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Updated: June 16, 2025
"You were going out, I think," said Guerchard gently. "I was asking leave to go out. There is some shopping that must be done," said Sonia. "You do not see any reason why Mademoiselle Kritchnoff should not go out, M. Formery, do you?" said Guerchard. "Oh, no, none whatever; of course she can go out," said M. Formery. Sonia turned round to go. "One moment," said Guerchard, coming for-ward.
He handed what he had written to Guerchard, and, with a smile of satisfaction, Guerchard folded the paper and put it in his pocket. "Well, M. Formery, did Mademoiselle Kritchnoff throw any fresh light on this mystery?" said the Duke, in a tone of faint contempt. "No in fact she convinced ME that she knew nothing whatever about it. M. Guerchard seems to entertain a different opinion.
"Well, then, M. Formery, I think we might get on with the examination of Mademoiselle Kritchnoff," said Guerchard. "Will you go and fetch her, inspector?" "Really, I cannot conceive why you should worry that poor child," the Duke protested, in a tone of some indignation. "It seems to me hardly necessary," said M. Formery.
He wrote on the card: "Pass Mademoiselle Kritchnoff." Sonia stood by his side, panting quickly with fear, and watched him do it. He had scarcely finished the last stroke, when they heard a noise on the other side of the opening into the empty house. The Duke looked at the fireplace, and his teeth bared in an expression of cold ferocity.
Bonavent went to the top of the staircase, and called down it. Guerchard followed him. Two detectives came hurrying up the stairs and into the drawing-room. "What the devil do you mean by letting Mademoiselle Kritchnoff leave the house without my permit, written on my card?" cried Guerchard violently.
"It hasn't been stolen. Irma, or perhaps Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, has brought it to Paris for Germaine." "Sonia certainly hasn't brought it. It was she who suggested to me that you had seen it lying on the bureau, and slipped it into your pocket," said Germaine quickly. "Then it must be Irma," said the Duke. "We had better send for her and make sure," said M. Formery.
"And he a mere baron," said Jeanne, laughing. "What? Is that true?" said Sonia. "Didn't you know, Mlle. Kritchnoff? She nearly became engaged to the Duke's cousin, the Baron de Relzieres. It was not nearly so grand."
The Duke put his head inside the drawing-room door, and said to the empty room: "Here is Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, M. Guerchard." He held open the door, Sonia came down the stairs, and went through it. The Duke followed her into the drawing-room, and shut the door. "There's not a moment to lose," he said in a low voice. "Oh, what is it, your Grace?" said Sonia anxiously.
"Oh, well, I dare say that he thought to-morrow would do. Of course you were out of the house when he found it. She must have slipped out of her room soon after you went." "He found a handkerchief belonging to Mademoiselle Kritchnoff. Where is it?" cried Guerchard. "M. Formery took the pearls, but he left the handkerchief. I suppose it's in the corner where he found it," said the Duke.
"You seem to have all the possible information you can want at your finger-ends," said the Duke, in an admiring tone. "I suppose I know the life of Paris as well as anybody," said Guerchard. They were silent for a while. Then Germaine's maid, Irma, came into the room and said: "If you please, your Grace, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff would like to speak to you for a moment." "Oh?
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