Page:Braddon--Wyllard's weird.djvu/126

118 "First in a carriage, and then in a train."

"Had you to wait at the station?"

"A long time. I was tired of waiting so long. I thought it would have been nicer to be at home, where I had story-books to read."

"What did your aunt and Monsieur de Maucroix do while they were waiting?"

"They sat in a corner of a big room, with great windows through which we could see the trains. I watched the trains through the window."

"Were there many other people in the room?"

"Very few."

"Did you take notice of any one?"

"I noticed a little girl. She was bigger than I am, but not much. I thought I should like to play with her. She had a blue balloon, and she let it fly out of the window and broke it."

"Did you notice nobody else?"

"Only one other person—a gentleman who wore dark spectacles."

"What made you observe him in particular?"

"His spectacles were so curious, and he looked at my aunt."

"What do you mean when you say that he looked at your aunt? Did he look as if he knew her?"

"I don't know. He stood just inside the doorway, as if he was hiding behind the door, looking at my aunt and Monsieur de Maucroix."

"How long did he stand there?"

"I don't know."

"For five minutes, do you think? As long as you could count a hundred?"

"Longer than that."

"Was he young or old, tall or short?"

"He was tall. I think he must have been old, because he wore dark spectacles."

"Did your aunt and Monsieur de Maucroix observe him?"

"No. I asked my aunt when we were in the train if she had seen the gentleman with the funny spectacles, and she said no."

"Did you see him again after he left the waiting-room?"

"No."

"Now tell me all you can about your journey to Saint-Germain."

"We went in the train, in a beautiful carriage with soft cushions. I looked out of the window all the time. My aunt and Monsieur de Maucroix sat by the other window talking."

"Did you hear what they said?"

"Not much. I was not listening. It was so nice to see the country, and the trees rushing by. I heard Monsieur de Mau-