But the princess shuddered at the mournful recollections the words recalled, and stopped any further reference to the past: “Do not, I beg you, sir, revive these dreadful memories!”
However, Hamilton Gould broke in at this point, very opportunely changing the conversation.
“Then,” he asked, “as you know us all, you were actually on board the Lorraine?”
“Why, certainly, sir,” replied Tom Bob. “Do you want proofs? You occupied the state room No. 127, the Princess Sonia Danidoff had a cabin port side; we enjoyed a first-rate passage, though on the evening of the second day, a bit of a gale blew up about six o’clock, and we feared bad weather for next day. Is that correct?”
“Absolutely correct!” asseverated Mr. Van Buren.
After that the conversation turned on a more enticing and more serious subject. Tom Bob had been announced by the Parisian Press as the declared antagonist of Fantômas. It was natural to question him as to the attitude he proposed to adopt towards the notorious brigand. But the American detective was not to be drawn, entrenching himself behind what he called “professional secrecy.”
Mrs. Bigelow gave a groan of terror.
“Great heavens!” she cried, “supposing Fantômas were in this train and knew that you were here, too, Mr. Tom Bob, and chose to blow us all up, it would be appalling!”
“It would be a very natural thing for Fantômas to do, madam,” the detective replied, “but for certain reasons I am well assured we have nothing to fear on that head.”
The young Frenchman, who some while before had accosted Tom Bob, was just returning from the breakfast car, a fat cigar in his mouth, eyes shining, and hat cocked rakishly over one ear.