"Theparsonatthedoorsaysallserene,'Sorrytoconfuseyouraccounts, butit'llpayforthewindow.''Whatwindow?'Isays.'TheoneI'mgoingtobreak,'hesays, andsmashedthatblessedpanewithhisumbrella."
Allthreeinquirersmadeanexclamation;andtheinspectorsaidunderhisbreath,"Areweafterescapedlunatics?"Thewaiterwentonwithsomerelishfortheridiculousstory:
"Iwassoknockedsillyforasecond, Icouldn''tcatchthem, thoughIranroundthebarstodoit."
"BullockStreet,"saidthedetective, andshotupthatthoroughfareasquicklyasthestrangecouplehepursued.
Theirjourneynowtookthemthroughbarebrickwaysliketunnels;streetswithfewlightsandevenwithfewwindows;, , however, -litwindowbrokethebluetwilightlikeabull's-eyelantern;'shesitationhewentin;;buthedidnotneedone.
Anangular, elderlyyoungwomanintheshophadregardedhiselegantappearancewithamerelyautomaticinquiry;butwhenshesawthedoorbehindhimblockedwiththeblueuniformoftheinspector, hereyesseemedtowakeup.
"Oh,"shesaid,"ifyou'vecomeaboutforthatparcel, I'vesentitoffalready."
"Parcel?"repeatedValentin;anditwashisturntolookinquiring.
"Imeantheparcelthe'gentlemanleft-theclergymangentleman."
"Forgoodness'sake,"said'Valentin, leaningforwardwithhisfirstrealconfessionofeagerness,"forHeaven'ssaketelluswhathappenedexactly."
