He smiled, and without waiting for an answer went to the open house-door and called his chauffeur, to whom he gave instructions. Meanwhile, the two boys, chafing under his politeness with its touch of irony, exchanged looks of silent sympathy.
"The men will be here immediately," said Gradoff, rejoining them. "What a delightful summer we are having! _Per æstivam liquidam_--you remember the line? How I envy you your daily browsing on the Classics! Ah, here come the four suspects! Two, you perceive, are tall; two are short. I will align them in order of their heights, as they do in your army, I believe. Halt, men! Stand in line: Jensen at one end, then Radewski, then Prutti, last of all, Rod. Now, my dear sirs, inspect the company."
"There’s no need," said Warrender. "We’ve seen them all in or about the village. None of these is the man you saw, Jack?"
"But darkness, even moonlight, is deceptive," said Gradoff, in his suavest manner. "Really, I am concerned to convince you thoroughly; I should regret your going away harbouring the least particle of suspicion. I will interrogate them in turn. Jensen, you do not amuse yourself by sowing tin-tacks on No Man’s Island?--Jensen, I may explain, is Mr. Pratt’s horsekeeper, in particular, and handy-man in general. Well, Jensen?"
"Nope," replied the man, gruffly, eyeing Armstrong with a scowl.
"And you, Radewski?--Radewski is the gardener." The boys recognised him as the passenger in the car that had collided with the farm-wagon.
"No, of course not," answered the Pole, smiling.
"And now you, Prutti?--the chauffeur, as you see."
"It is silly, stupid; I say ze question----" began the Italian, volubly.
"Yes, yes; but I want no comments. Just say yes or no," Gradoff interrupted.
"No, zen; I say no. I say ze question----"
"He comes from the south, gentlemen," said Gradoff, deprecatingly. "Now, Rod, what have you to say?"
"Now, now. Maximilien Rod is the chef, gentlemen, accustomed to the use of the diction of the menu. Plain English, Rod, if you please."
"Zen I say zat ze man vat accuse me of so imbecile, so--so--so----"
"Four negatives do not make an affirmative," said Gradoff, turning to the boys, and smiling with the persistent urbanity they were beginning to detest. "These are all my staff--with the exception of the excellent woman, Rod’s wife. Would you like to pursue your inquiries?"