“Did you not hear these gentlemen say,” remarked the lady, joining in the conversation for the first time, “that we run the risk of being stopped only when the coach carries government money?”
“That’s exactly it,” replied the watchmaker, looking anxiously around. “We are carrying it.”
The mother blanched visibly and looked at her son. Before fearing for herself every mother fears for her child.
“What! we are carrying it?” asked the doctor and the architect in varying tones of excitement. “Are you sure of what you are saying?”
“Perfectly sure, gentlemen.”
“Then you should either have told us before, or have told us in a whisper now.”
“But perhaps,” said the doctor, “the gentleman is not quite sure of what he says.”
“Or perhaps he is joking,” added the architect.
“Heaven forbid!”
“The Genevese are very fond of a laugh,” persisted the doctor.