"Mon Dieu! monsieur, don't go so fast; it's no use. Don't you know what has happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"Poor Monsieur Albert is dead."
"Dead! Great God!"
"Yes, monsieur; he was killed in a duel."
"Killed in a duel?"
Tobie looked at the concierge with a doubtful expression, and tried to read in the man's eyes whether he was making fun of him.
"Look you, concierge," he continued; "are you quite sure of what you say? Once before, there was a report that Albert had been killed in a duel, and I know that was a lie."
"Alas! monsieur, I am only too sure."
"How long has he been dead?"