Immediately Tom Bob’s face lost its look of calm unconcern; it was evident a genuine curiosity pricked the detective as he replied:
“Upon my word, I don’t, Monsieur Havard! I know nothing at all about it, though I must confess it interests me very greatly ... Could I be of any use to you, I wonder?”
The Head of the Criminal Bureau, after a moment’s pause, and speaking sharply and incisively in a way to throw the other off his guard:
“Useful?” he exclaimed, “yes, you can be very useful to me”—and, almost showing his cards, he demanded:
“I expect you to give me an explanation of last night’s events.”
“Last night’s events?”
“Yes, the tragedy that happened at the Grand Duchess Alexandra’s.”
“A tragedy happened?”
“In a word, I want you to tell me how your wound is.”
“My wound?... why, you are gone crazy, Monsieur Havard!”