May 5, 2024 • 28 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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Chapter twenty seven, Part A ofthe Mystery of the Yellow Room. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVoxrecordings in the public domain. For more
free audiobooks or to volunteer, pleasevisit LibriVox dot org. Recording by J.
C. Guan. The Mystery ofthe Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux,
Chapter twenty seven, Part A,in which Joseph Rouletabiet appears in all his
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glory. The excitement was extreme.Cries from fainting women were to be heard
amid the extraordinary bustle and stir.The majesty of the law was utterly forgotten.
The President tried in vain to makehimself heard. Rouletabet made his way
forward with difficulty, but by dintof much elbowing, reached his manager and
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greeted him cordially. The letter waspassed to him, and pocketing it,
he turned to the witness box.He was dressed ag exactly as on the
day he left me, even tothe ulster over his arm. Turning to
the President, he said, Ibeg your pardon, Monsieur Prisident, but
I have only just arrived from America. The steamer was late. My name
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is Joseph roule Dabby. The silencewhich followed his stepping into the witness box
was broken by laughter. When hiswords were heard, everybody seemed relieved and
glad to find him there, asif in the expectation of hearing the truth
at last. But the President wasextremely incensed. So you are, Josephe
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Aldby, he replied, Well,young man, I'll teach you what comes
of making a farce of justice.By virtue of my discretionary power. I
hold you at the Court's disposition.I ask nothing better, Monsieur prisident.
I have come here for that purpose. I humbly beg the Court's pardon for
the disturbance of which I have beenthe innocent cause. I beg you to
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believe that nobody has a greater respectfor the Court than I have. I
came in as I could, hesmiled. Take him away, ordered the
President. METROI. Robert intervened.He began by apologizing for the young man,
who he said was moved only bythe best intentions. He made the
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President understand that the evidence of awitness who had slept at the Glandier during
the whole of that eventful week couldnot be omitted, and that the present
witness, moreover, had come toname the real murderer. Are you going
to tell us who the murderer was? Asked the President, somewhat convinced,
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though still skeptical. I have comefor that purpose, Monsieur President, replied
Rouletabille. An attempt at applause wassilenced by the usher. Joseph Rouletabille said,
Matron Ri Robert has not been regularlysubpoenaed as a witness. But I
hope, Mesur President, you willexamine him in virtue of your discretionary powers.
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Very well, said the President.We will question him, but we
must proceed in order. The AdvocateGeneral rose. It will perhaps be better
he said, if the young manwere to tell us now whom he suspects.
The President nodded ironically. If theAdvocate General attaches importance to the deposition
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of Monsie Joseph rouletabyt, I seeno reason why this witness should not give
us the name of the murderer.A pin drop could have been heard.
Rouletabille stood silent, looking sympathetically atDarzac, who, for the first time
since the opening of the trial,showed himself agitated. Well, cried the
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President, we wait for the nameof the murderer. Rouletabille, feeling in
his waistcoat pocket, drew his watchand, looking at it, said,
mister President, I cannot name themurderer before half past six o'clock. Loud
murmurs of disappointment filled the room.Some of the lawyers were heard to say,
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he is making fun of us.The President, in a stern voice,
said this joke has gone far enough. You may retire, Monsieur into
the witness's room. I hold youat our disposition, Rouletabille protested. I
assure you, Monsieur President. Hecried in his sharp, clear voice,
that when I do name the murderer, you will understand why I could not
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speak before half past six. Iassert this on my honor. I can,
however, give you now some explanationof the murder of the keeper.
Monsieur Frederic Larsan, who has seenme at work at the Grandier, can
tell you with what care I studiedthis case. I found myself compelled to
differ with him in arresting Monsieur RobertDarzac, who is innocent. Monsieur Larsan
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knows of my good faith and knowsthat some importance may be attached to my
discoveries, which have often corroborated hisown. Frederic Larsan said, Monsieur President,
it will be interesting to hear Monsieurjosef Rouletabyll, especially as he differs
from me. A murmur of approbationgreeted the detective's speech. He was a
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good sportsman and accepted the challenge.The struggle between the two promised to be
exciting. As the President remained silent, Frederic Larsan continued, we agree that
the murderer of the keeper was theassailant of Mademoiselle Stangerson, but as we
are not agreed as to how themurderer escaped, I am curious to hear
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Monsieur Roletebet's explanation. I have nodoubt you are, replied my friend.
General laughter followed this remark. ThePresident angrily declared that if it was repeated,
he would have the court cleared.Now, young man, said the
President, you have heard, Monsieurfre Deriic Larsan, how did the murderer
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get away from the court. Rouletabilllooked at Madame Mathieu, who smiled back
at him. Sadly, since Madamemathieud he said, has freely admitted her
intimacy with the keeper. Why it'sthe boy, exclaimed Etty Mathieu. Remove
that man, ordered the president.Mathieu was removed from the court. Rouletabill
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went on, Since she has madethis confession, I am free to tell
you that she often met the keeperat night on the first floor of the
Donjon, in the room which wasonce an oratory. These meetings became more
frequent when her husband was laid upby his rheumatism. She gave him morphine
to ease his pain and to giveherself more time for the meetings. Madame
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Mathieu came to the chateau that nightenveloped in a large black shawl, which
served also as a disguise. Thiswas the phantom that disturbed Daddy Jacques.
She knew how to imitate the mewingof mother Angenoux's cat, and she would
make the cries to advise the keeperof her presence. The recent repairs of
the Donjon did not interfere with theirmeetings in the keeper's old room in the
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Donjon, since the new room assignedto 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 Mathieuand the keeper left the d'anjeon together.
I learned these facts from my examinationof the footmarks in the court. The
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next morning. Bernier, the concierge, whom I had stationed behind the donjon,
as he will explain himself, couldnot see what passed in the court.
He did not reach the court untilhe heard the revolver shots, and
then he fired. When the womanparted from the man, she went towards
the open gate of the court,while he returned to his room. He
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had almost reached the door when therevolvers rang out. He had just reached
the corner when the shadow bound by. Meanwhile, Madame Mathieu, surprised by
the revolver shots and by the entranceof people into the court, crouched in
the darkness. The court is alarge one, and being near the gate,
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she might easily have passed out unseen, but she remained and saw the
body being carried away. In greatagony of mind, she neared the vestibule
and saw the dead body of herlover on the stairs, lit up by
Da Dejaqu's lantern. She then fled, and Dadi Jacques joined her. That
same night, before the murder,Daddy Jacques had been awakened by the cat's
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cry, and looking through his window, had seen the black phantom hastily dressing
himself. He went out and recognizedher. He is an old friend of
Madame Mathieu, and when she sawhim, she had to tell him of
her relations with the keeper, andbegged his assistance. That Jacque took pity
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on her and accompanied her through theoak grove out of the park, past
the border of the lake, tothe road to Epinay. From there it
was but a very short distance toher home that Jacques returned to the chateau,
and, seeing how important it wasfor Madame Mathieu's presence at the chateau
to remain unknown, he did allhe could to hide it. I appealed
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to Monsieur Larsan, who saw menext morning examined the two sets of footprints
here Rouletabay, turning towards Madame Mathieuwith a bow, said the footprints of
Madame bare a strange resemblance to theneat footprints of the murderer. Madame Marteau
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trembled and looked at him with whiteeyes, as if in wonder at what
he would say next. Madame hasa shapely foot, long and rather large
for a woman. The imprint,with its pointed toe, is very like
that of the murderers. A movementin the court was repressed by Rouletabille.
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He held their attention at once.I hasten to add. He went on
that I attached no importance to thisoutward. Signs like these are often liable
to lead us into error if wedo not reason rightly. Monsieur le ber
Darzac's footprints are also like the murderers, and yet he is not the murderer.
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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 beenbehind us. Did you see the murderer
running towards the end of the rightwing, yes, as clearly as I
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saw them afterwards, carrying the keeper'sbody. What became of the murderer?
You were in the courtyard and couldeasily have seen. I saw nothing of
him, Mister Prisident. It becamequite dark just then then rouletabillt said,
the President must explain how the murderermade his escape. Rouletabille continued, it
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was impossible for the murderer to escapeby the way he had entered the court
without our seeing him, Or ifwe couldn't see him, we must certainly
have felt him. Since the courtis a very narrow one, enclosed in
high iron railings. Then if theman was hemmed in that narrow square,
how is it you did not findhim. I have been asking you that
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for the last half hour, misterPresident, replied Rouletabille, I cannot answer
that question before half past six.By this time, the people in the
court room were beginning to believe inthis new witness. They were amused by
his melodramatic action in thus fixing thehour, but they seemed to have confidence
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in the outcome. As for thePresident, it looked as if he also
made up his mind to take theyoung man in the same way. He
had certainly been impressed by Rouletabille's explanationof Madame Mateou's part. Well, Monsieur
Roletabat, he said, as yousay, but don't let us see any
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more of you. Before half pastsix. Rouletabill bowed to the president and
made his way to the door ofthe witness's room. I quietly made my
way through the crowd and left thecourt 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,
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because I've no doubt you'll say youcan't tell me until after half past six.
No, my dear Sainclair, I'lltell you right now why I went
to America. I went in searchof the name of the other half of
the murderer, the name of theother half. Exactly when we last left
the Glandier, I knew there weretwo halves to the murderer, and the
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name of only one of them.I went to America for the name of
the other half. I was toopuzzled to answer. Just then we entered
the witness's room and rouletabet was immediatelysurrounded. He showed himself very friendly to
all except Arthur Rance, to whomhe exhibited a marked coldness of manner.
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Frederic Larsan came in also. Rouletabiewent up and shook him heartily by the
hand. His manner towards the detectiveshowed that he had got the better of
the policeman. La Sand smiled andasked him what he had been doing in
America. Rouletabie began by telling himsome anecdotes of his voyage. They then
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turned aside together, apparently with theobject of speaking confidentially. I therefore discreetly
left them, and, being curiousto hear the evidence, returned to my
seat in the court room, wherethe public plainly showed its lack of interest
in what was going on in theirimpatience for Rouletabille's return. At the appointed
time, on the stroke of halfpast six, Joseph Rouletabillt was again brought
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in. It is impossible for meto picture the tense excitement which appeared on
every face as he made his wayto the bar. Darzac rose to his
feet, frightfully pale. The President, addressing Rouletabillt, said gravely, I
will not ask you to take theoath because you have not been regularly summoned.
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But I trust there is no needto urge upon you the gravity of
this statement you are about to make. Rouletabill looked at the President quite calmly
and steadily in the face, andreplied, yes, monsieur, at your
last appearance here, said the President, we have arrived at the point where
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you were to tell us how themurderer escaped, and also his name.
Now, Monsieur Rouletabille, we awaityour explanation very well, monsieur, began
my friend, amidst a profound silence. I had explained how it was impossible
for the mergerer to get away withoutbeing seen, and yet he was there
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with us in the courtyard, andyou did not see him, at least,
that is what the prosecution declares.No, we all of us saw
him, Monsieur le Presidon, criedRouletabille. Then why was he not arrested?
Because no one besides myself knew thathe was the murderer. It would
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have spoiled my plans to have hadhim arrested. And I had then no
other than my own reasoning. Iwas convinced we had the murderer before us,
and that we were actually looking athim. I have now brought what
I considered the indisputable proof. Speakout, monsieur, tell us the murderer's
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name. You will find it onthe list of names present in the court
on the night of the tragedy,replied Rouletabille. The people present in the
court room began showing impatience. Someof them even called for the name and
were silenced by the usher. Thelist includes the de Jacques, Bernier,
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the concierge and mister Arthur. Rance, said the President, do you accuse
any of these? No, monsieur, then I do not understand what you
are driving at. There was noother person at the end of the court,
Yes, monsieur. There was notat the end, but above the
court who was leaning out of thewindow. You mean, Frederic lak,
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exclaimed the president. Yes, FredericLarsan, replied rouletabillt in a ringing tone.
Frederic Larsan is the murderer. Thecourt room became immediately filled with loud
and indignant protests. So astonished washe that the President did not attempt to
quiet it. The quick silence whichfollowed was broken by the distinctly whispered words
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from the lips of Robert Zac.It's impossible he's mad. You dare to
accuse Frederic Larsan, Monsieur asked thepresident. If you are not mad,
what are your proofs? Proofs,monsieur, do you want proofs? Well,
here is one, cried rouletabillt shrilly. Let Fredric Larsan be called.
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Usher, Call Frederic Larsan. Theusher hurried to the side door, opened
it and disappeared. The door remainedopen while all eyes turned expectantly towards it.
The clerk reappeared, and, steppingforward, said monsieur. President,
Frederic Larsan is not here. Heleft at about four o'clock and has not
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been seen since. That is myproof, cried Rouletabille, triumphantly. Explain
yourself, demanded the President. Myproof is Lachson's flight, said the young
reporter. He will not come back. You will see no more of Frederic
Larson unless you are playing with thecourt. Monsieur, Why did you not
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accuse him when he was present?He would then have answered you. He
could give no other answer than theone he has now given by his flight.
We cannot believe that Laxon has fled. There was no reason for his
doing so. Did he know you'dmake discharge? He did? I told
him I would. Do you meanto say that, knowing Lasan was the
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murderer, you gave him the opportunityto escape. Yes, monster, President,
I did, replied Rouletabill, proudly. I am not a policeman.
I am a journalist, and mybusiness is not to arrest people. My
business is in the service of truthand is not that of an executioner.
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If you are just, Monsieur,you will see that I am right.
You can now understand why I refraineduntil this hour to divulge the name.
I gave arsan time to catch thefour seventeen train for Paris, where he
would know where to hide himself andleave no traces you will not find,
Frederic Larson, declared Rouletabille, fixinghis eyes on Monsieur Robert Darzac. He
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is too cunning. He is aman who has always escaped you, and
whom you have long searched for invain. If he did not succeed in
outwitting me, he can yet easilyyeutwit any police. This man, who
four years ago introduced himself to thesurtees and became celebrated as Frederic Larsan is
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notorious under another name, a namewell known to crime. Frederic Larson,
mister President is bal mayor Ball Mayorcried the President. Ball Mayor, exclaimed
Robert Darzac, springing to his feet, Ball Mayor, it was true.
Then, ah, Monsieur Darzac,you don't think I am mad? Now
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cried ruledabiy ball Mayor, Ball Mayor. No other word could be heard in
the court room. The President adjournedthe hearing. Those of my readers who
may not have heard of ball Mayorwill wonder at the excitement the name caused.
And yet the doings of this remarkablecriminal form the subject matter of the
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most dramatic narratives of the newspapers andcriminal records of the past twenty years.
It had been reported that he wasdead and thus had eluded the police,
as he had eluded them throughout thewhole of his career. Ball Mayer was
the best specimen of the high classgentleman swindler. He was adept at sleight
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of hand tricks, and no boulderor more ruthless crook ever lived. He
was received in the best society andwas a member of some of the most
exclusive clubs. On many of hisdepredatory expeditions, he had not hesitated to
use the knife and the mutton bone. No difficulty stopped him and no operation
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was too dangerous. He had beencaught, but escaped on the very morning
of his trial by throwing pepper intothe eyes of the guard who were conducting
him to court. It was knownlater that, in spite of the keen
hunts after him by the most expertof detectives, he had sat that same
evening at a first performance in theTheatrenseis without the slightest disguise. He left
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Franz later to work America. Thepolice there succeeded in capturing him once,
but the extraordinary man escaped the nextday. It would need a volume to
recount the adventures of this master criminal. And yet this was the man Utabet
had allowed to get away. Knowingall about him and who he was,
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he afforded the criminal an opportunity foranother laugh at the society he had defied.
I could not help admiring the boldstroke of the young journalist, because
I felt certain his motive had beento protect both Mademoiselle Dangerson and read Darzac
of an enemy. At the sametime, the crowd had barely recovered from
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the effect of the astonishing revelation whenthe hearing was resumed. The question in
everybody's mind was admitting that Larsan wasthe murderer? How did he get out
of the yellow room? Rouletabille wasimmediately called to the bar and his explanation
continued. You have told us,said the President, that it was impossible
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to escape from the end of thecourt, since Lachan was leaning out of
his window he had left the court. How did he do that? He
escaped by a most unusual way.He climbed the wall, sprang on to
the terrace, and while we wereengaged with the keeper's body, reached the
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gallery by the window. He thenhad little else to do than to open
the window, get in and callout to us, as if he had
just come from his own room toa man of bell Mayre's traint. All
that was a mere child's play.And here, monsieur, is the proof
of what I say. Rouletabill drewfrom his pocket a small packet from which
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he produced a strong iron peg.This, monsieur, is a spike which
perfectly fits a hole still to beseen on the cornice supporting the terrace.
Lason, who thought and prepared foreverything in case of any emergency, had
fixed this spike into the cornice allhe had to do to make his escape
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good was to plant one foot ona stone, which is placed at the
corner of the chateau, another onthis support, one hand on the cornice
of the keeper's door, and theother on the terrace, and Lasan was
clear of the ground. The restwas easy. His acting after dinner as
if he had been drugged, wasmake believe he was not drugged, but
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he did drug me. Of course, he had to make it appear as
if he also had been drugged,so that no suspicion should fall on him.
For my condition. Had I notbeen just overpowered, Laxan would never
have entered Mademoiselle Stangerson's chamber that night, and the attack on her would not
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have taken place. A groan camefrom Darzac, who appeared to be unable
to control his suffering. You canunderstand, added Rouletabille, that Larson could
feel himself hampered from the fact thatMY room was so close to his,
and from his suspicion that I wouldbe on the watch that night. Naturally,
he could not for a moment believethat I suspected him, but I
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might see him leaving his room whenhe was about to go to Mademoiselle Stangerson.
I waited till I was asleep,and my friend Saint Clair was busy
trying to rouse me. Ten minutesafter that, Mademoiselle was calling out murder.
How did you come to suspect Larson, asked the President. My pure
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reason pointed to him. That waswhy I watched him. But I did
not foresee the drugging. He isvery cunning. Yes, my pure reason
pointed to him. But I requiredtangible proof so that my eyes could see
him as my pure reason saw him. What do you mean by your pure
reason, that power of one's mindwhich admits of no disturbing elements to a
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conclusion. The day following the incidentof the Inexplicable Gallery, I felt myself
losing control of it. I hadallowed myself to be diverted by fallacious evidence.
But I recovered and again took holdof the right end. I satisfied
myself that the murderer could not haveleft the gallery, either naturally or supernaturally.
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I narrowed the field of consideration tothat small circle, so to speak.
The murderer could not be outside thatcircle. Now who was in it?
There was first the murderer. Thenthere were Daddy Jacques, Monsieurs Stangerson,
Frederic Larson, and myself, fivepersons in all counting in the murder,
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and yet in the gallery there werebut four. Now, since it
had been demonstrated to me that thefifth could not have escaped, it was
evident that one of the four presentin the gallery must be a double.
He must be himself and the murderer. Also, why had I not seen
this before? Simply because the phenomenonof the double personality had not occurred before
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in this inquiry. Now, whoof the four persons in the gallery was
both that person and the assassin?I went over in my mind what I
had seen. I had seen atone and at the same time, Missus
Stangerson and the murderer, that deJacques and the murderer, myself and the
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murderer, So that the murderer thencould not be either Missus Stangerson, that
de Jacques, or myself. HadI seen Frederic Larzon and the meer at
the same time, No two secondshad passed during which I lost sight of
the murderer, for as I havenoted in my papers, he arrived two
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seconds before Missus Stangerson, Daddy Jacques, and myself at the meeting point of
the two galleries. That would havegiven Lason time to go through the off
turning gallery, snatch off his falsebeard, return and hurry with us,
as if like us in pursuit ofthe murderer. I was sure now I
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had got hold of the right endin my reasoning with Frederic Larsan was now
always associated in my mind the personalityof the unknown, of whom I was
in pursuit the murderer. In otherwords, end of Chapter twenty seven, Part A
Chapter twenty seven, Part A ofthe Mystery of the Yellow Room. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVoxrecordings in the public domain. For more
free audiobooks or to volunteer, pleasevisit LibriVox dot org. Recording by J.
C. Guan. The Mystery ofthe Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux,
Chapter twenty seven, Part A,in which Joseph Rouletabiet appears in all his
(00:25):
glory. The excitement was extreme.Cries from fainting women were to be heard
amid the extraordinary bustle and stir.The majesty of the law was utterly forgotten.
The President tried in vain to makehimself heard. Rouletabet made his way
forward with difficulty, but by dintof much elbowing, reached his manager and
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greeted him cordially. The letter waspassed to him, and pocketing it,
he turned to the witness box.He was dressed ag exactly as on the
day he left me, even tothe ulster over his arm. Turning to
the President, he said, Ibeg your pardon, Monsieur Prisident, but
I have only just arrived from America. The steamer was late. My name
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is Joseph roule Dabby. The silencewhich followed his stepping into the witness box
was broken by laughter. When hiswords were heard, everybody seemed relieved and
glad to find him there, asif in the expectation of hearing the truth
at last. But the President wasextremely incensed. So you are, Josephe
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Aldby, he replied, Well,young man, I'll teach you what comes
of making a farce of justice.By virtue of my discretionary power. I
hold you at the Court's disposition.I ask nothing better, Monsieur prisident.
I have come here for that purpose. I humbly beg the Court's pardon for
the disturbance of which I have beenthe innocent cause. I beg you to
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believe that nobody has a greater respectfor the Court than I have. I
came in as I could, hesmiled. Take him away, ordered the
President. METROI. Robert intervened.He began by apologizing for the young man,
who he said was moved only bythe best intentions. He made the
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President understand that the evidence of awitness who had slept at the Glandier during
the whole of that eventful week couldnot be omitted, and that the present
witness, moreover, had come toname the real murderer. Are you going
to tell us who the murderer was? Asked the President, somewhat convinced,
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though still skeptical. I have comefor that purpose, Monsieur President, replied
Rouletabille. An attempt at applause wassilenced by the usher. Joseph Rouletabille said,
Matron Ri Robert has not been regularlysubpoenaed as a witness. But I
hope, Mesur President, you willexamine him in virtue of your discretionary powers.
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Very well, said the President.We will question him, but we
must proceed in order. The AdvocateGeneral rose. It will perhaps be better
he said, if the young manwere to tell us now whom he suspects.
The President nodded ironically. If theAdvocate General attaches importance to the deposition
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of Monsie Joseph rouletabyt, I seeno reason why this witness should not give
us the name of the murderer.A pin drop could have been heard.
Rouletabille stood silent, looking sympathetically atDarzac, who, for the first time
since the opening of the trial,showed himself agitated. Well, cried the
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President, we wait for the nameof the murderer. Rouletabille, feeling in
his waistcoat pocket, drew his watchand, looking at it, said,
mister President, I cannot name themurderer before half past six o'clock. Loud
murmurs of disappointment filled the room.Some of the lawyers were heard to say,
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he is making fun of us.The President, in a stern voice,
said this joke has gone far enough. You may retire, Monsieur into
the witness's room. I hold youat our disposition, Rouletabille protested. I
assure you, Monsieur President. Hecried in his sharp, clear voice,
that when I do name the murderer, you will understand why I could not
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speak before half past six. Iassert this on my honor. I can,
however, give you now some explanationof the murder of the keeper.
Monsieur Frederic Larsan, who has seenme at work at the Grandier, can
tell you with what care I studiedthis case. I found myself compelled to
differ with him in arresting Monsieur RobertDarzac, who is innocent. Monsieur Larsan
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knows of my good faith and knowsthat some importance may be attached to my
discoveries, which have often corroborated hisown. Frederic Larsan said, Monsieur President,
it will be interesting to hear Monsieurjosef Rouletabyll, especially as he differs
from me. A murmur of approbationgreeted the detective's speech. He was a
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good sportsman and accepted the challenge.The struggle between the two promised to be
exciting. As the President remained silent, Frederic Larsan continued, we agree that
the murderer of the keeper was theassailant of Mademoiselle Stangerson, but as we
are not agreed as to how themurderer escaped, I am curious to hear
(05:50):
Monsieur Roletebet's explanation. I have nodoubt you are, replied my friend.
General laughter followed this remark. ThePresident angrily declared that if it was repeated,
he would have the court cleared.Now, young man, said the
President, you have heard, Monsieurfre Deriic Larsan, how did the murderer
(06:11):
get away from the court. Rouletabilllooked at Madame Mathieu, who smiled back
at him. Sadly, since Madamemathieud he said, has freely admitted her
intimacy with the keeper. Why it'sthe boy, exclaimed Etty Mathieu. Remove
that man, ordered the president.Mathieu was removed from the court. Rouletabill
(06:35):
went on, Since she has madethis confession, I am free to tell
you that she often met the keeperat night on the first floor of the
Donjon, in the room which wasonce an oratory. These meetings became more
frequent when her husband was laid upby his rheumatism. She gave him morphine
to ease his pain and to giveherself more time for the meetings. Madame
(07:00):
Mathieu came to the chateau that nightenveloped in a large black shawl, which
served also as a disguise. Thiswas the phantom that disturbed Daddy Jacques.
She knew how to imitate the mewingof mother Angenoux's cat, and she would
make the cries to advise the keeperof her presence. The recent repairs of
the Donjon did not interfere with theirmeetings in the keeper's old room in the
(07:25):
Donjon, since the new room assignedto 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 Mathieuand the keeper left the d'anjeon together.
I learned these facts from my examinationof the footmarks in the court. The
(07:45):
next morning. Bernier, the concierge, whom I had stationed behind the donjon,
as he will explain himself, couldnot see what passed in the court.
He did not reach the court untilhe heard the revolver shots, and
then he fired. When the womanparted from the man, she went towards
the open gate of the court,while he returned to his room. He
(08:09):
had almost reached the door when therevolvers rang out. He had just reached
the corner when the shadow bound by. Meanwhile, Madame Mathieu, surprised by
the revolver shots and by the entranceof people into the court, crouched in
the darkness. The court is alarge one, and being near the gate,
(08:31):
she might easily have passed out unseen, but she remained and saw the
body being carried away. In greatagony of mind, she neared the vestibule
and saw the dead body of herlover on the stairs, lit up by
Da Dejaqu's lantern. She then fled, and Dadi Jacques joined her. That
same night, before the murder,Daddy Jacques had been awakened by the cat's
(08:54):
cry, and looking through his window, had seen the black phantom hastily dressing
himself. He went out and recognizedher. He is an old friend of
Madame Mathieu, and when she sawhim, she had to tell him of
her relations with the keeper, andbegged his assistance. That Jacque took pity
(09:16):
on her and accompanied her through theoak grove out of the park, past
the border of the lake, tothe road to Epinay. From there it
was but a very short distance toher home that Jacques returned to the chateau,
and, seeing how important it wasfor Madame Mathieu's presence at the chateau
to remain unknown, he did allhe could to hide it. I appealed
(09:37):
to Monsieur Larsan, who saw menext morning examined the two sets of footprints
here Rouletabay, turning towards Madame Mathieuwith a bow, said the footprints of
Madame bare a strange resemblance to theneat footprints of the murderer. Madame Marteau
(09:58):
trembled and looked at him with whiteeyes, as if in wonder at what
he would say next. Madame hasa shapely foot, long and rather large
for a woman. The imprint,with its pointed toe, is very like
that of the murderers. A movementin the court was repressed by Rouletabille.
(10:20):
He held their attention at once.I hasten to add. He went on
that I attached no importance to thisoutward. Signs like these are often liable
to lead us into error if wedo not reason rightly. Monsieur le ber
Darzac's footprints are also like the murderers, and yet he is not the murderer.
(10:41):
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 beenbehind us. Did you see the murderer
running towards the end of the rightwing, yes, as clearly as I
(11:01):
saw them afterwards, carrying the keeper'sbody. What became of the murderer?
You were in the courtyard and couldeasily have seen. I saw nothing of
him, Mister Prisident. It becamequite dark just then then rouletabillt said,
the President must explain how the murderermade his escape. Rouletabille continued, it
(11:24):
was impossible for the murderer to escapeby the way he had entered the court
without our seeing him, Or ifwe couldn't see him, we must certainly
have felt him. Since the courtis a very narrow one, enclosed in
high iron railings. Then if theman was hemmed in that narrow square,
how is it you did not findhim. I have been asking you that
(11:46):
for the last half hour, misterPresident, replied Rouletabille, I cannot answer
that question before half past six.By this time, the people in the
court room were beginning to believe inthis new witness. They were amused by
his melodramatic action in thus fixing thehour, but they seemed to have confidence
(12:07):
in the outcome. As for thePresident, it looked as if he also
made up his mind to take theyoung man in the same way. He
had certainly been impressed by Rouletabille's explanationof Madame Mateou's part. Well, Monsieur
Roletabat, he said, as yousay, but don't let us see any
(12:28):
more of you. Before half pastsix. Rouletabill bowed to the president and
made his way to the door ofthe witness's room. I quietly made my
way through the crowd and left thecourt 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,
(12:52):
because I've no doubt you'll say youcan't tell me until after half past six.
No, my dear Sainclair, I'lltell you right now why I went
to America. I went in searchof the name of the other half of
the murderer, the name of theother half. Exactly when we last left
the Glandier, I knew there weretwo halves to the murderer, and the
(13:16):
name of only one of them.I went to America for the name of
the other half. I was toopuzzled to answer. Just then we entered
the witness's room and rouletabet was immediatelysurrounded. He showed himself very friendly to
all except Arthur Rance, to whomhe exhibited a marked coldness of manner.
(13:37):
Frederic Larsan came in also. Rouletabiewent up and shook him heartily by the
hand. His manner towards the detectiveshowed that he had got the better of
the policeman. La Sand smiled andasked him what he had been doing in
America. Rouletabie began by telling himsome anecdotes of his voyage. They then
(14:01):
turned aside together, apparently with theobject of speaking confidentially. I therefore discreetly
left them, and, being curiousto hear the evidence, returned to my
seat in the court room, wherethe public plainly showed its lack of interest
in what was going on in theirimpatience for Rouletabille's return. At the appointed
time, on the stroke of halfpast six, Joseph Rouletabillt was again brought
(14:26):
in. It is impossible for meto picture the tense excitement which appeared on
every face as he made his wayto the bar. Darzac rose to his
feet, frightfully pale. The President, addressing Rouletabillt, said gravely, I
will not ask you to take theoath because you have not been regularly summoned.
(14:50):
But I trust there is no needto urge upon you the gravity of
this statement you are about to make. Rouletabill looked at the President quite calmly
and steadily in the face, andreplied, yes, monsieur, at your
last appearance here, said the President, we have arrived at the point where
(15:11):
you were to tell us how themurderer escaped, and also his name.
Now, Monsieur Rouletabille, we awaityour explanation very well, monsieur, began
my friend, amidst a profound silence. I had explained how it was impossible
for the mergerer to get away withoutbeing seen, and yet he was there
(15:33):
with us in the courtyard, andyou did not see him, at least,
that is what the prosecution declares.No, we all of us saw
him, Monsieur le Presidon, criedRouletabille. Then why was he not arrested?
Because no one besides myself knew thathe was the murderer. It would
(15:54):
have spoiled my plans to have hadhim arrested. And I had then no
other than my own reasoning. Iwas convinced we had the murderer before us,
and that we were actually looking athim. I have now brought what
I considered the indisputable proof. Speakout, monsieur, tell us the murderer's
(16:14):
name. You will find it onthe list of names present in the court
on the night of the tragedy,replied Rouletabille. The people present in the
court room began showing impatience. Someof them even called for the name and
were silenced by the usher. Thelist includes the de Jacques, Bernier,
(16:37):
the concierge and mister Arthur. Rance, said the President, do you accuse
any of these? No, monsieur, then I do not understand what you
are driving at. There was noother person at the end of the court,
Yes, monsieur. There was notat the end, but above the
court who was leaning out of thewindow. You mean, Frederic lak,
(17:00):
exclaimed the president. Yes, FredericLarsan, replied rouletabillt in a ringing tone.
Frederic Larsan is the murderer. Thecourt room became immediately filled with loud
and indignant protests. So astonished washe that the President did not attempt to
quiet it. The quick silence whichfollowed was broken by the distinctly whispered words
(17:25):
from the lips of Robert Zac.It's impossible he's mad. You dare to
accuse Frederic Larsan, Monsieur asked thepresident. If you are not mad,
what are your proofs? Proofs,monsieur, do you want proofs? Well,
here is one, cried rouletabillt shrilly. Let Fredric Larsan be called.
(17:48):
Usher, Call Frederic Larsan. Theusher hurried to the side door, opened
it and disappeared. The door remainedopen while all eyes turned expectantly towards it.
The clerk reappeared, and, steppingforward, said monsieur. President,
Frederic Larsan is not here. Heleft at about four o'clock and has not
(18:11):
been seen since. That is myproof, cried Rouletabille, triumphantly. Explain
yourself, demanded the President. Myproof is Lachson's flight, said the young
reporter. He will not come back. You will see no more of Frederic
Larson unless you are playing with thecourt. Monsieur, Why did you not
(18:33):
accuse him when he was present?He would then have answered you. He
could give no other answer than theone he has now given by his flight.
We cannot believe that Laxon has fled. There was no reason for his
doing so. Did he know you'dmake discharge? He did? I told
him I would. Do you meanto say that, knowing Lasan was the
(18:56):
murderer, you gave him the opportunityto escape. Yes, monster, President,
I did, replied Rouletabill, proudly. I am not a policeman.
I am a journalist, and mybusiness is not to arrest people. My
business is in the service of truthand is not that of an executioner.
(19:17):
If you are just, Monsieur,you will see that I am right.
You can now understand why I refraineduntil this hour to divulge the name.
I gave arsan time to catch thefour seventeen train for Paris, where he
would know where to hide himself andleave no traces you will not find,
Frederic Larson, declared Rouletabille, fixinghis eyes on Monsieur Robert Darzac. He
(19:41):
is too cunning. He is aman who has always escaped you, and
whom you have long searched for invain. If he did not succeed in
outwitting me, he can yet easilyyeutwit any police. This man, who
four years ago introduced himself to thesurtees and became celebrated as Frederic Larsan is
(20:03):
notorious under another name, a namewell known to crime. Frederic Larson,
mister President is bal mayor Ball Mayorcried the President. Ball Mayor, exclaimed
Robert Darzac, springing to his feet, Ball Mayor, it was true.
Then, ah, Monsieur Darzac,you don't think I am mad? Now
(20:26):
cried ruledabiy ball Mayor, Ball Mayor. No other word could be heard in
the court room. The President adjournedthe hearing. Those of my readers who
may not have heard of ball Mayorwill wonder at the excitement the name caused.
And yet the doings of this remarkablecriminal form the subject matter of the
(20:48):
most dramatic narratives of the newspapers andcriminal records of the past twenty years.
It had been reported that he wasdead and thus had eluded the police,
as he had eluded them throughout thewhole of his career. Ball Mayer was
the best specimen of the high classgentleman swindler. He was adept at sleight
(21:11):
of hand tricks, and no boulderor more ruthless crook ever lived. He
was received in the best society andwas a member of some of the most
exclusive clubs. On many of hisdepredatory expeditions, he had not hesitated to
use the knife and the mutton bone. No difficulty stopped him and no operation
(21:33):
was too dangerous. He had beencaught, but escaped on the very morning
of his trial by throwing pepper intothe eyes of the guard who were conducting
him to court. It was knownlater that, in spite of the keen
hunts after him by the most expertof detectives, he had sat that same
evening at a first performance in theTheatrenseis without the slightest disguise. He left
(22:00):
Franz later to work America. Thepolice there succeeded in capturing him once,
but the extraordinary man escaped the nextday. It would need a volume to
recount the adventures of this master criminal. And yet this was the man Utabet
had allowed to get away. Knowingall about him and who he was,
(22:25):
he afforded the criminal an opportunity foranother laugh at the society he had defied.
I could not help admiring the boldstroke of the young journalist, because
I felt certain his motive had beento protect both Mademoiselle Dangerson and read Darzac
of an enemy. At the sametime, the crowd had barely recovered from
(22:48):
the effect of the astonishing revelation whenthe hearing was resumed. The question in
everybody's mind was admitting that Larsan wasthe murderer? How did he get out
of the yellow room? Rouletabille wasimmediately called to the bar and his explanation
continued. You have told us,said the President, that it was impossible
(23:12):
to escape from the end of thecourt, since Lachan was leaning out of
his window he had left the court. How did he do that? He
escaped by a most unusual way.He climbed the wall, sprang on to
the terrace, and while we wereengaged with the keeper's body, reached the
(23:33):
gallery by the window. He thenhad little else to do than to open
the window, get in and callout to us, as if he had
just come from his own room toa man of bell Mayre's traint. All
that was a mere child's play.And here, monsieur, is the proof
of what I say. Rouletabill drewfrom his pocket a small packet from which
(23:56):
he produced a strong iron peg.This, monsieur, is a spike which
perfectly fits a hole still to beseen on the cornice supporting the terrace.
Lason, who thought and prepared foreverything in case of any emergency, had
fixed this spike into the cornice allhe had to do to make his escape
(24:18):
good was to plant one foot ona stone, which is placed at the
corner of the chateau, another onthis support, one hand on the cornice
of the keeper's door, and theother on the terrace, and Lasan was
clear of the ground. The restwas easy. His acting after dinner as
if he had been drugged, wasmake believe he was not drugged, but
(24:41):
he did drug me. Of course, he had to make it appear as
if he also had been drugged,so that no suspicion should fall on him.
For my condition. Had I notbeen just overpowered, Laxan would never
have entered Mademoiselle Stangerson's chamber that night, and the attack on her would not
(25:02):
have taken place. A groan camefrom Darzac, who appeared to be unable
to control his suffering. You canunderstand, added Rouletabille, that Larson could
feel himself hampered from the fact thatMY room was so close to his,
and from his suspicion that I wouldbe on the watch that night. Naturally,
he could not for a moment believethat I suspected him, but I
(25:26):
might see him leaving his room whenhe was about to go to Mademoiselle Stangerson.
I waited till I was asleep,and my friend Saint Clair was busy
trying to rouse me. Ten minutesafter that, Mademoiselle was calling out murder.
How did you come to suspect Larson, asked the President. My pure
(25:48):
reason pointed to him. That waswhy I watched him. But I did
not foresee the drugging. He isvery cunning. Yes, my pure reason
pointed to him. But I requiredtangible proof so that my eyes could see
him as my pure reason saw him. What do you mean by your pure
reason, that power of one's mindwhich admits of no disturbing elements to a
(26:12):
conclusion. The day following the incidentof the Inexplicable Gallery, I felt myself
losing control of it. I hadallowed myself to be diverted by fallacious evidence.
But I recovered and again took holdof the right end. I satisfied
myself that the murderer could not haveleft the gallery, either naturally or supernaturally.
(26:37):
I narrowed the field of consideration tothat small circle, so to speak.
The murderer could not be outside thatcircle. Now who was in it?
There was first the murderer. Thenthere were Daddy Jacques, Monsieurs Stangerson,
Frederic Larson, and myself, fivepersons in all counting in the murder,
(27:00):
and yet in the gallery there werebut four. Now, since it
had been demonstrated to me that thefifth could not have escaped, it was
evident that one of the four presentin the gallery must be a double.
He must be himself and the murderer. Also, why had I not seen
this before? Simply because the phenomenonof the double personality had not occurred before
(27:26):
in this inquiry. Now, whoof the four persons in the gallery was
both that person and the assassin?I went over in my mind what I
had seen. I had seen atone and at the same time, Missus
Stangerson and the murderer, that deJacques and the murderer, myself and the
(27:49):
murderer, So that the murderer thencould not be either Missus Stangerson, that
de Jacques, or myself. HadI seen Frederic Larzon and the meer at
the same time, No two secondshad passed during which I lost sight of
the murderer, for as I havenoted in my papers, he arrived two
(28:11):
seconds before Missus Stangerson, Daddy Jacques, and myself at the meeting point of
the two galleries. That would havegiven Lason time to go through the off
turning gallery, snatch off his falsebeard, return and hurry with us,
as if like us in pursuit ofthe murderer. I was sure now I
(28:32):
had got hold of the right endin my reasoning with Frederic Larsan was now
always associated in my mind the personalityof the unknown, of whom I was
in pursuit the murderer. In otherwords, end of Chapter twenty seven, Part A
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