Chapter 26 Chapter Twenty-Five (not from Captain Hastings' autobiography)

Mr. Custer came out of the royal theater and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful night...a truly beautiful night... A word from Browning flashed through his mind. "God is in heaven and the world is in order." He'd always liked that line. It's just that sometimes, he often feels that the reality is not like this... He trotted down the street, smiling to himself, straight to the Black Swan Hotel where he was staying. He climbed the stairs to the room, which was a stuffy room on the second floor.A paved inner courtyard and garage have been abandoned. The smile on his face faded suddenly as he entered the room.There was a stain on the cuff of his sleeve.He tentatively touched the stain—it was wet red blood...

He reached into his pocket and took out an item, a long and thin knife.The blade is also sticky red... Mr Cust sat for a long time. For a moment his eyes scanned the room like a captured beast. His tongue kept sticking out of his lips... He tried touching the cuffs of his clothes again. A minute later, he poured water from the old-fashioned jug into the basin.He took off his clothes, rinsed the cuffs, carefully squeezed out the water... what!The water is now red... Then someone knocked on the door. He stood there, frozen--eyes staring. The door opened.It is a plump young lady with a jug in her hand.

"Oh, sorry, sir. Your hot water, sir." He tried to speak. "Thank you...I've washed it in cold water..." How could he talk like that?Her eyes were immediately fixed on the water basin. He said excitedly: "I—cut my hand..." There was a pause—yes, a long pause indeed.Then she said, "Yes, sir." She walked out of the room and closed the door. Mr Custer stood there as if turned into a stone. He listens. It's finally here... Are there any sounds--screams--steps up the stairs? He couldn't hear anything but his own heartbeat... Then, suddenly, he came alive from his rigid stillness.

He quickly put on his clothes, tiptoed to the door, and opened it.There was no sound other than the familiar chatter from the bar.He staggers down the stairs... Still no one was seen, that was luck.He stopped at the foot of the stairs, where was he going now? He made up his mind, and walked quickly down the passage, through the door that opened into the yard, and out.There were a few drivers working on their cars and talking about racetrack wins and losses. Mr Cust hurried across the yard and into the street. He turned right on the first corner—then left—right again... Did he dare to venture to the station?

Yes—there will be crowds—there will be special trains—and if luck is on his side, he'll make it right...   If luck is on his side...