Then, having exchanged a few words, they
strolled off a little way, and returned again.
"Are you sure these are the same men you saw before?"
"Yes, sir."
Evidently, I could no longer dismiss her warning as an hallucination;
and I promised myself to clear up the matter. As to following the men
myself, I was presumably too well known to them. To address them
directly would probably be of no use. But that very day, one of our
best men should be put on watch, and if the spies returned on the
morrow, they should be tracked in their turn, and watched until their
identity was established.
At the moment, they were waiting to follow me to police headquarters?
For it was there that I was bound, as usual. If they accompanied me I
might be able to offer them a hospitality for which they would scarce
thank me.
I took my hat; and while the housekeeper remained peeping from the
window, I went down stairs, opened the door, and stepped into the
street.
The two men were no longer there.
Despite all my watchfulness, that day I saw no more of them as I
passed along the streets. From that time on, indeed, neither my old
servant nor I saw them again before the house, nor did I encounter
them elsewhere. Their appearance, however, was stamped upon my
memory, I would not forget them.
Perhaps after all, admitting that I had been the object of their
espionage, they had been mistaken in my identity.
Pages:
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87