Conscious that de Mauprat and Delagarde were watching him, he appeared to listen with a keen but impersonal interest, not without its effect upon his scrutinisers.

He nodded his head as though he understood the situation.

He acted very well; he bewildered the onlookers.

They might think he tallied with the description of the Comte de Tournay, yet he gave the impression that the matter was not vital to himself.

But when the little Chevalier stopped and turned his eye-glass upon him with sudden startled inquiry, he found it harder to keep composure.
"Singular--singular!" said the old man, and returned to the reading of the letter.
When he ended there was absolute silence for a moment.