She certainly had not reached Brieg, for with my ally l'Echelle we searched the town for news of her that night and again next morning.
The situation was embarrassing.
I could decide upon no clear course but that of holding on to Falfani and clinging to him with the very skin of my teeth; any light must come from or through him, or at least by keeping him in full view I might prevent him from doing any more mischief.
One of us, l'Echelle or myself, continually watched him all that day, the third of this curious imbroglio into which I was plunged.
At night I took the strong and unjustifiable measure of locking him into his room.
When he discovered it next morning he was furious, and came straight at me open-mouthed.
"I'll appeal to the law, I'll denounce you to the authorities, I'll charge you with persecution and with false imprisonment.
You shall be arrested.
I'll be rid of you somehow, you shall not stay here, you shall leave Brieg."
"With all my heart—when you do.
Have I not told you that already?
Where you go I go, where you stay I stay."
"But it is most monstrous and abominable.
I will not submit to it.
You have no sort of right to act in this way.
Why is it?"
"You can guess my reasons, surely.
Only it is not for your beaux yeux; not because I like you.
I loathe and detest you.
You are a low, slimy spy, who richly deserves to be thrashed for bullying a lady."
"I'll have you to know, sir, that I am fully entitled to act as I am doing," he said with a consequential air. "I am the representative of a court of law; I have great people at my back, people who will soon bring you to book.
Wait a little, we shall see. You'll sing a very poor song when you have to do with a nobleman.
The Right Honourable the Earl of Blackadder will arrive shortly.
I hope this very afternoon.
You can settle it with him, ah!
How do you like that, eh?"
I laughed him to scorn.
"Psha, man, you're an ass.
I've told you before now what I think of Lord Blackadder, and if it be necessary I'll tell him to his face when he gets here."
This conversation took place just before the table-d'hote luncheon, and immediately afterwards Falfani went out in the direction of the railway station.
I followed, keeping him in sight on the platform, where, by and by, I saw him, hat in hand, bowing obsequiously before a passenger who alighted from the incoming train.
It would have been enough for me had I not already known Lord Blackadder by sight.
They walked back together to the hotel, and so, at a certain distance, did I.
I was lounging about outside the house, wondering what would happen next, when a waiter came out to me bearing a card, which he tendered, bowing low, more in deference to the card, as I thought, than to me.
"Earl of Blackadder" was the name engraved, and written just below in pencil were the words, "would like to speak to Colonel Annesley at once."
"Well, I've no objection," I began, stiffly.
I thought the summons a trifle too peremptory. "Where is he?"
The waiter pointed back to the hotel, and I saw a white, evil face glowering at me from a window on the ground floor of the hotel.
The very look on it stirred my bile.
It was an assumption of superiority, of concentrated pride and exaggerated authority, as though everyone must yield to his lightest wish and humble himself in the dust before him.
I resented this, and slipping the card carelessly in my pocket, I nodded to the waiter, who still stood awaiting my reply.
"Will monsieur come?" he asked.
"No.
Tell his lordship he will find me here if he wants me.
That will do," and I waved him off.
Soon afterwards Lord Blackadder came out.
Mahomet came to the mountain.
I liked his face less than ever.
It wore an angry scowl now; his dark eyes glittered balefully under the close-knit eyebrows, his lips were drawn down, and the curved nose was like the aggressive beak of a bird of prey.
"Colonel Annesley, I understand," he said coldly, contemptuously, just lifting one finger towards the brim of his hat.