Armitage’s eyes glittered and his voice faltered with intensity as he uttered these last words. Then he thrust his hand into his coat pocket, stepped back, and concluded:
“Who am I, Monsieur?”
Chauvenet shifted uneasily from one foot to another under the gaze of the five people who waited for his answer; then he screamed shrilly:
“You are the devil—an impostor, a liar, a thief!”
Baron von Marhof leaped to his feet and roared at Chauvenet in English:
“Who is this man? Whom do you believe him to be?”
“Answer and be quick about it!” snapped Claiborne.
“I tell you”—began Chauvenet fiercely.
“Who am I?” asked Armitage again.
“I don’t know who you are—”