“No, I am not positive. I could not say with certainty.”
“When did you see him last?”
“Within the week, I am quite sure,” Keyork answered with alacrity.
“Do you know where he was staying?”
“I have not the least idea,” the little man replied, without the
slightest hesitation. “We met at first by chance in the Teyn Kirche, one
afternoon--it was a Sunday, I remember, about a month ago.”
“A month ago--on a Sunday,” Beatrice repeated thoughtfully.
“Yes--I think it was New Year’s Day, too.”
“Strange,” she said. “I was in the church that very morning, with my
maid. I had been ill for several days--I remember how cold it was.
Strange--the same day.”
“Yes,” said Keyork, noting the words, but appearing to take no notice of
them. “I was looking at Tycho Brahe’s monument. You know how it annoys
me to forget anything--there was a word in the inscription which I could
not recall. I turned round and saw him sitting just at the end of the
pew nearest to the monument.”
“The old red slab with a figure on it, by the last pillar?” Beatrice
asked eagerly.
“Exactly. I daresay you know the church very well. You remember that
the pew runs very near to the monument so that there is hardly room to
pass.”
“I know--yes.”
She was thinking that it could hardly have been a mere accident which
had led the Wanderer to take the very seat she had occupied on the
morning of that day. He must have seen her during the Mass, but she
could not imagine how he could have missed her. They had been very near
then. And now, a whole month had passed, and Keyork Arabian professed
not to know whether the Wanderer was still in the city or not.
“Then you wish to be informed of our friend’s movements, as I understand
it?” said Keyork going back to the main point.
“Yes--what happened on that day?” Beatrice asked, for she wished to hear
more.
“Oh, on that day? Yes. Well, nothing happened worth mentioning. We
talked a little and went out of the church and walked a little way
together. I forget when we met next, but I have seen him at least a
dozen times since then, I am sure.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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