She would stand at the foot and whisper thosesimple
but appalling words.
Espinosas heart stood still as he heard the man
say:Why, there are some others here!
Youshall give me the real reason tomorrow and an
account of what happened toyou there.
I thought the letter just amalicious joke quite in
accord with The Scourges character. She had not once looked at Jim Frobishersince he
had entered the room; nor did she now.
So I must take a risk - yes, and a serious one.
Andthere are others, Monsieur, of whom you have never heard.
She herself, you will remember,Monsieur Frobisher,
was surprised that the hour was so early.
This man had saved her from death when it seemed
thatnothing could save her.
Yes, we owesomething to that animal Boris Waberski.
He opened the window, and the throbof the music from the ball - room came faintly to
their ears.
There was not a whisper of it inthe streets, not a
loiterer about the gates of the Maison Grenelle. I raise my eyes from the floor and
bychance I see in the mirror the barometer behind me. There weretreasures enough in
the room to repay a hundred thieves. It is a pity our eager young friend,Maurice
Thevenet, is not here to profit by the lesson. Hanauds voice, from the far corner of
the room, joined in.
During the luncheon hours the positionof the clock
was changed. And theposition of the hands gave the hour as precisely half - past
ten.
JimFrobisher was driven to the little Louis Quinze
clock upon the marquetrycabinet.
Will you take this,Monsieur Frobisher, and go first
with Mademoiselle.
In the corridor a commotionarose, the scuffling of
feet and a womans voice screaming abuse. You must forget these miseries, he said
gently. At the end of it a shut door confronted her.
I told you once, and I tell you againvery humbly,
that we are the servants of Chance.
I shall get my cloak, she said, and she fetched it,
leaving her twocompanions together. TheAffaire Waberski had, in the general view,
become a stale joke.