Page:Rowland--The closing net.djvu/206

188 it was jealousy. There is nothing more terrible than jealousy, you know."

Her eyes opened very wide. "But you are a priest," she said.

"I will tell you something," I said, leaning toward her and dropping my voice. "You have surprised a secret while sitting here, and I do not want you to say to any of these others that you caught me glaring at that house in the garden across the street. But it is because of the woman who lives there that I have become a prédicateur" The interest that every Frenchwoman always lends to a love story flamed up in her face.

"And the man for whom the taxi is waiting is your enemy?" she half-whispered.

"I wish him no ill," I answered, "but I must find out where he goes after leaving here. You have almost finished your déjeuner, have you not? May I engage your services for the afternoon?"

She hesitated for an instant, then nodded.

"You want me to follow him?"

"Yes, but without his discovering that he is being followed. That may be difficult, as it is very possible that he will be on the look-out."

"But why should he be on the look-out?" asked the Countess Rosalie. Her pretty face was flushed and eager, and as she spoke she beckoned to the garçon and settled her bill. I had already paid my own. We both looked out of the window at the taxi diagonally opposite. The top was up, as was the case with most of the others, for the sun was directly overhead and very hot. Chu-Chu had