Chapter Sixteen
Dark Eyes Look Into Mine
Grasping the struggling bird firmly by the body, and having the long white tail fluttering a yard or so behind me, I returned to where the taxi waited.
“Open the door!” I said to the man, who greeted me with such a stare of amazement that I laughed outright, though my mirth was but hollow.
He jumped into the road and did as I directed. Making sure that both windows were closed, I thrust the peacock into the cab and shut the door upon it.
“For God’s sake, Monsieur…” began the driver.
“It has probably escaped from some collector’s place on the riverside,” I explained, “but one never knows. See that it does not escape again, and if at the end of an hour, as arranged, you do not hear from me, take it back with you to the River Police Station.”
“R
