"Of what use will it be to
kill me? I cannot take that statue away in my waistcoat pocket, if you
let me out, can I?"
"You had better not make too many jokes, my man, or we will put the
boards over this hole in five minutes. If you can really be of use to
me, I will let you out. What is your name?"
"Toto," answered the voice sullenly.
"Yes. That means Theodore, I suppose. Now make haste, for I am tired
of waiting. What are you, and how did you get in?"
"I was the mason of the palace, until the devil flew away with the
people who lived in it. I know all the secrets of the house. I can be
very useful to you."
"That changes matters, my friend. I have no doubt you can be useful if
you like, though we have managed to find one of the secrets without
you. It happens to be the only one we wanted to know."
"No," answered Toto. "There are two others. You do not know how I got
in, and you do not know how to manage the 'lost water.'"
"That is true," said Malipieri. "But if I let you out you may do me
harm, by talking before it is time. The government is not to know of
this discovery until I am ready."
"The government!" exclaimed Toto contemptuously, from his hiding-
place. "May an apoplexy seize it! Do you take me for a spy? I am a
Christian."
"I begin to think he is, sir," put in Masin, knocking the ash from his
pipe.
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