“Splendid!” said Ralph. “Professional curiosity always comes to the top.”
He faced Marescal, then turned his profile to him and then his three-quarter face, and said with a laugh: “You’ve seen it, duffer!” [[252]]
He ran downstairs quickly and caught Aurelie up; the old lady was helping her into the back of a comfortable limousine.
But, having, in accordance with his custom of always taking precautions, cast a look up and down the street, he said to Victoire: “You haven’t seen any one prowling about the car?”
“No one,” she declared.
“Are you sure? A rather stout man, accompanied by a man with his arm in a sling?” he persisted.
“Yes, of course I have! They were walking up and down on the pavement lower down the street.”
He started off at a run and overtook, in the little passage which runs round the church of Saint Philippe du Roule, two men, one of whom carried his arm in a sling.
He tapped them both on the shoulder and said cheerfully: “Well, well, well, so you know one another, you two? How goes it, Jodot? And you, William Ancivel?”
They turned. Jodot, dressed like a prosperous tradesman, thick-chested and with the hairy face of a vicious dog, showed no astonishment.