第15部分(第1/7 頁)

that　the　gentlemen　who　were　speaking　to　her　were　of　the　same　nationality　as　the　trains。

〃Now　let　us　talk　this　affair　over；〃　said　M。　Carrege。　〃There　was；　I　understand；　no　question　of　your　staying　in　Paris　when　you　started　from　London？〃

〃Oh　no；　sir。　We　were　to　go　straight　through　to　Nice。〃

〃Have　you　ever　been　abroad　with　your　mistress　before？〃

〃No；　sir。　I　had　only　been　with　her　two　months；　you　see。〃

〃Did　she　seem　quite　as　usual　when　starting　on　this　journey？〃

〃She　was　worried　like　and　a　bit　upset；　and　she　was　rather　irritable　and　difficult　to　please。〃

M。　Carrege　nodded。

〃Now　then；　Mason；　what　was　the　first　you　heard　of　your　stopping　in　Paris？〃

〃It　was　at　the　place　they　call　the　Gare　de　Lyon；　sir。　My　mistress　was　thinking　of　getting　out　and　walking　up　and　down　the　platform。　She　was　just　going　out　into　the　corridor　when　she　gave　a　sudden　exclamation；　and　came　back　into　her　partment　with　a　gentleman。　She　shut　the　door　between　her　carriage　and　mine；　so　that　I　didn't　see　or　hear　anything；　till　she　suddenly　opened　it　again　and　told　me　that　she　had　changed　her　plans。　She　gave　me　some　money　and　told　me　to　get　out　and　go　to　the　Ritz。　They　knew　her　well　there；　she　said；　and　would　give　me　a　room。　I　was　to　wait　there　until　I　heard　from　her；　she　would　wire　me　what　she　wanted　me　to　do。　I　had　just　time　to　get　my　things　together　and　jump　out　of　the　train　before　it　started　off。　It　was　a　rush。〃

〃While　Mrs　Kettering　was　telling　you　this；　where　was　the　gentleman？〃

〃He　was　standing　in　the　other　partment；　sir；　looking　out　of　the　window。〃

〃Can　you　describe　him　to　us？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　sir；　I　hardly　saw　him。　He　had　his　back　to　me　most　of　the　time。　He　was　a　tall　gentleman　and　dark；　that's　all　I　can　say。