"Caramba! Señor Tomas, you are as white as a sheet! You are about to fall! You must go to bed at once. I told you—"
"Where is your mistress?" panted the drummer.
The girl was dictatorial.
"Cá! What do you want with the señora? I tell you to go to bed! I told you never to...."
The maid's question helped temper Strawbridge's impulse. After all, what did he want with the señora! What did he mean to say to her! There was nothing to say, much less to do. He began to realize how empty his impulse was of any possible action.
"What do you want with her?" repeated the maid, holding him up and leading him inside.
The drummer fumbled for an answer, and then explained lamely that they were reading a play together.
The freckled maid looked up at him, amazed.
"A play! Caramba! it must be a wonderful play!"