Part 34 (1/2)
”Abbie darling, would you forgive me if I saw this--person alone?
Besides, you'll be wanting to get settled in your room, if Mr.--Ja--your husband doesn't mind taking your things up.”
Abbie had not been used to taking dismissals graciously. She had never been to court and been permitted to retire. Besides, people who know how to take an eviction gracefully usually know enough to get out before they are put out. But Abbie had to be pushed, and she went, heartbroken, disgraced, resentful. Jake sulked after her. They moved like a couple of old flea-bitten mongrels spoken to sharply.
And of course they stole back to the head of the stairs and listened.
Nicky had his face made up for a butler, or at least a maid. When he saw Marie Louise he had to undo his features, change his opening oration, and begin all over again.
”It is zhoo yourself, then,” he said.
”Yes. Come in, do. I have no servants yet.”
”Ah!” he cooed, encouraged at once.
She squelched his hopes. ”My sister and her husband are here, however.”
This astounded him so that he spoke in two languages at once: ”Your schwister! Since how long do you have a sester? And where did you get?”
”I have always had her, but we haven't seen each other for years.”
He gasped, ”_Was Sie nicht sagen_!”
”And if you wouldn't mind not talking German--”
”_Recht so_. Excuse. Do I come in--no?”
She stepped back, and he went into the drawing-room. He smiled at what he saw, and was polite, if cynical.
”You rent foornished?”
”Yes.”
He waved her to a chair so that he might sit down.
”_Was giebt's neues_--er--what is the noose?”
”I have none. What is yours?”
”You mean you do not wish to tell. If I should commence once, I should never stop. But we are both alife yet. That is always somethink. I was never so nearly not.”
Marie Louise could not withhold the protest:
”You saved yourself by betraying your friends.”
”Well, I telled--I told only what the English knew already. If they let me go for it, it was no use to kill everybody, should I?”
He was rather miserable about it, for he could see that she despised him more for being an informer than for having something to inform. He pleaded in extenuation:
”But I shall show how usefool I can be to my country. Those English shall be sorry to let me go, and my people glad. And so shall you.”