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The Trap
（EXTRACT FROM THE NOTE…BOOK OF JOSEPH ROULETABILLE）
〃Last night ？the night between the 29th and 30th of October ？〃wrote
Joseph Rouletabille； 〃I woke up towards one o'clock in the morning。
Was it sleeplessness； or noise without？ ？The cry of the Bete du
Bon Dieu rang out with sinister loudness from the end of the park。
I rose and opened the window。 Cold wind and rain； opaque darkness；
silence。 I reclosed my window。 Again the sound of the cat's weird
cry in the distance。 I partly dressed in haste。 The weather was
too bad for even a cat to be turned out in it。 What did it mean；
then ？that imitating of the mewing of Mother Angenoux' cat so near
the chateau？ I seized a good…sized stick； the only weapon I had；
and； without making any noise； opened the door。
〃The gallery into which I went was well lit by a lamp with a
reflector。 I felt a keen current of air and； on turning； found the
window open； at the extreme end of the gallery； which I call the
'off…turning' gallery； to distinguish it from the 'right' gallery；
on to which the apartment of Mademoiselle Stangerson opened。 These
two galleries cross each other at right angles。 Who had left that
window open？ Or； who had come to open it？ I went to the window and
leaned out。 Five feet below me there was a sort of terrace over the
semi…circular projection of a room on the ground…floor。 One could；
if one wanted； jump from the window on to the terrace； and allow
oneself to drop from it into the court of the chateau。 Whoever had
entered by this road had； evidently； not had a key to the vestibule
door。 But why should I be thinking of my previous night's attempt
with the ladder？ ？Because of the open window ？left open； perhaps；
by the negligence of a servant？ I reclosed it； smiling at the ease
with which I built a drama on the mere suggestion of an open window。
〃Again the cry of the Bete du Bon Dieu！ ？and then silence。 The
rain ceased to beat on the window。 All in the chateau slept。 I
walked with infinite precaution on the carpet of the gallery。 On
reaching the corner of the 'right' gallery； I peered round it
cautiously。 There was another lamp there with a reflector which
quite lit up the several objects in it； ？three chairs and some
pictures hanging on the wall。 What was I doing there？ Perfect
silence reigned throughout。 Everything was sunk in repose。 What
was the instinct that urged me towards Mademoiselle Stangerson's
chamber？ Why did a voice within me cry： 'Go on； to the chamber of
Mademoiselle Stangerson！' I cast my eyes down upon the carpet on
which I was treading and saw that my steps were being directed
towards Mademoiselle Stangerson's chamber by the marks of steps
that had already been made there。 Yes； on the carpet were traces
of footsteps stained with mud leading to the chamber of Mademoiselle
Stangerson。 Horror！ Horror！ ？I recognised in those footprints
the impression of the neat boots of the murderer！ He had come； then；
from without in this wretched night。 If you could descend from the
gallery by way of the window； by means of the terrace； then you could
get into the chateau by the same means。
〃The murderer was still in the chateau； for here were marks as of
returning footsteps。 He had entered by the open window at the
extremity of the 'off…turning' gallery； he had passed Frederic
Larsan's door and mine； had turned to the right； and had entered
Mademoiselle Stangerson's room。 I am before the door of her
ante…room ？it is open。 I push it； without making the least noise。
Under the door of the room itself I see a streak of light。 I
listen ？no sound ？not even of breathing！ Ah！ ？if I only knew
what was passing in the silence that is behind that door！ I find
the door locked and the key turned on the inner side。 And the
murderer is there； perhaps。 He must be there！ Will he escape this
time？ ？All depends on me！ ？I must be calm； and above all； I must
make no false steps。 I must see into that room。 I can enter it by
Mademoiselle Stangerson's drawing…room； but； to do that I should
have to cross her boudoir； and while I am there； the murderer may
escape by the gallery door ？the door in front of which I am now
standing。
〃I am sure that no other crime is being committed； on this night；
for there is complete silence in the boudoir； where two nurses are
taking care of Mademoiselle Stangerson until she is restored to
health。
〃As I am almost sure that the murderer is there； why do I not at
once give the alarm？ The murderer may； perhaps； escape； but；
perhaps； I may be able to save Mademoiselle Stangerson's life。
Suppose the murderer on this occasion is not here to murder？ The
door has been opened to allow him to enter； by whom？ ？And it has
been refastened ？by whom？ ？Mademoiselle Stangerson shuts herself
up in her apartment with her nurses every night。 Who turned the
key of that chamber to allow the murderer to enter？ ？The nurses；
？two faithful domestics？ The old chambermaid； Sylvia？ It is very
improbable。 Besides； they slept in the boudoir； and Mademoiselle
Stangerson； very nervous and careful； Monsieur Robert Darzac told
me； sees to her own safety since she has been well enough to move
about in her room； which I have not yet seen her leave。 This
nervousness and sudden care on her part； which had struck Monsieur
Darzac； had given me； also； food for thought。 At the time of the
crime in The Yellow Room； there can be no doubt that she expected
the murderer。 Was he expected this night？ ？Was it she herself
who had opened her door to him？ Had she some reason for doing so？
Was she obliged to do it？ ？Was it a meeting for purposes of crime？
？Certainly it was not a lover's meeting； for I believe Mademoiselle
Stangerson adores Monsieur Darzac。
〃All these reflections ran through my brain like a flash of
lightning。 What would I not give to know！
〃It is possible that there was some reason for the awful silence。
My intervention might do more harm than good。 How could I tell？
How could I know I might not any moment cause another crime？ If
I could only see and know； without breaking that silence！
〃I left the ante…room and descended the central stairs to the
vestibule and； as silently as possible； made my way to the little
room on the ground…floor where Daddy Jacques had been sleeping since
the attack made at the pavilion。
〃I found him dressed； his eyes wide open； almost haggard。 He did
not seem surprised to see me。 He told me that he had got up because
he had heard the cry of the Bete du bon Dieu； and because he had
heard footsteps in the park； close to his window； out of which he
had looked and； just then； had seen a black shadow pass by。 I asked
him whether he had a firearm of any kind。 No； he no longer kept
one； since the examining magistrate had taken his revolver from him。
We went out together； by a little back door； into the park； and
stole along the chateau to the point which is just below Mademoiselle
Stangerson's window。
〃I placed Daddy Jacques against the wall； ordering him not to stir
from the spot； while I； taking advantage of a moment when the moon
was hidden by a cloud； moved to the front of the window； out of the
patch of light which came from it； ？for the window was half…open！
If I could only know what was passing in that silent chamber！ I
returned to Daddy Jacques and whispered the word 'ladder' in his ear。
At first I had thought of the tree which； a week ago； served me for
an observatory； but I immediately saw that； from the way the window
was half…opened； I should not be able to see from that point of view
anything that was passing in the room； and I wanted； not only to see；
but to hear； and ？to act。
〃Greatly agitated； almost trembling； Paddy Jacques disappeared for
a moment and returned without the ladder； but making signs to me
with his arms； as signals to me to come quickly to him。 When I got
near him he gasped： 'Come！'
〃'I went to the donjon in search of my ladder； and in the lower part
of the donjon which serves me and the gardener for a lumber room； I
found the door open and the ladder gone。 On coming out； that's what
I caught sight of by the light of the moon。
〃And he pointed to the further end of the chateau； where a ladder
stood resting against the stone brackets supporting the terrace；
under the window which I had found open。 The projection of the
terrace had prevented my seeing it。 Thanks to that ladder； it was
quite easy to get into the 'off…turning' gallery of the first floor；
and I had no doubt of it having been the road taken by the unknown。
〃We ran to the ladder； but at the moment of reaching it； Daddy
Jacques drew my attention to the half…open door of the little
semi…circular room； situated under the terrace； at the extremity of
the right wing of the chateau； having the terrace for its roof。
Daddy Jacques pushed the door open a little further and looked in。
〃'He's not there！〃 he whispered。
〃Who is not there？〃
〃The forest梜eeper。〃
With his lips once more to my ear； he added：
〃'Do you know that he has slept in the upper room of the donjon ever
since it was restored？' And with the same gesture he pointed to the
half…open door；