"Oh, I don't pry into other people's business!"
"But you know that he assaults people and robs them?"
"Well, what of it? And what's that to you?"
After a long discussion and the promise of more money if it proved that she had not deceived him again, Monsalvat obtained the address he wanted. It was that of a house of good appearance between Lezama Park and la Boca; and it cost him a considerable sum to get into it. At his request the proprietress introduced all the girls who were there at the moment. But Nacha was not among them. One girl, however, turned out to have been a member of the group who had been with Nacha in the cabaret on the night he came to her defence. Monsalvat took her aside. She was a fat, stupid-looking creature, sniffling constantly.
"I saw you that night, you remember? And I wanted to know you. What luck to meet you at last, old fellow!"
This was very friendly treatment from a person he had never spoken to before. Monsalvat explained the object of his visit. The girl looked disappointed, but gave him what information she had.
"I don't know anything, you understand! But I heard talk about something going on. One night they brought a girl here, and kept her two days—but I was away all that time. Then they took her somewhere else. And you say it was Nacha? Who would have thought it! And she was always so stuck-up—to think of what's happened to her now!"
Monsalvat asked her to explain what she meant.
"Why they say that she was taken to one of those houses—oh, the very worst! Somewhere in Olavarría Street, or Necochea—I'm not sure which. If you want to find her, go to those houses and inquire."