Vittoria and the guard both began to speak at once, and at length she broke into laughter, saying:
"Poor Mr. Blake, I fear he has been exposed to contagion. It was necessary for him to talk with me on a matter of importance, and now this man tells him he cannot leave."
But from Papa La Branche's expression it was evident that he saw nothing humorous in the situation.
"To talk with you! At this hour!"
"I'm working for the Board of Health, and those are my orders," declared outraged authority.
"It was imperative that I see Miss Fabrizi; the blame for this complication is entirely mine," Norvin assured the old creole.
The representative of the Board of Health inquired, loudly: "Didn't the doctors tell you that nobody could come or go, Mr. La Branche?"
"They did."
"But, my dear man, this is no ordinary case. Now that I have explained,
I shall go, first apologizing to Mr. La Branche for disturbing him."
"No, you won't"