At The Villa Rose

"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!"