ovember. They say she sustained some
great shock which so upset her that her mind is now a little affected.
Old Mrs. Alford, the servant there, tells me that the poor girl will
go a whole day and never open her mouth. She's like one dumb!"

"How very curious!" I remarked. "I wonder what kind of shock it was
that caused such a change in her? Was she quite all right before
November?"

"Perfectly. She was a bright clever girl, and used often to come in
here to me for chocolate and cakes. She was full of life and
merriment. It is really pathetic to see her as she is nowadays. She
seems to be brooding over something, but what it is nobody can make
out."

"Very remarkable," I said. "I've noticed her about, and have wondered
at her attitude--like many others, I suppose."

"Yes. Her mother has taken her to a number of mental specialists, I
hear, but nobody seems to be able to do her any good. They say she's
suffered from some shock, but they can't tell exactly what it is,
because the young lady seems to have entirely lost her memory over a
certain period."

"Is Mrs. Tennison well off?" I asked.

"No--the reverse, I should think," the baker's wife replied. "I've
heard that Mr. Tennison was a very rich man, but when he died it was
found that he was on the verge of bankruptcy, and the widow was left
very poorly off."

It is curious what intimate knowledge the little tradespeople glean
about their neighbours, even in London. From the woman I gathered one
or two facts of interest.

I inquired if Mrs. Tennison had many visitors, whereupon she replied
in the negative, and added:

"There used to be an Italian gentleman who called very often a few
weeks ago. He often walked out with the young lady. Somebody said he
was a doctor, but I don't know if he was."

I asked the woman to tell me what he was like, when she gave me an
accurate description of the mysterious doctor of the Via Cavezzo!

So Moroni had visited her there--in Longridge Road!

I tried to ascertain if Gaston Suzor had been there also, but my
informant had no knowledge of him. She had never seen him walking with
Gabrielle Tennison, as she had so often seen the Italian.

I remained for nearly half an hour chatting, retiring, of course, when
she was compelled to serve customers, and then I left her and walked
round to the house in Longridge Road, where I watched a little while,
and then returned to the Carlton.

CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH

THE ABSOLUTE FA