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〃No； I'm meeting someone。 Thank you。〃
She moved on to the third dining car。 There； every table was occupied。
The ma？tre d' stopped her at the door。 〃I'm afraid there will be a wait for a table； madam。 There are available tables in the other dining cars； however。〃
Tracy looked around the room； and at a table in the far corner she saw what she was looking for。 〃That's all right；〃 Tracy said。 〃I see friends。〃
She moved past the ma？tre d' and walked over to the corner table。 〃Excuse me；〃 she said apologetically。 〃All the tables seem to be occupied。 Would you mind if I joined you？〃
The man quickly rose to his feet； took a good look at Tracy； and exclaimed； 〃Prego！ Con piacere！ I am Alberto Fornati and this is my wife； Silvans Luadi。〃
〃Tracy Whitney。〃 She was using her own passport。
〃Ah！ è Americana！ I speak the excellent English。〃
Alberto Fornati was short； bald； and fat。 Why Silvana Luadi had ever married him had been the most lively topic in Rome for the twelve years they had been together。 Silvana Luadi was a classic beauty； with a sensational figure and a pelling； natural talent。 She had won an Oscar and a Silver Palm award and was always in great demand。 Tracy recognized that she was dressed in a Valentino evening gown that sold for five thousand dollars； and the jewelry she wore must have been worth close to a million。 Tracy remembered Gunther Hartog's words： The more unfaithful he is to her； the more jewelry he gives her。 By this time Silvana should be able to open her own jewelry store。
〃This is your first time on the Orient Express； signorina？〃 Fornati opened the conversation； after Tracy was seated。
〃Yes； it is。〃
〃Ah； it is a very romantic train； filled with legend。〃 His eyes were moist。 〃There are many interessante tales about it。 For instance； Sir Basil Zaharoff； the arms tycoon； used to ride the old Orient Express… always in the seventh partment。 One night he hears a scream and a pounding on his door。 A bellissima young Spanish duchess throws herself upon him。〃 Fornati paused to butter a roll and take a bite。 〃Her husband was trying to murder her。 The parents had arranged the marriage； and the poor girl now realized her husband was insane。 Zaharoff restrained the husband and calmed the hysterical young woman and thus began a romance that lasted forty years。〃
〃How exciting；〃 Tracy said。 Her eyes were wide with interest。
〃Sì。 Every year after that they meet on the Orient Express； he in partment number seven； she in number eight。 When her husband died； the lady and Zaharoff were married； and as a token of his love； he bought her the casino at Monte Carlo as a wedding gift。〃
〃What a beautiful story； Mr。 Fornati。〃
Silvana Luadi sat in stony silence。
〃Mangia；〃 Fornati urged Tracy。 〃Eat。〃
**********
The menu consisted of six courses； and Tracy noted that Alberto Fornati ate each one and finished what his wife left on her plate。 In between bites he kept up a constant chatter。
〃You are an actress； perhaps？〃 he asked Tracy。
She laughed。 〃Oh no。 I'm just a tourist。〃
He beamed at her。 〃Bellissima。 You are beautiful enough to be an actress。〃
〃She said she is not an actress；〃 Silvana said sharply。
Alberto Fornati ignored her。 〃I produce motion pictures；〃 he told Tracy。 〃You have heard of them； of course： Wild Savages； The Titans versus Superwoman。。。。〃
〃I don't see many movies；〃 Tracy apologized。 She felt his fat leg press against hers under the table。
〃Perhaps I can arrange to show you some of mine。〃
Silvana turned white with anger。
〃Do you ever get to Rome； my dear？〃 His leg was moving up and down against Tracy's。
〃As a matter of fact； I'm planning to go to Rome after Venice。〃
〃Splendid！ Benissimo！ We will all get together for dinner。 Won't we； cara？〃 He gave a quick glance toward Silvana before he continued。 〃We have a lovely villa off the Appian Way。 Ten acres of…〃 His hand made a sweeping gesture and knocked a bowl of gravy into his wife's lap。 Tracy could not be sure whether it was deliberate or not。
Silvana Luadi rose to her feet and looked at the spreading stain on her dress。 〃Sei un mascalzone！〃 she screamed。 〃Tieni le tue puttane lontano da me！〃
She stormed out of the dining car； every eye following her。
〃What a shame；〃 Tracy murmured。 〃It's such a beautiful dress。〃 She could have slapped the man for degrading his wife。 She deserves every carat of jewelry she has； Tracy thought； and more。
He sighed。 〃Fornati will buy her another one。 Pay no attention to her manners。 She is very jealous of Fornati。〃
〃I'm sure she has good reason to be。〃 Tracy covered her irony with a small smile。
He preened。 〃It is true。 Women find Fornati very attractive。〃
It was all Tracy could do to keep from bursting out laughing at the pompous little man。 〃I can understand that。〃
He reached across the table and took her hand。 〃Fornati likes you；〃 he said。 〃Fornati likes you very much。 What do you do for a living？〃
〃I'm a legal secretary。 I saved up all my money for this trip。 I hope to get an interesting position in Europe。〃
His bulging eyes roved over her body。 〃You will have no problem； Fornati promises you。 He is very nice to people who are very nice to him。〃
〃How wonderful of you；〃 Tracy said shyly。
He lowered his voice。 〃Perhaps we could discuss this later this evening in your cabin？〃
〃That might be embarrassing。〃
〃Perché？ Why？〃
〃You're so famous。 Everyone on the train probably knows who you are。〃
〃Naturally。〃
〃If they see you e to my cabin… well； you know； some people might misunderstand。 Of course； if your cabin is near mine。。。 What number are you in？〃
〃E settanta… seventy。〃 He looked at her hopefully。
Tracy sighed。 〃I'm in another car。 Why don't we meet in Venice？〃
He beamed。 〃Bene！ My wife； she stays in her room most of the time。 She cannot stand the sun on her face。 Have you ever been to Venezia？〃
〃No。〃
〃Ah。 You and I shall go to Torcello； a beautiful little island with a wonderful restaurant； the Locanda Cipriani。 It is also a small hotel。〃 His eyes gleamed。 〃Molto privato。〃
Tracy gave him a slow； understanding smile。 〃It sounds exciting。〃 She lowered her eyes； too overe to say more。
Fornati leaned forward； squeezed her hand； and whispered wetly； 〃You do not know what excitement is yet； cara。〃
Half an hour later Tracy was back in her cabin。
**********
The Orient Express sped through the lonely night； past Paris and Dijon and Vallarbe； while the passengers slept。 They had turned in their passports the evening before； and the border formalities would be handled by the conductors。
At 3：30 in the morning Tracy quietly left her partment。 The timing was critical。 The train would cross the Swiss border and reach Lausanne at 5：21 A。M。 and was due to arrive in Milan； Italy； at 9：15 A。M。
Clad in pajamas and robe； and carrying a sponge bag； Tracy moved down the corridor； every sense alert； the familiar excitement making her pulse leap。 There were no