May 6, 2024 • 10 mins
"The Mystery of the Yellow Room" by Gaston Leroux is a classic locked-room mystery set in France. When Mathilde Stangerson is found in a locked room with no apparent way in or out, journalist Joseph Rouletabille is determined to unravel the mystery. Leroux's tale is renowned for its suspenseful plot, clever twists, and exploration of themes like deception and truth. It's a gripping story that keeps readers guessing until the end, making it a seminal work in detective fiction.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:02):
Chapter twenty nine of the Mystery ofthe Yellow Room. This is a LibriVox
recording. All LibriVox recordings are inthe public domain. For more free audio
books or to volunteer, please visitLibriVox dot org. The Mystery of the
Yellow Room by Gaston LaRue, Chaptertwenty nine, The Mystery of Mademoiselle Stangerson.
(00:26):
During the days that followed, Ihad several opportunities to question him as
to his reason for his voyage toAmerica, but I obtained no more precise
answers than he had given me onthe evening of the adjournment of the trial,
when we were on the train forParis one day. However, on
my still pressing him, he said, can't you understand that I had to
know Larsen's true personality? No doubt, I said, but why did you
(00:50):
go to America to find that out? He sat smoking his pipe and made
no further reply. I began tosee that I was touching on the secret
that concerned man. Momiselle Stangerson Rouletabilleevidently had found it necessary to go to
America to find out what the mysterioustie was that bound her to Larson.
By so strange and terrible a bondin America. He had learned who Larson
(01:12):
was and had obtained information which closedhis mouth. He had been to Philadelphia.
And now what was this mystery whichheld Mademoiselle Stangerson and Monsieur Robert Darzac
in so inexplicable a silence after somany years and the publicity given the case
by a curious and shameless press.Now that Monsieur Stangerson knows all and has
(01:34):
forgiven all, all may be told. In every phase of this remarkable story,
Mademoiselle Stangerson has always been the sufferer. The beginning dates from the time
when, as a young girl shewas living with her father in Philadelphia.
A visitor at the house, aFrenchman, had succeeded by his wit,
grace, and persistent attention in gainingher affections. He was said to be
(01:56):
rich, and had asked her ofher father, Monsieur si Stangerson. On
making inquiries as to Monsieur Jean Roussell, found that the man was a swindler
and an adventurer. Jean Roussel wasbut another of the many names under which
the notorious Ballmyre, a fugitive fromFrance, tried to hide himself. Monsieur
Stangerson did not know of his identitywith Ballmyre. He learned that the man
(02:19):
was simply undesirable for his daughter.He not only refused to give his consent
to the marriage, but denied himadmission into the house. Mattilde Stangerson,
however, had fallen in love toher. Jean rousell was everything that her
love painted him. She was indignantat her father's attitude and did not conceal
her feelings. Her father sent herto stay with an aunt in Cincinnati.
(02:42):
There she was joined by Jean Roussel, and, in spite of the reverence
she felt for her father, ranaway with him to get married. They
went to Louisville and lived there forsome time. One morning, however,
a knock came at the door ofthe house in which they were, and
the police entered to arrest Jean Rouselle. It was then that Matilde Stangerson or
Roussel learned that her husband was noother than the notorious Ballmyre. The young
(03:07):
woman, in her despair, triedto commit suicide. She failed in this
and was forced to rejoin her auntin Cincinnati. The old lady was overjoyed
to see her again. She hadbeen anxiously searching for her and had not
dared to tell Monsieur Stangerson of herdisappearance. Matilde swore her to secrecy so
that her father should not know thatshe had been away. A month later,
(03:29):
Mademoiselle Stangerson returned to her father,repentant, her heart dead within her,
hoping only one thing that she wouldnever again see her husband, the
horrible Ballmyre. A report was spreada few weeks later that he was dead,
and she now determined to atone forher disobedience by a life of labor
and devotion for her father. Andshe kept her word. All this.
(03:53):
She had confessed to Robert Darzac,and, believing Ballmyre dead, had given
herself to the joy of a unionwith him. But fate had resuscitated Jean
Rousselle, the Ballmire of her youth. He had taken steps to let her
know that he would never allow herto marry Darzac, that he still loved
her. Mademoiselle Stangerson never for onemoment hesitated to confide in Monsieur Darzac.
(04:15):
She showed him the letter in whichJean Rousselle asked her to recall the first
hours of their union in their beautifuland charming Louisville home. The presbytery has
lost nothing of its charm nor thegarden of its brightness. He had written.
The scoundrel pretended to be rich andclaimed the right of taking her back
to Louisville. She had told Darzacthat if her father should know of her
(04:36):
dishonor, she would kill herself.Monsieur Darzac had sworn to silence her persecutor,
even if he had to kill him. He was outwitted and would have
succumbed had it not been for thegenius of Rouletabille. Mademoiselle Stangerson was herself
helpless in the hands of such avillain. She had tried to kill him
when he had first threatened and thenattacked her in the Yellow Room. She
(05:00):
had unfortunately failed, and felt herselfcondemned to be forever at the mercy of
this unscrupulous wretch, who was continuallydemanding her presence at clandestine interviews. When
he sent her the letter through thepost office asking her to meet him,
she had refused. The result ofher refusal was the tragedy of the Yellow
Room. The second time he wrote, asking for a meeting. The letter
(05:23):
reaching her in her sick chamber,she had avoided him by sleeping with her
servants. In that letter, thescoundrel had warned her that since she was
too ill to come to him,he would come to her, and that
he would be in her chamber ata particular hour on a particular night.
Knowing she had everything to fear fromBallmyer, she had left her chamber on
that night. It was then thatthe incident of the inexplicable gallery occurred.
(05:47):
The third time. She had determinedto keep the appointment. He asked for
it in the letter he had writtenin her own room on the night of
the incident, in the gallery,which he left on her desk. In
that letter, he threatened to burnher father's papers if she did not meet
him. It was to rescue thesepapers that she made up her mind to
see him. She did not forone moment doubt that the wretch would carry
(06:10):
out his threat if she persisted inavoiding him, and in that case,
the labors of her father's lifetime wouldbe forever lost. Since the meeting was
thus inevitable, she resolved to seeher husband and appeal to his better nature.
It was for this interview that shehad prepared herself on the night the
keeper was killed. They did meet, and what passed between them may be
(06:31):
imagined. He insisted that she renouncedDarzac. She, on her part,
affirmed her love for him. Hestabbed her in his anger, determined to
convict Darzac of the crime. AsLarsan he could do it, and had
so managed things that Darzac could neverexplain how he had employed the time of
his absence from the Chateau, Ballmyer'sprecautions were most cunningly taken. Larzan threatened
(06:56):
Darzac as he had threatened Mattield,with the same weapon and the same threats.
He wrote Darzac urgent letters, declaringhimself ready to deliver up the letters
that had passed between him and hiswife and to leave them forever if he
would pay him his price. Heasked Darzac to meet him for the purpose
of arranging the matter, appointing thetime when Larzan would be with Mademoiselle Stangerson.
(07:18):
When Darzac went to Epinay, expectingto find Ballmyre or Larsan there,
he was met by an accomplice ofLarsan's and kept waiting until such time as
the coincidence could be established. Itwas all done with Macavelli and cunning,
But ballmyre had reckoned without Joseph Rouletabille. Now that the mystery of the Yellow
(07:40):
Room has been cleared up, thisis now the time to tell of Rouletabille's
adventures in America. Knowing the youngreporter as we do, we can understand
with what acumen he had traced stepby step the story of Mattilde Stangerson and
Jean Roussel. At Philadelphia, hehad quickly informed himself as to Arthur William
Rance. There he learned of Rance'sact of devotion and the reward he thought
(08:03):
himself entitled to for it. Arumor of his marriage with Mademoiselle Stangerson had
once found its way into the drawingrooms of Philadelphia. He also learned of
Rance's continued attentions to her and hisimportunities for her. Hand he had taken
to drink. He had said,to drown his grief at his unrequited love.
It can now be understood while Rouletabillehad shown so marked a coolness of
(08:26):
demeanor towards Rance when they met inthe witness's room on the day of the
trial, the strange Rousselle Stangerson mysteryhad now been laid bare. Who was
this Jean Roussel Rouletabille had traced himfrom Philadelphia to Cincinnati. In Cincinnati,
he became acquainted with the old Auntand had found means to open her mouth
(08:48):
the story of Ballmeyer's arrest through theright light on the whole story. He
visited the Presbytery, a small andpretty dwelling in the old colonial style,
which had indeed lost nothing of itscharm. Then, abandoning his pursuit of
traces of Mademoiselle Stangerson, he tookup those of Ballmyre. He followed them
from prison to prison, from crimeto crime. Finally, as he was
(09:11):
about leaving for Europe, he learnedin New York that Ballmyre had, five
years before embarked for France with somevaluable papers belonging to a merchant of New
Orleans, whom he had murdered.And yet the whole of this mystery has
not been revealed. Mademoiselle Stangerson hada child by her husband, a son.
(09:31):
The infant was born in the oldAunt's house. No one knew of
it. So well had the auntmanaged to conceal the event. What became
of that son? That is anotherstory which so far I am not permitted
to relate. About two months afterthese events, I came upon Rouletabille sitting
on a bench in the Palais deJustice, looking very depressed. What's the
(09:54):
matter, old man, I asked, you are looking very downcast. How
are your friends getting on? Apartfrom you? He said, I have
no friends. I hope that MonsieurDarzac, no doubt. And Mademoiselle Stangerson,
how is she better? Much betterthen you? Ought? Not to
be sad? I am sad,he said, because I am thinking of
(10:16):
the perfume of the Lady in Black. The perfume of the Lady in Black.
I have heard you often refer toit. Tell me why it troubles
you, perhaps some day, someday, said Rouletabille, and he heaved
a profound sigh. And of Chaptertwenty nine and of the Mystery of the
(10:37):
Yellow Room by Gaston LaRue,
Chapter twenty nine of the Mystery ofthe Yellow Room. This is a LibriVox
recording. All LibriVox recordings are inthe public domain. For more free audio
books or to volunteer, please visitLibriVox dot org. The Mystery of the
Yellow Room by Gaston LaRue, Chaptertwenty nine, The Mystery of Mademoiselle Stangerson.
(00:26):
During the days that followed, Ihad several opportunities to question him as
to his reason for his voyage toAmerica, but I obtained no more precise
answers than he had given me onthe evening of the adjournment of the trial,
when we were on the train forParis one day. However, on
my still pressing him, he said, can't you understand that I had to
know Larsen's true personality? No doubt, I said, but why did you
(00:50):
go to America to find that out? He sat smoking his pipe and made
no further reply. I began tosee that I was touching on the secret
that concerned man. Momiselle Stangerson Rouletabilleevidently had found it necessary to go to
America to find out what the mysterioustie was that bound her to Larson.
By so strange and terrible a bondin America. He had learned who Larson
(01:12):
was and had obtained information which closedhis mouth. He had been to Philadelphia.
And now what was this mystery whichheld Mademoiselle Stangerson and Monsieur Robert Darzac
in so inexplicable a silence after somany years and the publicity given the case
by a curious and shameless press.Now that Monsieur Stangerson knows all and has
(01:34):
forgiven all, all may be told. In every phase of this remarkable story,
Mademoiselle Stangerson has always been the sufferer. The beginning dates from the time
when, as a young girl shewas living with her father in Philadelphia.
A visitor at the house, aFrenchman, had succeeded by his wit,
grace, and persistent attention in gainingher affections. He was said to be
(01:56):
rich, and had asked her ofher father, Monsieur si Stangerson. On
making inquiries as to Monsieur Jean Roussell, found that the man was a swindler
and an adventurer. Jean Roussel wasbut another of the many names under which
the notorious Ballmyre, a fugitive fromFrance, tried to hide himself. Monsieur
Stangerson did not know of his identitywith Ballmyre. He learned that the man
(02:19):
was simply undesirable for his daughter.He not only refused to give his consent
to the marriage, but denied himadmission into the house. Mattilde Stangerson,
however, had fallen in love toher. Jean rousell was everything that her
love painted him. She was indignantat her father's attitude and did not conceal
her feelings. Her father sent herto stay with an aunt in Cincinnati.
(02:42):
There she was joined by Jean Roussel, and, in spite of the reverence
she felt for her father, ranaway with him to get married. They
went to Louisville and lived there forsome time. One morning, however,
a knock came at the door ofthe house in which they were, and
the police entered to arrest Jean Rouselle. It was then that Matilde Stangerson or
Roussel learned that her husband was noother than the notorious Ballmyre. The young
(03:07):
woman, in her despair, triedto commit suicide. She failed in this
and was forced to rejoin her auntin Cincinnati. The old lady was overjoyed
to see her again. She hadbeen anxiously searching for her and had not
dared to tell Monsieur Stangerson of herdisappearance. Matilde swore her to secrecy so
that her father should not know thatshe had been away. A month later,
(03:29):
Mademoiselle Stangerson returned to her father,repentant, her heart dead within her,
hoping only one thing that she wouldnever again see her husband, the
horrible Ballmyre. A report was spreada few weeks later that he was dead,
and she now determined to atone forher disobedience by a life of labor
and devotion for her father. Andshe kept her word. All this.
(03:53):
She had confessed to Robert Darzac,and, believing Ballmyre dead, had given
herself to the joy of a unionwith him. But fate had resuscitated Jean
Rousselle, the Ballmire of her youth. He had taken steps to let her
know that he would never allow herto marry Darzac, that he still loved
her. Mademoiselle Stangerson never for onemoment hesitated to confide in Monsieur Darzac.
(04:15):
She showed him the letter in whichJean Rousselle asked her to recall the first
hours of their union in their beautifuland charming Louisville home. The presbytery has
lost nothing of its charm nor thegarden of its brightness. He had written.
The scoundrel pretended to be rich andclaimed the right of taking her back
to Louisville. She had told Darzacthat if her father should know of her
(04:36):
dishonor, she would kill herself.Monsieur Darzac had sworn to silence her persecutor,
even if he had to kill him. He was outwitted and would have
succumbed had it not been for thegenius of Rouletabille. Mademoiselle Stangerson was herself
helpless in the hands of such avillain. She had tried to kill him
when he had first threatened and thenattacked her in the Yellow Room. She
(05:00):
had unfortunately failed, and felt herselfcondemned to be forever at the mercy of
this unscrupulous wretch, who was continuallydemanding her presence at clandestine interviews. When
he sent her the letter through thepost office asking her to meet him,
she had refused. The result ofher refusal was the tragedy of the Yellow
Room. The second time he wrote, asking for a meeting. The letter
(05:23):
reaching her in her sick chamber,she had avoided him by sleeping with her
servants. In that letter, thescoundrel had warned her that since she was
too ill to come to him,he would come to her, and that
he would be in her chamber ata particular hour on a particular night.
Knowing she had everything to fear fromBallmyer, she had left her chamber on
that night. It was then thatthe incident of the inexplicable gallery occurred.
(05:47):
The third time. She had determinedto keep the appointment. He asked for
it in the letter he had writtenin her own room on the night of
the incident, in the gallery,which he left on her desk. In
that letter, he threatened to burnher father's papers if she did not meet
him. It was to rescue thesepapers that she made up her mind to
see him. She did not forone moment doubt that the wretch would carry
(06:10):
out his threat if she persisted inavoiding him, and in that case,
the labors of her father's lifetime wouldbe forever lost. Since the meeting was
thus inevitable, she resolved to seeher husband and appeal to his better nature.
It was for this interview that shehad prepared herself on the night the
keeper was killed. They did meet, and what passed between them may be
(06:31):
imagined. He insisted that she renouncedDarzac. She, on her part,
affirmed her love for him. Hestabbed her in his anger, determined to
convict Darzac of the crime. AsLarsan he could do it, and had
so managed things that Darzac could neverexplain how he had employed the time of
his absence from the Chateau, Ballmyer'sprecautions were most cunningly taken. Larzan threatened
(06:56):
Darzac as he had threatened Mattield,with the same weapon and the same threats.
He wrote Darzac urgent letters, declaringhimself ready to deliver up the letters
that had passed between him and hiswife and to leave them forever if he
would pay him his price. Heasked Darzac to meet him for the purpose
of arranging the matter, appointing thetime when Larzan would be with Mademoiselle Stangerson.
(07:18):
When Darzac went to Epinay, expectingto find Ballmyre or Larsan there,
he was met by an accomplice ofLarsan's and kept waiting until such time as
the coincidence could be established. Itwas all done with Macavelli and cunning,
But ballmyre had reckoned without Joseph Rouletabille. Now that the mystery of the Yellow
(07:40):
Room has been cleared up, thisis now the time to tell of Rouletabille's
adventures in America. Knowing the youngreporter as we do, we can understand
with what acumen he had traced stepby step the story of Mattilde Stangerson and
Jean Roussel. At Philadelphia, hehad quickly informed himself as to Arthur William
Rance. There he learned of Rance'sact of devotion and the reward he thought
(08:03):
himself entitled to for it. Arumor of his marriage with Mademoiselle Stangerson had
once found its way into the drawingrooms of Philadelphia. He also learned of
Rance's continued attentions to her and hisimportunities for her. Hand he had taken
to drink. He had said,to drown his grief at his unrequited love.
It can now be understood while Rouletabillehad shown so marked a coolness of
(08:26):
demeanor towards Rance when they met inthe witness's room on the day of the
trial, the strange Rousselle Stangerson mysteryhad now been laid bare. Who was
this Jean Roussel Rouletabille had traced himfrom Philadelphia to Cincinnati. In Cincinnati,
he became acquainted with the old Auntand had found means to open her mouth
(08:48):
the story of Ballmeyer's arrest through theright light on the whole story. He
visited the Presbytery, a small andpretty dwelling in the old colonial style,
which had indeed lost nothing of itscharm. Then, abandoning his pursuit of
traces of Mademoiselle Stangerson, he tookup those of Ballmyre. He followed them
from prison to prison, from crimeto crime. Finally, as he was
(09:11):
about leaving for Europe, he learnedin New York that Ballmyre had, five
years before embarked for France with somevaluable papers belonging to a merchant of New
Orleans, whom he had murdered.And yet the whole of this mystery has
not been revealed. Mademoiselle Stangerson hada child by her husband, a son.
(09:31):
The infant was born in the oldAunt's house. No one knew of
it. So well had the auntmanaged to conceal the event. What became
of that son? That is anotherstory which so far I am not permitted
to relate. About two months afterthese events, I came upon Rouletabille sitting
on a bench in the Palais deJustice, looking very depressed. What's the
(09:54):
matter, old man, I asked, you are looking very downcast. How
are your friends getting on? Apartfrom you? He said, I have
no friends. I hope that MonsieurDarzac, no doubt. And Mademoiselle Stangerson,
how is she better? Much betterthen you? Ought? Not to
be sad? I am sad,he said, because I am thinking of
(10:16):
the perfume of the Lady in Black. The perfume of the Lady in Black.
I have heard you often refer toit. Tell me why it troubles
you, perhaps some day, someday, said Rouletabille, and he heaved
a profound sigh. And of Chaptertwenty nine and of the Mystery of the
(10:37):
Yellow Room by Gaston LaRue,
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