The Saint Meets His Match (She was a Lady)

you go, or do you want to argue some more?'

For some moments there was a gigantic silence—on the part of Chief Inspector Teal. The Saint could feel the tremendousness of it; and he was amused, for he knew exactly where he stood. And in his trouser pockets there were two iron fists quietly bunched up ready to prove the courage of his convictions if the challenge were offered. . . .

And then Teal opened his eyes, and his mouth widened half an inch momentarily.

He nodded.

'You always were a bright boy,' he said.

'I know,' said the Saint.

Teal's smile remained in position. He hitched his over­coat round, and buttoned a button that must have had a tiring day. His heavy-lidded eyes roved boredly over the furnishings of the apartment.

'Sorry you've wasted your time,' said the Saint sympa­thetically. 'Don't let me keep you any longer if you're really in a hurry.'

'I won't,' said Teal. And then his eyes fell on the chair where Jill Trelawney had been sitting.

Simon followed his gaze.

'Been entertaining a friend?' asked Teal, without a change of expression.

'My Auntie Ethel,' said the Saint blandly. 'She left just before you came in. Isn't it a pity? Still, maybe you'll be able to meet her another day.'

'How old is this Auntie Ethel?'

'About fifty,' said the Saint. 'A bit young for you, but you might try your luck. I'll send you her address. She might like to see round Rochester Row.'

Teal took his hands out of his pockets and locomoted across the room. Only a man like Teal can possibly be said to locomote.

This locomotion was deceptive. It appeared to be very heavy off the mark, and very slow and clumsy in transit, but actually it was remarkably agile. Teal picked a bag up from the chair and inspected it soberly.

'Your Auntie Ethel has a gaudy taste in bags,' he re­marked. 'How old did you say she was?'

'About a hundred and fifty,' said the Saint.

Teal opened the bag and proceeded to examine the contents, extracting them one by one, and laying them on the table after the inspection. Lipstick, powder puff, mirror, comb case, handkerchief, cigarette case, gold pen­cil, some visiting cards.

'Princess Selina von Rupprecht,' Teal read off one of the visiting cards. 'Where does she come from?'

'Lithuania,' said the Saint fluently. 'I have some very distinguished relations in Czecho-Slovakia, too,' he added modestly.

Teal put the bag down and turned with unusual brisk­ness.

'I should like to meet this Princess,' he said.

'Call her Auntie,' said Simon. 'She likes it. But you can't meet her here to-night because she's gone home.'

'She'll come back for her bag,' said Teal comfortably. 'I'll wait. And while I'm waiting I'd like to see round some of the other rooms in this flat.'