第11部分(第4/8 頁)

ther　hesitatingly：

〃Miss　Grey；　is　it　not？〃

Katherine　said　that　it　was；　and　the　young　man　beamed　upon　her　seraphically　and　murmured：

〃I　am　Chubby；　you　know　…　Lady　Tamplin's　husband。　I　expect　she　mentioned　me；　but　perhaps　she　forgot。　Have　you　got　your　billet　de　bagages？　I　lost　mine　when　I　came　out　this　year；　and　you　would　not　believe　the　fuss　they　made　about　it。　Regular　French　red　tape！〃

Katherine　produced　it；　and　was　just　about　to　move　off　beside　him　when　a　very　gentle　and　insidious　voice　murmured　in　her　ear：

〃A　little　moment；　Madame；　if　you　please。〃

Katherine　turned　to　behold　an　individual　who　made　up　for　insignificance　of　stature　by　a　large　quantity　of　gold　lace　and　uniform。

The　individual　explained。　〃There　were　certain　formalities。　Madame　would　perhaps　be　so　kind　as　to　acpany　him。　The　regulations　of　the　police　…〃　He　threw　up　his　arms。　〃Absurd；　doubtless；　but　there　it　was。〃

Mr　Chubby　Evans　listened　with　a　very　imperfect　prehension；　his　French　being　of　a　limited　order。

〃So　like　the　French；〃　murmured　Mr　Evans。　He　was　one　of　those　staunch　patriotic　Britons　who；　having　made　a　portion　of　a　foreign　country　their　own；　strongly　resent　the　original　inhabitants　of　it。　〃Always　up　to　some　silly　dodge　or　other。　They've　never　tackled　people　on　the　station　before；　though。　This　is　something　quite　new。　I　suppose　you'll　have　to　go。〃

Katherine　departed　with　her　guide。　Somewhat　to　her　surprise；　he　led　her　towards　a　siding　whe