Just as they sometimes leave their luggage after they
themselves have departed!"
Chester was shaking hands cordially with the Wachners.
"Thank you for all your kindness," he said heartily. "I hope we shall
meet again soon! I shall certainly be here for some days. Perhaps you
will allow me to call on you?"
Once the good-natured couple had walked off arm in arm into the night,
the door of the Pension Malfait was locked and barred, and Chester
followed his landlord into the long, dark house.
"One has to be careful. There are so many queer characters about," said
M. Malfait; and then, "Will M'sieur have something to eat? A little
refreshment, a bottle of lemonade, or of pale ale? We have splendid
Bass's ale," he said, solicitously.
But the Englishman shook his head, smiling. "Oh, no," he said slowly, in
his bad French, "I dined in Paris. All I need now is a good night's
rest."
"And that M'sieur will certainly have," said the landlord civilly.
"Lacville is famous for its sleep-producing qualities. That is why so
many Parisians content themselves with coming here instead of going
further afield.
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