"Never! It was a secret which I confided to him and Rudolf keeps his secrets . . . especially this one . . ."
"Nevertheless, it is absolutely necessary that you should reply to our questions. We are at this moment engaged on an inquiry about Pierre Leduc which must come to a head without delay; and you alone can enlighten us, as Mr. Kesselbach is no longer here."
"Well, then," cried Steinweg, apparently making up his mind, "what do you want?"
"Do you know Pierre Leduc?"
"I have never seen him, but I have long been the possessor of a secret which concerns him. Through a number of incidents which I need not relate and thanks to a series of chances, I ended by acquiring the certainty that the man in whose discovery I was interested was leading a dissolute life in Paris and that he was calling himself Pierre Leduc, which is not his real name."
"But does he know his real name himself?"
"I presume so."
"And you?"
"Yes, I know it."
"Well, tell it to us."