Page:Braddon--Wyllard's weird.djvu/123

Rh grapes and peaches were to be of the choicest. The gentleman and lady dined early, between five and six. The lady had a somewhat agitated air, seemed out of sorts, and ate very little. The gentleman was very attentive to her, and petted the little girl. At half-past six they went for a drive in the forest. The carriage was ordered directly they sat down to dinner.

"Had you any reason to suppose that this lady and gentleman had been followed or watched, by any one when they arrived at the Henri Quatre?"

"They arrived in a fly. No; I observed no one lurking about or watching when they arrived. I went out to give an order to the coachman while the carriage was standing before the door, waiting to take them for their drive in the forest; and I observed a man on the other side of the road. I should not have noticed him, perhaps, if the collar of his overcoat had not been turned up in a curious manner. I thought it strange that any one should wear an overcoat on such an evening."

"Did this man appear to be watching the hotel?"

"He was standing in front of the hotel-railings when I went out. I saw him look across at the window in which the lady and gentleman were dining. The window was at right angles with the road, opening into a garden. It was open, and there were two candelabra upon the table. Any one could see into the room from the road."

"There was no blind or curtain?"

"No. The evening was particularly mild. All the windows in the sitting-rooms were open."

"What became of this man?"

"He walked rapidly along the road, and turned the corner on to the terrace."

"Should you recognise him if you were to see him again?"

"Impossible. It was twilight when I saw him, and he was on the other side of the road. His coat-collar was turned up, so as to hide the lower half of his face."

"But you must at least have observed his general appearance. Was he tall or short? Had he the air of a gentleman?"

"He was tall. Yes, I should say he was a gentleman."

"Young or old?"

"He walked like a young man. I thought he had an agitated air. He walked very quickly, but stopped suddenly two or three times between the hotel and the corner of the terrace, as if he were thinking deeply—hesitating whether to go this way or that; and then he walked on again, faster than before."

"You saw no more of him that evening?"

"No. At half-past eight o'clock I heard that there had been a double murder in the forest, and that the bodies were lying at the Town Hall. I went to see the bodies, and recognised the lady and gentleman who had dined at our hotel. I also saw the