Voyson hesitated for a moment, as if he was not quite sure whether he had heard the question correctly. And then, as he seemed to make up his mind, his gloved fingers twisted together on the table in front of him.
“Absolute nonsense,” he said shortly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The old man swallowed.
“Then vhy is it, Mr Voyson, dot der paper here says dot it is all smashed, und everyone vants to know where you are?”
“What paper is that?” demanded Voyson, but there was a harsh twitch in his voice.
The old man dropped it on the table.
“Dot’s der paper. If you don’t understand Cherman I translate it for you. It says, ‘Von of der biggest swindle in history vas yesterday in Maxton, Ohio, exposed—’ ”
Voyson bit the corner of his mouth, then swung around. “Well, what about it?”
“But, Mr Voyson, you cannot speak of it like dot. You cannot realize vat it means. If it is true dot der money is all gone... You don’t understand. All my life I vork and vork und I safe money, und I put it all in your company. It cannot be true dot all my money is gone — dot all my life I have vork for nothing—”
“Suppose it is gone?” snapped Voyson. “There are plenty of others in the same boat.” He sighed. “It’s all in the luck of the game.”