I slipped the case in my pocket and went on to the Iturbide.
After all, I thought, as I neared home, with all her faults she was a very attractive and dear little companion to be going back to.
Full of pleasure at the thought of bestowing the gift and the joy it would give her, I ran up the stone stairs without waiting for the lift and pushed open the door of our room.
I entered softly, thinking she might be curled up asleep, but as I crossed the threshold I heard the sound of laughter. The next moment I saw there were two figures standing at the end of the long room in front of the window.
Suzee had her back to me and a man was standing beside her. Just as I came in I saw her raise her face, and the man put his arm round her and kiss her. Two or three steps carried me across the room and I struck them apart with a blow on the side of the man's head that sent him reeling into a corner.
It was the young Mexican waiter that had hitherto brought us all our meals.
The table was still covered with the dinner things, a bottle of wine stood on it and two half-filled glasses. My impression, gathered in that first furious glance, was that he had brought up her dinner and she had invited him to stay and share at least the wine and cigarettes. Some of these lay on the table, and the room was full of smoke.
Suzee gave a scream of terror and then crouched down on a chair, looking at me.
The waiter picked himself up, and, catching hold of his iron stove-fitted basket in which he had brought up the dinner, slunk out of the room.
I was left alone with Suzee, and I looked at her, with an immense sense of disgust and repulsion swelling up in me.