But then he had not the girl's leave to speak; could he speak without her leave?
He shifted his feet, and to gain time, "No," he said slowly, "there are two or three who lodge in the house." "Is not the person with whom you quarrelled at the inn one of them ?" the Syndic asked.

"Eh?
Is not he one ?" "Yes," Claude answered; and the recollection of the scene and of the support which the Syndic had given to Grio checked the impulse to speak.
Perhaps after all the girl knew best.
"And a person of the name of Basterga, I think ?" Claude nodded.

He dared not trust himself to speak now.

Could it be that a whisper of what was passing in the house had reached the magistrates?
The Syndic coughed.

He glanced from the distant door, now a mere blur in the obscurity, to his companion's face and back again to the door--of which he seemed reluctant to lose sight.