The Perfume of the Lady in Black
Language: English
Pages: 304
ISBN: B018V77NDA
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Set in a medieval castle on the Côte d’Azur, this classic locked room mystery reunites journalist-turned-detective Joseph Rouletabille; Mathilde Stangerson, daughter of a famed French-American scientist; and master of disguise Frédéric Larsan.
Stangerson and her sweetheart Robert Darzac have just married and taken up residence in the Square Tower of the Fort of Hercules when Larsan strikes again. The attack leaves Stangerson frightened and confused, not only because she thought her nemesis dead, but also because she cannot figure out how he entered and escaped her room without notice. Only one man is capable of matching wits with Larsan, but when Rouletabille arrives in the South of France to investigate, he finds himself drawn deeper into his own past and his memories of a mysterious woman in black.
Best known as the creator of The Phantom of the Opera, author Gaston Leroux takes the locked room mystery to terrifying new heights in The Perfume of the Lady in Black.
This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Mapping Memory in Nineteenth-Century French Literature and Culture (Faux Titre, Volume 369)
gesture, and was the last to leave it. As soon as we were back in the corridor, Bernier locked the door with a little key which he stowed away in an inside pocket in his jacket, which he buttoned up tightly. We inspected the corridors and went through Old Bob’s suite, comprising a sitting room and a bedroom, and which was as plain as the Darzacs’. No one was there. It was filled with only simple furniture: a closet and a bookcase, both practically empty. As we went out, Madame Bernier was seated
your window was shut and there was no light on in your room. All the same, we were terrified by that corpse which we had imagined was dead and which suddenly began to sigh again. Such a sigh! You saw what happened next, sir, and now you know as much as I do, God help us all!’ When Bernier had finished telling his story, Rouletabille thanked him sincerely for his great devotion to his master and mistress, urged him to be discreet, begged him to forget his violence of a moment ago, and commanded
alarmed that Rouletabille should have spoken as he did. ‘In the Square Tower!’ exclaimed Mrs Rance. ‘Who killed him?’ ‘M. Robert Darzac!’ replied Rouletabille, and begged us to resume our seats. Curiously enough, we all sat down quietly, as if we had no option but to obey him. But Mrs Rance rose at once and, going over to Darzac, shook him very cordially by the hand. She seemed genuinely pleased. ‘Bravo! You are a gentleman!’ Then she added, turning to her husband: ‘Here is a man worthy of
case we must try and find the old gentleman himself. When it comes to that, I shall be at your disposal, and always your humble and obedient servant.’ Since Mrs Rance continued to play the tragedy queen, Rouletabille turned to Arthur Rance, and said: ‘I hope, Mr Rance, that you will accept my apologies for all that has taken place, and I count upon your good offices to persuade your wife to accept them too. You reproach me for the abruptness with which I explained my hypothesis, but permit me
gathering gloom, seemed to form part of himself. Then the burden slipped away into the black depths, and his silhouette was again clearly defined, alone. He peered motionless into the water, then sank into his seat. The boat once more glided along till it could no longer be seen against the red horizon, and that too died away. Rouletabille had given Larsan’s body to the sea. EPILOGUE Nice, Cannes, San Raphael, Toulon. I take no interest in the various stages of my return journey. After
