While her hostess was away, Sylvia looked round her with some curiosity.
What an extraordinary mode of life these people had chosen for
themselves! If the Wachners were rich enough to gamble, surely they had
enough money to live more comfortably than they were now doing? It was
clear that they hardly used the dining-room and drawing-room of the
little villa at all. When Sylvia had been looking for the butter, she had
not been able to help seeing that in the tiny larder there was only a
small piece of cheese, a little cold meat, and a couple of eggs on a
plate. No wonder Monsieur Wachner had heartily enjoyed the copious, if
rather roughly-prepared, meal at the Pension Malfait.
"Yes, the carriage is there," said Madame Wachner bustling back. "And now
we must be quick, or L'Ami Fritz will be cross! Do you know that absurd
man actually still thinks 'e is master, and yet we 'ave been married--oh,
I do not know 'ow many years! But he always loves seeing me even after we
'ave been separated but two hours or so!"
Together they went out, Madame Wachner carefully locking the door and
hiding the key where she had found it, under the mat outside.
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