"Would you listen to me, Monsieur Bixiou?
I have only five days and a half to stay in this office, and I do wish that once, only once, I might have the pleasure of understanding what you mean.

Do me the honor to explain what diamonds have to do with these present circumstances." Bixiou.

"I meant papa,--for I'm willing for once to bring my intellect down to the level of yours,--that just as the diamond alone can cut the diamond, so it is only one inquisitive man who can defeat another inquisitive man." Fleury.

"'Inquisitive man' stands for 'spy.'" Poiret.

"I don't understand." Bixiou.