天锡小说网

第11部分（第1页）

Katherine　found　her　own　bed　prepared　and　since　she　was　tired；　she　went　to　bed　and　switched　off　her　light　about　half…past　nine。

She　woke　with　a　sudden　start；　how　much　time　had　passed　she　did　not　know。　Glancing　at　her　watch；　she　found　that　it　had　stopped。

A　feeling　of　intense　uneasiness　pervaded　her　and　grew　stronger　moment　by　moment。　At　last　she　got　up；　threw　her　dressing…gown　round　her　shoulders；　and　stepped　out　into　the　corridor。　The　whole　train　seemed　wrapped　in　slumber。　Katherine　let　down　the　window　and　sat　by　it　for　some　minutes；　drinking　in　the　cool　night　air　and　trying　vainly　to　calm　her　uneasy　fears。　She　presently　decided　that　she　would　go　along　to　the　end　and　ask　the　conductor　for　the　right　time　so　that　she　could　set　her　watch。　She　found；　however；　that　his　little　chair　was　vacant。

She　hesitated　for　a　moment　and　then　walked　through　into　the　next　coach。　She　looked　down　the　long；　dim　line　of　the　corridor　and　saw；　to　her　surprise；　that　a　man　was　standing　with　his　hand　on　the　door　of　the　partment　occupied　by　the　lady　in　the　mink　coat。　That　is　to　say；　she　thought　it　was　the　partment。　Probably；　however；　she　was　mistaken。　He　stood　there　for　a　moment　or　two　with　his　back　to　her；　seeming　uncertain　and　hesitating　in　his　attitude。　Then　he　slowly　turned；　and　with　an　odd　feeling　of　fatality；　Katherine　recognized　him　as　the　same　man　whom　she　had　noticed　twice　before　…　once　in　the　corridor　of　the　Savoy　Hotel　and　once　in　Cooks　offices。　Then　he　opened　the　door　of　the　partment　and　passed　in；　drawing　it　to　behind　him。

An　idea　flashed　across　Katherines　mind。　Could　this　be　the　man　of　whom　the　other　woman　had　spoken　…　the　man　she　was　journeying　to　meet。

Then　Katherine　told　herself　that　she　was　romancing。　In　all　probability　she　had　mistaken　the　partment。

She　went　back　to　her　own　carriage。　Five　minutes　later　the　train　slackened　speed。

There　was　the　long　plaintive　hiss　of　the　Westinghouse　brake；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　train　came　to　a　stop　at　Lyons。

Chapter　11

MURDER

Katherine　wakened　the　next　morning　to　brilliant　sunshine。　She　went　along　to　breakfast　early；　but　met　none　of　her　acquaintances　of　the　day　before。　When　she　returned　to　her　partment　it　had　just　been　restored　to　its　daytime　appearance　by　the　conductor；　a　dark　man　with　a　drooping　moustache　and　melancholy　face。

〃Madame　is　fortunate；〃　he　said；　〃the　sun　shines。　It　is　always　a　great　disappointment　to　passengers　when　they　arrive　on　a　grey　morning。〃

〃I　should　have　been　disappointed；　certainly；〃　said　Katherine。

The　man　prepared　to　depart。

〃We　are　rather　late；　Madame；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　let　you　know　just　before　we　get　to　Nice。〃

Katherine　nodded。　She　sat　by　the　window；　entranced　by　the　sunlit　panorama。　The　palid　trees；　the　deep　blue　of　the　sea；　the　bright　yellow　mimosa　came　with　all　the　charm　of　novelty　to　the　woman　who　for　fourteen　years　had　known　only　the　drab　winters　of　England。

When　they　arrived　at　Cannes；　Katherine　got　out　and　walked　up　and　down　the　platform。　She　was　curious　about　the　lady　in　the　mink　coat；　and　looked　up　at　the　windows　of　her　partment。　The　blinds　were　still　drawn　down　…　the　only　ones　to　be　so　on　the　whole　train。　Katherine　wondered　a　little；　and　when　she　re…entered　the　train　she　passed　along　the　corridor　and　noticed　that　these　two　partments　were　still　shuttered　and　closed。　The　lady　of　the　mink　coat　was　clearly　no　early　riser。

Presently　the　conductor　came　to　her　and　told　her　that　in　a　few　minutes　the　train　would　arrive　at　Nice。　Katherine　handed　him　a　tip；　the　man　thanked　her；　but　still　lingered。

There　was　something　odd　about　him。　Katherine；　who　had　at　first　wondered　whether　the　tip　had　not　been　big　enough；　was　now　convinced　that　something　far　more　serious　was　amiss。　His　face　was　of　a　sickly　pallor；　he　was　shaking　all　over；　and　looked　as　if　he　had　been　frightened　out　of　his　life。　He　was　eyeing　her　in　a　curious　manner。　Presently　he　said　abruptly：　〃Madame　will　excuse　me；　but　is　she　expecting　friends　to　meet　her　at　Nice？〃

〃Probably；〃　said　Katherine。　〃Why？〃

But　the　man　merely　shook　his　head　and　murmured　something　that　Katherine　could　not　catch　and　moved　away；　not　reappearing　until　the　train　came　to　rest　at　the　station；　when　he　started　handing　her　belongings　down　from　the　window。

Katherine　stood　for　a　moment　or　two　on　the　platform　rather　at　a　loss；　but　a　fair　young　man　with　an　ingenuous　face　came　up　to　her　and　said　rather　hesitatingly：

〃Miss　Grey；　is　it　not？〃

Katherine　said　that　it　was；　and　the　young　man　beamed　upon　her　seraphically　and　murmured：

〃I　am　Chubby；　you　know　…　Lady　Tamplins　husband。　I　expect　she　mentioned　me；　but　perhaps　she　forgot。　Have　you　got　your　billet　de　bagages？　I　lost　mine　when　I　came　out　this　year；　and　you　would　not　believe　the　fuss　they　made　about　it。　Regular　French　red　tape！〃

Katherine　produced　it；　and　was　just　about　to　move　off　beside　him　when　a　very　gentle　and　insidious　voice　murmured　in　her　ear：

〃A　little　moment；　Madame；　if　you　please。〃

Katherine　turned　to　behold　an　individual　who　made　up　for　insignificance　of　stature　by　a　large　quantity　of　gold　lace　and　uniform。

The　individual　explained。　〃There　were　certain　formalities。　Madame　would　perhaps　be　so　kind　as　to　acpany　him。　The　regulations　of　the　police　…〃　He　threw　up　his　arms。　〃Absurd；　doubtless；　but　there　it　was。〃

Mr　Chubby　Evans　listened　with　a　very　imperfect　prehension；　his　French　being　of　a　limited　order。

〃So　like　the　French；〃　murmured　Mr　Evans。　He　was　one　of　those　staunch　patriotic　Britons　who；　having　made　a　portion　of　a　foreign　country　their　own；　strongly　resent　the　original　inhabitants　of　it。　〃Always　up　to　some　silly　dodge　or　other。　Theyve　never　tackled　people　on　the　station　before；　though。　This　is　something　quite　new。　I　suppose　youll　have　to　go。〃