The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Double Traitor , by E. Phillips Oppenheim

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Title: The Double Traitor

Author: E. Phillips Oppenheim

Release Date: December 25, 2003 [eBook #10534]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

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THE DOUBLE TRAITOR

BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM

1915

CHAPTER I

The woman leaned across the table towards her companion.

"My friend," she said, "when we first met--I am ashamed, considering that
I dine alone with you to-night, to reflect how short a time ago--you
spoke of your removal here from Paris very much as though it were a
veritable exile. I told you then that there might be surprises in store
for you. This restaurant, for instance! We both know our Paris, yet do we
lack anything here which you find at the Ritz or Giro's?"

The young man looked around him appraisingly. The two were dining at one
of the newest and most fashionable restaurants in Berlin. The room
itself, although a little sombre by reason of its oak panelling, was
relieved from absolute gloom by the lightness and elegance of its
furniture and appointments, the profusion of flowers, and the soft grey
carpet, so thickly piled that every sound was deadened. The delicate
strains of music came from an invisible orchestra concealed behind a
canopy of palms. The head-waiters had the correct clerical air, half
complacent, half dignified. Among the other diners were many beautiful
women in marvellous toilettes. A variety of uniforms, worn by the
officers at different tables, gave colour and distinction to a _tout
ensemble_ with which even Norgate could find no fault.

"Germany has changed very much since I was here as a boy," he confessed.
"One has heard of the growing wealth of Berlin, but I must say that I
scarcely expected--"

He hesitated. His companion laughed softly at his embarrassment.

"Do not forget," she interrupted, "that I am Austrian--Austrian, that is
to say, with much English in my blood. What you say about Germans does
not great