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It was the car of some neighbours who have come to leave their cards
andcondolences. Forif Hanaud disbelieved, he might have a reason for
disbelief.
Then he slowly replaced it and asslowly observed: There is another
explanation.
Ricardo and the Commissaire, had the clearestmeaning for the Abbe
Fauriel.
So we, in our turn,shall be pitiless too.
I shall invite your closer
consideration upon that point, MonsieurlAbbe. Yes, at the time when you used
them, I thought the words were strange. It is clear then, said Hanaud, rising
from his knees.
But again I say there isanother explanation, and I like it the
better of the two. Let no one move, he whispered; and, screened by the trees,
they watchedthe Abbes movements.
By some chance a spray hadblown across the
eyes and hid them, but the rest of the face wasrevealed. Ricardo and the
Commissaire, had the clearestmeaning for the Abbe Fauriel.
He stood in a moody
silence with his lips pursedand his forehead all wrinkled in a frown. I could
have saved Joyce last night, but I was afraid.
You shall tell me I grow old, he
shoutedto Ricardo.
His jaw dropped; he stood and stared at the detective,
hisface an effigy of horror. In a small recess in the wall at thehead of the
bed some books were standing. Happily Hanauds mood changed very quickly. But
again I say there isanother explanation, and I like it the better of the two.
The fervent gratitude of the man and the common sense of his argumentwere
convincing. And the three men departed from the chalet and returned to the
terrace. Whichever way Corbie turned, the mask neverleered.
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