“There you are, Fandor!... At last!... That’s a good thing!... Whatever have you been up to since yesterday evening? I got them to telephone to you twice, but they could not get on to you, try as they might. My dear fellow, you really mustn’t absent yourself without giving us warning.”

Fandor looked content; certainly not repentant.

“Oh, just say that I’ve been in the country! But seriously, what did you want me for? Is there anything new?” “A most mysterious scandal!”

“Another?”

“Yes. You know Thomery, the sugar refiner?”

“Yes, I know him...”

“Well – he has disappeared!... No one knows where he is!” Fandor took the “news” in his stride.

“You don’t astonish me, I must say: one must be prepared for anything from those sort of people!” It was the turn of the secretary to be surprised at Fandor’s calmness.

“But, my dear fellow, I am telling you of a disappearance which is causing endless amount of talk in Paris! You don’t seem to grasp the situation! Surely you know that Thomery represents one of the biggest fortunes known?”

“I know he is worth a lot.”

“His flight will bring ruin to many.”

“Others will probably be enriched by it!”

“Probably. That is not our concern. What we are after are details about his disappearance. You are free today, are you not? Will you take the affair in hand then? I would put off the appearance of the paper for half an hour, rather than not have any details to report which would throw some light on this extraordinary affair.”

Then, as Fandor did not show the slightest intention of going in search of material for a Thomery article, the secretary laughed.

“Why don’t you start on the trail, Fandor? My word, I don’t recognise a Fandor who is not off like a bolt of lightning on such a reporting job as this!... Come, we want illuminating details, my dear man!”

“You think I haven’t got any, then?... Rest easy: this evening’s issue of La Capitale will have all the details you could possibly desire on the vanishing of Thomery.” With that, Fandor turned on his heel without further explanation, and went towards one of his colleagues, who went by the title of “Financier of the paper”. The Financier had an official manner, and an office of his own, the walls of which were carefully sound-proofed, for Marville – that was his name – frequently received visits from important personages.

Fandor began questioning him on the subject of Thomery’s disappearance.

“Tell me, my dear fellow, what is happening in the financial world, now that Thomery has disappeared?”

“What do you mean?

“Where is the money going – all the coppers?”

“The coppers?”

“Why yes! I fancy that when a grand old fellow like that does the vanishing trick, there are terrible results on the stock exchange! Will you be kind enough to explain what does happen in such a case?”