“No one except the landlady and her maid.”
“I'll go to him at once,” said Martini.
“Thank you. I'll look round again in the evening. You'll find a paper of written directions in the table-drawer by the large window, and the opium is on the shelf in the next room. If the pain comes on again, give him another dose—not more than one; but don't leave the bottle where he can get at it, whatever you do; he might be tempted to take too much.”
When Martini entered the darkened room, the Gadfly turned his head round quickly, and, holding out to him a burning hand, began, in a bad imitation of his usual flippant manner:
“Ah, Martini! You have come to rout me out about those proofs. It's no use swearing at me for missing the committee last night; the fact is, I have not been quite well, and——”
“Never mind the committee. I have just seen Riccardo, and have come to know if I can be of any use.”
The Gadfly set his face like a flint.
“Oh, really! that is very kind of you; but it wasn't worth the trouble. I'm only a little out of sorts.”
“So I understood from Riccardo. He was up with you all night, I believe.”
The Gadfly bit his lip savagely.