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Next morning he called again at the Metropole before the ladies were about, but to his chagrin, he learnt from the blue-and-gold concierge that Monsieur Courtin, of the Ministry of Justice, had left at ten-fifteen o'clock on the previous night by the rapide for Paris. He had been recalled urgently, and a special coupe-lit had been reserved for him from Ventimiglia.
At our admirable lodging the landlady, the butler and the chambermaid had descended with us to the outer door in a smiling convention of regret, the kindly Swiss boots allowed the street porter to help him up with our trunks, and we drove away in the tradition of personal acceptability which bathes the stranger in a gentle self-satisfaction, and which prolonged itself through all the formalities of registering our baggage for the continent at the station, of bribing the guard in the hope of an entire first-class compartment to ourselves and then sharing it with four others similarly promised its sole use, and of telegraphing to secure seats in the rapide from Calais to Paris.
He remembered their leave-taking, and how, as he had sat in the rapide for Paris, he had made a solemn vow never again to set eyes upon her. There was a reason why he should not a strong but mysterious reason. Yet he had come there of his own will to meet her again drawn there irresistibly by some unseen influence which she possessed. Was it her beauty that had attracted him?
There we beheld the said detachment of dragoons an affrighted mob; and many sinister-looking persons, who seemed well satisfied at the evidence of our fears. The spectators exclaimed "que cela venoit de la trop rapide circulation de son sang."
All day long, as the 'rapide' hurried us through the smiling wine country and past the well-remembered chateaux of the Loire, we wondered how we should find Paris beautiful Paris, saved from violation as by a miracle! Our first discovery, after we had pushed our way out of the dim station into the obscurity of the street, was that of the absence of taxicabs.
When the train ran upon Dover Pier, and the white horses of the turbulent Channel foamed at his feet, he started as one roused from a Rip Van Winkle sleep. Severe illness occupied his whole attention for a time, and then recovery. In Paris he dined at the buffet like one in a dream, and, at the appointed hour, came forth to take the rapide for Marseilles.
These territorials with their muskets were not mere supers, either. But no! She was emerging; she was starting toward the rapide. There, no doubt, a reserved compartment was awaiting her, and once inside its shelter, she would not appear again. I drew a deep breath in which resolve and distaste were mingled. She had crossed the frontier, but she was not in Paris yet.
"Besides, it is a terribly long way round by that route." "I know," he murmured. "But it will be best. I have a reason a strong reason, Enid, for urging you to go by Ostend." "It is not in my power to do so. Jane always makes our travelling arrangements. Besides, we have sleeping berths secured on the night rapide from the Gare de Lyon to Turin." "I will see Mrs.
To-night." "To-night, sir! Do you reckon that Mr. Redmayne is in any danger?" "Don't you?" "He's forewarned and you see he's taking great precautions." "Brendon," said Mr. Ganns, "run round and find when the night boat sails from Dover, or Folkestone. We'll reach Paris to-morrow morning, I guess, catch the Rapide for Milan, and be at the Lakes next day. You'll find we can do so.
And purposely he delayed his answer till her patience gave way and she was clutching his arm with frantic hands. "What is the matter? Why do you look at me like that? Why don't you tell me if there is anything to tell ?" "I was hesitating to shock you, Liane." "Never mind me. What has happened to de Lorgnes?" "It is in all the evening newspapers the murder mystery of the Lyons rapide."
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