'I am never surprised at anything, my friend,' he replied evasively.
I tried another line. 'You told me Mayne was a deserter and that he joined the Army in 1942. He says he joined in 1940.'
'He's probably right, then. I don't know Gilbert Mayne's history. I only know this man's history.'
'Are you suggesting that this is not the real Gilbert Mayne?' I asked, for I did not know what other interpretation to put on his words.
He shrugged his shoulders. 'Perhaps,' he said. 'But I did not come to discuss Mayne with you. I felt it would be courteous, as a fellow-guest, Mr Blair, to come and offer you my felicitations on your narrow escape. Wesson tells me the director of your film company has arrived. Will he be staying here?'
'For a few days,' I told him. 'He should interest you. He was in Greece for a time.'
'Greece?' He seemed interested. 'In the Army?'
'Yes,' I said. 'Intelligence.'
He gave me a quick look. 'Then perhaps he and I will have much to talk about?'
He bade me good-night then. But as he reached the door I said, 'By the way, when you examine what is written on a sheet of typing paper in the machine, you should always see that it is rolled back to the original position.'