She made a sign that she would not go away and that, on the contrary, she meant to listen. He shook his fist at her and again said:
“Go away, go away! . . . I won’t have you stay in the room. You go away too, Siméon.”
Old Siméon got up and moved towards Essarès. It looked as though he wished to speak, no doubt to protest. But his action was undecided; and, after a moment’s reflection, he turned to the door and went without uttering a word.
“Go away, will you, go away!” Essarès repeated, his whole body expressing menace.
But Coralie came nearer to him and crossed her arms obstinately and defiantly. At that moment, Essarès appeared to get his call, for he asked:
“Is that 40.39? Ah, yes . . .”
He hesitated. Coralie’s presence obviously displeased him greatly, and he was about to say things which he did not wish her to know. But time, no doubt, was pressing. He suddenly made up his mind and, with both receivers glued to his ears, said, in English:
“Is that you, Grégoire? . . . Essarès speaking. . . . Hullo! . . . Yes, I’m speaking from the Rue Raynouard. . . . There’s no time to lose. . . . Listen. . . .”
He sat down and went on:
“Look here. Mustapha’s dead. So is the colonel. . . . Damn it, don’t interrupt, or we’re done for! . . . Yes, done for; and you too. . . . Listen, they all came, the colonel, Bournef, the whole gang, and robbed me by means of violence and threats. . . . I finished the colonel, only he had written to the police, giving us all away. The letter will be delivered soon. So you understand, Bournef and his three ruffians are going to disappear. They’ll just run home and pack up their papers; and I reckon they’ll be with you in an hour, or two hours at most. It’s the refuge they’re sure to make for. They prepared it themselves, without suspecting that you and I know each other. So there’s no doubt about it. They’re sure to come. . . .”