“I should advise you not to swear. You have twice attempted to poison your mistress. Why did you do it?”

“But this is absurd.”

“Does your mistress use eyedrops when she sings at the Op�ra?”

“Eyedrops?”

“You know what I mean. A lotion which you drop into the eye in order to dilate the pupil.”

“My mistress never uses eyedrops.”

“Does Madame Carlotta Deschamps use eyedrops?”

It was a courageous move on my part, but it had its effect. She was startled.

“I — I don’t know, monsieur.”