‘Hah, hah!’ said Barizy of the Tower, pricking up his ears, and preparing for one of those diplomatic encounters of mutual pumping, in which he and his rival were practised. ‘I suppose you have seen somebody, eh?’
‘Somebody has been seen,’ replied Pasqualigo, and then he busied himself with his pipe just arrived.
‘But nobody has seen somebody who was on the spot?’ said Barizy.
‘It depends upon what you mean by the spot,’ replied Pasqualigo.
‘Your information is second-hand,’ observed Barizy.
‘But you acknowledge it is correct?’ said Pasqualigo, more eagerly.
‘It depends upon whether your friend was present——’ and here Barizy hesitated.
‘It does,’ said Pasqualigo.
‘Then he was present?’ said Barizy.
‘He was.’