Mr. Lionel Dacre was penniless on
the night of the dinner.'
'Oh, don't exaggerate, Monsieur Valmont,' cried Dacre with a gesture
of pathetic protest; 'his pocket held one sixpence, two pennies, and a
halfpenny. How came you to suspect he was penniless?'
'I knew he ordered a case of champagne from the London representative
of Camelot Freres, and was refused unless he paid the money down.'
'Quite right, and then when you were talking to Hopper you saw that
case of champagne delivered. Excellent! excellent! Monsieur Valmont.
But will a man steal, think you, even to supply himself with so
delicious a wine as this we have been tasting? And, by the way,
forgive my neglect, allow me to fill your glass, Monsieur Valmont.'
'Not another drop, if you will excuse me, Mr. Dacre.'
'Ah, yes, champagne should not be mixed with evidence. When we have
finished, perhaps. What further proof have you discovered, monsieur?'
'I hold proof that Mr. Dacre was threatened with bankruptcy, if, on the
twenty-fourth, he did not pay a bill of seventy-eight pounds that had
been long outstanding. I hold proof that this was paid, not on the
twenty-fourth, but on the twenty-sixth. Mr. Dacre had gone to the
solicitor and assured him he would pay the money on that date,
whereupon he was given two days' grace.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143