Jaffery freed her. She rubbed her wrists mechanically, without moving her head. I wished Barbara had been there; she would have known exactly what to do. As it was, we stood by her, somewhat helplessly.
"Monsieur," said a voice close by, and we saw our little blue-bloused porter. He explained that he had been seeking us everywhere. If we did not make haste we would lose the Paris train.
I replied that as we were not going to Paris, we were not pressed for time; but this little outside happening broke the situation.
"Better give this fellow your luggage ticket, Liosha," said Jaffery.
She looked about her bewildered and then I noticed on the ground a leather satchel which she had been carrying. I picked it up. She extracted the ticket and we all went to the custom-house.
"What's the programme now?" I asked Jaffery.
"Hotel," said he. "This poor girl will want a rest. Besides, we'll have to stay the night."
"Our friend is staying at the Hotel des Phares."
"Then we'll go to Tortoni's."
An ordinary woman would have drawn down the motor veil which she wore cockled-up on her travelling hat; but Liosha, grandly unconcerned with such vanities, showed her young shame-stricken face to all the world. I felt intensely sorry for her. She realised now from what a blatant scoundrel she had been saved; but she still bitterly resented our intervention. "I felt as if I was stripped naked walking between them"—that was her primitive account later of her state of mind.