"It's too bad to have done this to you," said Raoul, "but we couldn't
very well avoid it. You had better cross with us into France until this
blows over. The boche are sure to raise a terrific row; and the Swiss
are mortally afraid of invasion. So if you remain you'll be
annoyed--held for examination--possibly imprisoned. But they won't
confiscate your estate: you know too much about the Swiss Government's
cognizance of these hun conspirators, and their use of neutral soil."
I scarcely heard him; I was looking at Thusis who stood bending over the
music-box and studying the disks lying there.
"Could I help you to pack up?" insisted Raoul.
"Thanks; I shall remain here," said I quietly.
At that moment the door burst open and Puppsky, his clothing still
steaming in spots, rushed in upon us followed by Wildkatz in similar and
vaporous attire:
"I been robbed!" yelled Puppsky. "All my papers und evertings it bass
been robbed me alretty!"
Raoul shot a contemptuous glance at the chattering pair of Reds: "I
haven't bothered about _your_ papers," he said.
"Did I say you done it! No, I did not say you done!" shouted Puppsky.
"I see this here Countess hanging around by the room of comrade
Wildkatz. What for iss she in this, I ask it? She iss who, perhaps? I
think she got my papers also comrade Wildkatz he also believes it----"
"Go and ask her!" said Raoul bluntly.
When they were gone Smith turned from the window where he had been
whispering with Clelia:
"It's quite _en regle_," he said coolly. "The Countess Manntrapp is in
the employment of the Siberian government. She came here to get what
she wanted and report on these Reds. She left for the Pass an hour ago,
on foot."
The unseen web in the center of which I had unwittingly stood for so
long suddenly became partly visible to me.
Raoul laughed. "It's really a pity," he remarked to me, "that we can't
catch and box up these kings and take them along with us. But Venizelos
says no; and he's always right. So we had all better pack up and be on
our way."
He went off whistling the "Crack-brain" song. Presently, without
noticing me, Thusis turned from the music-box and walked over to where
her sister was standing; and I heard her say something about dressing.
I turned away and went silently upstairs to my room, and, closing the
door, seated myself.
The baby-party indeed was ended.
*XXV*
*THE DUCHESS OF NAXOS*
I was still sitting there when somebody knocked, and, supposing it to be
Smith, I said, "come in."
Thusis entered, and I rose. We looked at each other in silence, then I
set a chair for her by my table and she dropped onto it as though tired.
She wore a dark hat and a dark gown which I had never seen. Also she
was gloved, another phase hitherto unfamiliar to me. And her beauty
almost hurt me.
"You are not going with us?" she asked in a low voice.
"No."
"Why not?"
"There is no reason why I should go."
"You are not afraid to remain?"