第15部分(第2/7 頁)

He　was　dressed　very　like　any　other　gentleman　in　a　dark　blue　overcoat　and　a　grey　hat。〃

〃Was　he　one　of　the　passengers　on　the　train？〃

〃I　don't　think　so；　sir；　I　took　it　that　he　had　e　to　the　station　to　see　Mrs　Kettering　in　passing　through。　Of　course　he　might　have　been　one　of　the　passengers；　I　never　thought　of　that。〃

Mason　seemed　a　little　flurried　by　the　suggestion。

〃Ah！〃　M。　Carrege　passed　lightly　to　another　subject。　〃Your　mistress　later　requested　the　conductor　not　to　rouse　her　early　in　the　morning。　Was　that　a　likely　thing　for　her　to　do；　do　you　think？〃

〃Oh　yes；　sir。　The　mistress　never　ate　any　breakfast　and　she　didn't　sleep　well　at　nights；　so　that　she　liked　sleeping　on　in　the　morning。〃

Again　M。　Carrege　passed　to　another　subject。

〃Amongst　the　luggage　there　was　a　scarlet　morocco　case；　was　there　not？〃　he　asked。　〃Your　mistress's　jewel…case？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Did　you　take　that　case　to　the　Ritz？〃

〃Me　take　the　mistress's　jewel…case　to　the　Ritz？　Oh　no；　indeed；　sir。〃　Mason's　tones　were　horrified。

〃You　left　it　behind　you　in　the　carriage？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Had　your　mistress　many　jewels　with　her；　do　you　know？〃

〃A　fair　amount；　sir；　made　me　a　bit　uneasy　sometimes；　I　can　tell　you；　with　those　nasty　tales　you　hear　of　being　robbed　in　foreign　countries。　They　were　insured；　I　know；　but　all　the　same　it　seemed　a　frightful　risk。　Why；　the　rubies　alone；　the　mistress　told　me；　were　worth　several　hundred　thousand　pounds。〃

〃The　rubies！　What　rubies？〃　barked　Van　Aldin　suddenly。

Mason　turned　to　him。

〃I　think　it　was　you　who　gave　them　to　her；　sir；　not　very　long　ago。〃

〃My　God！〃　cried　Van　Aldin。　〃You　don't　imply　she　had　those　rubies　with　her？　I　told　her　to　leave　them　at　the　Bank。〃

Mason　gav