human
Let's see, began Coquenil, as they entered the beautiful park,
gpt
I have five days to account for. Well, I spent two days in Paris and three in Brussels.
human
Where the wood carver lives?
gpt
Exactly. I got his address from Papa Bonneton. I thought I'd look the man over in his home when he was not expecting me. And before I started I put in two days studying wood carving, watching the work and questioning the workmen until I knew more about it than an expert. I made up my mind that, when I saw this man with the long little finger, I must be able to decide whether he was a genuine wood carver--or--or something else.
human
I see, admired Tignol.
gpt
Well?
human
As it turned out, I didn't find him, I haven't seen him yet. He was away on a trip when I got to Brussels, away on this trip that will bring him to Paris to-morrow, so I missed him and--it's just as well I did!
gpt
You got facts about him?
human
Yes, I got facts about him; not the kind of facts I expected to get, either. I saw the place where he boards, this Adolph Groener. In fact, I stopped there, and I talked to the woman who runs it, a sharp-eyed young widow with a smooth tongue; and I saw the place where he works; it's a wood-carving shop, all right, and I talked to the men there--two big strong fellows with jolly red faces, and--well--
gpt
Well?
human
Papa Tignol, he said impressively,
gpt
It was a long shot, anyway.
human
What would _you_ have done?
gpt
Why, answered Tignol slowly, while his shrewd eyes twinkled,
human
I--I'd have cussed a little and--had a couple of drinks and--come back to Paris.
gpt
I wasn't much better. After that first day I was ready to drop the thing, I admit it, only I went for a walk that night--and there's a lot in walking. I wandered for hours through that nice little town of Brussels, in the crowd and then alone, and the more I thought the more I came back to the same idea, _he can't be a wood carver!_
human
You couldn't prove it, but you knew it,
gpt
So I kept on through the second day. I saw more people and asked more questions, then I saw the same people again and tried to trip them up, but I didn't get ahead an inch. Groener was a wood carver, and he stayed a wood carver.
human
It began to look bad, eh?
gpt
Papa Tignol, when this case is over and forgotten, when this man has gone where he belongs, and I know where that is --he brought his hand down sideways swiftly--
human
I shall have the lesson of this Brussels search cut on a block of stone and set in my study wall. Oh, I've learned the lesson before, but this drives it home, that _the most important knowledge a detective can have is the knowledge he gets inside himself!_
gpt
he exclaimed.
human
Then you did find something?
gpt
Ah, but I deserve no credit for it, I ought to have failed. I weakened; I had my bag packed and was actually starting for Paris, convinced that Groener had nothing to do with the case. Think of that!
human
Yes, but you _didn't_ start.
gpt
It was a piece of stupid luck that saved me when I ought to have known, when I ought to have been sure. And, mark you, if I had come back believing in Groener's innocence, this crime would never have been cleared up, never.
human
La, la, la! What a man! If you had fallen into a hole you might have broken your leg! Well, you didn't fall into the hole!