“Mrs. Harcourt?” said the concierge. “She has gone away.”

“She has gone away! Gone away?” repeated Basil in surprise. “When did she start?”

“Two days since—on Tuesday.”

“Where did she go?”

“Pardon, monsieur. I do not know.”

“Did she leave no address, to forward her letters to?”

“No, monsieur.”

“Did her departure seem to be sudden? I mean had she been planning to go away at that time?”

“No, monsieur. I never heard her speak of it.”

“And the young man—her son—did she take him with her?”