"But I insist on returning it; and if I insist it must be accepted; especially when I tell you it is all a mistake."
The tourneur shrugged his shoulders.
"If madame does not want the money, and will give it to me, I will see what I can do with it." She handed him the coins; he transferred them to the board at his back. Then he held out to her the horse which he had been dusting. "See, madame, is it not a perfect model? And feel how heavy--over three kilos, more than six English pounds. When you consider that there are nine horses, all exactly the same weight, you will perceive that it is not easy work to be a tourneur. That toy horse is worth much more to the administration than if it were a real horse; it is from the Number Five that all this comes."
He waved his hand as if to denote the entire building.
"I thought that public gambling was prohibited in France and in all Christian countries, and that it was only permitted in such haunts of wickedness as Monte Carlo."
"Gambling? Ah, the little horses is not gambling! It is an amusement."
A voice addressed her from the other side of the table. It was Mr. Huhn.
"Didn't I tell you it wasn't gambling? It's as this gentleman says--an amusement; especially for the administration."
"Ah, yes--in particular for the administration."
The tourneur laughed. Miss Donne and Mr. Huhn went out together by the same door through which they had gone the night before. They sat on the low wall. He had some towels on his arm; he had been bathing. Already the sea was glowing with the radiance of the sun.