Everything！ Everything！〃 he exclaimed。 〃But；〃 he said abruptly；
〃let's find out more about Mademoiselle Stangerson。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
Rouletabille Knows the Two Halves of the Murderer
Mademoiselle Stangerson had been almost murdered for the second
time。 Unfortunately； she was in too weak a state to bear the
severer injuries of this second attack as well as she had those of
the first。 She had received three wounds in the breast from the
murderer's knife； and she lay long between life and death。 Her
strong physique； however； saved her； but though she recovered
physically it was found that her mind had been affected。 The
slightest allusion to the terrible incident sent her into delirium；
and the arrest of Robert Darzac which followed on the day following
the tragic death of the keeper seemed to sink her fine intelligence
into complete melancholia。
Robert Darzac arrived at the chateau towards half…past nine。 I saw
him hurrying through the park； his hair and clothes in disorder and
his face a deadly white。 Rouletabille and I were looking out of a
window in the gallery。 He saw us； and gave a despairing cry： 〃I'm
too late！〃
Rouletabille answered： 〃She lives！〃
A minute later Darzac had gone into Mademoiselle Stangerson's room
and； through the door； we could hear his heart…rending sobs。
〃There's a fate about this place！〃 groaned Rouletabille。 〃Some
infernal gods must be watching over the misfortunes of this family！
… If I had not been drugged； I should have saved Mademoiselle
Stangerson。 I should have silenced him forever。 And the keeper
would not have been killed！〃
Monsieur Darzac came in to speak with us。 His distress was terrible。
Rouletabille told him everything： his preparations for Mademoiselle
Stangerson's safety； his plans for either capturing or for disposing
of the assailant for ever； and how he would have succeeded had it
not been for the drugging。
〃If only you had trusted me！〃 said the young man； in a low tone。
〃If you had but begged Mademoiselle Stangerson to confide in me！
… But； then； everybody here distrusts everybody else； the daughter
distrusts her father； and even her lover。 While you ask me to
protect her she is doing all she can to frustrate me。 That was why
I came on the scene too late！〃
At Monsieur Robert Darzac's request Rouletabille described the
whole scene。 Leaning on the wall； to prevent himself from falling；
he had made his way to Mademoiselle Stangerson's room； while we were
running after the supposed murderer。 The ante…room door was open
and when he entered he found Mademoiselle Stangerson lying partly
thrown over the desk。 Her dressing…gown was dyed with the blood
flowing from her bosom。 Still under the influence of the drug； he
felt he was walking in a horrible nightmare。
He went back to the gallery automatically； opened a window； shouted
his order to fire； and then returned to the room。 He crossed the
deserted boudoir； entered the drawing…room； and tried to rouse
Monsieur Stangerson who was lying on a sofa。 Monsieur Stangerson
rose stupidly and let himself be drawn by Rouletabille into the room
where； on seeing his daughter's body； he uttered a heart…rending cry。
Both united their feeble strength and carried her to her bed。
On his way to join us Rouletabille passed by the desk。 On the floor；
near it； he saw a large packet。 He knelt down and； finding the
wrapper loose； he examined it； and made out an enormous quantity of
papers and photographs。 On one of the papers he read： 〃New
differential electroscopic condenser。 Fundamental properties of
substance intermediary between ponderable matter and imponderable
ether。〃 Strange irony of fate that the professor's precious papers
should be restored to him at the very time when an attempt was being
made to deprive him of his daughter's life！ What are papers worth
to him now？
The morning following that awful night saw Monsieur de Marquet once
more at the chateau； with his Registrar and gendarmes。 Of course
we were all questioned。 Rouletabille and I had already agreed on
what to say。 I kept back any information as to my being in the
dark closet and said nothing about the drugging。 We did not wish
to suggest in any way that Mademoiselle Stangerson had been
expecting her nocturnal visitor。 The poor woman might； perhaps；
never recover； and it was none of our business to lift the veil of
a secret the preservation of which she had paid for so dearly。
Arthur Rance told everybody； in a manner so natural that it
astonished me； that he had last seen the keeper towards eleven
o'clock of that fatal night。 He had come for his valise； he said；
which he was to take for him early next morning to the Saint…Michel
station； and had been kept out late running after poachers。