The Argosy — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

40 The Night Boat from Boulogne. Presently the sounds below became louder ; Janet could hear some of the words. What were they doing? A cold shudder crept through her veins. ‘The most raging sea would be preferable to this room ; but what could she do? She determined to watch the strange party ; Just as one watches an animal one is afraid of. So, softly locking her door, she blew out. her candle and drew a little of the curtain back. Close to the window she could hear perfectly what was said. Evidently they were having high words over the game. One of the two men, who sat a little sideways, so that Janet could see his ill-favoured profile, was holding two five-franc pieces in his hand, or so Janet fancied by the look of them. “There’s only an hour before the boat goes, and I must double my money. Sacré bleu! Martin, you couldn’t have won that last set if you hadn’t cheated.” “Cheated! Ah, ah, mon vieux!” Then came a string of oaths which had never been included in Janet’s French grammar or dictionary. “Yes, I expect someone has marked these cards. Is it you, Madame Minaud ?” “That's good! What will you say next, Artoit? You have been drinking too much; and it is not often you get so much money in your hands.” Artoit certainly looked as if he had been drinking; but as there was still a bottle and little glasses by the side of the two, the drinking was not all in the past. He now emptied another glassful of brandy, and struck the table with his fist. “Let us begin again.—Wait a moment! [’ll put the Englishman’s bag ready, and it won’t take me a moment to run across the quay with it.” He staggered across the café, came just below Janet’s window, and soon returned with a Gladstone bag in his hand, which he put close to his chair. A Gladstone bag—why /e had carried one; but then why should it be his? Janet held her breath as she looked at it intently. The hostess also looked at it without holding her breath, but she stooped down and tried to open it, in spite of Artoit’s growl of remonstrance. “Let it alone, Madame Minaud.” “If you had two five-franc pieces given you to carry it from the station it must contain something worth having. Let’s see.” “The Englishman was at the hotel, he gave me his bag to carry down to the boat, and said he would follow in five minutes. I never told him I should come here.” Artoit laughed loudly at this ; it seemed indeed to amuse them all. The bag, however, was securely locked, and not to be opened, and in a moment they began their game again, and time for them passed all Gomilcbooks. co | a» \ mn