The Rome Express | Page 4

very drowsy. I had been up two nights; but so it is always, and I am not like this generally. I do not understand."
"Hah!" The Chief thought he understood. "Did you feel this drowsiness before leaving Laroche?"
"No, monsieur, I did not. Certainly not. I was fresh till then--quite fresh."
"Hum; exactly; I see;" and the little Chief jumped to his feet and ran round to where the porter stood sheepishly, and sniffed and smelt at him.
"Yes, yes." Sniff, sniff, sniff, the little man danced round and round him, then took hold of the porter's head with one hand, and with the other turned down his lower eyelid so as to expose the eyeball, sniffed a little more, and then resumed his seat.
"Exactly. And now, where is your train card?"
"Pardon, monsieur, I cannot find it."
"That is absurd. Where do you keep it? Look again--search--I must have it."
The porter shook his head hopelessly.
"It is gone, monsieur, and my pocket-book."
"But your papers, the tickets--"
"Everything was in it, monsieur. I must have dropped it."
Strange, very strange. However--the fact was to be recorded, for the moment. He could of course return to it.
"You can give me the names of the passengers?"
"No, monsieur. Not exactly. I cannot remember, not enough to distinguish between them."
"Fichtre! But this is most devilishly irritating. To think that I have to do with a man so stupid--such an idiot, such an ass!"
"At least you know how the berths were occupied, how many in each, and which persons? Yes? You can tell me that? Well, go on. By and by we will have the passengers in, and you can fix their places, after I have ascertained their names. Now, please! For how many was the car?"
"Sixteen. There were two compartments of four berths each, and four of two berths each."
"Stay, let us make a plan. I will draw it. Here, now, is that right?" and the Chief held up the rough diagram, here shown--
[Illustration: Diagram of railroad car.]
"Here we have the six compartments. Now take a, with berths 1, 2, 3, and 4. Were they all occupied?"
"No; only two, by Englishmen. I know that they talked English, which I understand a little. One was a soldier; the other, I think, a clergyman, or priest."
"Good! we can verify that directly. Now, b, with berths 5 and 6. Who was there?"
"One gentleman. I don't remember his name. But I shall know him by appearance."
"Go on. In c, two berths, 7 and 8?"
"Also one gentleman. It was he who--I mean, that is where the crime occurred."
"Ah, indeed, in 7 and 8? Very well. And the next, 9 and 10?"
"A lady. Our only lady. She came from Rome."
"One moment. Where did the rest come from? Did any embark on the road?"
"No, monsieur; all the passengers travelled through from Rome."
"The dead man included? Was he Roman?"
"That I cannot say, but he came on board at Rome."
"Very well. This lady--she was alone?"
"In the compartment, yes. But not altogether."
"I do not understand!"
"She had her servant with her."
"In the car?"
"No, not in the car. As a passenger by second class. But she came to her mistress sometimes, in the car."
"For her service, I presume?"
"Well, yes, monsieur, when I would permit it. But she came a little too often, and I was compelled to protest, to speak to Madame la Comtesse--"
"She was a countess, then?"
"The maid addressed her by that title. That is all I know. I heard her."
"When did you see the lady's maid last?"
"Last night. I think at Amberieux. about 8 p.m."
"Not this morning?"
"No, sir, I am quite sure of that."
"Not at Laroche? She did not come on board to stay, for the last stage, when her mistress would be getting up, dressing, and likely to require her?"
"No; I should not have permitted it."
"And where is the maid now, d'you suppose?"
The porter looked at him with an air of complete imbecility.
"She is surely somewhere near, in or about the station. She would hardly desert her mistress now," he said, stupidly, at last.
"At any rate we can soon settle that." The Chief turned to one of his assistants, both of whom had been standing behind him all the time, and said:
"Step out, Galipaud, and see. No, wait. I am nearly as stupid as this simpleton. Describe this maid."
"Tall and slight, dark-eyed, very black hair. Dressed all in black, plain black bonnet. I cannot remember more."
"Find her, Galipaud--keep your eye on her. We may want her--why, I cannot say, as she seems disconnected with the event, but still she ought to be at hand." Then, turning to the porter, he went on. "Finish, please. You said 9 and 10 was the lady's. Well, 11 and 12?"
"It was vacant all through the run."
"And the last compartment, for four?"
"There were two berths, occupied both by Frenchmen, at least so I judged them. They talked