“I will say nothing about the vague abuse he adds to these formal accusations, but I have felt it my duty to warn you of his treacherous designs that you may be able to defeat them. It’s no good saying he is a miserable wretch, and that you despise him; you know how strong a thing calumny is.”
“Where does the fellow live?”
“I don’t know in the least.”
“How can I find out?”
“I can’t say, for if he is hiding himself on purpose it would be hard to get at him.”
“Nevertheless, Lyons is not so vast a place.”
“Lyons is a perfect maze, and there is no better hiding-place, especially to a man with money, and Possano has money.”
“But what can he do to me?”
“He can institute proceedings against you in the criminal court, which would cause you immense anxiety and bring down your good name to the dust, even though you be the most innocent, the most just of men.”
“It seems to me, then, that the best thing I can do will be to be first in the field.”