"Quitetrue,"repliedtheirleaderplacidly,"ifweonlyhadanideaofwhereweweregoing."
"Well, whereareyougoing?"askedtheother, staring.
Valentinsmokedfrowninglyforafewseconds;then, removinghiscigarette, hesaid,"Ifyouknowwhataman'sdoing, getinfrontofhim;butifyouwanttoguesswhathe'sdoing, ;stopwhenhestops;."
"Whatsortofqueerthingdoyoumean?"askedtheinspector.
"Anysortofqueerthing,"answeredValentin, andrelapsedintoobstinatesilence.
Theyellowomnibuscrawledupthenorthernroadsforwhatseemedlikehoursonend;thegreatdetectivewouldnotexplainfurther, , also, theyfeltasilentandgrowingdesireforlunch, forthehourscreptlongpastthenormalluncheonhour, , , , theParisiandetectivestillsatsilentandwatchful, , thepolicemenwerenearlyasleep;atleast, theygavesomethinglikeajumpasValentinleapterect, struckahandoneachman'sshoulder, andshoutedtothedrivertostop.
Theytumbleddownthestepsintotheroadwithoutrealizingwhytheyhadbeendislodged;, formingpartofthelongfacadeofagiltandpalatialpublic-house;itwasthepartreservedforrespectabledining, andlabelled"Restaurant."Thiswindow, likealltherestalongthefrontageofthehotel, wasoffrostedandfiguredglass;butinthemiddleofitwasabig, blacksmash, likeastarintheice.
"Ourcueatlast,"criedValentin, wavinghisstick,"theplacewiththebrokenwindow."
"Whatwindow?Whatcue?"askedhisprincipalassistant."Why, whatproofistherethatthishasanythingtodowiththem?"
Valentinalmostbrokehisbamboostickwithrage.
"Proof!"hecried."GoodGod!themanislookingforproof!Why, ofcourse, ?Don'tyouseewemusteitherfollowonewildpossibilityorelsegohometobed?"Hebangedhiswayintotherestaurant, followedbyhiscompanions, andtheyweresoonseatedatalateluncheonatalittletable, .
"Gotyourwindowbroken, Isee,"saidValentintothewaiterashepaidthebill.
"Yes, sir,"answeredtheattendant, bendingbusilyoverthechange, .
"Ah, yes, sir,"hesaid."Veryoddthing, that, sir."
"Indeed?Tellusaboutit,"saidthedetectivewithcarelesscuriosity.
"Well, twogentsinblackcamein,"saidthewaiter,", 'dpaidmemorethanthreetimestoomuch.'Here,'Isaystothechapwhowasnearlyoutofthedoor,'you'vepaidtoomuch.''Oh,'hesays, verycool,'havewe?''Yes,'Isays, , thatwasaknock-out."
"Whatdoyoumean?"askedhisinterlocutor.
"Well, I'dhaveswornonsevenBiblesthatI''dput14s.,asplainaspaint."
"Well?"criedValentin, movingslowly, butwithburningeyes,"andthen?"
