Alleyn said: ‘I have just come from your flat, Mr Dimitri. I was up that way and hoped to save you a journey. I was, however, too late. I saw your servant and ventured to ask him one or two questions. He was most obliging.’

He smiled pleasantly at Dimitri and thought: ‘He’s looking sulky. Not a good head. Everything’s a bit too narrow. He’s got a mean look. No fool, though. Expensive clothes, fishy hands, uses a lot of hair oil. Honey and flowers. Ears set very low. No lobes to them. Less than an eye’s width between the two eyes. I fancy the monocle is a dummy. Dents by the nostrils. False teeth. A smooth gentleman.’

Dimitri said: ‘Your colleague has already rung my servant, Mr Alleyn.’

‘Yes,’ said Fox. ‘I just checked up the time Mr Dimitri left. I’ve been explaining, sir, that we realize Mr Dimitri doesn’t want to appear more than can be avoided.’

‘In my position, Chief Inspector,’ said Dimitri, ‘it is most undesirable. I have been seven years building up my business and it is a specialized business. You understand that I have an extremely good clientèle. I may say the very best. It is essential to my business that my clients should have complete faith in my discretion. But essential! In my position one sees and hears many things.’

‘I have no doubt of that,’ said Alleyn, looking steadily at him. ‘Things that with a less discreet, less scrupulous person, might be turned to advantage.’

‘That is a dreadful thought, Mr Alleyn. One cannot with equanimity contemplate such a base idea. But I must tell you that in my business the finest shades of discretion must be observed.’

‘As in ours. I shall not ask you to repeat any scandals, Mr Dimitri. We will confine ourselves to the simplest facts. Your own movements, for instance.’

‘Mine?’ asked Dimitri, raising his eyebrows.

‘If you please. We are anxious to get a little information about a small green boudoir on the top gallery at Marsdon House. It has a telephone in it. Do you know the room I mean?’

‘Certainly.’ The sharp eyes were veiled, the mouth set in a thin line.

‘Did you at any time visit this room?’

‘Repeatedly. I make it my business to inspect all the rooms continually.’

‘The time in which we are interested is about one o’clock this morning. Most of Lady Carrados’s guests were at supper. Captain Maurice Withers and Mr Donald Potter were on this top landing. So was your servant, François. Do you remember going upstairs at this time?’

Dimitri spread out his hands.

‘It is impossible for me to remember, I am so very sorry.’ He removed his rimless eyeglass and began to turn it between the fingers and thumb of his left hand.