“Take note, Chief Inspector,” said Gavin quite unmoved, “that I instantly and categorically deny this infamous accusation!”
“It may interest you to know, however, that my wife saw him go into your house!”
“She lies in her throat,” said Gavin amiably. “She may have seen him enter my garden. In fact, if she was in the High Street at the time, I should think she could hardly have escaped seeing that. She may even have noticed his very vulgar car parked at my gate. Now tell me how she saw through a brick wall and I shall be all interest!”
The Major looked a good deal taken aback, and a little sceptical. “Are you telling me he didn't enter your house?”
“You oughtn't to need telling,” Gavin reproved him. “He found me in the garden, and in the garden we remained. I don't say he didn't make a spirited attempt to cross my threshold, for he did. He had the impertinence to suggest that we should go into the house, which forced me to disclose to him that to admit him would be to break a solemn vow.”
The Major gasped. “You can't have said such a thing!”
“Nonsense, you know very well that I find not the smallest difficulty in saying to people's faces precisely what I say behind their backs!”
The Chief Inspector intervened at this point. “Why did he want to cross your threshold, sir?”
“Vaulting ambition, perhaps. It may be said to have o'erleapt itself. Or do you want to know why he wanted to see me?”
“That's it,” said Hemingway.