“I received an anonymous letter informing me of his whereabouts.”
“It was I who sent it to you,” said Rouletabille, tranquilly. And, then, turning to the rest of us, he said in frigid tones:
“Ladies and gentlemen, I congratulate myself upon the prompt return of M. Arthur Rance. At the present moment there are reunited around this table all the members of the house party of the Château of Hercules for whom my corporeal demonstration of the possibility of the ‘body too many’ may have some interest. I entreat you to give me your undivided attention.”
But Arthur Rance halted him with a quick movement.
“What do you mean by the expression: ‘There are united around this table all the members of the party for whom the corporeal demonstration of the possibility of the body too many can have any interest’?”
“I mean,” declared Rouletabille, “all those among whom we may hope to find Larsan.”
The Lady in Black, who had up to this time not uttered a word, arose trembling to her feet.
“Do you mean,” she breathed, her eyes filled with agonized apprehension, “that Larsan is now among us?”
“I am sure of it,” Rouletabille replied, gravely.
There was an awful silence during which none of us dared look at each other.