“And if there is something?”
“I don’t know either. But I thought, if you would let me play for you, I could keep myself for some time with my own money. You said perhaps I might be with the Natcha-Kee-Tawaras. I wish you would let me.”
Madame bent her head so that nothing showed but the bright black folds of her hair. Then she looked up, with a slow, subtle, rather jeering smile.
“Ciccio didn’t come to see you, hein?”
“No,” said Alvina. “Yet he promised.”
Again Madame smiled sardonically.
“Do you call it a promise?” she said. “You are easy to be satisfied with a word. A hundred pounds? No more?”
“A hundred and twenty—”
“Where is it?”
“In my bag at the station—in notes. And I’ve got a little here—” Alvina opened her purse, and took out some little gold and silver.