It'll be sort of true,
won't it? And then he'll never think about the money. You won't mind,
will you? It'll never come out--and if it does, I'll say I made it up."
"I don't care. All right."
Rufus drew a great sigh of relief.
"Isn't it ripping? Oh, I say, I wish it was to-morrow night. I hope I
don't die first. What did you like best, Robert? Who are you keenest on?"
Robert did not answer. It would have been sacrilege to talk her over--to
drag her down into a silly controversy. He longed for the moment when
Rufus would have to leave him. He wanted to be alone and silent. Even
the thought of Christine and of her inevitable questions hurt him like the
touch of a rough, unfeeling hand.
"I liked that kid best--that girl on the funny pony. She must have been
at the Folies Bergeres, don't you think? Folies Bergeres sounds French,
and she was making sort of French noises. She made me laugh." Something
wistful and hungry came into his shrill voice. He pressed close to
Robert's side. "I like people who make me laugh. I like them better than
anything in the world, don't you? It's jolly to be able to laugh like
that--right from one's inside----"
But Robert only smiled scornfully, hugging his secret closer to himself.
3
She came on for the last time in the Final, when the whole circus,
including the Legless Wonder, paraded round the ring to the competitive
efforts of both bands. Robert's eyes followed her with anguish.
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