“Just so. One of them wrote to me, ‘If Beautrelet declares that he knows, you must believe him; and, whatever he says, you may be sure that it is the exact expression of the truth.’ M. Isidore Beautrelet, now or never is the time to vindicate the confidence of your friends. I beseech you, give us the exact expression of the truth.”
Isidore listened with a smile and replied:
“Monsieur le Juge d’Instruction, you are very cruel. You make fun of poor schoolboys who amuse themselves as best they can. You are quite right, however, and I will give you no further reason to laugh at me.”
“The fact is that you know nothing, M. Isidore Beautrelet.”
“Yes, I confess in all humility that I know nothing. For I do not call it ‘knowing anything’ that I happen to have hit upon two or three more precise points which, I am sure, cannot have escaped you.”
“For instance?”
“For instance, the object of the theft.”
“Ah, of course, you know the object of the theft?”
“As you do, I have no doubt. In fact, it was the first thing I studied, because the task struck me as easier.”
“Easier, really?”