Part One: The Facts
1. An Important Passenger on the Taurus Express
Itwasfiveo’clockonawinter’smorninginSyria.AlongsidetheplatformatAleppostoodthetraingrandlydesignatedinrailwayguidesastheTaurusExpress.Itconsistedofakitchenanddiningcar,asleepingcarandtwolocalcoaches.
BythestepleadingupintothesleepingcarstoodayoungFrenchlieutenant,resplendentinuniform,conversingwithasmallleanman,muffleduptotheears,ofwhomnothingwasvisiblebutapink-tippednoseandthetwopointsofanupwardcurledmoustache.
Itwasfreezinglycold,andthisjobofseeingoffadistinguishedstrangerwasnotonetobeenvied,butLieutenantDuboscperformedhispartmanfully.GracefulphrasesfellfromhislipsinpolishedFrench.Notthatheknewwhatitwasallabout.Therehadbeenrumours,ofcourse,astherealwayswereinsuchcases.TheGeneral—hisGeneral’s—temperhadgrownworseandworse.AndthentherehadcomethisBelgianstranger—allthewayfromEngland,itseemed.Therehadbeenaweek—aweekofcurioustensity.Andthencertainthingshadhappened.Averydistinguishedofficerhadcommittedsuicide,anotherhadresigned—anxiousfaceshadsuddenlylosttheiranxiety,certainmilitaryprecautionswererelaxed.AndtheGeneral—LieutenantDubosc’sownparticularGeneral—hadsuddenlylookedtenyearsyounger.
Duboschadoverheardpartofaconversationbetweenhimandthestranger.“Youhavesavedus,moncher,”saidtheGeneralemotionally,hisgreatwhitemoustachetremblingashespoke.
