"No reason, no reason," he replied evasively; "simply because I've altered the opinion I once held regarding her." I requested no further explanation, for the bell was ringing, denoting that the curtain had risen, and we returned to our stalls. Could he have seen or heard anything to cause him to utter this vague warning? I asked myself. No, surely not; yet it was strange, to say the least. Having obtained my passport properly vised by the Russian Consul, on the evening following I entered a first-class compartment of the Queenborough express at Victoria, and, settling myself, commenced the initial stage of my long journey across Europe. As the train sped onward through the Kentish hop-gardens, I sat watching the September sun change from gold to purple, and eventually disappear behind the dark night-clouds. Safely stowed away in my valise was the jewel-case; but I had already devised a plan whereby it would escape the prying _douaniers_--the same by which I had brought it from Italy unopened, viz, to place it in the capacious pockets of my travelling coat, and hang that garment upon my arm during the examination of the baggage. I was alone in the carriage, but by reading the newspapers with which I had provided myself, managed to wile away the two hours' journey to the sea. With relief I alighted at Queenborough Pier, and embarked upon the Flushing steamer, for here I knew the sensation of loneliness would quickly disappear. The whirr of the steam crane, hubbub and noise, mingled with disconsolate comments in English and staccato sounds in French, soon ceased, and very quickly the vessel had set her head towards the Dutch coast. At seven we landed, and an hour later I had commenced a several days' journey by rail across the continent, the terrible monotony of which is known only to those who have accomplished it. Cramped up in a _coupe-lit_ for a day and night is sufficient to tire most persons, but a continuance of that sort of thing is the reverse of enjoyable. Both at Flushing and Kaldenkirchen I contrived to smuggle the jewels through the _douane_, and with a honeymooning couple and a voluble old Frenchman as fellow-passengers, I travelled onward through Duisburg, Oberhausen, and Hanover, arriving at Berlin early on the third morning after leaving London. Here I decided to break the journey for a day, having traversed half the distance, and after seeking repose at a hotel, strolled through the city to stretch my legs. That evening I passed wandering alone through the principal thoroughfares, and lounging in several beer gardens, returning to the hotel shortly before midnight, and resuming my eastward journey the following morning.