The two men drank in silence. After a long time
Toto spoke again.
"A woman," he said, with a shrug of the shoulders.
"A woman drowned him?" asked Gigi. "How could a woman do it?"
"A man did it. But it was for jealousy of a woman."
"The man was a mason, I suppose," suggested Gigi.
"Of course. He was working with the others in the morning, and he knew
where they would be after dinner. He did not come back with them, and
half an hour after they had gone down the water came. How many times
have I told you that?"
"It is always a new tale," answered Gigi. "It gives me pleasure to
hear it. Your father was a young man then, was he not?"
"Eighteen." Toto lighted his pipe.
"And the man who did it died soon afterwards?" Gigi said.
"Of course," said Toto. "What else could my father do? He killed him.
It was the least he could have done. My father is also in Paradise."
"Requiescat!" ejaculated the carpenter devoutly.
"Amen," answered Toto. "He killed him with a mattock."
"It was well done," observed Gigi with satisfaction. "I suppose," he
continued after a pause, "that if anybody went down there now, you
could let in the water."
"Why should I? I do not care what they do. If they send for me, I may
serve them. If they think they can do without me, let them try. I do
not care a cabbage!"
"Perhaps not," Gigi answered thoughtfully.
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