The Perfume of the Lady in Black [Illustration] THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK By GASTON LEROUX _Author of “The Mystery of the Yellow Room”_ NEW YORK BRENTANO’S 1909 Copyright, 1909, by BRENTANO’S CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I WHICH BEGINS WHERE MOST ROMANCES END 9 II IN WHICH THERE IS QUESTION OF THE CHANGING HUMORS OF JOSEPH ROULETABILLE 24 III THE PERFUME 31 IV EN ROUTE 45 V PANIC 60 VI THE FORT OF HERCULES 83 VII WHICH TELLS OF SOME PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY JOSEPH ROULETABILLE TO DEFEND THE FORT OF HERCULES AGAINST THE ATTACKS OF AN ENEMY 102 VIII WHICH CONTAINS SOME PAGES FROM THE HISTORY OF JEAN-ROUSSEL-LARSAN BALLMEYER 126 IX IN WHICH OLD BOB UNEXPECTEDLY ARRIVES 135 X THE EVENTS OF THE ELEVENTH OF APRIL 157 XI THE ATTACK OF THE SQUARE TOWER 205 XII THE IMPOSSIBLE BODY 216 XIII IN WHICH THE FEARS OF ROULETABILLE ASSUME ALARMING PROPORTIONS 228 XIV THE SACK OF POTATOES 248 XV THE SIGHS OF THE NIGHT 266 XVI THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 274 XVII OLD BOB’S TERRIBLE ADVENTURE 288 XVIII HOW DEATH STALKED ABROAD AT NOONDAY 297 XIX IN WHICH ROULETABILLE ORDERS THE IRON DOORS TO BE CLOSED 311 XX IN WHICH ROULETABILLE GIVES A CORPOREAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE “BODY TOO MANY” 320 EPILOGUE 357 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _Facing Page_ Rouletabille had hidden himself in the shadow of a pillar 14 He stood erect, wrapped in the rags of a long coat which hung about his legs, bareheaded and barefooted 52 The Plan of the Fort of Hercules 87 The Fort of Hercules 90