“To Monsieur Prasville,
Secretary-general of the Prefecture of Police.”
Then he rang the bell again:
“Clémence,” he said, to the portress, “did you go to school as a child?”
“Yes, sir, of course I did.”
“And were you taught arithmetic?”
“Why, sir....”
“Well, you’re not very good at subtraction.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you don’t know that nine minus eight equals one. And that, you see, is a fact of the highest importance. Life becomes impossible if you are ignorant of that fundamental truth.”
He rose, as he spoke, and walked round the room, with his hands behind his back, swaying upon his hips. He did so once more. Then, stopping at the dining-room, he opened the door: