“The young lady’s is nearby, Monsieur. It is therefore close also to the apartment of Mr. Oberon.”
“In that case, Raoul, when you hear the bell, go at once to the ante-room. Take a candle and, by the communicating door, go into the ceremonial room. There will be five or six black cushions on the floor and a large black divan. If there are six cushions, yours will be apart from the others. If there are five, your position will be on the divan. I am only guessing at this. One thing I do know — the rule of silence will be observed until the actual ceremony begins. If you are in the wrong position it will be attributed, with luck, to stage-fright and somebody will put you right. Where is Mr. Herrington’s room, Teresa?”
“It is off the landing, Monsieur, going down to the lower storey where the ceremonies are held.”
“And the other guests?”
“They are in the higher parts of the Château, Monsieur. Across the outside passage and beyond it.”
“Do you know the room of Miss Grizel Locke?”
“Yes, Monsieur.”
“Have you seen her today?”
“Not since two days ago, Monsieur, but that is not unusual. As I have informed Monsieur, it is the lady’s habit to keep to her room and leave a notice that she must not be disturbed.”
“I see. Now, if I leave Mr. Herrington’s room on the first stroke of the bell, I should arrive hard on your heels, Raoul, and in advance of the others. I may even go in a little earlier.” He looked at his watch. “It is half-past-seven. Let us put on our gowns. Then, Teresa, you must go out and, if possible, discover the whereabouts of the Egyptian.”
“Monsieur, he was summoned by M. Baradi before you came in. I heard him speaking on the house telephone.”
“Let us hope the doctor keeps his man with him for some time. Now then, Raoul. On with the motley!”
The gowns proved to be amply made, wrapping across under their girdles. The hoods would come well forward and, when the head was bent, completely exclude any normal lighting from the face. “But it will be a different story if one holds a lighted candle,” Alleyn said. “We must not be seen with our candles in our hands.”
He had bought for Raoul a pair of feminine sandals, black and elegant with highish heels. Raoul said he thought they would fit admirably. With a grimace of humorous resignation he washed his small, beautiful and very dirty feet and then fitted them into the sandals. “Oh, là, là!” he said, “one must be an acrobat, it appears.” And for the diversion of Teresa he minced to and fro, wagging his hips and making unseemly gestures. Teresa crammed her fists in her mouth and was consumed with merriment. “Ah, mon Dieu,”she gasped punctually, “quel drôle de type!”
Alleyn wondered rather desperately if he was dealing with children or merely with the celebrated latin joie de vivre. He called them to order and they were at once as solemn as owls.
“Teresa,” he said, “you will go a little ahead of us with your candle. Go straight through the house and down the stairs to the landing beneath the library. If you see anybody, blow your nose loudly.”
“Have you a handkerchief, my jewel?”
“No.”
“Accept mine,” said Raoul, offering her a dubious rag.
“If anybody speaks to you and, perhaps, asks you why you are still on the premises, say that you missed your bus because of the message about Miss Taylor. If it is necessary, you must say you are going to her room to do some little act of service that you had forgotten and that you will leave to catch the later bus. If it is possible, in this event, Raoul and I will conceal ourselves until the coast is clear. If this is not possible, we will behave as Mr. Herrington and Miss Taylor would behave under the rule of silence. You will continue to Miss Taylor’s room, open the door for Raoul and go in for a moment, but only for a moment. Then, Teresa, I have another task for you,” continued Alleyn, feeling for the second time in two days that he had become as big a bore as Prospero. Teresa, however, was a complacent Ariel and merely gazed submissively upon him.
“You will find Mr. Oberon and will tell him that Miss Taylor has returned and asks to be allowed her private meditation alone in her room until the ceremony. That is very important.”
“Ah, Monsieur, if he were not so troubling to my soul!”
“If you value my esteem, Teresa—” Raoul began.
“Yes, yes, Monsieur,” said Teresa in a hurry, “I am resolved! I will face it.”
“Good. Having given this message, come and report to me. After that your tasks for the night are finished. You will catch the late bus for your home in the Paysdoux. Heaven will reward you and I shall not forget you. Is all that clear, Teresa?”
Teresa repeated it all.
“Good. Now, Raoul, we may not have a chance to speak to each other again. Do as I have said. You are enacting the role of a frightened yet fascinated girl who is under the rule of silence. What will happen during the ceremony I cannot tell you. Mr. Herrington could not be persuaded to confide more than you already know. You can only try to behave as the others do. If there is a crisis I shall deal with it. You will probably see and hear much that will shock and anger you. However beastly the behaviour of these people, you must control yourself. Have you ever heard of the Augean Stables?”
“No, Monsieur.”
“They were filthy and were cleansed. It was a heroic task. Now, when you get to Miss Taylor’s room you will find a robe, like the one you are wearing, laid out for her. If there is no difference you need not change. I don’t think you need try to wear her shoes but if there is anything else set out for her — gloves perhaps — you must wear whatever it may be. One thing more. There may be cigarettes in Miss Taylor’s room. Don’t smoke them. If cigarettes are given to us during the ceremony we must pretend to smoke. Like this.”
Alleyn pouted his lips as if to whistle, held a cigarette in the gap between them and drew in audibly. “They will be drugged cigarettes. Air and smoke will be inhaled together. Keep your thumb over the end like this and you will be safe. That’s all. A great deal depends upon us, Raoul. There have been many girls before Miss Taylor who have become the guests of Mr. Oberon. I think perhaps of all evil-doers, his kind are the worst. Monsieur le Commissaire and I are asking much of you.”
Raoul, perched on his high heels and peering out of the black hood, said: “Monsieur l’Inspecteur-en-Chef, in the army one learns to recognize authority. I recognize it in you, Monsieur, and I shall serve it to the best of my ability.”
Alleyn was acutely embarrassed and more than a little touched by this speech. He said: “Thank you. Then we must all do our best. Shall we set about it? Now, Teresa, as quietly as you can unless you meet anybody, and then — boldly. Off you go.”
“Courage, my beloved. Courage and good sense.”
Teresa bestowed a melting glance upon Raoul, opened the door and, after a preliminary look down the passage, took up her candle and went out. Alleyn followed with his walking-stick in his hand and Raoul, clicking his high heels and taking small steps, brought up the rear.
Down in Roqueville Troy absent-mindedly arranged little figures round a crib and pondered on the failure of her session with Ginny and Robin. She heard again Ginny’s desperate protest: “I don’t want to, I don’t want to but I must. I’ve taken the oath. Dreadful things will happen if I don’t go back.”
“You don’t really believe that,” Robin had said and she had cried out: “You’ve sworn and you won’t tell. If we don’t believe, why don’t we tell?”