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To many of us I am sure though I do not know anything about many of you that thought, Thou God seest me, breeds feelings like the uneasy discomfort of a prisoner when he knows that somewhere in the wall there is a spy-hole at which at any moment a warder's eye may be.
Nevertheless, those in the cave were restless and uneasy, setting their heads out to sniff the salt of the sea beneath, and craning their necks through the spy-hole to watch the sand-pipers wheeling as if dancing new-fangled waltzes, or probing the sands after little shellfish and sea worms, never getting in each other's way, but each working quietly along, like a minister in his own parish.
That evening, when he went as usual to inspect Madame Zephyrine's movements, he was astonished to find the aperture obscured in an odd manner on the other side, and still more abashed when the obstacle was suddenly withdrawn and a titter of laughter reached his ears. Some of the plaster had evidently betrayed the secret of his spy-hole, and his neighbour had been returning the compliment in kind.
Luncheon appeared upon the table whilst he was washing in the bathroom. Remembering the change in the tone of the unseen speaker's voice, he avoided touching anything. From the divan, through half-closed eyes, he examined every inch of the walls, seeking for the spy-hole through which he knew himself to be watched.
I have since thought that here was a case of true telepathy. For, as Smith spoke of Fu-Manchu's spy-hole, the idea leapt instantly to my mind that this was it this strange platform upon which we stood! I drew back from the rail, turned, stared at Smith. I read in his face that our suspicions were identical. Then "Look! Look!" whispered Weymouth.
"By Allah, the dog took no other wife at all!" thought the slave, and, looking through his spy-hole, he saw Ashimullah making off in great haste, carrying the box and the robes with him. Then Hassan came and led the slave back by the way they had come to the place where he awaited the Sultana. "This wife of Ashimullah is a wonderful woman," said the Sultan to himself, as he lay awake that night.
"Whom do you expect to find here?" I asked. "It is a recognized meeting-place," said Smith in my ear. "It is almost a certainty that some of the Fu-Manchu group use it at times." Curiously I surveyed all these faces which were visible from the spy-hole. My eyes rested particularly upon the two Chinamen. "Do you recognize anyone?" I whispered. "S-sh!"
A little round pellet had been shot through the spy-hole and was lying on the floor. He laid down the file and stooped to pick up the round thing. It was a bit of rolled paper. It was a long way to go down and down, with the black waves rushing about him how they roared ! Ah, yes! He was only stooping down to pick up the paper. He was a bit giddy; many people are when they stoop.
A second eye had followed the first, and both of them stared steadily at the spy-hole, sharply concentrated, yet with a sly twinkle of humour and amusement that made it impossible for the doctor to maintain his position any longer. He opened the door and went in quickly. As he did so he noticed for the first time the sound of a German band coming in gaily through the open ventilators.
In fact, that it was he, the doctor, who was being observed and by an observer as keen and trained as himself. An inkling of the true state of the case began to dawn upon him, and he was on the verge of entering indeed, his hand already touched the door-knob when his eye, still glued to the spy-hole, detected a slight movement. Directly opposite, between him and the fireplace, something stirred.
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