By favor of this troubled night I was able to communicate with Kinko,
to take him some provisions and to have a few minutes' conversation
with him.
"Is it the day after to-morrow," he asked, "that we arrive at Pekin?"
"Yes, the day after to-morrow, if the train is not delayed."
"Oh, I am not afraid of delays! But when my box is in the railway
station at Pekin, I have still to get to the Avenue Cha-Coua--"
"What does it matter, will not the fair Zinca Klork come and call for
it?"
"No. I advised her not to do so."
"And why?"
"Women are so impressionable! She would want to see the van in-which I
had come, she would claim the box with such excitement that suspicions
would be aroused. In short, she would run the risk of betraying me."
"You are right, Kinko."
"Besides, we shall reach the station in the afternoon, very late in the
afternoon perhaps, and the unloading of the packages will not take
place until next morning--"
"Probably."
"Well, Monsieur Bombarnac, if I am not taking too great a liberty, may
I ask a favor of you?"
"What is it?"
"That you will be present at the departure of the case, so as to avoid
any mistake.
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