藍色特快上的秘密-藍色列車之謎-藍色列車(英文版)

第8部分 (第4/7頁)

r　summer；　and　would　never　know　them　now。　Something　she　had　lost　never　could　be　given　to　her　again。　These　years　of　servitude　in　St　Mary　Mead　…　and　all　the　while　life　passing　by。

〃I　am　an　idiot；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　am　an　idiot。　What　do　I　want？　Why；　I　was　more　contented　a　month　ago　than　I　am　now。〃

She　drew　out　from　her　handbag　the　letter　she　had　received　that　morning　from　Lady　Tamplin。　Katherine　was　no　fool。　She　understood　the　nuances　of　that　letter　as　well　as　anybody　and　the　reason　of　Lady　Tamplin's　sudden　show　of　affection　towards　a　long…forgotten　cousin　was　not　lost　upon　her。　It　was　for　profit　and　not　for　pleasure　that　Lady　Tamplin　was　so　anxious　for　the　pany　of　her　dear　cousin。　Well；　why　not？　There　would　be　profit　on　both　sides。

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Katherine。

She　was　walking　down　Piccadilly　at　the　moment；　and　turned　into　Cook's　to　clinch　the　matter　then　and　there。　She　had　to　wait　for　a　few　minutes。　The　man　with　whom　the　clerk　was　engaged　was　also　going　to　the　Riviera。　Everyone；　she　felt；　was　going。　Well；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　she；　too；　would　be　doing　what　'everybody　did。'

The　man　in　front　of　her　turned　abruptly；　and　she　stepped　into　his　place。　She　made　her　demand　to　the　clerk；　but　at　the　same　time　half　of　her　mind　was　busy　with　something　else。　That　man's　face　…　in　some　vague　way　it　was　familiar　to　her。　Where　had　she　seen　him　before？　Suddenly　she　remembered。　It　was　in　the　Savoy　outside　her　room　that　morning。

She　had　collided　with　him　in　the　passage。

Rather　an　odd　coincidence　that　she　should　run　into　him　twice　in　a　day。　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　rendered　uneasy　by　something；　she　knew　not　what。　The　man　was　standing　in　the　doorway　looking　back　at　her。　A　cold　shiver　passed　over　Katherine；　she　had　a　haunting　sense