“More than that,” broke in Madame Dupont, “you are destroying that poor little baby! You are a wicked woman!”
“I will put you out myself!” shouted George, and seized her by the arm again.
“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” retorted the nurse. “Then you really want me to tell you why I am going away?”
“Yes, tell me!” cried he.
His mother added, “Yes, yes!”
She would have spoken differently had she chanced to look behind her and seen Henriette, who at that moment appeared in the doorway. She had been about to go out, when her attention had been caught by the loud voices. She stood now, amazed, clasping her hands together, while the nurse, shaking her fist first at Madame Dupont and then at her son, cried loudly, “Very well! I’m going away because I don’t want to catch a filthy disease here!”
“HUSH!” cried Madame Dupont, and sprang toward her, her hands clenched as if she would choke her.
“Be silent!” cried George, wild with terror.
But the woman rushed on without dropping her voice, “Oh, you need not be troubling yourselves for fear anyone should overhear! All the world knows it! Your other servants were listening with me at your door! They heard every word your doctor said!”
“Shut up!” screamed George.