It happened that Nella was in the bureau.
'On the third floor, madam ?' questioned Nella, in her best clerkly manner.
'I did say on de tird floor,' said the plump little old lady.
'We have accommodation on the second floor.' 'I wish to be high up, out of de dust and in de light,' explained the Baroness.
'We have no suites on the third floor, madam.' 'Never mind, no mattaire! Have you not two rooms that communicate ?' Nella consulted her books, rather awkwardly.
'Numbers 122 and 123 communicate.' 'Or is it 121 and 122?
the little old lady remarked quickly, and then bit her lip.
'I beg your pardon.

I should have said 121 and 122.' At the moment Nella regarded the Baroness's correction of her figures as a curious chance, but afterwards, when the Baroness had ascended in the lift, the thing struck her as somewhat strange.

Perhaps the Baroness Zerlinski had stayed at the hotel before.

For the sake of convenience an index of visitors to the hotel was kept and the index extended back for thirty years.

Nella examined it, but it did not contain the name of Zerlinski.