"Zoe," she said, "surely Mr. Pepys can tell us something about this mysterious Séverac Bablon?"
"Oh, yes!" replied Zoe. "He has been telling me! He knows quite a lot about him!"
Now, the dinner-table topic all over London was the mystery of Séverac Bablon, and Lady Vignoles' party was not exceptional in this respect. It had already been several times referred to, and at Miss Oppner's words all eyes were directed towards the handsome stranger, who bore this scrutiny with such smiling composure.
"I cannot go into particulars, Lady Vignoles," he said; "but, as you are aware, I have a kind of official connection with the matter!"
This was beautifully mysterious, and everyone became intensely interested.
"Of such facts as have come to light you all know as much as I, but there is a certain theory which seems to have occurred to no one." He paused impressively, throwing a glance around the table. "What is the notable point in regard to the victims of Séverac Bablon?"
"They are Jews—or of Jewish extraction," said Zoe Oppner promptly. "Pa has noticed that! He's taken considerable interest since his mills were burned in Ontario!"
"And what is the conclusion?"
"That he hates Jews!" snapped Bernard Megger hotly. "That he has a deadly hatred of all the race!"
"You think so?" said Pepys softly, and turned his eyes upon the gross, empurpled face of the speaker. "It has not occurred to you that he might himself be a Jew?"