"Of course I did," said the Duke. "Isn't it there?"
"No," said Guerchard.
"You can't have looked properly," said the Duke, with a touch of irony in his voice. "If I were you, I should go back and look again."
"No. If I've looked for a thing, I've looked for it. There's no need for me to look a second time. But, all the same, it's rather funny. Doesn't it strike you as being rather funny, your Grace?" said Guerchard, with a worried air.
"It strikes me as being uncommonly funny," said the Duke, with an ambiguous smile.
Guerchard looked at him with a sudden uneasiness; then he rang the bell.
Bonavent came into the room.
"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, Bonavent. It's quite time," said Guerchard.
"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff?" said Bonavent, with an air of surprise.
"Yes, it's time that she was taken to the police-station."
"Mademoiselle Kritchnoff has gone, sir," said Bonavent, in a tone of quiet remonstrance.
"Gone? What do you mean by gone?" said Guerchard.
"Gone, sir, gone!" said Bonavent patiently.
