“The floor, the floor, I fear.”
“Heaven and earth! We must leave at once.”
“Well, I think perhaps with perchloride in the cracks ...”
“Meantime?”
“We must do our best.”
“It goes from the brain to the toes.”
“To the toes. But only for the unfortunate possessors of thin skins. And them, the wretches seek. If there were in the universe only one flea, it would make straight for me.”
Her voice ended on a childish wail. Fleee, she had said, making it innocent and pretty.
“Do you mean to say there are people ...”
“I do indeed. During my first period of training in the slums I was amazed at the complete insensibility of many of my fellow-workers. Amazed, and under the circumstances, envious.”