"
Toto illustrated the simile with force and noise before drinking.
Gigi's cunning face was wreathed in smiles.
"You know nothing," he observed.
"What is it?" asked Toto, with his glass in his hand and between two
sips.
"There was old Sassi, who was hurt, and the engineer's gaol-bird
mason-servant. They were with him. It was all in the _Messaggero_ this
morning."
"I know that without the newspaper, you imbecile. It was I that told
you, for I saw all three pass under the window while I was locked in.
Is there anything else you know?"
"Oh, yes! There was another person with them."
"I daresay," Toto answered, pretending blank indifference. "He must
have been close to the wall as they went by. What difference does it
make since that pig of an engineer got out?"
"The other person was caught with him when the water rose," said Gigi,
who meant to give his information by inches.
"Curse him, whoever he was! He helped the engineer and that is why
they got out. No man alone could have broken through that wall in a
night, except one of us."
"The other person was only a woman, after all," answered Gigi. "But
you do not care, I suppose."
"Speak, animal of a Jesuit that you are!" cried Toto. "Do not make me
lose my soul!"
Gigi smiled and drank some of his wine.
"There are people who would pay to know," he said, "and you would
never tell me whether the sluice gate of the 'lost water' is under
number thirteen or not.
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