“Whether you believe it or not, it happens to be the truth. Six or eight servants, eight or ten guests—— What reason have you for believing that Miss Page herself did not notice something unusual in your attitude and turn back in time to see you place the note after you believed that she had passed?”
“No reason, monsieur—only the evidence of all five of my senses.”
“You are a highly talented young woman, Miss Cordier, but you can’t see with your back turned, can you?”
“Monsieur is pleased to jest,” remarked Miss Cordier, in the tone of one frankly undiverted.
“Don’t characterize my questions, please—answer them.”
“Willingly. I do not see with my back turn’.”
“So it comes down to the fact that ten—twelve—fourteen people might have seen you place this urgent and mysterious note that you so boldly charge Mrs. Ives with taking, doesn’t it?”
“That is monsieur’s opinion, not mine.”
Monsieur glared menacingly at the not too subtle mockery adorning the witness’s pleasing countenance.
“And furthermore, Miss Cordier, it comes down to the fact that we have only your word for it that the note was ever placed in the book at all, doesn’t it?”