"'And it ain't for the likes of us to question 'em. We've got our living to make, and if it pays us to be mum, mum we must be.'
"'I understand that. From what I can gather, Mrs. Middlemore, M. Felix had no family?'
"'Not that I know of, sir.'
"'As to his visitors, now, were they mostly ladies or gentlemen?'
"'Mostly ladies, sir.'
"'Have any of them been here to see his body?'
"'Not one, sir.'
"'That is strange. He might almost as well have died on a desert island.'
"'Yes, sir. That's the reason why we've been all at sea what to do. There was nobody to give directions.'
"'It is certainly a perplexing situation, unprecedented in my experience. Should you happen to meet any of the persons who were in the habit of visiting him, would you be able to identify them?'