The ROME EXPRESS

Contents

THE ROME EXPRESS

CHAPTER I

The Rome Express, the direttissimo, or most direct, was approachingParis one morning in March, when it became known to the occupants of thesleeping-car that there was something amiss, very much amiss, in the car.

The train was travelling the last stage, between Laroche and Paris, a run of ahundred miles without a stop. It had halted at Laroche for early breakfast, andmany, if not all the passengers, had turned out. Of those in the sleeping-car,seven in number, six had been seen in the restaurant, or about the platform;the seventh, a lady, had not stirred. All had reëntered their berths to sleepor doze when the train went on, but several were on the move as it nearedParis, taking their turn at the lavatory, calling for water, towels, making theusual stir of preparation as the end of a journey was at hand.

There were many calls for the porter, yet no porter appeared. At last theattendant was found—lazy villain!—asleep, snoring loudly, stertorously, in hislittle bunk at the end of the car. He was roused with difficulty, and set abouthis work in a dull, unwilling, lethargic way, which promised badly for his tipsfrom those he was supposed to serve.

By degrees all the passengers got dressed, all but two,—the lady in 9 and 10,who had made no sign as yet; and the man who occupied alone a double berth nexther, num

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