“Cotton waste,” said the chauffeur. “Comprenny? Pour wiper the hands.”
Madeleine smiled and asked for a rag.
A mechanic went shuffling. A moment later he returned with a rectangular cardboard box.
“Voilà,” he said.
“Wot’s this?” said Terry, staring. “Dog biscuits?”
The mechanic pointed to the label.
Essuyages Aseptisés
“We use nothing else,” he explained. “They are all manner of rags, quite clean and sterilized. This boxful will last a long time.”
The chauffeur asked the price, ripped open the box, and pulled out the first piece of stuff. Madeleine took the box from him and stowed it away in the car.
When she returned, Terry had wiped his hands and was looking curiously at his duster.