He made an effort to recover himself, took Mme. de Villemon’s arm, and, followed by the baron and Massiban, led her back to the drawing room and said:
“The book is incomplete. Very well. There are two pages torn out; but you read them, did you not, madame?”
“Yes.”
“You know what they contained?”
“Yes.”
“Could you repeat it to us?”
“Certainly. I read the book with a great deal of curiosity, but those two pages struck me in particular because the revelations were so very interesting.”
“Well, then, speak madame, speak, I implore you! Those revelations are of exceptional importance. Speak, I beg of you: minutes lost are never recovered. The Hollow Needle—”
“Oh, it’s quite simple. The Hollow Needle means—”
At that moment, a footman entered the room: