“Juve dead? is Juve dead?”
But, paying no heed to the worthy policeman’s emotion, the Minister proceeded:
“Or he is tied up in the Palais de Justice, since yesterday evening....”
“Tied up in the Palais de Justice?... since yesterday evening?” stammered the officer, opening eyes of sheer amazement.
M. Landais completed the man’s mystification.
“Certainly!” he affirmed. “He is tied up, because he is set at liberty! You can make nothing of it, my man? No more can I!... And that’s about enough! Clear out!”
The officer swung round on his heels as if to leave the room; then, dead set on delivering his message, he repeated:
“Well, sir! Juve may be dead, or he may be tied up, or he may be at large; anyway this much is certain, he has just arrested twelve apaches!”
And so saying, while M. Landais sprang to his instrument and began to ring up the Exchange again with frantic energy, the officer took himself off. Hardly was the door closed behind him before the manservant half opened it again cautiously:
“Monsieur le Ministre!”