Tom Bob lifted his head and recognized the newcomer. Speaking in his quietest tones: “Oh! so there you are, M. Havard?” he observed.
“Yes ... well?” again asked the Chief.
“Take a chair, Monsieur Havard; you’ll help me drink my coffee? No?”
M. Havard was boiling over. “The devil take your coffee!” he shouted. “Have you seen anything?”
Still quite unmoved, Tom Bob shrugged.
“I have seen,” he said, “that the cooking here is quite decently good and that it’s an excellent place for eating a quiet dinner.”
“Devil take you and your dinner! Come now, answer me seriously ... Fantômas?”
“Fantômas has not come yet.”
M. Havard heaved a sigh of relief, and at last allowed himself to sink into the chair Tom Bob had pushed forward for him.
“Not come yet!” he exclaimed, “ah, well, I’m rather relieved after all. It was just a joker then?”