“I think that this man knows what he is talking about. We are dealing with something very daring and very dark. Did you ever guess what the business was?”
The question was darted out suddenly. But the little Frenchman manifested no uneasiness. The doctor’s praise seemed to have given him confidence.
“I supposed sometimes that it was not a lawful business, sir.” He lowered his voice a little and glanced behind him as if to make sure that his employer was not within hearing. “I fancied that Monsieur Wilson might be the proprietor of an establishment for the reception of ladies who did not wish to become mothers.”
I could not resist a slight shudder as the gruesome hint came glibly from the lips of the pasty-faced waiter. He did not look the kind of man who would have made any objection to a post in such an establishment.
“Some of the ladies whom he introduced here had the air of being afraid of him, I thought,” Gerard added by way of confirmation.
Inspector Charles had begun to take notes of this evidence. He now straightened himself up, and looked at Tarleton.
“Wouldn’t it be well to search his clothes, Sir Frank? We might find an address, perhaps?”
“In another minute. Is there any question you would like to put, Cassilis?”
I had to make a call on my courage, as Gerard faced towards me in readiness to be addressed. His figure was not less familiar to me than that of the masked Inquisitor had been. I was now to see whether my voice would sound familiar to him. I dared not modify my usual tone with Tarleton’s keen ears listening.
“We have heard that a royal personage was here last night,” I said slowly and distinctly, and then paused to note the effect.