“Or you three,” corrected M. Fuselier, “for indeed you must not forget, Juve, that you will have an invaluable helper in the person of Tom Bob.”
But at once the worthy police-officer’s professional pride was up in arms; at the mention of Tom Bob Juve’s brow contracted and it was in a hard voice that he answered roughly:
“Tom Bob!... well, it strikes me, folks make a deal of fuss about this Tom Bob, and for my part, Monsieur Fuselier, I am far from desirous of working with him ... even ...”
Juve stopped short, but the other craved an explanation of the broken sentence.
“Even what?” he demanded.
“Even,” Juve resumed, “if I do deal with him, it will not perhaps be in the way you think, sir!”
M. Fuselier started violently.
“Oh! oh!” he cried, “oh, Juve!... is it possible?... but no, it cannot be! you are mistaken.” Juve gave a dry little laugh:
“I am not mistaken because I am making no assertion, but this much is certain, that Fantômas this time is not acting alone. He had accomplices, and accomplices highly placed. Upon my word! I confess that Tom Bob ...”
But the other sprang up, unwilling to listen to such extravagant theories.