Immediately after breakfast next morning he made his way to the gardens of the Tuileries. He had arranged on the previous evening to meet Katherine there, and on this occasion she was first at the rendezvous. As soon as she saw him she hastened along the path to meet him. Browne thought he had never seen her more becomingly dressed; her face had a bright colour, and her eyes sparkled like twin diamonds.
"You have good news for me, I can see," she said, when their first greetings were over and they were walking back along the path together. "What have you done?"
"We have advanced one step," he answered. "I have discovered the address of a man who will possibly be of immense assistance to us."
"That is good news indeed," she said. "And where does he live?"
"In Hong-kong," Browne replied, and as he said it he noticed a look of disappointment upon her face.
"Hong-kong?" she replied. "That is such a long way off. I had hoped he would prove to be in London."
"I don't think there is any one in London who would be of much use to us," said Browne, "while there are a good many there who could hinder us. That reminds me, dear, I have something rather important to say to you."
"I want to warn you to be very careful to whom you speak about the work we have in hand, and to be particularly careful of one person."
"Who is that?" she inquired; but there was a subtle intonation in her voice that told Browne that, while she could not, of course, know with any degree of certainty whom he meant, she at least could hazard a very good guess. They had seated themselves by this time on the same seat they had occupied a few days before; and a feeling, that was almost one of shame, came over him when he reflected that, in a certain measure, he owed his present happiness to the woman he was about to decry.
"You must not be offended at what I am going to say to you," he began, meanwhile prodding the turf before him with the point of his umbrella. "The fact of the matter is, I want to warn you to be very careful how much of our plans you reveal to Madame Bernstein. It is just possible you may think I am unjust in saying such a thing. I only hope I am."
"I really think you are," she said. "I don't know why you should have done so, but from the very first you have entertained a dislike for Madame. And yet, I think you must admit she has been a very good friend to both of us."