"From the trend of the questions put to me," said Stephen, "I infer that I entered the room through one of the windows."
"But they were all shut!" Joseph said.
"A pity I didn't get you to verify that fact," said Stephen. "The police have only my word for it."
Joseph smote his brow with one clenched fist. "Fool that I was! But I never thought - never dreamed - Oh, if one could but look into the future!"
Maud, who came into the room at that moment, overheard this wish, and said: "I am sure it would be very uncomfortable. I once had my fortune told, and I remember that it quite upset me, for I was told that I should travel far across the seas, and I am not at all fond of foreign travel, besides suffering from sea-sickness."
"Well, that is a very valuable contribution to our discussion," said Stephen, with suspicious amiability. "On the whole I prefer the Empress."
At the sound of this word Maud's placid countenance clouded over a little. "It is a most extraordinary thing where that book can have got to," she said. "I am sure I have looked everywhere. However, the Inspector, who is a very civil and obliging man, has promised to keep his eyes open, so I daresay it will turn up."
Mathilda's ever-lively sense of humour overcame the gloom induced by Stephen's morbid prognostications, and she burst out laughing. "You haven't really told the Inspector to look for your book, have you?" she asked.
"After all, dear," said Maud mildly, "it is a detective's business to look for things."
"My dear, you shouldn't have taken up the Inspector's time with such a trivial matter!" said Joseph, a little shocked. "You must remember that he is engaged on far, far more important work."