"Of course you do understand. Why do you so pretend to me? I knew it was you when I saw you seeking round our 'ouse. I saw you were big and dark, with a long moustache, like the butler at Wedderburn 'Ouse said. How else did you think I could have known you were a burglar? You are to look at only like a gentleman?" "Ah, I see--I see," said Maxwell-Pitt, the light at last breaking in upon him. "It seems that I have done friend Marvell an injustice." "I do not know who your friend is, nor what you talk about," said Mademoiselle Adèle. "I must return at once. Is it to be a bargain or not? Fifty pounds is little compared to your share." "Mademoiselle," said Maxwell-Pitt, "you are not only an accomplished thought-reader, but you appear to have the business instinct strongly developed as well. You can quite understand that when I planned this--er--botanical expedition I did not anticipate such a drain on my resources. In plain words, I haven't fifty pounds on me." "You can get it, and come to-morrow night instead." "There will still be time," said Maxwell-Pitt thoughtfully. "Of course there will. Now I go. It is settled?" "Yes; I'll come to-morrow night and bring fifty pounds with me." "In gold sovereigns, please." "In gold, if you wish it." "Good. And I'll have the jewellery ready. The pearl necklace cost more than a thousand sovereigns. There will be no need to take anything else, I hope. That big mushroom should satisfy you enough." "Amply. I don't want any more jewels, but where does Captain Richards keep his decorations--his Victoria Cross, for instance?" "You don't want that?" "I do." "It is only worth a few centimes--not half a franc, they tell me." "Never mind its value. I am a collector of such trifles, and want this specimen particularly." "He won it in battle. It would be cruel--abominable--to take it. You cannot have it." "Mademoiselle Adèle, your scruples do you credit; but, after all, are mushroom-pickers the people to talk about scruples? Here you are planning what is, in plain English, the robbery of your employer, so why stick at a trifle like that?" "_Écoutez_, Mr. Jones. You are only a burglar, so your opinion is no matter, but I shall tell you why I do this thing. I come to your country to get riches. I am clever, but there are no riches, even for clever people, in my own valley of the Durance. First I was maid to one lady with a title so long," and she extended her arms to their full width. "I was 'appy. Then I met an aëronaut--you understand, one who makes ascensions in a balloon--who talked my language like myself. He persuades me to leave my place and marry him. I was idiot to do so. Then one day he goes up in his balloon at--what you call it?--Birmingham, for a brief voyage. But he disappears in the clouds. He sends me postcard from Ostend to tell me that he is landed all-right. Then I never found him again."