Very much flattered by Fandor’s request, Marville cried: “But, my boy, you are asking for nothing less than a course on political economy – but I cannot do that on the spur of the moment!... State precisely what you want to know.” “What I want to know is just this: who loses money through Thomery’s disappearance?”

The Financier raised his hands to heaven.

“But everybody! Everybody!... Thomery was a daring fellow: without him his business is nothing! There was a big failure on the market today.”

“Good, but who gains by it?”

“What, who gains by it?”

“Yes. I presume Thomery’s disappearance must be profitable to someone? Can you think of any people in whose interest it would be that this old merchant should disappear?”

Marville reflected.

“Those who gain money by the disappearance of Thomery – only the speculators, I should say. Suppose now that a certain individual had bought Thomery shares at ninety francs. Today these shares would not be worth more than seventy francs – the investor loses money. But let us suppose some financier speculates on the probable fall of Thomery shares, and has sold to clients speculating on the rise of these shares – these shares to be delivered in a fortnight, at a price of ninety francs...”

“With Thomery presumed dead...”

“Dead – no! But simply in flight, his shares fall to nothing, and this same financier may buy at sixty francs, which he must deliver at ninety francs in fifteen days. In that case he has done excellent business.”

“Excellent certainly... and... tell me, my dear Marville, do you know if there has been any such deal in Thomery shares on a large scale?”

“Ah! You ask me more than I can tell you now – but that would be known at the stock exchange.” No doubt, Jérôme Fandor was about to continue his interrogation, but there came a great disturbance in the editorial room near by. They were shouting:

“Fandor! Fandor!”

The editorial secretary entered the Financier’s room, and, catching sight of Fandor, he cried:

“What’s the meaning of this? What are you up to here? I told you this Thomery affair was important. Be off for news, as quick as you can... Here is the Havas. It seems they have just found Thomery’s body in a little apartment in the rue Lecourbe.”

Fandor forced himself to appear surprised and interested.

“Already! The police have been quick!... I also had an idea that this Thomery had more than simply disappeared!”

“You had that idea?” asked the startled secretary.

“Yes, my dear fellow, I did – absolutely!” After a silence, Fandor added:

“All the same, I am going out to get news. In half an hour’s time, I will telephone details of the death. Does the Havas say whether it is a crime or a suicide?”

“No. Evidently the police know nothing.”

*****

“Monsieur Havard, I am delighted to meet you! Surely now, you will not refuse me a little interview?”