naturewas
very
loyal
,
and
now
she
reminded
herself
that
this
couple
,
for
whom
Count
Paul
seemed
to
have
an
instinctive
dislike
,
were
good-natured
and
kindly
.
She
must
ever
remember
gratefully
how
helpful
Madame
Wachner
had
been
during
the
first
few
days
she
and
Anna
had
been
at
Lacville
,
in
showing
them
the
little
ways
about
the
place
,
and
in
explaining
to
them
all
sorts
of
things
about
the
Casino
.
And
how
kindly
the
Wachners
had
pressed
Anna
yesterday
to
have
supper
with
them
during
Sylvia
's
absence
in
Paris
!
There
came
a
knock
at
the
door
,
and
Sylvia
jumped
up
from
her
chair
.
No
doubt
this
was
Anna
herself
in
response
to
the
note
.
"
Come
in
,
"
she
cried
out
,
in
English
.
There
was
a
pause
,
and
another
knock
.
Then
it
was
not
Anna
?
"
Entrez
!
"
The
commissionaire
by
whom
Sylvia
had
sent
her
note
to
Madame
Wolsky
walked
into
the
room
.
To
her
great
surprise
he
handed
her
back
her
own
letter
to
her
friend
.
The
envelope
had
been
opened
,
and
together
with
her
letter
was
a
sheet
of
common
notepaper
,
across
which
was
scrawled
,
in
pencil
,
the
words
,
"
Madame
Wolsky
est
partie
.
"
Sylvia
looked
up
.
"
Partie
?
"
The
word
puzzled
her
.
Surely
it
should
have
been
"
Sortie
.
"
Perhaps
Anna
had
gone
to
Paris
for
the
day
to
bank
her
large
winnings
.
"
Then
the
lady
was
out
?
"
she
said
to
the
man
.
"
The
lady
has
left
the
Pension
Malfait
,
"
he
said
,
briefly
.
"
She
has
gone
away
.
"
"
There
must
be
some
mistake
!
"
Sylvia
exclaimed
,
in
French
.
"
My
friend
would
never
have
left
Lacville
without
telling
me
.
"
The
commissionaire
went
on
:
"
But
I
have
brought
back
a
motor-cab
as
Madame
directed
me
to
do
.
"
She
paid
him
,
and
went
downstairs
hurriedly
.
What
an
extraordinary
mistake
!
It
was
out
of
the
question
that
Anna
should
have
left
Lacville
without
telling
her
;
but
as
the
motor
was
there
she
might
as
well
drive
to
the
Pension
Malfait
and
find
out
the
meaning
of
the
curt
message
,
and
also
why
her
own
letter
to
Anna
had
been
opened
.
If
Anna
had
gone
into
Paris
for
the
day
,
the
only
thing
to
do
was
to
go
for
a
drive
alone
.
The
prospect
was
not
exhilarating
,
but
it
would
be
better
than
staying
indoors
,
or
even
in
the
garden
by
herself
,
all
afternoon
.
Sylvia
felt
rather
troubled
and
uncomfortable
as
she
got
into
the
open
motor
.
Somehow
she
had
counted
on
seeing
Anna
to-day
.
She
remembered
her
friend
's
last
words
to
her
.
They
had
been
kind
,
tender
words
,
and
though
Anna
did
not
approve
of
Sylvia
's
friendship
for
Paul
de
Virieu
,
she
had
spoken
in
a
very
understanding
,
sympathetic
way
,
almost
as
a
loving
mother
might
have
spoken
.
It
was
odd
of
Anna
not
to
have
left
word
she
was
going
to
Paris
for
the
day
.
In
any
case
,
the
Wachners
would
know
when
Anna
would
be
back
.
It
was
with
them
that
she
had
had
supper
yesterday
evening
—
.
While
these
thoughts
were
passing
disconnectedly
through
Sylvia
's
mind
,
she
suddenly
saw
the
substantial
figure
of
Madame
Wachner
walking
slowly
along
the
sanded
path
by
the
side
of
the
road
.
"
Madame
Wachner
!
Madame
Wachner
!
"
she
cried
out
eagerly
,
and
the
car
drew
up
with
a
jerk
.
That
citizeness
of
the
world
,
as
she
had
called
herself
,
stepped
down
from
the
kerb
.
She
looked
hot
and
tired
.
It
was
a
most
unusual
time
for
Madame
Wachner
to
be
out
walking
,
and
by
herself
,
in
Lacville
.
But
Sylvia
was
thinking
too
much
about
Anna
Wolsky
to
trouble
about
anything
else
.
"
Have
you
heard
that
Anna
Wolsky
is
away
for
the
day
?
"
she
exclaimed
.
"
I
have
received
such
a
mysterious
message
from
the
Pension
Malfait
!
Do
come
with
me
there
and
find
out
where
she
has
gone
and
when
she
is
coming
back
.
Did
she
say
anything
about
going
into
Paris
when
she
had
supper
with
you
last
night
?
"
With
a
smile
and
many
voluble
thanks
Madame
Wachner
climbed
up
into
the
open
car
,
and
sat
back
with
a
sigh
of
satisfaction
.
She
was
very
stout
,
though
still
so
vigorous
,
and
her
shrewd
,
determined
face
now
turned
smilingly
to
the
pretty
,
anxious-eyed
Englishwoman
.
But
she
waited
a
few
moments
before
answering
Sylvia
's
eager
questions
.
Then
,
"
I
cannot
tell
you
,
"
she
said
slowly
and
in
French
,
"
what
has
happened
to
Madame
Wolsky
—
"
"
What
has
happened
to
her
!
"
cried
Sylvia
.
"
What
do
you
mean
,
Madame
Wachner
?
"
"
Oh
,
of
course
,
nothing
'
as
'
appened
.
"
Madame
Wachner
dropped
soothingly
into
English
.
"
All
I
mean
is
that
Madame
Wolsky
did
not
come
to
us
yesterday
evening
.
We
stayed
in
on
purpose
,
but
,
as
English
people
say
so
funnily
,
she
never
turn
up
!
"
"
But
she
was
coming
to
tea
as
well
as
to
supper
!
"
"
Yes
,
we
waited
for
'
er
a
long
time
,
and
I
'
ad
got
such
a
beautiful
little
supper
!
But
,
alas
!
she
did
not
come
—
no
,
not
at
all
.
"
"
How
odd
of
her
!
Perhaps
she
got
a
telegram
which
contained
bad
news
—
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Madame
Wachner
eagerly
,
"
no
doubt
.
For
this
morning
when
I
go
to
the
Pension
Malfait
,
I
'
ear
that
she
'
as
gone
away
!
It
was
for
that
I
was
'
urrying
to
the
Villa
du
Lac
to
see
if
you
knew
anything
,
dear
friend
.
"
"
Gone
away
?
"
repeated
Sylvia
,
bewildered
.
"
But
it
is
inconceivable
that
Anna
could
have
left
Lacville
without
telling
me
—
or
,
for
the
matter
of
that
,
without
telling
you
,
too
—
"
"
She
'
as
taken
what
you
in
England
call
'
French
leave
,
'
"
said
Madame
Wachner
drily
.
"
It
was
not
very
considerate
of
'
er
.
She
might
'
ave
sent
us
word
last
night
.
We
would
not
then
'
ave
waited
to
'
ave
our
nice
supper
.
"
"
She
ca
n't
have
gone
away
without
telling
me
,
"
repeated
Sylvia
.
She
was
staring
straight
into
her
companion
's
red
face
:
Madame
Wachner
still
looked
very
hot
and
breathless
.
"
I
am
sure
she
would
never
have
done
such
a
thing
.
Why
should
she
?
"
The
older
woman
shrugged
her
shoulders
.
"
I
expect
she
will
come
back
soon
,
"
she
said
consolingly
.
"
She
'
as
left
her
luggage
at
the
Pension
Malfait
,
and
that
,
after
all
,
does
not
look
as
if
she
'
as
gone
for
evare
!
"
"
Left
her
luggage
?
"
cried
Sylvia
,
in
a
relieved
tone
.
"
Why
,
then
,
of
course
,
she
is
coming
back
!
I
expect
she
has
gone
to
Paris
for
a
night
in
order
to
see
friends
passing
through
.
How
could
the
Pension
Malfait
people
think
she
had
gone
—
I
mean
for
good
?
You
know
,
Madame
Wachner
"
—
she
lowered
her
voice
,
for
she
did
not
wish
the
driver
to
hear
what
she
was
about
to
say
—
"
you
know
that
Anna
won
a
very
large
sum
of
money
two
nights
ago
.
"
Sylvia
Bailey
was
aware
that
people
had
been
robbed
and
roughly
handled
,
even
in
idyllic
Lacville
,
when
leaving
the
Casino
after
an
especial
stroke
of
luck
at
the
tables
.
"
I
do
hope
nothing
has
happened
to
her
!
"
"
'
Appened
to
'
er
?
What
do
you
mean
?
"
Madame
Wachner
spoke
quite
crossly
.
"
Who
ever
thought
of
such
a
thing
!
"
And
she
fanned
herself
vigorously
with
a
paper
fan
she
held
in
her
left
hand
.
"
As
to
her
winnings
—
yes
,
she
won
a
lot
of
money
the
night
she
took
the
bank
.
But
,
remember
that
she
'
as
'
ad
plenty
of
time
yesterday
to
lose
it
all
again
—
ah
,
yes
!
"
"
But
she
meant
to
give
up
play
till
Monday
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
eagerly
.
"
I
feel
sure
she
never
went
inside
the
Casino
yesterday
.
"
"
Oh
,
but
she
did
.
My
'
usband
saw
her
there
.
"
"
At
what
time
?
"
asked
Sylvia
,
eagerly
.
"
Let
me
see
—
"
"
Of
course
,
it
must
have
been
early
,
as
you
were
back
waiting
for
her
late
in
the
afternoon
.
"
"
Yes
,
it
must
have
been
early
.
And
once
in
the
Casino
!
—
well
,
dear
friend
,
you
know
as
well
as
I
do
that
with
Madame
Wolsky
the
money
flies
!
Still
,
let
us
suppose
she
did
not
lose
'
er
money
yesterday
.
In
that
case
surely
Madame
Wolsky
would
'
ave
done
well
to
leave
Lacville
with
'
er
gains
in
'
er
pocket-book
.
"
Madame
Wachner
was
leaning
back
in
the
car
,
a
ruminating
smile
on
her
broad
,
good-tempered
face
.
She
was
thoroughly
enjoying
the
rush
through
the
air
.
It
was
very
hot
,
and
she
disliked
walking
.
Her
morose
husband
very
seldom
allowed
her
to
take
a
cab
.
He
generally
forced
her
to
walk
to
the
Casino
and
back
.
Something
of
a
philosopher
was
Madame
Wachner
,
always
accepting
with
eager
,
out-stretched
hands
that
with
which
the
gods
provided
her
.
And
all
at
once
pretty
Sylvia
Bailey
,
though
unobservant
as
happy
,
prosperous
youth
so
often
is
,
conceived
the
impression
that
her
companion
did
not
at
all
wish
to
discuss
Anna
's
sudden
departure
.
Madame
Wachner
had
evidently
been
very
much
annoyed
by
Anna
's
lack
of
civility
,
and
surely
the
least
Anna
could
have
done
would
have
been
to
send
a
message
saying
that
it
was
impossible
for
her
to
come
to
supper
at
the
Châlet
des
Muguets
!
"
I
am
quite
sure
Anna
did
not
mean
to
be
rude
,
dear
Madame
Wachner
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
earnestly
.
"
You
know
she
may
have
sent
you
a
letter
or
a
message
which
miscarried
.
They
are
rather
careless
people
at
the
Pension
Malfait
.
"
"
Yes
,
of
course
,
that
is
always
possible
,
"
said
the
other
rather
coldly
.
And
then
,
as
they
came
within
sight
of
the
Pension
Malfait
,
Madame
Wachner
suddenly
placed
her
large
,
powerful
,
bare
hand
on
Sylvia
's
small
gloved
one
.
"
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
!
"
She
waited
a
moment
,
then
slowly
,
and
in
English
,
she
said
,
"
I
believe
in
my
'
eart
that
she
'
as
gone
off
to
Aix
.
The
play
'
ere
was
not
big
enough
for
'
er
.
And
remember
that
you
'
ave
good
friends
still
left
in
Lacville
.
I
do
not
only
speak
of
me
and
of
my
'
usband
,
but
also
of
another
one
.
"
She
laughed
,
if
good-naturedly
,
then
a
little
maliciously
.
But
Sylvia
gave
no
answering
smile
.
She
told
herself
that
Madame
Wachner
,
though
kindly
,
was
certainly
rather
vulgar
,
not
to
say
coarse
.
And
her
words
about
Madame
Wolsky
were
really
unkind
.
Anna
was
not
such
a
gambler
as
was
Fritz
Wachner
.
They
were
now
at
the
gate
of
the
boarding
house
.
"
We
will
,
at
any
rate
,
go
in
and
find
out
when
Anna
left
,
and
if
she
said
where
she
was
going
,
"
said
Sylvia
.
"
If
you
do
not
mind
,
"
observed
Madame
Wachner
,
"
I
will
remain
out
here
,
in
the
car
.
They
have
already
seen
me
this
morning
at
the
Pension
Malfait
.
They
must
be
quite
tired
of
seeing
me
.
"
Sylvia
felt
rather
disappointed
.
She
would
have
liked
the
support
of
Madame
Wachner
's
cheerful
presence
when
making
her
inquiries
,
for
she
was
aware
that
the
proprietors
of
Anna
's
pension
—
M
.
and
Madame
Malfait
—
had
been
very
much
annoyed
that
she
,
Sylvia
,
had
not
joined
her
friend
there
.
Madame
Malfait
was
sitting
in
her
usual
place
—
that
is
,
in
a
little
glass
cage
in
the
hall
—
and
when
she
saw
Mrs.
Bailey
coming
towards
her
,
a
look
of
impatience
,
almost
of
dislike
,
crossed
her
thin
,
shrewd
face
.
"
Bon
jour
,
Madame
!
"
she
said
curtly
.
"
I
suppose
you
also
have
come
to
ask
me
about
Madame
Wolsky
?
But
I
think
you
must
have
heard
all
there
is
to
hear
from
the
lady
whom
I
see
out
there
in
the
car
.
I
can
tell
you
nothing
more
than
I
have
already
told
her
.
Madame
Wolsky
has
treated
us
with
great
want
of
consideration
.
She
did
not
come
home
last
evening
.
Poor
Malfait
waited
up
all
night
,
wondering
what
could
be
the
matter
.
And
then
,
this
morning
,
we
found
a
letter
in
her
room
saying
she
had
gone
away
!
"
"
A
letter
in
her
room
?
"
exclaimed
Sylvia
.
"
Madame
Wachner
did
not
tell
me
that
my
friend
had
left
a
letter
—
"
But
Madame
Malfait
went
on
angrily
:
"
Madame
Wolsky
need
not
have
troubled
to
write
!
A
word
of
explanation
would
have
been
better
,
and
would
have
prevented
my
husband
sitting
up
till
five
o'clock
this
morning
.
We
quite
feared
something
must
have
happened
to
her
.
But
we
have
a
great
dislike
to
any
affair
with
the
police
,
and
so
we
thought
we
would
wait
before
telling
them
of
her
disappearance
,
and
it
is
indeed
fortunate
that
we
did
so
!
"
"
Will
you
kindly
show
me
the
letter
she
left
for
you
?
"
said
Sylvia
.
Without
speaking
,
Madame
Malfait
bent
down
over
her
table
,
and
then
held
out
a
piece
of
notepaper
on
which
were
written
the
words
:
Madame
Malfait
,
—
Being
unexpectedly
obliged
to
leave
Lacville
,
I
enclose
herewith
200
francs
.
Please
pay
what
is
owing
to
you
out
of
it
,
and
distribute
the
rest
among
the
servants
.
I
will
send
you
word
where
to
forward
my
luggage
in
a
day
or
two
.
Sylvia
stared
reflectively
at
the
open
letter
.
Anna
had
not
even
signed
her
name
.
The
few
lines
were
very
clear
,
written
in
a
large
,
decided
handwriting
,
considerably
larger
,
or
so
it
seemed
to
Sylvia
,
than
what
she
had
thought
Anna
's
ordinary
hand
to
be
.
But
then
the
Englishwoman
had
not
had
the
opportunity
of
seeing
much
of
her
Polish
friend
's
caligraphy
.
Before
she
had
quite
finished
reading
the
mysterious
letter
over
a
second
time
,
Madame
Malfait
took
it
out
of
her
hand
.
But
Sylvia
Bailey
was
entirely
unused
to
being
snubbed
—
pretty
young
women
provided
with
plenty
of
money
seldom
are
snubbed
—
and
so
she
did
not
turn
away
and
leave
the
hall
,
as
Madame
Malfait
hoped
she
would
do
.
"
What
a
strange
thing
!
"
she
observed
,
in
a
troubled
tone
.
"
How
extraordinary
it
is
that
my
friend
should
have
gone
away
like
this
,
leaving
her
luggage
behind
her
!
What
can
possibly
have
made
her
want
to
leave
Lacville
in
such
a
hurry
?
She
was
actually
engaged
to
have
dinner
with
our
friends
,
Monsieur
and
Madame
Wachner
.
Did
she
not
send
them
any
sort
of
message
,
Madame
Malfait
?
I
wish
you
would
try
and
remember
what
she
said
when
she
went
out
.
"
The
Frenchwoman
looked
at
her
with
a
curious
stare
.
"
If
you
ask
me
to
tell
you
the
truth
,
Madame
,
"
she
replied
,
rather
insolently
,
"
I
have
no
doubt
at
all
that
your
friend
went
to
the
Casino
yesterday
and
lost
a
great
deal
of
money
—
that
she
became
,
in
fact
,
décavée
.
"
Then
,
feeling
ashamed
,
both
of
her
rudeness
and
of
her
frankness
,
she
added
:
"
But
Madame
Wolsky
is
a
very
honest
lady
,
that
I
will
say
for
her
.
You
see
,
she
left
enough
money
to
pay
for
everything
,
as
well
as
to
provide
my
servants
with
handsome
gratuities
.
That
is
more
than
the
last
person
who
left
the
Pension
Malfait
in
a
hurry
troubled
to
do
!
"
"
But
is
it
not
extraordinary
that
she
left
her
luggage
,
and
that
she
did
not
even
tell
you
where
she
was
going
?
"
repeated
Sylvia
in
a
worried
,
dissatisfied
tone
.
"
Pardon
me
,
Madame
,
that
is
not
strange
at
all
!
Madame
Wolsky
probably
went
off
to
Paris
without
knowing
exactly
where
she
meant
to
stay
,
and
no
one
wants
to
take
luggage
with
them
when
they
are
looking
round
for
an
hotel
.
I
am
expecting
at
any
moment
to
receive
a
telegram
telling
me
where
to
send
the
luggage
.
You
,
Madame
,
if
you
permit
me
to
say
so
,
have
not
had
my
experience
—
my
experience
,
I
mean
,
in
the
matter
of
ladies
who
play
at
the
Lacville
Casino
.
"
There
was
still
a
tone
of
covert
insolence
in
her
voice
,
and
she
went
on
,
"
True
,
Madame
Wolsky
has
not
behaved
as
badly
as
she
might
have
done
.
Still
,
you
must
admit
that
it
is
rather
inconsiderate
of
her
,
after
engaging
the
room
for
the
whole
of
the
month
of
August
,
to
go
off
like
this
!
"
Madame
Malfait
felt
thoroughly
incensed
,
and
did
not
trouble
to
conceal
the
fact
.
But
as
Mrs.
Bailey
at
last
began
walking
towards
the
front
door
,
the
landlady
of
the
pension
hurried
after
her
.
"
Madame
will
not
say
too
much
about
her
friend
's
departure
,
will
she
?
"
she
said
more
graciously
.
"
I
do
not
want
any
embarrassments
with
the
police
.
Everything
is
quite
en
règle
,
is
it
not
?
After
all
,
Madame
Wolsky
had
a
right
to
go
away
without
telling
anyone
of
her
plans
,
had
she
not
,
Madame
?
"
Sylvia
turned
round
.
"
Certainly
,
she
had
an
entire
right
to
do
so
,
"
she
answered
coldly
.
"
But
,
still
,
I
should
be
much
obliged
if
you
will
send
me
word
when
you
receive
the
telegram
you
are
expecting
her
to
send
you
about
the
luggage
.
"
"
Well
?
"
cried
Madame
Wachner
eagerly
,
as
Sylvia
silently
got
into
the
motor
again
.
"
Have
you
learnt
anything
?
Have
they
not
had
news
of
our
friend
?
"
"
They
have
heard
nothing
since
they
found
that
odd
letter
of
hers
,
"
said
Sylvia
.
"
You
never
told
me
about
the
letter
,
Madame
Wachner
?
"
"
Ah
,
that
letter
!
I
saw
it
,
too
.
But
it
said
nothing
,
absolutely
nothing
!
"
exclaimed
Madame
Wachner
.
And
Sylvia
suddenly
realised
that
in
truth
Anna
's
letter
did
say
nothing
.
"
I
should
have
thought
they
would
have
had
a
telegram
to-day
about
the
luggage
.
"
"
So
would
I
,
"
said
Sylvia
.
And
then
musingly
,
"
I
should
never
,
never
have
expected
Anna
Wolsky
to
go
off
like
that
.
So
—
so
mysteriously
—
"
"
Well
,
there
,
I
quite
disagree
with
you
!
It
is
just
what
I
should
have
expected
her
to
do
!
"
exclaimed
Madame
Wachner
.
"
She
told
me
of
that
visit
you
both
made
to
the
soothsayer
.
Perhaps
she
made
up
in
her
mind
to
follow
that
person
's
advice
.
Our
friend
was
always
a
little
mysterious
,
was
she
not
?
Did
she
ever
talk
to
you
of
her
family
,
of
her
friends
?
"
She
looked
inquisitively
at
her
companion
.
"
Yes
—
no
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
hesitating
.
"
I
do
not
think
poor
Anna
has
many
relations
.
You
see
,
she
is
a
widow
.
I
believe
her
father
and
mother
are
dead
.
"
"
Ah
,
that
is
very
sad
!
Then
you
do
not
know
of
anyone
to
write
to
about
her
?
"
"
I
?
"
said
Sylvia
.
"
No
,
of
course
I
do
n't
know
of
anyone
to
write
to
.
How
could
I
?
I
have
n't
known
her
very
long
,
you
know
,
Madame
Wachner
.
But
we
became
friends
almost
at
once
.
"
The
motor
was
still
stationary
.
The
driver
turned
round
for
orders
.
Sylvia
roused
herself
.
"
Can
I
drive
you
back
to
the
Châlet
des
Muguets
?
"
she
asked
.
"
Somehow
I
do
n't
feel
inclined
to
take
a
drive
in
the
forest
now
.
"
"
If
you
do
not
mind
,
"
said
Madame
Wachner
,
"
I
should
prefer
to
be
driven
to
the
station
,
for
l'Ami
Fritz
had
to
go
to
Paris
.
"
She
laughed
ruefully
.
"
To
fetch
money
,
as
usual
!
His
system
did
not
work
at
all
well
yesterday
—
poor
Fritz
!
"
"
How
horrid
!
"
said
Sylvia
.
"
It
must
be
very
disappointing
to
your
husband
when
his
system
goes
wrong
.
"
"
Yes
,
very
,
"
answered
the
wife
drily
.
"
But
when
one
system
fails
—
well
,
then
he
at
once
sets
himself
to
inventing
another
!
I
lose
a
great
deal
more
in
the
lower
room
playing
with
francs
than
Fritz
does
at
baccarat
playing
with
gold
.
You
see
,
a
system
has
this
good
about
it
—
the
player
generally
comes
out
even
at
the
end
of
each
month
.
"
"
Does
he
,
indeed
?
"
But
Sylvia
was
not
attending
to
what
the
other
was
saying
.
She
was
still
absorbed
in
the
thought
of
her
friend
,
and
of
the
mystery
of
her
friend
's
sudden
departure
from
Lacville
.
When
at
last
they
reached
the
station
,
Madame
Wachner
turned
and
grasped
Sylvia
by
the
hand
.
"
We
must
not
let
you
become
low-spirited
!
"
she
exclaimed
.
"
It
is
a
great
pity
your
kind
friend
has
gone
away
.
But
doubtless
you
will
soon
be
going
away
,
too
?
"
And
,
as
Sylvia
made
no
answer
,
"
Perhaps
it
would
be
well
not
to
say
too
much
concerning
Madame
Wolsky
having
left
like
this
.
She
might
come
back
any
moment
,
and
then
she
would
not
like
it
if
there
had
been
a
fuss
made
about
it
!
If
I
were
you
I
would
tell
nobody
—
I
repeat
emphatically
nobody
.
"
Madame
Wachner
stared
significantly
at
Sylvia
.
"
You
do
not
know
what
the
police
of
Lacville
are
like
,
my
dear
friend
.
They
are
very
unpleasant
people
.
As
you
were
Anna
's
only
friend
in
the
place
,
they
might
give
you
considerable
trouble
.
They
would
ask
you
where
to
look
for
her
,
and
they
would
torment
you
incessantly
.
If
I
were
you
I
would
say
as
little
as
possible
.
"
Madame
Wachner
spoke
very
quickly
,
almost
breathlessly
,
and
Sylvia
felt
vaguely
uncomfortable
.
There
was
,
of
course
,
only
one
person
to
whom
she
was
likely
to
mention
the
fact
,
and
that
was
Paul
de
Virieu
.
Was
it
possible
that
Madame
Wachner
wished
to
warn
her
against
telling
him
of
a
fact
which
he
was
sure
to
discover
for
himself
in
the
course
of
a
day
or
two
?
CHAPTER
XV
As
Sylvia
drove
away
alone
from
the
station
,
she
felt
exceedingly
troubled
and
unhappy
.
It
was
all
very
well
for
Madame
Wachner
to
take
the
matter
of
Anna
Wolsky
's
disappearance
from
Lacville
so
philosophically
.
The
Wachners
'
acquaintance
with
Madame
Wolsky
had
been
really
very
slight
,
and
they
naturally
knew
nothing
of
the
Polish
woman
's
inner
nature
and
temperament
.
Sylvia
told
herself
that
Anna
must
have
been
in
great
trouble
,
and
that
something
very
serious
must
have
happened
to
her
,
before
she
could
have
gone
away
like
this
,
without
saying
anything
about
it
.
If
poor
Anna
had
changed
her
mind
,
and
gone
to
the
Casino
the
day
before
,
she
might
,
of
course
,
have
lost
all
her
winnings
and
more
.
Sylvia
reminded
herself
that
it
stood
to
reason
that
if
one
could
make
hundreds
of
pounds
in
an
hour
or
two
,
then
one
might
equally
lose
hundreds
of
pounds
in
the
same
time
.
But
somehow
she
could
hardly
believe
that
her
friend
had
been
so
foolish
.
Still
,
how
else
to
account
for
Anna
's
disappearance
,
her
sudden
exit
from
Lacville
?
Anna
Wolsky
was
a
proud
woman
,
and
Sylvia
suspected
that
if
she
had
come
unexpectedly
to
the
end
of
her
resources
,
she
would
have
preferred
to
go
away
rather
than
confide
her
trouble
to
a
new
friend
.
Tears
slowly
filled
Sylvia
Bailey
's
blue
eyes
.
She
felt
deeply
hurt
by
Anna
's
strange
conduct
.
Madame
Wachner
's
warning
as
to
saying
as
little
as
possible
of
the
other
's
departure
from
Lacville
had
made
very
little
impression
on
Sylvia
,
yet
it
so
far
affected
her
that
,
instead
of
telling
Monsieur
Polperro
of
the
fact
the
moment
she
was
back
at
the
Villa
du
Lac
,
she
went
straight
up
to
her
own
room
.
But
when
there
she
found
that
she
could
settle
down
to
nothing
—
neither
to
a
book
nor
to
letters
.
Since
her
husband
's
death
Sylvia
Bailey
's
social
circle
had
become
much
larger
,
and
there
were
a
number
of
people
who
enjoyed
inviting
and
meeting
the
pretty
,
wealthy
young
widow
.
But
just
now
all
these
friends
of
hers
in
far-away
England
seemed
quite
unreal
and
,
above
all
,
quite
uninteresting
.
Sylvia
told
herself
with
bitter
pain
,
and
again
the
tears
sprang
to
her
eyes
,
that
no
one
in
the
wide
world
really
cared
for
her
.
Those
people
who
had
been
going
to
Switzerland
had
thrown
her
over
without
a
thought
.
Anna
Wolsky
,
who
had
spoken
as
if
she
really
loved
her
only
a
day
or
two
ago
,
and
who
had
made
that
love
her
excuse
for
a
somewhat
impertinent
interference
in
Sylvia
's
private
affairs
,
had
left
Lacville
without
even
sending
her
word
that
she
was
leaving
!
True
,
she
had
a
new
and
a
delightful
friend
in
Count
Paul
de
Virieu
.
But
what
if
Anna
had
been
right
?
What
if
Count
Paul
were
a
dangerous
friend
,
or
,
worse
still
,
only
amusing
himself
at
her
expense
?
True
,
he
had
taken
her
to
see
his
sister
;
but
that
,
after
all
,
might
not
mean
very
much
.
Sylvia
Bailey
went
through
a
very
mournful
hour
.
She
felt
terribly
depressed
and
unhappy
,
and
at
last
,
though
there
was
still
a
considerable
time
to
dinner
,
she
went
downstairs
and
out
into
the
garden
with
a
book
.
And
then
,
in
a
moment
,
everything
was
changed
.
From
sad
,
she
became
happy
;
from
mournful
and
self-pitying
,
full
of
exquisite
content
.
Looking
up
,
Sylvia
had
seen
the
now
familiar
figure
of
Count
Paul
de
Virieu
hurrying
towards
her
.
How
early
he
had
left
Paris
!
She
had
understood
that
he
meant
to
come
back
by
the
last
train
,
or
more
probably
to-morrow
morning
.
"
Paris
was
so
hot
,
and
my
sister
found
that
friends
of
hers
were
passing
through
,
so
I
came
back
earlier
than
I
meant
to
do
,
"
he
said
a
little
lamely
;
and
then
,
"
Is
anything
the
matter
?
"
He
looked
with
quick
,
anxious
concern
into
her
pale
face
and
red-lidded
eyes
.
"
Did
you
have
a
bad
night
at
the
tables
?
"
Sylvia
shook
her
head
.
"
Something
so
strange
—
so
unexpected
—
has
happened
.
"
Her
mouth
quivered
.
"
Anna
Wolsky
has
left
Lacville
!
"
"
Left
Lacville
?
"
Count
Paul
repeated
,
in
almost
as
incredulous
a
tone
as
that
in
which
Sylvia
herself
had
said
the
words
when
the
news
had
been
first
brought
her
.
"
Have
you
and
she
quarrelled
,
Mrs.
Bailey
?
You
permit
?
"
He
waited
till
she
looked
up
and
said
listlessly
,
"
Yes
,
please
do
,
"
before
lighting
his
cigarette
.
"
Quarrelled
?
Oh
,
no
!
She
has
simply
gone
away
without
telling
me
!
"
The
Comte
de
Virieu
looked
surprised
,
but
not
particularly
sorry
.
"
That
's
very
strange
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
should
have
thought
your
friend
was
not
likely
to
leave
Lacville
for
many
weeks
to
come
.
"
His
acute
French
mind
had
already
glanced
at
all
the
sides
of
the
situation
,
and
he
was
surprised
at
the
mixed
feelings
which
filled
his
heart
.
With
the
Polish
woman
gone
,
his
young
English
friend
was
not
likely
to
stay
on
at
such
a
place
as
Lacville
alone
.
"
But
where
has
Madame
Wolsky
gone
?
"
he
asked
quickly
.
"
And
why
has
she
left
?
Surely
she
is
coming
back
?
"
(
Sylvia
could
certainly
stay
on
a
few
days
alone
at
Lacville
,
if
her
friend
was
coming
back
.
)
But
what
was
this
that
Mrs.
Bailey
was
saying
in
so
plaintive
a
tone
?
"
That
's
the
extraordinary
thing
about
it
!
I
have
n't
the
slightest
idea
where
Anna
is
,
or
why
she
has
left
Lacville
.
"
In
spite
of
herself
her
voice
trembled
.
"
She
did
not
give
me
the
slightest
warning
of
what
she
was
thinking
of
doing
;
in
fact
,
only
a
few
days
ago
,
when
we
were
talking
of
our
future
plans
,
I
tried
to
persuade
her
to
come
back
to
England
with
me
on
a
long
visit
.
"
"
Tell
me
all
that
happened
,
"
he
said
,
sitting
down
and
speaking
in
the
eager
,
kindly
way
he
seemed
to
keep
for
Sylvia
alone
.
And
then
Sylvia
told
him
.
She
described
the
coming
of
the
messenger
,
her
journey
to
the
Pension
Malfait
,
and
she
repeated
,
as
far
as
was
possible
,
the
exact
words
of
her
friend
's
curiously-worded
,
abrupt
letter
to
Madame
Malfait
.
"
They
all
think
,
"
she
said
at
last
,
"
that
Anna
went
to
the
Casino
and
lost
all
her
money
—
both
the
money
she
made
,
and
the
money
she
brought
here
;
and
that
then
,
not
liking
to
tell
even
me
anything
about
it
,
she
made
up
her
mind
to
go
away
.
"
"
They
all
think
this
?
"
repeated
Count
Paul
,
meaningly
.
"
Whom
do
you
mean
by
all
,
Mrs.
Bailey
?
"
"
I
mean
the
people
at
the
Pension
Malfait
,
and
the
Wachners
—
"
"
Then
you
saw
the
Wachners
to-day
?
"
"
I
met
Madame
Wachner
as
I
was
going
to
the
Pension
Malfait
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
"
and
she
went
there
with
me
.
You
see
,
the
Wachners
asked
Anna
to
have
supper
with
them
yesterday
,
and
they
waited
for
her
ever
so
long
,
but
she
never
came
.
That
makes
it
clear
that
she
must
have
left
Lacville
some
time
in
the
early
afternoon
.
I
wish
—
I
cannot
help
wishing
—
that
I
had
not
gone
into
Paris
yesterday
,
Count
Paul
.
"
And
then
suddenly
she
realised
how
ungracious
her
words
must
sound
.
"
No
,
no
,
"
she
cried
,
impetuously
.
"
Of
course
,
I
do
not
mean
that
!
I
had
a
very
,
very
happy
time
,
and
your
sister
was
very
kind
and
sweet
to
me
.
But
it
makes
me
unhappy
to
think
that
Anna
may
have
been
worried
and
anxious
about
money
with
me
away
—
"
There
was
a
pause
,
and
then
,
in
a
very
different
voice
,
Sylvia
Bailey
asked
the
Comte
de
Virieu
a
question
that
seemed
to
him
utterly
irrelevant
.
"
Do
you
believe
in
fortune-tellers
?
"
she
asked
abruptly
.
"
Are
you
superstitious
?
"
"
Like
everyone
else
,
I
have
been
to
such
people
,
"
he
answered
indifferently
.
"
But
if
you
ask
my
true
opinion
—
well
,
no
;
I
am
quite
sceptical
!
There
may
be
something
in
what
these
dealers
in
hope
sometimes
say
,
but
more
often
there
is
nothing
.
In
fact
,
you
must
remember
that
a
witch
generally
tells
her
client
what
she
believes
her
client
wishes
to
hear
.
"
"
Madame
Wachner
is
inclined
to
think
that
Anna
left
Lacville
because
of
something
which
a
fortune-teller
told
her
—
indeed
told
both
of
us
—
before
we
came
here
.
"
Mrs.
Bailey
was
digging
the
point
of
her
parasol
in
the
grass
.
"
Tiens
!
Tiens
!
"
he
exclaimed
.
"
That
is
an
odd
idea
!
Pray
tell
me
all
about
it
.
Did
you
and
your
friend
consult
a
fashionable
necromancer
,
or
did
you
content
yourselves
with
going
to
a
cheap
witch
?
"
"
To
quite
a
cheap
witch
.
"
Sylvia
laughed
happily
;
she
was
beginning
to
feel
really
better
now
.
She
rather
wondered
that
she
had
never
told
Count
Paul
about
that
strange
visit
to
the
fortune-teller
,
but
she
had
been
taught
,
as
are
so
many
Englishwomen
of
her
type
,
to
regard
everything
savouring
of
superstition
as
not
only
silly
and
weak-minded
,
but
also
as
rather
discreditable
.
"
The
woman
called
herself
Madame
Cagliostra
,
"
she
went
on
gaily
,
"
and
she
only
charged
five
francs
.
In
the
end
we
did
pay
her
fifteen
.
But
she
gave
us
plenty
for
our
money
,
I
assure
you
—
in
fact
,
I
ca
n't
remember
half
the
things
she
said
!
"
"
And
to
you
was
prophesied
—
?
"
Count
Paul
leant
forward
and
looked
at
her
fixedly
.
Sylvia
blushed
.
"
Oh
,
she
told
me
all
sorts
of
things
!
As
you
say
they
do
n't
really
know
anything
;
they
only
guess
.
One
of
the
things
that
she
told
me
was
that
it
was
possible
,
in
fact
,
quite
likely
,
that
I
should
never
go
back
to
England
—
I
mean
at
all
!
And
that
if
I
did
so
,
I
should
go
as
a
stranger
.
Was
n't
that
absurd
?
"
"
Quite
absurd
,
"
said
Count
Paul
,
quietly
.
"
For
even
if
you
married
again
,
Madame
;
if
you
married
a
Frenchman
,
for
instance
,
you
would
still
wish
to
go
back
to
your
own
country
sometimes
—
at
least
,
I
suppose
so
.
"
"
Of
course
I
should
.
"
And
once
more
Sylvia
reddened
violently
.
But
this
time
Count
Paul
felt
no
pleasure
in
watching
the
flood
of
carmine
staining
not
only
the
smooth
,
rounded
cheek
,
but
the
white
forehead
and
neck
of
his
fair
English
friend
.
Sylvia
went
on
speaking
,
a
little
quickly
.
"
She
said
almost
the
same
thing
to
Anna
.
Was
n't
that
odd
?
I
mean
she
said
that
Anna
would
probably
never
go
back
to
her
own
country
.
But
what
was
really
very
strange
was
that
she
did
not
seem
to
be
able
to
see
into
Anna
's
future
at
all
.
And
then
—
oh
well
,
she
behaved
very
oddly
.
After
we
had
gone
she
called
us
back
—
"
Sylvia
stopped
for
a
moment
.
"
Well
?
"
said
Count
Paul
eagerly
.
"
What
happened
then
?
"
He
seldom
allowed
himself
the
pleasure
of
looking
into
Sylvia
's
blue
eyes
.
Now
he
asked
for
nothing
better
than
that
she
should
go
on
talking
while
he
went
on
looking
at
her
.
"
She
made
us
stand
side
by
side
—
you
must
understand
,
Count
,
that
we
had
already
paid
her
and
gone
away
—
when
she
called
us
back
.
She
stared
at
us
in
a
very
queer
sort
of
way
,
and
said
that
we
must
not
leave
Paris
,
or
if
we
did
leave
Paris
,
we
must
not
leave
together
.
She
said
that
if
we
did
so
we
should
run
into
danger
.
"
"
All
rather
vague
,
"
observed
the
Count
.
"
And
,
from
the
little
I
know
of
her
,
I
should
fancy
Madame
Wolsky
the
last
woman
in
the
world
to
be
really
influenced
by
that
kind
of
thing
.
"
He
hardly
knew
what
he
was
saying
.
His
only
wish
was
that
Sylvia
would
go
on
talking
to
him
in
the
intimate
,
confiding
fashion
she
was
now
doing
.
Heavens
!
How
wretched
,
how
lonely
he
had
felt
in
Paris
after
seeing
her
off
the
day
before
!
"
Oh
,
but
at
the
time
Anna
was
very
much
impressed
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
quickly
.
"
Far
more
than
I
was
—
I
know
it
made
her
nervous
when
she
was
first
playing
at
the
tables
.
And
when
she
lost
so
much
money
the
first
week
we
were
here
she
said
to
me
,
'
That
woman
was
right
.
We
ought
not
to
have
come
to
Lacville
!
'
But
afterwards
,
when
she
began
to
be
so
wonderfully
lucky
,
she
forgot
all
about
it
,
or
,
rather
,
she
only
remembered
that
the
woman
had
said
to
her
that
she
would
have
a
great
run
of
luck
.
"
"
Then
the
woman
said
that
,
too
,
"
remarked
Count
Paul
,
absently
.
(
What
was
it
his
godmother
had
said
?
"
I
felicitate
you
on
your
conquest
,
naughty
Paul
!
"
and
he
had
felt
angry
,
even
disgusted
,
with
the
old
lady
's
cynical
compliment
.
She
had
added
,
meaningly
,
"
Why
not
turn
over
a
new
leaf
?
Why
not
marry
this
pretty
creature
?
We
should
all
be
pleased
to
see
you
behave
like
a
reasonable
human
being
.
"
)
But
Sylvia
was
answering
him
.
"
Yes
,
the
woman
said
that
Anna
would
be
very
lucky
.
"
The
Comte
de
Virieu
thought
for
a
moment
,
and
then
withdrew
his
eyes
from
his
friend
's
face
.
"
I
presume
you
have
already
telephoned
to
the
hotel
in
Paris
where
you
first
met
Madame
Wolsky
?
"
"
Why
,
it
never
occurred
to
me
to
do
that
!
"
cried
Sylvia
.
"
What
a
good
idea
!
"
"
Wait
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
will
go
and
do
it
for
you
.
"
But
five
minutes
later
he
came
back
,
shaking
his
head
.
"
I
am
sorry
to
say
the
people
at
the
Hôtel
de
l'Horloge
know
nothing
of
Madame
Wolsky
.
They
have
had
no
news
of
her
since
you
and
she
both
left
the
place
.
I
wonder
if
the
Wachners
know
more
of
her
disappearance
than
they
have
told
you
?
"
"
What
do
you
mean
?
"
asked
Sylvia
,
very
much
surprised
.
"
They
're
such
odd
people
,
"
he
said
,
in
a
dissatisfied
voice
.
"
And
you
know
they
were
always
with
your
friend
.
When
you
were
not
there
,
they
hardly
ever
left
her
for
a
moment
.
"
"
But
I
thought
I
had
told
you
how
distressed
they
are
about
it
?
How
they
waited
for
her
last
evening
and
how
she
never
came
?
Oh
no
,
the
Wachners
know
nothing
,
"
declared
Sylvia
confidently
.
CHAPTER
XVI
There
is
something
very
bewildering
and
distressing
in
the
sudden
disappearance
or
even
the
absence
of
a
human
being
to
whose
affectionate
and
constant
presence
one
has
become
accustomed
.
And
as
the
hours
went
by
,
and
no
letter
or
message
arrived
from
Anna
Wolsky
,
Sylvia
became
seriously
troubled
,
and
spent
much
of
her
time
walking
to
and
from
the
Pension
Malfait
.
Surely
Anna
could
not
have
left
Paris
,
still
less
France
,
without
her
luggage
?
All
sorts
of
dreadful
possibilities
crowded
on
Sylvia
's
mind
;
Anna
Wolsky
might
have
met
with
an
accident
:
she
might
now
be
lying
unidentified
in
a
Paris
hospital
...
.
At
last
she
grew
so
uneasy
about
her
friend
that
she
felt
she
must
do
something
!
Mine
host
of
the
Villa
du
Lac
was
kind
and
sympathetic
,
but
even
he
could
suggest
no
way
of
finding
out
where
Anna
had
gone
.
And
then
Sylvia
suddenly
bethought
herself
that
there
was
one
thing
she
could
do
which
she
had
not
done
:
she
could
surely
go
to
the
police
of
Lacville
and
ask
them
to
make
inquiries
in
Paris
as
to
whether
there
had
been
an
accident
of
which
the
victim
in
any
way
recalled
Anna
Wolsky
.
To
her
surprise
,
M
.
Polperro
shook
his
head
very
decidedly
.
"
Oh
no
,
do
not
go
to
the
police
!
"
he
said
in
an
anxious
tone
.
"
No
,
no
,
I
do
not
advise
you
to
do
that
!
Heaven
knows
I
would
do
anything
in
reason
to
help
you
,
Madame
,
to
find
your
friend
.
But
I
beg
of
you
not
to
ask
me
to
go
for
you
to
the
police
!
"
Sylvia
was
very
much
puzzled
.
Why
should
M
.
Polperro
be
so
unwilling
to
seek
the
help
of
the
law
in
so
simple
a
matter
as
this
?
"
I
will
go
myself
,
"
she
said
.
And
just
then
—
they
were
standing
in
the
hall
together
—
the
Comte
de
Virieu
came
up
.
"
What
is
it
you
will
do
yourself
,
Madame
?
"
he
asked
,
smiling
.
Sylvia
turned
to
him
eagerly
.
"
I
feel
that
I
should
like
to
speak
to
the
police
about
Anna
Wolsky
,
"
she
exclaimed
.
"
It
is
the
first
thing
one
would
do
in
England
if
a
friend
suddenly
disappeared
—
in
fact
,
the
police
are
always
looking
for
people
who
have
gone
away
in
a
mysterious
manner
.
You
see
,
I
ca
n't
help
being
afraid
,
Count
Paul
"
—
she
lowered
her
voice
—
"
that
Anna
has
met
with
some
dreadful
accident
.
She
has
n't
a
friend
in
Paris
!
Suppose
she
is
lying
now
in
some
hospital
,
unable
to
make
herself
understood
?
I
only
wish
that
I
had
a
photograph
of
Anna
that
I
could
take
to
them
.
"
"
Well
,
there
is
a
possibility
that
this
may
be
so
.
But
remember
it
is
even
more
probable
that
Madame
Wolsky
is
quite
well
,
and
that
she
will
be
annoyed
at
your
taking
any
such
step
to
find
her
.
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
slowly
.
"
I
know
that
is
quite
possible
.
And
yet
—
and
yet
it
is
so
very
unlike
Anna
not
to
send
me
a
word
of
explanation
!
And
then
,
you
know
in
that
letter
she
left
in
her
room
at
the
Pension
Malfait
she
positively
promised
to
send
a
telegram
about
her
luggage
.
Surely
it
is
very
strange
that
she
has
not
done
that
?
"
"
Well
,
if
you
really
wish
the
police
communicated
with
,
"
said
the
Comte
de
Virieu
,
"
I
will
go
to
the
police-station
here
,
with
pleasure
.
"
"
Why
should
we
not
go
together
?
"
asked
Sylvia
,
hesitatingly
.
"
By
all
means
.
But
think
over
what
we
are
to
say
when
we
get
there
.
If
your
friend
had
not
left
the
letter
behind
her
,
then
,
of
course
it
would
be
our
positive
duty
to
communicate
with
the
police
.
But
I
cannot
help
being
afraid
—
"
He
stopped
abruptly
.
"
Of
what
are
you
afraid
?
"
asked
Sylvia
eagerly
.
"
I
am
afraid
that
Madame
Wolsky
may
be
very
much
offended
by
your
interference
in
the
matter
.
"
"
Oh
,
no
!
"
cried
Sylvia
.
"
Indeed
,
in
that
you
are
quite
mistaken
!
I
know
Anna
would
never
be
offended
by
anything
I
could
do
.
She
was
very
fond
of
me
,
and
so
am
I
of
her
.
But
in
any
case
I
am
willing
to
risk
it
.
You
see
"
—
her
voice
broke
,
quivered
—
"
I
am
really
very
unhappy
about
Anna
—
"
"
When
would
you
like
to
go
to
the
Commissioner
of
Police
?
"
asked
the
Count
.
"
Is
there
any
reason
why
we
should
not
go
now
?
"
"
No.
Let
us
go
at
once
.
I
only
had
the
feeling
that
you
might
hear
from
her
any
moment
.
"
Together
they
walked
up
into
the
little
town
of
Lacville
.
To
each
any
expedition
in
which
the
other
took
part
had
become
delightful
.
They
were
together
now
more
than
they
had
ever
been
before
.
No
,
Count
Paul
could
not
be
sorry
that
Sylvia
's
friend
had
left
Lacville
.
He
had
no
wish
for
her
return
.
At
last
they
came
to
a
rather
mean-looking
white
house
;
out
of
one
of
the
windows
hung
a
tricolour
flag
.
"
Here
we
are
!
"
he
said
briefly
.
"
It
does
n't
look
a
very
imposing
place
,
"
said
Sylvia
smiling
.
But
all
the
same
,
as
the
Count
rang
the
bell
Sylvia
suddenly
felt
as
if
she
would
like
to
run
away
!
After
all
,
what
should
she
say
to
the
Commissioner
of
Police
?
Would
he
think
her
interference
in
Anna
's
affairs
strange
and
uncalled
for
?
But
she
kept
her
thoughts
to
herself
.
They
were
shown
into
a
room
where
a
tired-looking
man
bent
over
a
large
,
ink-stained
table
littered
over
with
papers
.
"
Monsieur
?
Madame
?
"
he
glanced
up
inquiringly
,
and
gave
them
a
searching
look
.
But
he
did
not
rise
from
the
table
,
as
Sylvia
expected
him
to
do
.
"
What
can
I
do
for
you
?
"
he
said
.
"
I
am
at
your
service
,
"
and
again
he
stared
with
insistent
curiosity
at
the
couple
before
him
,
at
the
well-dressed
young
Englishwoman
and
at
her
French
companion
.
The
Count
explained
at
some
length
why
they
had
come
.
And
then
at
last
the
Commissioner
of
Police
got
up
.
"
Madame
has
now
been
at
Lacville
three
weeks
?
"
—
and
he
quickly
made
a
note
of
the
fact
on
a
little
tablet
he
held
in
his
hand
.
"
And
her
friend
,
a
Polish
lady
named
Wolsky
,
has
left
Lacville
rather
suddenly
?
Madame
has
,
however
,
received
a
letter
from
her
friend
explaining
that
she
had
to
leave
unexpectedly
?
"
"
No
,
"
said
Sylvia
,
quickly
,
"
the
letter
was
not
sent
to
me
;
it
was
left
by
my
friend
in
her
bed-room
at
the
Pension
Malfait
.
You
see
,
the
strange
thing
,
Monsieur
,
is
that
Madame
Wolsky
left
all
her
luggage
.
She
took
absolutely
nothing
with
her
,
excepting
,
of
course
,
her
money
.
And
as
yet
nothing
has
come
from
her
,
although
she
promised
to
telegraph
where
her
luggage
was
to
be
sent
on
to
her
!
I
come
to
you
because
I
am
afraid
that
she
had
met
with
some
accident
in
the
Paris
streets
,
and
I
thought
you
would
be
able
to
telephone
for
us
to
the
Paris
Police
.
"
She
looked
very
piteously
at
the
French
official
,
and
his
face
softened
,
a
kindly
look
came
over
it
.
"
Well
,
Madame
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
will
certainly
do
everything
I
can
.
But
I
must
ask
you
to
provide
me
first
with
a
few
more
particulars
about
your
friend
.
"
"
I
will
tell
you
everything
I
know
.
But
I
really
do
not
know
very
much
.
"
"
Her
age
?
"
said
the
Commissioner
.
"
I
do
not
know
her
age
,
but
I
suppose
she
is
about
thirty
.
"
"
The
place
of
her
birth
?
"
Sylvia
shook
her
head
.
"
What
is
her
permanent
address
?
Surely
you
know
with
whom
you
could
communicate
the
news
of
an
accident
having
happened
to
her
?
"
"
I
am
afraid
I
do
n't
even
know
that
.
"
Sylvia
began
to
feel
rather
foolish
.
But
—
but
was
it
so
strange
after
all
?
Who
among
the
people
she
was
now
living
with
knew
anything
of
her
far-away
English
home
?
If
anything
happened
to
herself
,
for
instance
?
Even
Count
Paul
would
not
know
to
whom
to
write
.
It
was
an
odd
,
rather
an
uncomfortable
thought
.
The
Commissioner
went
to
a
drawer
and
pulled
out
from
it
a
portfolio
filled
with
loose
pieces
of
paper
.
"
Malfait
?
Malfait
?
Malfait
?
"
he
muttered
interrogatively
to
himself
.
And
at
last
he
found
what
he
was
looking
for
.
It
was
a
large
sheet
,
on
which
was
inscribed
in
large
round
letters
"
Pension
Malfait
.
"
There
were
many
close
lines
of
writing
under
the
words
.
He
looked
down
and
read
through
all
that
was
there
.
"
The
Pension
Malfait
has
a
good
reputation
!
"
he
exclaimed
,
in
a
relieved
tone
.
"
I
gather
from
what
you
say
,
Monsieur
,
"
—
he
gave
a
quick
shrewd
look
at
the
Count
—
"
that
Madame
and
her
friend
did
not
play
in
a
serious
sense
at
the
Casino
—
I
mean
,
there
was
no
large
sum
of
money
in
question
?
"
Count
Paul
hesitated
—
but
Sylvia
thought
that
surely
it
were
better
to
tell
the
truth
.
"
Yes
,
"
she
said
,
"
my
friend
did
play
,
and
she
played
rather
high
.
She
must
have
had
a
large
sum
of
money
in
her
possession
when
she
left
Lacville
,
unless
she
lost
it
all
on
the
last
day
.
But
I
was
in
Paris
,
and
so
I
do
n't
know
what
she
did
.
"
The
Commissioner
looked
grave
.
"
Ah
,
but
that
alters
the
case
very
much
!
"
he
said
.
"
I
must
request
you
to
come
with
me
to
the
Pension
Malfait
.
We
had
better
pursue
our
inquiries
there
.
If
this
Madame
Wolsky
had
a
large
sum
of
money
in
notes
and
gold
,
it
becomes
very
important
that
we
should
know
where
she
is
.
"
They
all
three
left
the
shabby
little
house
together
,
and
Sylvia
could
not
help
wondering
what
would
happen
there
while
they
were
gone
.
But
the
Commissioner
solved
her
doubts
by
turning
the
key
in
the
door
.
The
Count
hailed
a
cab
,
and
they
all
got
into
it
.
Then
followed
a
curious
little
drive
.
The
Commissioner
made
polite
conversation
with
Mrs.
Bailey
.
He
spoke
of
the
beauties
of
Lacville
.
"
And
Madame
,
"
he
said
,
pleasantly
,
"
is
staying
at
the
Villa
du
Lac
?
It
is
a
charming
house
,
with
historic
associations
.
"
Sylvia
was
surprised
.
She
remembered
clearly
that
she
had
not
told
the
police
official
where
she
was
staying
.
When
they
reached
the
Pension
Malfait
they
were
kept
waiting
a
few
moments
,
but
at
last
M
.
Malfait
appeared
in
the
hall
.
He
received
them
with
obsequious
amiability
.
Still
,
even
Sylvia
could
not
but
be
aware
that
he
was
extremely
angry
,
and
she
herself
felt
wretchedly
uncomfortable
.
What
if
Anna
Wolsky
were
all
right
after
all
?
Would
she
not
blame
her
for
having
made
such
a
fuss
?
"
Everything
is
quite
en
règle
,
"
M
.
Malfait
said
smoothly
when
the
purport
of
their
presence
was
explained
to
him
in
a
few
curt
words
by
the
Commissioner
of
Police
.
"
You
see
,
Monsieur
le
Commissaire
,
it
is
quite
simple
.
The
lady
left
us
a
letter
explaining
why
she
was
obliged
to
go
away
.
I
do
not
know
why
Madame
"
—
he
turned
to
Sylvia
—
"
thought
it
necessary
to
go
to
you
?
We
have
been
perfectly
open
about
the
whole
matter
.
We
are
respectable
people
,
and
have
absolutely
nothing
to
hide
.
Madame
Wolsky
's
boxes
are
there
,
in
her
bed-room
;
I
might
have
let
the
room
twice
over
since
she
left
,
but
no
,
I
prefer
to
wait
,
hoping
that
the
lady
—
the
very
charming
lady
—
will
come
back
.
"
"
By
the
way
,
where
is
the
letter
which
she
left
?
"
said
the
Commissioner
in
a
business-like
voice
.
"
I
should
like
to
see
that
letter
.
"
"
Where
is
the
letter
?
"
repeated
Monsieur
Malfait
vaguely
.
Then
in
a
loud
voice
,
he
said
,
"
I
will
ask
my
wife
for
the
letter
.
She
looks
after
the
correspondence
.
"
Madame
Malfait
came
forward
.
She
looked
even
more
annoyed
than
her
husband
had
looked
when
he
had
seen
by
whom
Sylvia
was
accompanied
.
"
The
letter
?
"
she
repeated
shortly
.
"
Mon
Dieu
!
I
do
not
know
where
I
have
put
it
.
But
by
this
time
I
almost
know
it
by
heart
.
It
was
a
pleasing
letter
,
for
it
spoke
very
warmly
of
our
establishment
.
But
where
is
the
letter
?
"
she
looked
round
her
,
as
if
she
expected
to
find
it
suddenly
appear
.
"
Ah
!
I
remember
to
whom
I
showed
it
last
!
It
was
to
that
agreeable
friend
of
Madame
Wolsky
"
—
she
put
an
emphasis
on
the
word
"
agreeable
,
"
and
stared
hard
at
Sylvia
as
she
did
so
.
"
It
was
to
that
Madame
Wachner
I
last
showed
it
.
Perhaps
she
put
it
in
her
pocket
,
and
forgot
to
give
it
me
back
.
I
know
she
said
she
would
like
her
husband
to
see
it
.
Monsieur
and
Madame
Wachner
often
take
their
meals
here
.
I
will
ask
them
if
they
have
the
letter
.
"
"
Well
,
at
any
rate
,
we
had
better
open
Madame
Wolsky
's
trunks
;
that
may
give
us
some
clue
,
"
said
the
Commissioner
in
a
weary
voice
.
And
,
to
Sylvia
's
confusion
and
distress
,
they
all
then
proceeded
to
the
bed-room
where
she
had
last
seen
her
friend
,
and
there
Monsieur
Malfait
broke
the
locks
of
Anna
Wolsky
's
two
large
trunks
.
But
the
contents
of
Anna
's
trunks
taught
them
nothing
.
They
were
only
the
kind
of
objects
and
clothes
that
a
woman
who
travelled
about
the
world
a
great
deal
would
naturally
take
with
her
.
Everything
,
however
,
was
taken
out
,
turned
over
,
and
looked
at
.
"
If
your
friend
possessed
a
passport
,
"
said
the
police
official
in
a
dissatisfied
tone
,
"
she
has
evidently
taken
it
with
her
.
There
is
nothing
of
any
consequence
at
all
in
those
boxes
.
We
had
better
shut
them
up
again
,
and
leave
them
.
"
But
when
they
came
down
again
into
the
hall
,
he
suddenly
asked
Monsieur
Malfait
,
"
Well
,
where
is
the
letter
?
"
He
had
evidently
forgotten
Madame
Malfait
's
involved
explanation
.
"
I
will
send
you
the
letter
to-morrow
,
"
said
Monsieur
Malfait
smoothly
.
"
The
truth
is
,
we
handed
it
to
a
lady
who
was
also
a
friend
of
Madame
Wolsky
,
and
she
evidently
forgot
to
give
it
back
to
us
.
We
will
find
out
whether
she
has
kept
it
.
"
On
the
way
back
the
Commissioner
of
Police
said
gaily
,
"
It
is
quite
clear
that
Madame
"
—
he
turned
and
bowed
courteously
to
Sylvia
—
"
knows
very
little
of
Lacville
,
Monsieur
le
Comte
!
Why
,
people
are
always
disappearing
from
Lacville
!
My
time
would
indeed
be
full
were
I
to
follow
all
those
who
go
away
in
a
hurry
—
not
but
what
I
have
been
only
too
delighted
to
do
this
for
Madame
and
for
Monsieur
le
Comte
.
"
He
then
bowed
to
the
Count
and
stared
smilingly
at
Sylvia
.
"
I
am
pleased
to
think
,
"
he
went
on
playfully
,
"
that
Madame
herself
is
not
likely
to
meet
with
any
unpleasant
adventure
here
,
for
the
Villa
du
