蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第2部分

By　mon　accord；　they　both　turned　to　the　window。　They　were　just　in　time　to　see　the　American　emerge　into　the　street　below。　

He　turned　to　the　left　and　marched　along　at　a　good　pace　without　once　turning　his　head。　Two　shadows　stole　from　a　doorway　and　followed　noiselessly。　Pursuers　and　pursued　vanished　into　the　night。　Olga　Demiroff　spoke。　

〃He　will　get　back　safely；〃　she　said。　〃You　need　not　fear　…　or　hope　…　whichever　it　is。〃　

〃Why　do　you　think　he　will　be　safe？〃　asked　Krassnine　curiously。　

〃A　man　who　has　made　as　much　money　as　he　has　could　not　possibly　be　a　fool；〃　said　Olga。　〃And　talking　of　money　…〃　

She　looked　significantly　at　Krassnine。　

〃Eh？〃　

〃My　share；　Boris　Ivanovitch。〃　

With　some　reluctance；　Krassnine　handed　over　two　of　the　notes。　She　nodded　her　thanks；　with　a　plete　lack　of　emotion；　and　tucked　them　away　in　her　stocking。　

〃That　is　good；〃　she　remarked；　with　satisfaction。　

He　looked　at　her　curiously。　

〃You　have　no　regrets；　Olga　Vassilovna？〃　

〃Regrets？　For　what？〃　

〃For　what　has　been　in　your　keeping。　There　are　women　…　most　women；　I　believe；　who　go　mad　over　such　things。〃　

She　nodded　reflectively。　

〃Yes；　you　speak　truth　there。　Most　women　have　that　madness。　I　…　have　not。　I　wonder　now　…〃　She　broke　off。　

〃Well？〃　asked　the　other　curiously。　

〃The　American　will　be　safe　with　them　…　yes；　I　am　sure　of　that。　But　afterwards　…〃　

〃Eh？　What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　

〃He　will　give　them；　of　course；　to　some　woman；〃　said　Olga　thoughtfully。　〃I　wonder　what　will　happen　then。。。〃　

She　shook　herself　impatiently　and　went　over　to　the　window。　Suddenly　she　uttered　an　exclamation　and　called　to　her　panion。　

〃See；　he　is　going　down　the　street　now　…　the　man　I　mean。〃　

They　both　gazed　down　together。　A　slim；　elegant　figure　was　progressing　along　at　a　leisurely　pace。　He　wore　an　opera　hat　and　a　cloak。　As　he　passed　a　street　lamp；　the　light　illuminated　a　thatch　of　thick　white　hair。

Chapter　2　

M。　LE　MARQUIS

The　man　with　the　white　hair　continued　on　his　course　unhurried；　and　seemingly　indifferent　to　his　surroundings。　He　took　a　side　turning　to　the　right　and　another　one　to　the　left。　Now　and　then　he　hummed　a　little　air　to　himself。　

Suddenly　he　stopped　dead　and　listened　intently。　He　had　heard　a　certain　sound。　It　might　have　been　the　bursting　of　a　tyre　or　it　might　have　been　…　a　shot。　A　curious　smile　played　round　his　lips　for　a　minute。　Then　he　resumed　his　leisurely　walk。　

On　turning　a　corner　he　came　upon　a　scene　of　some　activity。　A　representative　of　the　law　was　making　notes　in　a　pocket…book；　and　one　or　two　late　passers…by　had　collected　on　the　spot。　To　one　of　these　the　man　with　the　white　hair　made　a　polite　request　for　information。　

〃Something　has　been　happening；　yes？〃　

〃Mais　oui；　Monsieur。　Two　apaches　set　upon　an　elderly　American　gentleman。〃　

〃They　did　him　no　injury？〃　

〃No；　indeed。〃　The　man　laughed。　〃The　American；　he　had　a　revolver　in　his　pocket；　and　before　they　could　attack　him；　he　fired　shots　so　closely　round　them　that　they　took　alarm　and　fled。　The　police；　as　usual；　arrived　too　late。〃　

〃Ah！〃　said　the　inquirer。　

He　displayed　no　emotion　of　any　kind。　Placidly　and　unconcernedly　he　resumed　his　nocturnal　strolling。　Presently　he　crossed　the　Seine　and　came　into　the　richer　areas　of　the　city。　It　was　some　twenty　minutes　later　that　he　came　to　a　stop　before　a　certain　house　in　a　quiet　but　aristocratic　thoroughfare。　

The　shop；　for　shop　it　was；　was　a　restrained　and　unpretentious　one。　D。　Papopolous；　dealer　in　antiques；　was　so　known　to　fame　that　he　needed　no　advertisement；　and　indeed　most　of　his　business　was　not　done　over　a　counter。　

M。　Papopolous　had　a　very　handsome　apartment　of　his　own　overlooking　the　Champs　Elysees；　and　it　might　reasonably　be　supposed　that　he　would　have　been　found　there　and　not　at　his　place　of　business　at　such　an　hour；　but　the　man　with　the　white　hair　seemed　confident　of　success　as　he　pressed　the　obscurely　placed　bell；　having　first　given　a　quick　glance　up　and　down　the　deserted　street。　

His　confidence　was　not　misplaced。　The　door　opened　and　a　man　stood　in　the　aperture。　He　wore　gold　rings　in　his　ears　and　was　of　a　swarthy　cast　of　countenance。　

〃Good　evening；〃　said　the　stranger。　〃Your　master　is　within？〃　

〃The　master　is　here；　but　he　does　not　see　chance　visitors　at　this　time　of　night；〃　growled　the　other。　

〃I　think　he　will　see　me。　Tell　him　that　his　friend　M。　le　Marquis　is　here。〃　

The　man　opened　the　door　a　little　wider　and　allowed　the　visitor　to　enter。　

The　man　who　gave　his　name　as　M。　le　Marquis　had　shielded　his　face　with　his　hand　as　he　spoke。　When　the　man…servant　returned　with　the　information　that　M。　Papopolous　would　be　pleased　to　receive　the　visitor　a　further　change　had　taken　place　in　the　stranger's　appearance。　The　man…servant　must　have　been　very　unobservant　or　very　well　trained　for　he　betrayed　no　surprise　at　the　small　black　satin　mask　which　hid　the　other's　features。　

Leading　the　way　to　a　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　he　opened　it　and　announced　in　a　respectful　murmur：　〃M。　le　Marquis。〃　

The　figure　which　rose　to　receive　this　strange　guest　was　an　imposing　one。　There　was　something　venerable　and　patriarchal　about　M。　Papopolous。　He　had　a　high　domed　forehead　and　a　beautiful　white　beard。　His　manner　had　in　it　something　ecclesiastical　and　benign。　

〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　M。　Papopolous。　He　spoke　in　French　and　his　tones　were　rich　and　unctuous。　

〃I　must　apologize；〃　said　the　visitor；　〃for　the　lateness　of　the　hour。〃　

〃Not　at　all。　Not　at　all；〃　said　M。　Papopolous　…　〃an　interesting　time　of　night。　You　have　had；　perhaps；　an　interesting　evening？〃　

〃Not　personally；〃　said　M。　Le　Marquis。　

〃Not　personally；〃　repeated　M。　Papopolous；　〃no；　no；　of　course　not。　And　there　is　news；　eh？〃　

He　cast　a　sharp　glance　sideways　at　the　other；　a　glance　that　was　not　ecclesiastical　or　benign　in　the　least。　

〃There　is　no　news。　The　attempt　failed。　I　hardly　expected　anything　else。〃　

〃Quite　so；〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　〃anything　crude　…〃　

He　waved　his　hand　to　express　his　intense　distaste　for　crudity　in　any　form。　There　was　indeed　nothing　crude　about　M。　Papopolous　nor　about　the　goods　he　handled。　He　was　well　known　in　most　European　courts；　and　kings　called　him　Demetrius　in　a　friendly　manner。　He　had　the　reputation　for　the　most　exquisite　discretion。　That；　together　with　the　nobility　of　his　aspect；　had　carried　him　through　several　very　questionable　transactions。　

〃The　direct　attack　…〃　said　M。　Papopolous。　He　shook　his　head。　〃It　answers　sometimes　…　but　very　seldom。〃　

The　other　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃It　saves　time；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　to　fail　costs　nothing　…　or　next　to　nothing。　The　other　plan　…　will　not　fail。〃　

〃Ah；〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　looking　at　him　keenly。　

The　other　nodded　slowly。　

〃I　have　great　confidence　in　your　…　er　…　reputation；〃　said　the　antique　dealer。　

M。　le　Marquis　smiled　gently。　

〃I　think　I　may　say；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　your　confidence　will　not　be　misplaced。〃　

〃You　have　unique　opportunities；〃　said　the　other；　with　a　note　of　envy　in　his　voice。　

〃I　make　them；〃　said　M。　le　Marquis。　

He　rose　and　took　up　the　cloak　which　he　had　thrown　carelessly　on　the　back　of　a　chair。　

〃I　will　keep　you　informed；　M。　Papopolous；　through　the　usual　channels；　but　there　must　be　no　hitch　in　you