He called for the bill.

"When is that paper published ?" "At seven," said Lemerre.
"They have been crying it in the streets of Geneva, then, for more than half an hour." He sat drumming impatiently upon the table until the bill should be brought.
"By Heaven, that's clever!" he muttered savagely.

"There's a man who gets ahead of me at every turn.

See, Lemerre, I take every care, every precaution, that no message shall be sent.

I let it be known, I take careful pains to let it be known, that no message can be sent without detection following, and here's the message sent by the one channel I never thought to guard against and stop.