But Markus removed the doctor's hand, with the instrument, from his head, and looked at him piercingly.
"Why are you not sincere?" asked he then, with gentle stress. "How can truth be found through untruth?"
Dr. Cijfer hesitated, and then did exactly what Father Canisius had done—something which, later, he was of the opinion he ought not to have done: he argued with him.
"But if you will not give me a direct reply I am obliged to get the truth circuitously."
Said Markus, "A curved sword will not go far into a straight scabbard."
Professor Bommeldoos grew impatient, and snapped at the doctor aside in a smothered voice: "Do not argue, Colleague, do not argue! Megalomaniacs are smarter, and sometimes have subtler dialectic faculties, than you have. Just let me conduct the examination."
And then, after a loud "h'm! h'm!" he said to Markus:
"Well, my friend, then I will talk straight out to you. It is better so, is it not? Then will you give me a direct reply?"
Markus looked at him for some time, and said: "You cannot."
"I cannot! Cannot what?"