The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux (thriller books to read TXT) đ
- Author: Gaston Leroux
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âThat revelation staggered me. I tried to regain my balance by going over the evidences previously traced, but which had diverted my mind and led me away from Frederic Larsan. What were these evidences?
â1st. I had seen the unknown in Mademoiselle Stangersonâs chamber. On going to Frederic Larsanâs room, I had found Larsan sound asleep.
â2nd. The ladder.
â3rd. I had placed Frederic Larsan at the end of the âoff-turningâ gallery and had told him that I would rush into Mademoiselle Stangersonâs room to try to capture the murderer. Then I returned to Mademoiselle Stangersonâs chamber where I had seen the unknown.
âThe first evidence did not disturb me much. It is likely that, when I descended from my ladder, after having seen the unknown in Mademoiselle Stangersonâs chamber, Larsan had already finished what he was doing there. Then, while I was re-entering the chateau, Larsan went back to his own room and, undressing himself, went to sleep.
âNor did the second evidence trouble me. If Larsan were the murderer, he could have no use for a ladder; but the ladder might have been placed there to give an appearance to the murdererâs entrance from without the chateau; especially as Larsan had accused Darzac and Darzac was not in the chateau that night. Further, the ladder might have been placed there to facilitate Larsanâs flight in case of absolute necessity.
âBut the third evidence puzzled me altogether. Having placed Larsan at the end of the âoff-turning gallery,â I could not explain how he had taken advantage of the moment when I had gone to the left wing of the chateau to find Monsieur Stangerson and Daddy Jacques, to return to Mademoiselle Stangersonâs room. It was a very dangerous thing to do. He risked being captured,âand he knew it. And he was very nearly captured. He had not had time to regain his post, as he had certainly hoped to do. He had then a very strong reason for returning to his room. As for myself, when I sent Daddy Jacques to the end of the âright gallery,â I naturally thought that Larsan was still at his post. Daddy Jacques, in going to his post, had not looked, when he passed, to see whether Larsan was at his post or not.
âWhat, then, was the urgent reason which had compelled Larsan to go to the room a second time? I guessed it to be some evidence of his presence there. He had left something very important in that room. What was it? And had he recovered it? I begged Madame Bernier who was accustomed to clean the room to look, and she found a pair of eye-glassesâthis pair, Monsieur President!â
And Rouletabille drew the eye-glasses, of which we know, from his pocket.
âWhen I saw these eye-glasses,â he continued, âI was utterly nonplussed. I had never seen Larsan wear eye-glasses. What did they mean? Suddenly I exclaimed to myself: âI wonder if he is long-sighted?â I had never seen Larsan write. He might, then, be long-sighted. They would certainly know at the Surete, and also know if the glasses were his. Such evidence would be damning. That explained Larsanâs return. I know now that Larsan, or Ballmeyer, is long-sighted and that these glasses belonged to him.
âI now made one mistake. I was not satisfied with the evidence I had obtained. I wished to see the manâs face. Had I refrained from this, the second terrible attack would not have occurred.â
âBut,â asked the President, âwhy should Larsan go to Mademoiselle Stangersonâs room, at all? Why should he twice attempt to murder her?â
âBecause he loves her, Monsieur President.â
âThat is certainly a reason, butââ
âIt is the only reason. He was madly in love, and because of that, andâother things, he was capable of committing any crime.â
âDid Mademoiselle Stangerson know this?â
âYes, Monsieur; but she was ignorant of the fact that the man who was pursuing her was Frederic Larsan, otherwise, of course, he would not have been allowed to be at the chateau. I noticed, when he was in her room after the incident in the gallery, that he kept himself in the shadow, and that he kept his head bent down. He was looking for the lost eye-glasses. Mademoiselle Stangerson knew Larsan under another name.â
âMonsieur Darzac,â asked the President, âdid Mademoiselle Stangerson in any way confide in you on this matter? How is it that she has never spoken about it to anyone? If you are innocent, she would have wished to spare you the pain of being accused.â
âMademoiselle Stangerson told me nothing,â replied Monsieur Darzac.
âDoes what this young man says appear probable to you?â the President asked.
âMademoiselle Stangerson has told me nothing,â he replied stolidly.
âHow do you explain that, on the night of the murder of the keeper,â the President asked, turning to Rouletabille, âthe murderer brought back the papers stolen from Monsieur Stangerson?âHow do you explain how the murderer gained entrance into Mademoiselle Stangersonâs locked room?â
âThe last question is easily answered. A man like Larsan, or Ballmeyer, could have had made duplicate keys. As to the documents, I think Larsan had not intended to steal them, at first. Closely watching Mademoiselle with the purpose of preventing her marriage with Monsieur Robert Darzac, he one day followed her and Monsieur into the Grands Magasins de la Louvre. There he got possession of the reticule which she lost, or left behind. In that reticule was a key with a brass head. He did not know there was any value attached to the key till the advertisement in the newspapers revealed it. He then wrote to Mademoiselle, as the advertisement requested. No doubt he asked for a meeting, making known to her that he was also the person who had for some time pursued her with his love. He received no answer. He went to the Post Office and ascertained that his letter was no longer there. He had already taken complete stock of Monsieur Darzac, and, having decided to go to any lengths to gain Mademoiselle Stangerson, he had planned that, whatever might happen, Monsieur Darzac, his hated rival, should be the man to be suspected.
âI do not think that Larsan had as yet thought of murdering Mademoiselle Stangerson; but whatever he might do, he made sure that Monsieur Darzac should suffer for it. He was very nearly of the same height as Monsieur Darzac and had almost the same sized feet. It would not be difficult, to take an impression of Monsieur Darzacâs footprints, and have similar boots made for himself. Such tricks were mere childâs play for Larsan, or
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