We remained silent. Thusis inspected her broom-handle, tucked a curl up under her white head-cloth.
I said: "You and Clelia seem to exchange jobs rather frequently."
"It mitigates the monotony," she remarked, resting her rounded cheek against the broom-handle.
"Where did you leave that gun?" I demanded in a low voice.
"Do you remember my reply to you on the stairs last night, Don Michael?"
"You bade me go to the devil."
"That was rude of me, wasn't it? And so frightfully vulgar! Oh, dear me! I really don't know what I am coming to."
She smiled very gaily, however.
"Thusis," said I, "you wouldn't shoot up any of these kings and queens, would you?"
At that she laughed outright: "Not if they behave themselves!"