Sylvia had written that she would engage a room for him at the
boarding-house where she was staying; and Chester, who was very tired
after his long, hot journey, looked forward to a pleasant little chat
with her, followed by a good night's rest.
It was nine o'clock when he got into the Lacville train, and again he
was vaguely surprised to see what a large number of people were bound for
the place. It was clear that something special must be going on there
to-night, and that "the fireworks on the lake" must be on a very splendid
scale.
When he arrived at Lacville, he joined the great throng of people, who
were laughing and talking, each and all in holiday mood, and hailed an
open carriage outside the station. "To the Villa du Lac!" he cried.
The cab could only move slowly through the crowd of walkers, and when
it finally emerged out of the narrow streets of the town it stopped a
moment, as if the driver wished his English fare to gaze at the beautiful
panorama spread out before his eyes.
Dotted over the lake, large and mysterious in the starlit night, floated
innumerable tiny crafts, each gaily hung with a string of coloured
lanterns.
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