第10部分(第5/7 頁)

iful　face；　oval　and　dark；　very　heavily　made　up　in　a　bizarre　fashion。　Katherine　had　a　feeling　that　she　had　seen　it　before　somewhere。

She　regained　her　own　partment　without　other　adventure　and　sat　for　some　time　thinking　of　the　confidence　which　had　just　been　made　to　her。　She　wondered　idly　who　the　woman　in　the　mink　coat　might　be；　wondered　also　how　the　end　of　her　story　would　turn　out。

〃If　I　have　stopped　anyone　from　making　an　idiot　of　themselves；　I　suppose　I　have　done　good　work；〃　she　thought　to　herself。　〃But　who　knows？　That　is　the　kind　of　woman　who　is　hard…headed　and　egotistical　all　her　life；　and　it　might　be　good　for　her　to　do　the　other　sort　of　thing　for　a　change。　Oh；　well　…　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　ever　see　her　again。　She　certainly　won't　want　to　see　me　again。　That　is　the　worst　of　letting　people　tell　you　things。　They　never　do。〃

She　hoped　that　she　would　not　be　given　the　same　table　at　dinner。　She　reflected；　not　without　humour；　that　it　might　be　awkward　for　both　of　them。　Leaning　back　with　her　head　against　a　cushion　she　felt　tired　and　vaguely　depressed。　They　had　reached　Paris；　and　the　slow　journey　round　the　ceinture；　with　its　interminable　stops　and　waits；　was　very　wearisome。

When　they　arrived　at　the　Gare　de　Lyon　she　was　glad　to　get　out　and　walk　up　and　down　the　platform。　The　keen　cold　air　was　refreshing　after　the　steam…heated　train。

She　observed　with　a　smile　that　her　friend　of　the　mink　coat　was　solving　the　possible　awkwardness　of　the　dinner　problem　in　her　own　way。　A　dinner　basket　was　being　handed　up　and　received　through　the　window　by　the　maid。

When　the　train　started　once　more；　and　dinner　was　announced　by　a　violent　ringing　of　bells；　Katherine　went　along　to　it　much　relieved　in　mind。　Her　vis…а…vis　tonight　was　of　an　entirely　different　kind　…　a　sm