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Updated: June 19, 2025
Come into my bed-room; perhaps you will take off your hat there; then we shall be what English people call 'cosy." Madame Wachner led the way again into the short passage, and so into a large bed-room, which looked, like the kitchen, on to the back garden.
"Most certainly I will do so; you will not move no, not a single step without me," said Monsieur Wachner solemnly. And then Madame Wachner burst out into a sudden peal of laughter laughter which was infectious. Sylvia smiled too, and sat down again. After all, as Paul de Virieu had truly said, not once, but many times, the Wachners were not refined people but they were kind and very good-natured.
When déjeuner was over, the four had coffee together, and the melancholy Monsieur Wachner, who was so curiously unlike his bright, vivacious wife, at last broke into eager talk, for he and Anna Wolsky had begun to discuss different gambling systems. His face lighted up; it was easy to see what interested and stimulated this long, lanky man whose wife addressed him constantly as "Ami Fritz."
"You can stay with me while the carriage takes the Wachners on home, and then it can call for you on the way back. I should not like you to walk to the Villa du Lac alone at this time of night." "Ah, but I'm not like you; I haven't won piles of money!" said Sylvia, smiling. "No, but that makes very little difference in a place like this " And then Monsieur and Madame Wachner joined them.
He so seldom interfered or negatived any suggestion that Sylvia felt a little surprised, the more so that it was really a long walk from the Casino to the lonely Châlet des Muguets. But as Madame Wachner had nodded assent to her husband's words, their English guest said no more.
"But I confess I cannot understand the kind of attraction play has for some minds. For instance, I cannot understand the extraordinary fascination it seems to exercise over such an intelligent man as is that Comte de Virieu." Madame Wachner looked at the speaker significantly. "Ah!" she said. "The poor Count! 'E is what you call 'confirmed' a confirmed gambler.
My friend will never go without her afternoon tea;" she turned to Madame Wachner. "I, too, love afternoon tea!" cried Madame Wachner, in a merry tone. "Then that is settled! You and I will take a drive, and then we will 'ave tea and then go to the Casino." Mrs. Bailey accompanied her friend upstairs while Anna put on her things and got out her money.
"Do you remember how pleased poor Anna was that night?" she whispered. Monsieur Wachner stared at her, and a look of fear, almost of terror, came over his drawn, hatchet face. "Do not speak of her," he exclaimed harshly. "It might bring us ill-luck!" And then Chester broke in, "Sylvia, do play if you want to play!" he cried rather impatiently.
"Look 'ere, my dear," she said, familiarly, "do not worry about Madame Wolsky. Believe me, she is not worth it." Sylvia looked at her amazed, and then Madame Wachner broke into French: "She thought of nothing but play that is the truth! Play, play, play! Other times she was half asleep!"
Often we 'ave our déjeuner out and dine at 'ome, or we dine close to the Casino just as we choose. Food is so dear in France, it makes little difference whether we stay at 'ome or not for meals." They were now close to the chocolate-coloured door of the Châlet, and Madame Wachner, to Sylvia Bailey's surprise and amusement, lifted a corner of the shabby outside mat, and took from under it a key.
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