Hearing the tale from another’s lips, brought back what had happened with dreadful vividness to poor Lily. Her lips quivered.
“I suppose I ought to go straight to the police,” she said nervously, “and I thought, M. Popeau, that perhaps you would not mind going with me?”
“Of course I will go with you.” He spoke very feelingly and kindly. “Try not to think too much of this sad event, my dear young lady. There has always been that one black blot on this beautiful place.”
He waved his hand towards the Casino. “Yonder is a monster which destroys the happiness of many while sometimes capriciously making the happiness of one. And now I suggest an early déjeuner. The Count and Countess cannot expect you back for another hour and a half at least. An English Church service goes on for a long time. You will be more ready to face my old friend, the Commissioner of Police, after a good lunch!”
Lily knew that a very small luncheon was to have been kept for her, and she could not help looking forward to a good meal. Yet when it was put before her she felt suddenly as if she could not eat.
M. Popeau always sat at a delightful little table in one of the great windows of the famous restaurant, and all three were soon happily established there. But the kindly host saw with concern that poor Lily looked at the delicious hors-d’oeuvres with a kind of aversion.
He put out his hand and laid it lightly over hers. “Come, come,” he said, and there was a touch of command in his voice, “this won’t do! I should have starved to death a very long time ago if I had allowed the sad things I have seen and heard to stop my appetite!”
Lily could not help smiling at the funny way he said this, but, “What makes it so much worse,” she said in a low voice, “is having actually known the poor man.”
“What d’you say?” said M. Popeau in a startled voice. “Known the poor man? I didn’t know that!”
“I forgot to tell you,” interposed Captain Stuart, “that as a matter of fact, Miss Fairfield is convinced that the body she saw is that of an Englishman called Ponting who had dinner at La Solitude the evening of the day she arrived there, a week ago yesterday.”