"Well, why worry about her?" It was I who put it calmly. Six hours before, I had not been calm; but now I looked back at that fever with contempt.
"She's been to Stires's," he went on; and I could see the words hurt him.
"Well, then, ask him."
"He was asleep. She left her beloved gramophone there. He found it when he waked."
"Her gramophone?" I ejaculated. "Where is Stires?"
"Looking for her—and hoping he won't find her, curse him!"
Follet took hold of me and drew me down the steps. "Come along," he said. Then he turned to Madame Maür. "Sorry, madame. This is urgent. We'll tell you all about it later."
Félicité Maür did not approve of Follet, but he could do no wrong when she was actually confronted with him. She took refuge in a shrug and went within.
When we were outside the gate, I stood still and faced Follet. "What did Ching Po tell you and Stires?"
"Don't you know?" Sheer surprise looked out at me from his eyes.