"And when are you going to let this fatal decision take effect?"
asked Mr. May.
"I'm going to see the lawyer tomorrow, and I'm going to tell him to
sell everything and clear up as soon as possible," said Alvina.
"Sell everything! This house, and all it contains?"
"Yes," said Alvina. "Everything."
"Really!" Mr. May seemed smitten quite dumb. "I feel as if the world
had suddenly come to an end," he said.
"But hasn't your world often come to an end before?" said Alvina.
"Well--I suppose, once or twice. But _never_ quite on top of me, you
see, before--"
There was a silence.
"And have you told Miss Pinnegar?" said Mr. May.
"Not finally. But she has decided to open a little business in
Tamworth, where she has relations."
"Has she! And are you _really_ going to _tour_ with these young
people--?" he indicated Ciccio and Gigi. "And at _no_ salary!" His
voice rose. "Why! It's almost _White Slave Traffic_, on Madame's
part. Upon my word!"
"I don't think so," said Alvina. "Don't you see that's insulting."
"_Insulting!_ Well, I don't know. I think it's the _truth_--"
"Not to be said to me, for all that," said Alvina, quivering with
anger.
"Oh!" perked Mr. May, yellow with strange rage. "Oh! I mustn't say
what I think! Oh!"
"Not if you think those things--" said Alvina.
"Oh really! The difficulty is, you see, I'm afraid I _do_ think
them--" Alvina watched him with big, heavy eyes.
"Go away," she said. "Go away! I won't be insulted by you."
"No _indeed!_" cried Mr. May, starting to his feet, his eyes almost
bolting from his head. "No _indeed!_ I wouldn't _think_ of insulting
you in the presence of these _two_ young gentlemen."
Ciccio rose slowly, and with a slow, repeated motion of the head,
indicated the door.
"Allez!" he said.
"_Certainement!_" cried Mr. May, flying at Ciccio, verbally, like an
enraged hen yellow at the gills. "_Certainement!_ Je m'en vais.
Cette compagnie n'est pas de ma choix."
"Allez!" said Ciccio, more loudly.
And Mr. May strutted out of the room like a bird bursting with its
own rage. Ciccio stood with his hands on the table, listening. They
heard Mr. May slam the front door.
"Gone!" said Geoffrey.
Ciccio smiled sneeringly.
"Voyez, un cochon de lait," said Gigi amply and calmly.
Ciccio sat down in his chair. Geoffrey poured out some beer for him,
saying:
"Drink, my Cic', the bubble has burst, prfff!" And Gigi knocked in
his own puffed cheek with his fist. "Allaye, my dear, your health!
We are the Tawaras. We are Allaye! We are Pacohuila! We are
Walgatchka! Allons! The milk-pig is stewed and eaten. Voilą!" He
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