第11部分(第2/7 頁)

partment。

She　went　back　to　her　own　carriage。　Five　minutes　later　the　train　slackened　speed。

There　was　the　long　plaintive　hiss　of　the　Westinghouse　brake；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　train　came　to　a　stop　at　Lyons。

Chapter　11

MURDER

Katherine　wakened　the　next　morning　to　brilliant　sunshine。　She　went　along　to　breakfast　early；　but　met　none　of　her　acquaintances　of　the　day　before。　When　she　returned　to　her　partment　it　had　just　been　restored　to　its　daytime　appearance　by　the　conductor；　a　dark　man　with　a　drooping　moustache　and　melancholy　face。

〃Madame　is　fortunate；〃　he　said；　〃the　sun　shines。　It　is　always　a　great　disappointment　to　passengers　when　they　arrive　on　a　grey　morning。〃

〃I　should　have　been　disappointed；　certainly；〃　said　Katherine。

The　man　prepared　to　depart。

〃We　are　rather　late；　Madame；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　let　you　know　just　before　we　get　to　Nice。〃

Katherine　nodded。　She　sat　by　the　window；　entranced　by　the　sunlit　panorama。　The　palid　trees；　the　deep　blue　of　the　sea；　the　bright　yellow　mimosa　came　with　all　the　charm　of　novelty　to　the　woman　who　for　fourteen　years　had　known　only　the　drab　winters　of　England。

When　they　arrived　at　Cannes；　Katherine　got　out　and　walked　up　and　down　the　platform。　She　was　curious　about　the　lady　in　the　mink　coat；　and　looked　up　at　the　windows　of　her　partment。　The　blinds　were　still　drawn　down　…　the　only　ones　to　be　so　on　the　whole　train。　Katherine　wondered　a　little；　and　when　she　re…entered　the　train　she　passed　along　the　corridor　and　noticed　that　these　two　partments　were　still　shuttered　and　closed。　The　lady　of　the　mink　coat　was　clearly　no　early　riser。

Presently　the　conductor　came　to　her　and　told　her　that　in　a　few　minutes　the　train　would　arrive　at　Nice。　Katherine　handed　him　a　tip；　t