'He spoke to the dumb man and drew pictures for
him, and then off he goes.'
The dumb man! Gaston pricked up his ears at this, and, wondering
what Villiers wanted to talk to Pierre about, he determined to find
out.
'That dumb man is one of our miners from the Pactolus,' he said,
lighting another cigarette; 'I wish to speak to him--has he gone out
also?'
'No, he ain't,' returned Miss Twexby, decisively; 'he's gone to lie
down; d'ye want to see him; I'll send for him--' with her hand on
the bell-rope.
'No, thank you,' said Vandeloup, stopping her, 'I'll go up to his
room if you will show me the way.'
'Oh, I don't mind,' said Martha, preparing to leave the bar, but
first ringing the bell so that the crushed-looking waiter might come
and attend to possible customers; 'he's on the ground floor, and
there ain't no stairs to climb--now what are you looking at, sir?'
with another gratified giggle, as she caught Vandeloup staring at
her.
But he was not looking at her somewhat mature charms, but at a bunch
of pale blue flowers, among which were some white blossoms she wore
in the front of her dress.
'What are these?' he asked, touching the white blossoms lightly with
his finger.
'I do declare it's that nasty hemlock!' said Martha, in surprise,
pulling the white flowers out of the bunch; 'and I never knew it was
there. Pah!' and she threw the blossom down with a gesture of
disgust.
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