Sammy chanced to be out, therefore I conducted her to our cosy little
sitting-room at the back of the house on the first floor, and after a
few minutes she had so far recovered from the shock of seeing her dead
enemy that she seated herself and allowed me to talk further to her.
I told her of the request which Massari had made respecting his epitaph,
and of his fearless encounter with death.
"Naturally. He was unfortunate, and he wished to die," she said, quite
coolly. "Had he lived he would only have fallen into disgrace and been
placed in the criminal dock."
"Towards me he was very pleasant, though not very talkative."
"Ah! you have had a narrow escape," she said, with her dark eyes fixed
upon me mysteriously.
"A narrow escape? What of, pray? I don't understand you."
"Of course not," she answered, smiling strangely.
"Tell me more," I said eagerly. "This statement of yours is very
puzzling, and has aroused my curiosity. Do you mean that Massari had
some sinister design upon me?"