"You don't tell me! You!"
"Oh," replied Redhead, "it's just a way of speaking. She's a good little thing—there's nothing to it, you know!"
"So much the worse!" declared Mother Toulouche. "Virtuous sorts aren't any use to our lot!... Well—what did she tell you—out with it!"
"Well," said Redhead, "I waited three-quarters of an hour before Nadine joined me.... I had no bother in making her talk, I can tell you: without the asking she told me everything ... she was pretty well flabbergasted with all the jewels her mistress had stuck on her clothes and her skin.... Seems there's hundreds of thousands' worth!... All pearls and diamonds! Nothing but...."
Mother Toulouche was calculating:
"Real pearls, real diamonds—it's possible there's all that worth!"
Steps could be heard on the pavement just outside.
Redhead began to shake all over:
"Who is it?" he asked. "Someone coming in?"
Mother Toulouche grinned: