"I have a motive—a very strong one," he answered. "We ought to unite our efforts with a view to solving the mystery."
"The police have already failed," I remarked, inwardly ridiculing the idea that any assistance could be rendered by the queer old fellow living there in that dismal and silent palazzo. Surely a man with such a grotesque countenance could never act the amateur detective with success!
"The police!" he sneered, when I mentioned them. "They are useless. They act by rule, and here, in Italy, may be bribed with a handful of cigars. The police! They are not worth the value of a dried fig, the whole of them."
"Then you favour independent effort, such as I myself am making?"
"Most certainly," croaked the old fellow. "It may appear strange to you that, working in the same direction as yourself, I am aware of all you have already done."
"I don't understand," I exclaimed in surprise.
"I mean that I have been watching, just as you have. I know all that has happened—everything. That is why we should combine our efforts."
"But what can you know of my inquiries?" I exclaimed dubiously. "We have never met before."
"No, signorina, that is true," he laughed. "And we should not have met now, were it not for the fact that events have occurred to render our meeting necessary. To show you that I am aware of the efforts you have already made, I will describe to you how the money stolen from the young Inglese was returned to you, and then cunningly secured by trickery. I will tell you, too, of certain matters which occurred in Nice, and which you, no doubt, believe are only known to yourself."
And then he went on to describe to me events and conversations which had taken place in Nice, in such detail as to make it plain that the old fellow had been well acquainted with my movements, and knew all the efforts I had made to solve the tantalising problem.