e only to tell me in confidence
the name of the murderer!'--The words I had uttered must have struck
him ominously, for when I turned my eyes on him, I saw that his face was
haggard, the perspiration standing on his forehead, and terror showing
in his eyes.

"'Monsieur,' he said to me, 'I am going to ask of you something which
may appear insane, but in exchange for which I place my life in your
hands. You must not tell the magistrates of what you saw and heard in
the garden of the Elysee,--neither to them nor to anybody. I swear to
you, that I am innocent, and I know, I feel, that you believe me; but I
would rather be taken for the guilty man than see justice go astray
on that phrase, "The presbytery has lost nothing of its charm, nor the
garden its brightness." The judges must know nothing about that phrase.
All this matter is in your hands. Monsieur, I leave it there; but forget
the evening at the Elysee. A hundred other roads are open to you in your
search for the criminal. I will open them for you myself. I will help
you. Will you take up your quarters here?--You may remain here to do as
you please.--Eat--sleep here--watch my actions--the actions of all here.
You shall be master of the Glandier, Monsieur; but forget the evening at
the Elysee.'"

Rouletabille here paused to take breath. I now understood what had
appeared so unexplainable in the demeanour of Monsieur Robert Darzac
towards my friend, and the facility with which the young reporter had
been able to install himself on the scene of the crime. My curiosity
could not fail to be excited by all I had heard. I asked Rouletabille to
satisfy it still further. What had happened at the Glandier during
the past week?--Had he not told me that there were surface indications
against Monsieur Darzac much more terrible than that of the cane found
by Larsan?

"Everything seems to be pointing against him," replied my friend, "and
the situation is becoming exceedingly grave. Monsieur Darzac appears not
to mind it much; but in that he is wrong. I was interested only in
the health of Mademoiselle Stangerson, which was daily improving, when
something occurred that is even more mysterious than--than the mystery
of The Yellow Room!"

"Impossible!" I cried, "What could be more mysterious than that?"

"Let us first go back to Monsieur Robert Darzac," said Rouletabille,
calming me. "I have said that everything seems to be pointing against
him. The marks of the neat boots foun