Ostrov sniggered rather stupidly, fidgeted as if he were sitting on springs, and said:
“Very well, I’ll tell you something interesting and won’t charge you a penny for it.”
Trirodov, without taking off his heavy, fixed gaze from Ostrov’s face, repeated:
“Speak!”
The quiet boy looked with his eyes full of intense questioning straight into Ostrov’s eyes.
“Do you know who killed the Chief of Police?” asked Ostrov.
Trirodov was silent. Ostrov’s whole body twitched as he kept up his absurd sniggering.
“He killed him and went away,” went on Ostrov. “He made his escape by taking advantage of the confusion and the darkness, as the newspapers would say. The police have not caught him to this day, and the authorities do not even know who he is.”
“And do you know?” asked Trirodov in a cold, deliberate voice.
“I know, but I won’t tell you,” replied Ostrov rather venomously.