I will pay for it."
He held out half a franc to Masin and nodded.
"Nonsense!" interposed Malipieri, laughing. "You are my guest, Master
Toto." Masin brought a bottle and a glass, and a couple of cigars.
"Thank you, sir," said Toto politely. "I shall be very comfortable
till you come back."
"You will find the time quite as profitable as if you were working,"
said Malipieri.
He nodded and went out followed by Masin, and Toto heard the key
turned twice in the solid old lock. The door was strong, and they
would probably lock the front door of the apartment too. Toto listened
quietly till he heard it shut after them in the distance. Then he rose
and flattened his face against the window pane.
He waited some time. He could see one half of the great arched
entrance, but the projecting stone jamb of the window hindered him
from seeing more. It was very quiet, and he could hear footsteps
below, on the gravel of the courtyard, if any one passed.
At the end of ten minutes he heard a man's heavy tread, and knew that
it was Masin's. Masin must have come out of the great archway on the
side of it which Toto could not see. The steps went on steadily along
the gravel. Masin was going to the vaults.
Toto waited ten minutes, and began to think that no one else was
coming, and that Malipieri had left the palace, though he had been
convinced that the architect and his man meant to go down to the
vaults together.
Pages:
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204