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Ricardos immediate impulse was precipitatelyto retire.
Hanaud put a question to
Diana: Have you another key to that door? I beg you to remember that there are
two parties toa crime.
Devenish was thecause of the interruption.
It was two
oclock to the minute, said Mr.
I ask if madame drinks the cocktails for a
reason, he said suavely.
On the other hand, who knows what trouble may
beoccurring behind that curtained door? At the worst I can be sent about my
business.
Devenish was thecause of the interruption. It was in acorner of the
room and she stood with her back to the company. Diana at the centre table,
with atray of glasses in front of her, was vigorously shaking cocktails. As I
have told you already, this is a busy day foreveryone.
He turned towards the
door and Hanaud,in reply, stepped with his noiseless feet into the room.
For
what purpose couldmutilation have been added to murder?
I understand that very
well, said Hanaud. Ricardo to himself, bold and without respect.
Hestood his
ground, and in a little while the fluttering of panic subsided. Ricardo was
notvery sure that he would be civilly treated if he followed. Ricardo coined a
phrase and stored it for futureuse.
Madame, he protested, this gentlemanis the
famous Monsieur Hanaud of the Surete Generale of Paris.
Those poor people
should be putdecently away. Hanaud wasonly in time to break her fall. Ricardo
had never seen in his life theevidence of a passion so raw. It was in acorner
of the room and she stood with her back to the company. Ricardo raised his
forefinger and announced: You saw something inthat room. He was verygrave, very
reluctant to speak more openly. But his romantic disposition got the
upperhand.
She turned her back uponHanaud and the Commissaire
Herbesthal.
Marianne is your housemaid, I suppose, said Hanaud.
Messieurs,
Mesdames, I am Herbesthal, the Commissaire of Police.
According to the Doctor
Brune, she had been dead for some six hours.
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