The Opposite House: A Novel — page 178: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Lhe Opposite fouse. 173 I would rather have the secret spy a hundred miles off, or, better still, with her former lover in the ancestral tomb! Her memory appears to be better than I expected.” The sheet shook in the baroness’s fingers; she gazed fixedly at it, then let it fall, “T thank you, Mademoiselle Chénois,” she said, holding out her hand to the dancer. “I beg your pardon for offending you just now.” It was the first time in Baroness von Rotterswyl’s life that she had ever asked forgiveness—and now she appealed for it to a ballet-dancer ! “But I hope you will solve this mystery entirely. I understand the enigma only in part,” she con- tinued. ‘ Where did you get this letter?” “Tt fell into my hands by accident,” said Heloise, calmly. “An intimate friend of the writer, to whom the letter was addressed, dropped it out of his case. I found it under his chair after he had gone.” ‘And how did you learn the whole connection of the affair?’ continued the baroness. “From the same source. Herr Wikke had drunk some of my Tokay and, in consequence, became communicative.” “T have heard that Brand was your friend and confidant, mademoiselle ?”’ There was still a tone of suspicion in the old lady’s voice. Comiclboolk<s C@