He began to feel better again. He tried to remember a good story a friend told him last week…
He remembered some of it but not all. He had the feeling that Bourdette’s eyes were on him again. He must have a look. He half-turned and then pulled his chair right round. Now, they were face to face. As he spoke, his words seemed to fly back at him from the darkest corners of the room.
‘You moved, you little animal!’ he screamed. ‘Yes you did. I saw you!’
Then he sat, looking in front of him, not moving, cold with fear. Dr Bourdette moved his little body slowly and carefully. He got down from his stand and sat right in front of Hewson. Then he smiled and said in good English, ‘Good evening. I did not know that I was going to have a friend here tonight. Then I heard you and Marriner talking. You cannot move or speak now until I tell you. But you can hear me quite easily, I know. Something tells me that you are – let’s say, a little afraid of me. Make no mistakes, sir. I am not one of these poor dead figures suddenly turned into a living thing Oh, no, I’m Dr Bourdette in person.’
