"A month ago the house almost directly opposite to us was taken
furnished for the summer by a Mme. Rossignol. She is a widow, but
during the last fortnight a young gentleman has come several times
in the afternoon to see her, and it is said in the street that he
is going to marry her. But I cannot believe it myself. Monsieur is
a young man of perhaps thirty, with smooth, black hair. He wears a
moustache, a little black moustache, and is altogether
captivating. Mme. Rossignol is five or six years older, I should
think--a tall woman, with red hair and a bold sort of coarse
beauty. I was not attracted by her. She seemed not quite of the
same world as that charming monsieur who was said to be going to
marry her. No; I was not attracted by Adele Rossignol."
And when he had come to that point Hanaud looked up with a start.
"So the name was Adele," he whispered.
"Yes," said Ricardo. "Helene Vauquier spoke the truth."
Hanaud nodded with a queer smile upon his lips.
"Yes, there she spoke the truth. I thought she did."
"But she said Adele's hair was black," interposed Mr. Ricardo.
"Yes, there she didn't," said Hanaud drily, and his eyes dropped
again to the paper.
"I knew her name was Adele, for often I have heard her servant
calling her so, and without any 'Madame' in front of the name.
That is strange, is it not, to hear an elderly servant-woman
calling after her mistress, 'Adele,' just simple 'Adele'? It was
that which made me think monsieur and madame were not of the same
world. But I do not believe that they are going to be married. I
have an instinct about it. Of course, one never knows with what
extraordinary women the nicest men will fall in love. So that
after all these two may get married. But if they do, I do not
think they will be happy.
"Besides the old woman there was another servant, a man,
Hippolyte, who served in the house and drove the carriage when it
was wanted--a respectable man. He always touched his hat when Mme.
Rossignol came out of the house. He slept in the house at night,
although the stable was at the end of the street. I thought he was
probably the son of Jeanne, the servant-woman. He was young, and
his hair was plastered down upon his forehead, and he was
altogether satisfied with himself and a great favorite amongst the
servants in the street. The carriage and the horse were hired from
Geneva. That is the household of Mme. Rossignol."
So far, Mr. Ricardo read in silence. Then he broke out again.
"But we have them! The red-haired woman called Adele; the man with
the little black moustache. It was he who drove the motor-car!"