第26部分(第1/7 頁)

〃You　are　trying　to　warn　me；〃　said　Katherine　in　a　low　voice。　〃Against　whom？〃

〃I　cannot　look　into　your　heart；　Mademoiselle；　I　do　not　think　you　would　let　me　if　I　could。　I　will　just　say　this。　There　are　men　who　have　a　strange　fascination　for　women。〃

〃The　te　de　la　Roche；〃　said　Katherine；　with　a　smile。

〃There　are　others　…　more　dangerous　than　the　te　de　la　Roche。　They　have　qualities　that　appeal　…　recklessness；　daring；　audacity。　You　are　fascinated；　Mademoiselle；　I　see　that；　but　I　think　that　it　is　no　more　than　that。　I　hope　so。　This　man　of　whom　I　speak；　the　emotion　he　feels　is　genuine　enough；　but　all　the　same　…〃

〃Yes？〃

He　got　up　and　stood　looking　down　at　her。　Then　he　spoke　in　a　low；　distinct　voice：

〃You　could；　perhaps；　love　a　thief；　Mademoiselle；　but　not　a　murderer。〃

He　wheeled　sharply　away　on　that　and　left　her　sitting　there。

He　heard　the　little　gasp　she　gave　and　paid　no　attention。　He　had　said　what　he　meant　to　say。　He　left　her　there　to　digest　that　last　unmistakable　phrase。

Derek　Kettering；　ing　out　of　the　Casino　into　the　sunshine；　saw　her　sitting　alone　on　the　bench　and　joined　her。

〃I　have　been　gambling；〃　he　said；　with　a　light　laugh；　〃gambling　unsuccessfully。　I　have　lost　everything　…　everything；　that　is；　that　I　have　with　me。〃

Katherine　looked　at　him　with　a　troubled　face。　She　was　aware　at　once　of　something　new　in　his　manner；　some　hidden　excitement　that　betrayed　itself　in　a　hundred　different　infinitesimal　signs。

〃I　should　think　you　were　always　a　gambler。　The　spirit　of　gambling　appeals　to　you。〃

〃Every　day　and　in　every　way　a　gambler？　You　are　about　right。　Don't　you　find　something　stimulating　in　it？　To　risk　all　on　one　throw　…　there　is　nothing　like　it。〃

Calm　and　stolid　as　she　believed　herse