Part 55 (1/2)

I shook my head.

”Only that he must be some relation to Delora,” I declared. ”There has been no time, though, for his brother to get across from South America.”

Lamartine smiled.

”You are dull,” he said. ”But watch! What is going to happen now, I wonder?”

Delora had risen to his feet. He had the look of a man who has received a shock. He brushed past some people who were taking their places at a table without remark or apology. He pa.s.sed my companion and myself without even, I believe, being conscious of our presence.

He walked straight to the table where the two newcomers sat. I saw his hand fall upon the shoulder of the other man.

”Ferdinand!” he said.

The lady of the turquoises was leaning forward in her place as though to push Delora away. A few feet in the background Louis was hovering.

”Ferdinand,” I heard Delora repeat, ”what are you doing here? Who is this person? You know that you are not well enough to travel.”

The older man looked at him with a slightly puzzled air. There was a certain vacuity in his expression, for which one found it hard to account.

”You!” he murmured, as though perplexed. ”Why, this is not Paris, Maurice!”

Louis had glided a little nearer to the table. My lady of the turquoises half rose to her feet. Her blue eyes were fierce with anger. She looked as though she would have struck Delora.

”You shall not take him away!” she cried. ”Don't have anything to say to them!” she added, bending downwards to her companion. ”You are not safe with any one else except me!”

Delora turned towards her with an angry exclamation.

”Madame,” he said, ”this gentleman is my relation, and he is ill. He is certainly not in a condition to be travelling about the country with--with you!”

Her self-control was beginning to evaporate. She addressed him shrilly. People at the surrounding tables were beginning to observe this unusual conversation.

”What, then?” she cried. ”Is he not safer with me than you? How about Henri--Henri who came over here because we had been deceived, he and I,--poor Henri who died?”

”This,” Delora muttered, ”is your revenge, then!”

”It is my revenge, and I mean to have it,” she answered, ”This afternoon you will see.”

Louis advanced and bowed to the man who still sat at the table, looking a little puzzled, and with his eyes still fixed upon Delora.

”Monsieur,” he said, ”shall I serve luncheon?”

There was an instant's pause. I fancied that I saw something pa.s.s between Louis and Delora. The latter turned away with a little shrug of the shoulders.

”Presently will be time,” he said. ”We will speak together, all three of us, before you leave.”

The woman struck the table with the palm of her hand.

”There is nothing which you need say!” she exclaimed. ”It is finished, this fine scheme of yours! See, he is here himself. This afternoon we go to warn those whom you would rob!”

Once more that look flashed between Louis and Delora, and this time there was borne in upon me the swift consciousness of what it might mean. Delora returned to his place opposite Felicia. I bent across the table to Lamartine.