CHAPTER XVIII.
On leaving Salon No. 17 I descended to the ground floor, seeking thesmoking-room and a little stimulant to assist me in deciding the bestcourse of action for the following day.
As I passed along the corridor I caught sight of l'Echelle, whom Iconsidered my man, in close confabulation with Falfani in a quietcorner. They could hardly have seen me, at least l'Echelle made noreference to the fact when he came to me presently and asked if I hadany orders for the morning. I answered him sternly:
"What was Falfani saying to you just now? The truth, please, or youget nothing more from me."
"He is a _vaurien_ and _faineant_, and thinks others as bad ashimself; said my lord would give me five hundred francs to know whatyou were doing, and find out whether the lady who travelled with us toBasle last Sunday is here in this house."
"I've no objection to your taking his money if you will tell mesomething. How long does my lord mean to stay here? Have you anyidea?"
"They all go on by the early train to Culoz or farther. A pressingtelegram has come from their man at Amberieu."
"Ah! Indeed. Then you may say that I am also going by that earlytrain. They're not going to shake me off very easily. Tell them that,and that if they want the lady they'd better look for her. She isn'there."
I lied in a good cause, for a lady, as a gentleman is bound to do. Ishall be forgiven, I think, under the circumstances.
The free use of coin had the desired effect at the railway station.Soon after 5 A.M. I was met at a private door and escorted,with my precious party, by a circuitous route to where the 5.48 wasshunted, waiting the moment to run back to the departure platform.There was a coupe ready for Lady Claire, and she took her placequietly, observed by no one but the obsequious official who hadmanaged it all.
As for me, I walked boldly to the hotel and hung about the hall tillthe Blackadder party appeared and had left for the station. Then Iasked the hotel clerk for Lady Claire's bill, paid it, with my own,and went over to the train, selecting a compartment close to thecoupe. As I passed it I knocked lightly on the window pane, giving asignal previously arranged between us.
I do not think that Lord Blackadder saw me then, at the start. But atBellegarde, the Swiss frontier, where there was a wait of half an hourfor the Customs examination, an irritating performance always, butcarried out here with the most maddening and overbearingparticularity, everyone was obliged to alight from the train, and forthe moment I trembled for Lady Claire. But the appeal addressed to theFrench brigadier, "_un galant homme_," of an invalid lady, too ill tobe disturbed, was effectual, especially when backed by two five-francpieces.
Lord Blackadder was on the platform with the rest, and directly he sawme he came up with the same arrogant air, curiously blended withaggrieved helplessness.
"This will end badly, Colonel Annesley. I give you fair warning. Ishall appeal to the authorities. We shall be on French soil directly,and I know something of French law. It affords protection to all whoclaim it against such people as you."
"If you talk like that I'll give you some reason to seek theprotection of the gendarmes or police," I cried, but checked myself atonce.
I had made up my mind how to deal with him, but the time was not yet.
"Your insolence, sir, outsteps all bounds, and you shall answer forit, I tell you."
But now the cry was raised "_En voiture! en voiture!_" and we wereperemptorily hustled back to our seats. Lord Blackadder hurried to hiscompartment at the end of the train some way from mine and the coupe.As I passed the latter, seeing the road clear, I gave the signal, and,taking out my railway carriage key, quickly slipped in.
She received me with her rare sweet smile, that was the richestpayment a man could ask.
"The critical moment is at hand, Lady Claire," I said, speakingmysteriously. "It is essential that we should have a few last wordstogether. Naturally we must now be guided very much by the way thingshappen, but so far as possible we must prepare for them. We havemanaged capitally so far. I don't believe Lord Blackadder has any ideayou are in the train, and I much doubt that he expects to find LadyHenriette at Culoz. You think she will really be there?"
"I feel sure of it. It is just what she would do."
"Then everything will depend on you. You must be alert and prompt, onthe _qui vive_ to seize your opportunity. It will be your business tomake your way to her with the dummy the instant the train stops."
"I shall have to find her."
"That is the first and chief thing on your part. You _must_ find herat once. There are very few minutes for the whole job. Find her,exchange burthens, send her to the train for Aix-les-Bains. It will bewaiting there. You hurry back to this coupe, lie low, and, if all goeswell, you will be travelling on toward Amberieu before the enemy hasthe least notion what has occurred."
"But one word, please. What will the enemy have been doing at Culoz?Say they catch sight of Henriette as soon as we do?"
"I hope and trust they may. I count upon that as part of myprogramme."
"But they will catch her, stop her, deprive her of our dear littleRalph."
"Wait, wait. You will see. It will be settled in a moment now. Butbefore it is too late let us arrange how you may communicate with me.We shall both be moving about, and the best address I can give will bein London. Telegraph to me there to my club, the Mars and Neptune,Piccadilly. I will send instructions there to have all telegramsopened and retelegraphed to me at once. They shall be kept informed ofmy whereabouts daily. But now, here we are, close to Culoz and alreadyslowing down. Look out, please."
It could not have suited me better. There, standing under the shadowof the dwarf plane-trees, but with not the slightest suggestion ofconcealment, was the exact counterpart of Lady Claire, her twinsister, Lady Henriette Standish, till lately Lady Blackadder. She wasstaring intently at our train as it ran in, deeply anxious, no doubt,to note the arrival of her sister.
"Give me a short start," I said to Lady Claire as I jumped out of thecoupe. "You will see why."
Even as I spoke I was satisfied that the pursuing party had recognizedthe object of their journey. They had all alighted and were coming upthe platform in great haste to where she stood. Had any doubtremained, it would have been removed by the appearance of a man whoran out from some back part of the station and waved them forward withmuch gesticulation.
Here I interposed, and, rushing forward with all the ardour of afootball player entering a scrimmage, I took Lord Blackadder by thethroat and shook him.
The Passenger from Calais Page 18
