"Well, Benny, and what did she say, my boy?"
"Oh, we had a little talk about everything. What did you expect her to say, Jack?"
"Then she didn't mention the prize?"
He opened his eyes wide.
"Why should she mention it?"
"Well, you see, she promised to. She wants you to win it. We sent you down there on purpose. Do you mean to say she forgot all about it? How like a woman! And you thought she was interested; eh, Benny? you could have sworn she was."
The abbé nodded his head sagely; then he sighed and resumed his work. Benny continued to look at them with wonder. A conspiracy. And she was interested and had forgotten. Well, after all, that was very natural in the circumstances—but if she had remembered!
He did not answer Jack directly; but declaring that he was very tired, went off to bed. When he was gone, the abbé confessed to Jack that "it was finished," and he also laid down his tools.
"We waste our time," he said. "Your brother has lost interest. It is a pity, for he might have been one of the greatest men of our time."
Jack thought so too. He would have given a good deal to have heard that this high and mighty lady was about to quit Andana.