Part 84 (1/2)
Calabressa at once held open the door for her, and then followed. These three had the compartment to themselves.
She was a young lady, good-looking, tall, bright-complexioned, with brown eyes that had plenty of fire in them, and a pleasant smile that showed brilliant teeth. Calabressa, sitting opposite her, judged that she was an Austrian, from the number of bags and knickknacks she had, all in red Russia leather, and from the number of trinkets she wore, mostly of polished steel or silver. She opened a little tortoise-sh.e.l.l cigarette-case, took out a cigarette, and gracefully accepted the light that Calabressa offered her. By this time the train had started, and was thundering through the night.
The young lady was very frank and affable; she talked to her companion opposite--Reitzei being fast asleep--about a great many things; she lit cigarette after cigarette. She spoke of her husband moreover; and complained that he should have to go and fight in some one else's quarrel. Why could not ladies who went to the tables at Monte Carlo keep their temper, that a perfectly neutral third person should be summoned to fight a duel on behalf of one of them?
”You are going to rejoin him, then, madame?” said Calabressa.
”Not at all,” she said, laughing. ”I have my own affairs.”
After some time, she said, with quite a humorous smile,
”My dear sir, I hope I do not keep you from sleeping. But you are puzzled about me; you think you have seen me before, but cannot tell where.”
”There you are perfectly right, madame.”
”Think of the day before yesterday. You were crossing in the steamer.
You were so good as to suggest to a lady on board that nearer the centre vessel would be safer for her--”
He stared at her again. Could this be the same lady who, on the day that he crossed, was seated right at the stern of the steamer her brown hair flying about with the wind, her white teeth flas.h.i.+ng as she laughed and joked with the sailors, her eyes full of life and merriment as she pitched up and down? Calabressa, before the paroxysms of his woe overtook him, had had the bravery to go and remonstrate with this young lady, and to tell her she would be more comfortable nearer the middle of the boat; but she had laughingly told him she was a sailor's daughter, and was not afraid of the sea. Well, this handsome young lady opposite certainly laughed like that other, but still--
”Oh,” she said, ”do I puzzle you with such a simple thing? My hair was brown the day before yesterday, it is black to-day; is that a sufficient disguise? _Pardieu_, when I went to a music-hall in London that same night to see some stupid nonsense--bah! such stupid nonsense I have never seen in the world--I went dressed as a man. Only for exercise, you perceive: one does not need disguises in London.”
Calabressa was becoming more and more mystified, and she saw it, and her amus.e.m.e.nt increased.
”Come, my friend,” she said, ”you cannot deny that you also are political?”
”I, madame?” said Calabressa, with great innocence.
”Oh yes. And you are not on the side of the big battalions, eh?”
”I declare to you, madame--”
She glanced at Reitzei.
”Your friend sleeps sound. Come, shall I tell you something? You did not say a word, for example, when you stepped on sh.o.r.e, to a gentleman in a big cloak who had a lantern--”
”Madame, I beg of you!” he exclaimed, in a low voice, also glancing at Reitzei.
”What!” she said, laughing. ”Then you have the honor of the acquaintance of my old friend Biard? The rogue, to take a post like that! Oh, I think my husband could speak more frankly with you; I can only guess.”
”You are somewhat indiscreet, madame,” said Calabressa, coldly.
”I indiscreet?” she said, flickering off the ash of her cigarette with a finger of the small gloved hand. Then she said, with mock seriousness, ”How can one be indiscreet with a friend of the good man Biard? Come, I will give you a lesson in sincerity. My husband is gone to fight a duel, I told you; yes, but his enemy is a St. Petersburg general who belonged to the Third Section. They should not let Russians play at Monte Carlo; it is so easy to pick a quarrel with them. And now about myself; you want to know what I am--what I am about. Ah, I perceive it, monsieur. Well, this time, on the other hand, I shall be discreet. But if you hear of something within a few weeks--if the whole of the world begins to chatter about it--and you say, 'Well, that woman had pluck'--then you can think of our little conversation during the night. We must be getting near Amiens, is it not so?”
She took from her traveling-bag a small apparatus for showering eau-de-cologne in spray, and with this sprinkled her forehead; afterward removing the drops with a soft sponge, and smoothing her rebellious black hair. Then she took out a tiny flask and cup of silver.
”Permit me, monsieur, to give you a little cognac, after so many cigarettes. I fear you have only been smoking to keep me company--”
”A thousand thanks, madame!” said Calabressa, who certainly did not refuse. She took none herself; indeed, she had just time to put her bags in order again when the train slowed into Amiens station; and she, bidding her bewildered and bewitched companion a most courteous farewell, got out and departed.