"Excuse me, monsieur, I am the only person who saw——"
"Please do not interrupt me, monsieur le docteur."
"But time is of the greatest importance," said Dr. Riche, "and I can assist——"
"For the last time I shall be obliged if you will postpone your explanation," said the little man with an air of official importance, and he looked him up and down through his spectacles, until poor Riche felt half convinced that he himself must in some way or other have committed the crime.
"But, monsieur," interposed Villebois, "my friend, Dr. Riche, saw——"
"Pardon me, but I must request you to stop talking," he replied, becoming at length really angry; "you are here to answer questions and not to speak to me."
Villebois, somewhat nettled at being addressed in this style, was about to remonstrate, but the fierce glance of the commissaire took his breath away, and he stammered out something incoherently, and finally collapsed utterly cowed.
"Now I must request you all to be good enough to retire immediately into the next room, and not to move until I call you," said Monsieur Biron as he ordered the guests off with a majestic wave of the hand, "and you, Dr. Villebois, will remain here with me."
"Are you acquainted with the deceased?" he enquired of Villebois as soon as they were alone.