Part 80 (1/2)
”That would be a funny jest, wouldn't it?” said Sengoun.
”Very funny. But----” He nudged Sengoun and directed his attention toward the terrace outside, where waiters were already removing the little iron tables and the chairs, and the few lingering guests were coming inside the cafe.
”I see,” muttered Sengoun; ”it is already Sunday morning, and they're closing. It's too late to go to the Emba.s.sy. They'd not let us in here when we returned.”
Neeland summoned a waiter with a nod:
”When do you close up inside here?”
”Tomorrow being Sunday, the terrace closes now, monsieur; but the cafe remains open all night,” explained the waiter with a noticeable German accent.
”Thank you.” And, to Sengoun: ”I'd certainly like to go upstairs. I'd like to see what it looks like up there--take a glance around.”
”Very well, let us go up----”
”We ought to have some excuse----”
”We'll think of several on the way,” rising with alacrity, but Neeland pulled him back.
”Wait a moment! It would only mean a fight----”
”All fights,” explained Sengoun seriously, ”are agreeable--some more so. So if you are ready, dear comrade----”
”But a row will do us no good----”
”Pardon, dear friend, I have been in serious need of one for an hour or two----”
”I don't mean that sort of 'good,'” explained Neeland, laughing. ”I mean that I wish to look about up there--explore----”
”Quite right, old fellow--always right! But--here's an idea! I could stand at the head of the stairs and throw them down as they mounted, while you had leisure to look around for your stolen box----”
”My dear Prince Erlik, we've nothing to shoot with, and it's likely they have. There's only one way to get upstairs with any chance of learning anything useful. And that is to start a row between ourselves.” And, raising his voice as though irritated, he called for the reckoning, adding in a tone perfectly audible to anybody in the vicinity that he knew where roulette was played, and that he was going whether or not his friend accompanied him.
Sengoun, delighted, recognised his cue and protested in loud, nasal tones that the house to which his comrade referred was suspected of unfair play; and a noisy dispute began, listened to attentively by the pretty but brightly painted cas.h.i.+er, the waiters, the _gerant_, and every guest in the neighbourhood.
”As for me,” cried Sengoun, feigning to lose his temper, ”I have no intention of being tricked. I was not born yesterday--not I! If there is to be found an honest wheel in Paris that would suit me. Otherwise, I go home to bed!”
”It _is_ an honest wheel, I tell you----”
”It is not! I know that place!”
”Be reasonable----”
”Reasonable!” repeated Sengoun appealingly to the people around them.
”Permit me to ask these unusually intelligent gentlemen whether it is reasonable to play roulette in a place where the wheel is notoriously controlled and the management a dishonest one! Could a gentleman be expected to frequent or even to countenance places of evil repute?
_Messieurs_, I await your verdict!” And he folded his arms dramatically.
Somebody said, from a neighbouring table: