Then in a loud
voice, he said, "I will ask my wife for the letter. She looks after the
correspondence."
Madame Malfait came forward. She looked even more annoyed than her
husband had looked when he had seen by whom Sylvia was accompanied.
"The letter?" she repeated shortly. "Mon Dieu! I do not know where I have
put it. But by this time I almost know it by heart. It was a pleasing
letter, for it spoke very warmly of our establishment. But where is the
letter?" she looked round her, as if she expected to find it suddenly
appear.
"Ah! I remember to whom I showed it last! It was to that agreeable friend
of Madame Wolsky"--she put an emphasis on the word "agreeable," and
stared hard at Sylvia as she did so. "It was to that Madame Wachner I
last showed it. Perhaps she put it in her pocket, and forgot to give it
me back. I know she said she would like her husband to see it. Monsieur
and Madame Wachner often take their meals here. I will ask them if they
have the letter."
"Well, at any rate, we had better open Madame Wolsky's trunks; that may
give us some clue," said the Commissioner in a weary voice.
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