“Come in. Do you know I was just coming to see you. I want to enter into an arrangement with you.”
“Yes.”
“I want protection. Twice I believe my life to have been attempted. Twice I have nearly been run down by a car. The first time I thought it was accidental, but I noticed it was the same car....”
“You must be mistaken.”
“I hope so. In any case I want you to accompany me to the Casino and back, and to stay with me when I play. I’ll pay you anything you like. A thousand francs a day if you agree.”
“I don’t want pay. I’ll be glad to help you.”
“Ah, I knew I could count on you. But look here, young man, I warn you it’s dangerous.”
“All right. But for your own sake, hadn’t you better try to compromise with them?”
“Never. They’ve already approached me. They said they didn’t believe in my system, but were willing to buy it. They offered me ten million francs in Casino stock. I told them, if they offered me a hundred million, I would refuse. They advised me to reconsider my decision. They were very courteous, said they were acting in the public interest and so on. Oh, they talked smoothly enough, but I could see the menace behind.... Look here!”
The professor went to the safe, twirled the combination, opened the heavy door and took out a leather bound folio.