The chatelaine in question being
dexterously commandeered by an expert in such matters of the Secret
Service squad.
It happened that the Personal Branch of the German Secret Service was
exceedingly interested in that gold bag. Mademoiselle had been
carrying on an affair with a young ordnance officer of the Potsdam
garrison. Now the Service does not like to see officers, especially
those of the ordnance, becoming involved with ladies like the Pavlowa.
On this particular night he had presented her with the new bag and she
had been injudicious enough to have kept in the golden receptacle a
dangerously compromising letter that he had enclosed. Injudicious,
dear lady! Corsage or stockings, Mademoiselle; but vanity
bags--never!
I have reason to believe that the following incident cost the Pavlowa
a rather remunerative engagement in Berlin.
Celebrating the coming of the New Year, Mademoiselle and her party
were feasting in the Ice Arena. I happened to be at near-by table,
and saw everything; as well as later hearing the inside of it.
The gold chatelaine lay on the table at her elbow. Upon observing its
position, the waiter--a secret agent on the case--deliberately tipped
over a champagne glass that stood within a few inches of the bag. Of
course, Mademoiselle was worried lest the wine run over on her gown
and while thus preoccupied, the waiter, stammering apologies, mopped
up the table cloth with his serviette--mopped up the wine and cleverly
covering the bag folded it in the napkin and hurried away.
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