按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
murderer escaped； I am curious to hear Monsieur Rouletabille's
explanation。〃
〃I have no doubt you are；〃 said my friend。
General laughter foliowed this remark。 The President angrily
declared that if it was repeated； he would have the court cleared。
〃Now； young man；〃 said the President； 〃you have heard Monsieur
Frederic Larsan； how did the murderer get away from the court？〃
Rouletabille looked at Madame Mathieu； who smiled back at him sadly。
〃Since Madame Mathieu；〃 he said； 〃has freely admitted her intimacy
with the keeper …〃
〃Why； it's the boy！〃 exclaimed Daddy Mathieu。
〃Remove that man！〃 ordered the President。
Mathieu was removed from the court。 Rouletabille went on：
〃Since she has made this confession； I am free to tell you that she
often met the keeper at night on the first floor of the donjon； in
the room which was once an oratory。 These meetings became more
frequent when her husband was laid up by his rheumatism。 She gave
him morphine to ease his pain and to give herself more time for the
meetings。 Madame Mathieu came to the chateau that night； enveloped
in a large black shawl which served also as a disguise。 This was
the phantom that disturbed Daddy Jacques。 She knew how to imitate
the mewing of Mother Angenoux' cat and she would make the cries to
advise the keeper of her presence。 The recent repairs of the donjon
did not interfere with their meetings in the keeper's old room； in
the donjon； since the new room assigned to him at the end of the
right wing was separated from the steward's room by a partition only。
〃Previous to the tragedy in the courtyard Madame Mathieu and the
keeper left the donjon together。 I learnt these facts from my
examination of the footmarks in the court the next morning。 Bemier；
the concierge； whom I had stationed behind the donjon … as he will
explain himself … could not see what passed in the court。 He did
not reach the court until he heard the revolver shots； and then he
fired。 When the woman parted from the man she went towards the open
gate of the court； while he returned to his room。
〃He had almost reached the door when the revolvers rang out。 He
had just reached the corner when a shadow bounded by。 Meanwhile；
Madame Mathieu； surprised by the revolver shots and by the entrance
of people into the court； crouched in the darkness。 The court is
a large one and； being near the gate； she might easily have passed
out unseen。 But she remained and saw the body being carried away。
In great agony of mind she neared the vestibule and saw the dead
body of her lover on the stairs lit up by Daddy Jacques' lantern。
She then fled； and Daddy Jacques joined her。
〃That same night； before the murder； Daddy Jacques had been awakened
by the cat's cry； and； looking through his window； had seen the
black phantom。 Hastily dressing himself he went out and recognised
her。 He is an old friend of Madame Mathieu； and when she saw him
she had to tell him of her relations with the keeper and begged his
assistance。 Daddy Jacques took pity on her and accompanied her
through the oak grove out of the park； past the border of the lake
to the road to Epinay。 From there it was but a very short distance
to her home。
〃Daddy Jacques returned to the chateau； and； seeing how important
it was for Madame Mathieu's presence at the chateau to remain
unknown； he did all he could to hide it。 I appeal to Monsieur
Larsan； who saw me； next morning； examine the two sets of
footprints。〃
Here Rouletabille turning towards Madame Mathieu； with a bow； said：
〃The footprints of Madame bear a strange resemblance to the neat
footprints of the murderer。〃
Madame Mathieu trembled and looked at him with wide eyes as if in
wonder at what he would say next。
〃Madame has a shapely foot； long and rather large for a woman。 The
imprint； with its pointed toe； is very like that of the murderer's。〃
A movement in the court was repressed by Rouletabille。 He held
their attention at once。
〃I hasten to add；〃 he went on； 〃that I attach no importance to this。
Outward signs like these are often liable to lead us into error； if
we do not reason rightly。 Monsieur Robert Darzac's footprints are
also like the murderer's； and yet he is not the murderer！〃
The President turning to Madame Mathieu asked：
〃Is that in accordance with what you know occurred？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur President；〃 she replied； 〃it is as if Monsieur
Rouletabille had been behind us。〃
〃Did you see the murderer running towards the end of the right wing？〃
〃Yes； as clearly as I saw them afterwards carrying the keeper's
body。〃
〃What became of the murderer？ … You were in the courtyard and could
easily have seen。
〃I saw nothing of him； Monsieur President。 It became quite dark
just then。〃
〃Then Monsieur Rouletabille；〃 said the President； 〃must explain
how the murderer made his escape。〃
Rouletabille continued：
〃It was impossible for the murderer to escape by the way he had
entered the court without our seeing him； or if we couldn't see him
we must certainly have felt him； since the court is a very narrow
one enclosed in high iron railings。〃
〃Then if the man was hemmed in that narrow square； how is it you
did not find him？ … I have been asking you that for the last
half hour。〃
〃Monsieur President；〃 replied Rouletabille； 〃I cannot answer that
question before half…past six！〃
By this time the people in the court…room were beginning to believe
in this new witness。 They were amused by his melodramatic action
in thus fixing the hour； but they seemed to have confidence in the
outcome。 As for the President； it looked as if he also had made up
his mind to take the young man in the same way。 He had certainly
been impressed by Rouletabille's explanation of Madame Mathieu's part。
〃Well； Monsieur Rouletabille；〃 he said； 〃as you say； but don't let
us see any more of you before half…past six。〃
Rouletabille bowed to the President； and made his way to the door
of the witnesses' room。
I quietly made my way through the crowd and left the court almost
at the same time as Rouletabille。 He greeted me heartily； and
looked happy。
〃I'll not ask you； my dear fellow；〃 I said； smiling； 〃what you've
been doing in America； because I've no doubt you'll say you can't
tell me until after half…past six。〃
〃No； my dear Sainclair； I'll tell you right now why I went to
America。 I went in search of the name of the other half of the
murderer！〃
〃The name of the other half？〃
〃Exactly。 When we last left the Glandier I knew there were two
halves to the murderer and the name of only one of them。 I went
to America for the name of the other half。〃
I was too puzzled to answer。 Just then we entered the witnesses'
room； and Rouletabille was immediately surrounded。 He showed
himself very friendly to all except Arthur Rance to whom he
exhibited a marked coldness of manner。 Frederic Larsan came in
also。 Rouletabille went up and shook him heartily by the hand。
His manner toward the detective showed that he had got the better
of the policeman。 Larsan smiled and asked him what he had been
doing in America； Rouletabille began by telling him some anecd