"And what can we do for Herr ... Meyer?" he asked in oily tones, pausing just long enough before he pronounced the name I gave to let me see that he believed it to be a pseudonym.
"I believe you know a friend of mine, whose address I am anxious to find," I said.
"Ah!" sighed the little Jew, "a man of affairs like myself meets so many people that he may be pardoned.... What did you say his name was, this friend of yours?"
I thought I would try the effect of the name "Eichenholz" upon this enigmatic creature.
"Eichenholz? Eichenholz?" Kore repeated.
"I seem to know the name ... it seems familiar ... now let me see again.... Eichenholz, Eichenholz. ..."
While he was speaking he unlocked one of the oak cabinets and a safe came to view. Opening this, he brought out a ledger and ran his finger down the names. Then he shut the book, replaced it, locked the safe and the cabinet, and turned to me again.
"Yes," he said, "I know the name."
His reticence was disconcerting.
"Can you tell me where I can find him?" I asked.