'
'But what can he do? Surely you don't suggest that he will attempt
the life of Prince Eugen in this hotel?'
'Why not? If Reginald Dimmock fell on mere suspicion that he
would turn out unfaithful to the conspiracy, why not Prince
Eugen?'
'But it would be an unspeakable crime, and do infinite harm to the
hotel!'
'True!' Racksole admitted, smiling. Little Felix Babylon seemed to
brace himself for the grasping of his monstrous idea.
'How could it possibly be done?' he asked at length.
'Dimmock was poisoned.'
'Yes, but you had Rocco here then, and Rocco was in the plot. It is
conceivable that Rocco could have managed it - barely
conceivable. But without Rocco I cannot think it possible. I cannot
even think that Jules would attempt it. You see, in a place like the
Grand Babylon, as probably I needn't point out to you, food has to
pass through so many hands that to poison one person without
killing perhaps fifty would be a most delicate operation. Moreover,
Prince Eugen, unless he has changed his habits, is always served
by his own attendant, old Hans, and therefore any attempt to
tamper with a cooked dish immediately before serving would be
hazardous in the extreme.'
'Granted,' said Racksole. 'The wine, however, might be more easily
got at.
Had you thought of that?'
'I had not,' Babylon admitted. 'You are an ingenious theorist, but I
happen to know that Prince Eugen always has his wine opened in
his own presence.
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