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With this indication nothing could be easier than to find the dwelling of Mademoiselle Zinca Klork, but nothing more difficult to reach, considering the block in the roads in this outer ring. A little before twelve I arrived at my destination. My vehicle had stopped before a house of modest appearance, occupied by artisans as lodgings, and as the signboard said more particularly by strangers.
I then open the door of the van, shut it behind me, and signal my presence to Kinko. The panel is lowered, the little lamp is lighted. In exchange for the cakes and wine I receive the brave fellow's thanks, and we drink to the health of Zinca Klork, whose acquaintance I am to make on the morrow. It is ten minutes to one.
"My Zinca my dear Zinca!" he exclaims, pressing the girl to his heart. "My Kinko my dear Kinko!" she replies, while her tears mingle with his. "Monsieur Bombarnac!" says the poor fellow, appealing for my intervention. "Kinko," I reply, "take it coolly, and depend on me. You are alive, and we thought you were dead." "But I am not much better off!" he murmurs. Mistake!
This Zinca Klork her name showed it ought to be a Roumanian, and she was taking advantage of this through train on the Grand Transasiatic to get her glass forwarded. Was this an article in request at the shops of the Middle Kingdom? How otherwise could the fair Celestials admire their almond eyes and their elaborate hair? The bell rang and announced the six-o'clock dinner.
Now he will be full of anxiety, he knows his fraud is discovered, that there is some one who has reason to suspect his intentions, some one who may not hesitate to betray his secret. And then, after being taken out of his case, he will be put under guard at the next station, and it will be useless for Mademoiselle Zinca Klork to expect him in the capital of the Chinese Empire! Yes!
"He asked you to come and tell me he had arrived?" "Yes but you understand he is very tired after so long a journey " "Tired?" "Oh! do not be alarmed " "Is he ill?" "Yes rather rather ill " "Then I will go I must see him I pray you, sir, come with me to the station " "No; that would be an imprudence remain here remain " Zinca Klork looked at me fixedly. "The truth, monsieur, the truth!
Do not forget that Mademoiselle Zinca Klork, evidently the most lovely of Roumanians, is expecting you at Pekin, etc." Behold me then following him without appearing to do so. Amid all this hurry to and fro he is in little danger of being noticed. Neither Popof nor any of the company's servants would suspect him to be a swindler. Is he going towards the gate to escape me? No!
It was all Faruskiar's fault, and were it only for having wrecked my reportorial endeavors he ought to be hanged by the most fantastic executioner in China. Nothing happened for the rest of our run. I was very sorry at the thought that I was not bringing Kinko along with me, and that his box was empty. And he had asked me to accompany him to Mademoiselle Zinca Klork!
Fortunately, there is a special Providence for lovers, and divine intervention in favor of Kinko and Zinca Klork was manifested in all its plenitude. He told me that very night he had taken a walk either in the van or else on the station platform where the train had stopped. "I know that, Kinko. That was at Bokhara. I saw you!" "You saw me?" "Yes, and I thought you were trying to get away.
I hastened to add: "Mademoiselle Zinca certain circumstances have brought to my knowledge the journey of a young Roumanian " "Kinko my poor Kinko they have found him?" she asks in a trembling voice. "No no " say I, hesitating. "No one knows except myself. I often visited him in the luggage-van at night; we were companions, friends. I took him a few provisions "
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