Part 13 (1/2)
Taking out her small, silver-mounted purse, she emptied its contents upon the table. This consisted of two sovereigns and some silver. The former she handed to Victor, saying,--
”That's all I can give you just now.”
He put them into his pocket without a word of thanks, while she sat back in her chair whistling a few bars of a popular _chansonette eccentrique_.
”Pierre,” Berard said sullenly, at the same time vigorously apostrophising the ”_diable_,” ”we're in a difficulty, and the only way we can obtain the money is by another--er--disappearance.”
”What, again?” cried Valerie. ”Why, poor Pierre is vanis.h.i.+ng fast enough already. He's almost a skeleton now,” and she pointed at his lean figure derisively.
”I don't get enough to eat nowadays,” declared he, pulling a wry face.
”Do stop your chatter, Valerie,” Victor said angrily, ”I'm talking business.”
”Oh, pardon, m'sieur?” and she pouted like a spoiled child.
”It's generally a safe trick. How much would it bring in?” asked the younger man of his companion.
”Two thousand sterling.”
”Just the sum,” interrupted mademoiselle, striking the table in her enthusiasm. ”We'll divide it. When can I have my half?”
”As soon as possible, but don't be impatient, as hurried action means certain failure.”
”All right,” she replied boldly, removing the cigarette from her lips, and contemplating it. ”You can keep your fatherly advice for somebody else,” she added, grinning across the table at Rouillier.
Tossing the cigarette into the grate, she rose.
”What, are you going so soon?” asked the younger _homme de faciende_.
”Yes, it's late; and, besides, I can't go straight home in such a get-up as this.”
Cramming on her battered hat, she pulled it over her forehead, and then struck an att.i.tude so comic that neither of the men could refrain from laughing. When they grew serious again, she said--
”Now, one word; shall I have the money? I think we understand one another sufficiently to agree that it is imperative, don't we?”
Victor Berard nodded an affirmative. He had decided. ”You will promise me?”
”Yes, you shall have it, notwithstanding the risks,” he replied. ”Of course, the latter are very great, but I think if we carry out our plans boldly, it will be all right.”
”_Bien_,” she said in a satisfied tone. ”And now you can both come out with me, and have the pleasure of regaling me with a gla.s.s of wine; for,” she added, with a little mock curtsey, ”I feel faint after all this exertion.”
”Very well,” said Pierre, as both men rose and put on their hats.
”We'll drink to another successful disappearance,” Valerie said, patting him playfully on the cheek. ”The dear boy will prove our salvation from misery, provided he doesn't blunder.”
”Not much fear of that,” answered the young man she caressed. ”It isn't the first time, so trust me to bring it off properly. I know my work too well to take an incautious step,” he remarked in a low whisper, as the strange trio descended the creaking stairs.
”That's all very well,” muttered Berard, ”but we can't afford to act rashly, for it'll be a complicated and extremely ugly bit of business at best.”
CHAPTER TEN.