"Oh, don't worry yourself about that, dear--we may find a use for them by and by," said Anna with a knowing nod of the head, and then the color flew up to Thora's eyes like a flag of distress, and the men began to smile.
Anna was smiling also and making signals to the Governor and chuckling to him behind her hand. "Is it so?" "Yes, indeed, I asked her up-stairs and it's just as I expected." Then the Governor in his turn began to chuckle and to whisper to the Factor. "No? Is it a fact?" "So Anna tells me." And then they chuckled together, until everybody laughed at them, whereupon the Factor said:
"And now, Oscar, you've told us all about London and Paris and Rome, but not a word about the place where they make money without working for it."
"Monte Carlo? Haven't I?" said Oscar. "Oh, well--a beautiful place! In fact an absolute paradise."
"An absolute hell if half one hears is true," said the Governor.
"Well, yes--yes, that's so, too," said Oscar.
"I once heard of a man who made ten pounds in a single night--think of that," said the Factor.
"Goodness' sake!" cried Aunt Margret.
"But what's the good of having a chest full of gold if the devil keeps the key?" said the Governor.
Then Helga, who was sitting on the piano-stool, began to play softly, and Oscar swung round to her.