“A joke.”
Nicholas Golwein suddenly walked into the room.
“A joke,” he said and looked at them both, smiling.
Nelly Grissard, who was on her knees, and who was holding Nord’s shoe in one hand, stared at him. It seemed that she must have been about to kiss Nord’s foot.
Nicholas Golwein bowed, a magnificent bow, and was about to go.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” Nelly Grissard cried, angrily, and got to her feet.
He began to stammer: “I—I am leaving town—I wanted to pay my respects——”
“Well, go along with you——”
Nicholas Golwein went out, shutting the door carefully behind him.