"Simplest thing in the world.
You see he's gone to have his bath, he likes to be early, and he's undergoing the douche at this very moment, which means naturally that he's taken off his clothes, and they are waiting in the dressing-room for me to take home.
I shall have a good quarter of an hour and more to spare before they carry him back to the hotel in his blankets and get him to bed."
"Ha!" I said, "that's a brilliant idea.
How do you mean to work it out?"
"Take the telegram out of his waistcoat pocket, read it, or bring it to you."
"Bring it; that will be best," I interrupted, feeling a tinge of suspicion.
"But I must put it straight back," continued l'Echelle, "for he is sure to ask for it directly he returns to the hotel."
Within a few minutes he had gone in and out again, carrying now one of the black linen bags used by valets de chambres to carry their masters' clothes in.
He winked at me as he passed, and we walked together to a shady, retired spot in the little square where the cab-stand is, and sat in the newspaper kiosk on a couple of straw-bottomed chairs of the Central cafe.
"Read that," he said triumphantly, as he handed me the familiar scrap of blue paper.
"Have got safely so far with nurse and baby—entreat you to follow with all possible speed—dying to get on.—Claire, Hotel Cavour, Milan."
"Excellent!" I cried, slapping my thigh. "This settles all doubts.
So much for that fool Tiler.
My lord will be very grateful to you," and I handed him back the telegram, having first copied it word for word in my note-book.
"It means, I suppose," suggested l'Echelle, "that you will make for Milan, too?"
"No fear—by the first train.
You'll be clever if you get the start of us, for I presume you will be moving."
"I haven't the smallest doubt of that; we shall be quite a merry party.
It will be quite like old times."
CHAPTER XXIII. [Colonel Annesley again.]
I had no reason to complain of the course of events culminating in the affair at Culoz.
I defended to myself the assault upon Lord Blackadder as in a measure provoked and justifiable under the circumstances, although I was really sorry for him and at the poor figure he cut before the police magistrate and gendarmes.
But I could not forget the part he had played throughout, nor was I at all disposed to turn aside from my set purpose to help the ladies in their distress.
Every man of proper feeling would be moved thereto, and I knew in my secret heart that very tender motives impelled me to the unstinting championship of Lady Claire.
I was still without definite news of what had happened between the two sisters while I was covering their movements at Culoz.
I could not know for certain whether or not the exchange had actually been effected, and I did not dare inquire about the station, for it might betray facts and endanger results.
I had no hope of a message from Lady Henriette, for she would hardly know where to address me.
Lady Claire would almost certainly telegraph to me via London at the very earliest opportunity, and I was careful to wire from Culoz to the hall porter of my club, begging him to send on everything without a moment's delay.
Then, while still in the dark, I set myself like a prudent general to discover what the enemy was doing.
He was here in Aix in the persons of Lord Blackadder and his two devoted henchmen, Falfani and Tiler.
I had heard the appointment he had given them at the Hotel Hautecombe, and I cast about me to consider how I might gain some inkling of their intentions.
Luckily I had desired l'Echelle, the sleeping-car conductor, to stick to me on leaving the police office, and I put it to him whether or not he was willing to enter my service.
"I will take you on entirely," I promised, "if you choose to leave your present employment.
You shall be my own man, my valet and personal attendant.
It is likely that I may wander about the Continent for some time, and it may suit you to come with me."
He seemed pleased at the idea, and we quickly agreed as to terms.
"Now, l'Echelle," I went on, "after last night I think I may trust you to do what I want, and I promise you I won't forget it.
Find out what the other side is at, and contrive somehow to become acquainted with Lord Blackadder's plans."
"How far may I go?" he asked me plump. "They are pretty sure to try and win me over, they've done so already.
Shall I accept their bid?
It would be the easiest way to know all you want."
"It's devilish underhand," I protested.
"You'll be paying them back in their own coin," he returned. "A corsaire fieffe corsaire et demi. It will be to my advantage, and you won't lose."
"Upon my soul, I don't quite like it." I still hung back, but his arguments seemed so plausible that they overcame my scruples, and I was not sorry for it in the long run.
[The reader has already been told how Falfani craftily approached l'Echelle, and found him, as he thought, an easy prey.
We know how the communication was kept up between the two camps, how Falfani was fooled into believing that he kept close watch over Colonel Annesley through l'Echelle, how the latter told his real master the true news of the progress made by Tiler.
When there could be little doubt that the chase was growing warm and had gone as far as Lyons, the Colonel felt that there was danger and that he must take more active steps to divert the pursuit and mislead the pursuers.
The Colonel shall continue in his own words.]
I was much disturbed when I learnt that Tiler had wired from Lyons.