e was bad news for them, the poor loves!

"What? What?" asked Lily.

"Well, we are going to lose them; they've been claimed by their brother,
it seems."

"What!" cried Lily. "Their brother? The ... the Mexican one?"

"Yes, I think so," said Jimmy. "He's come back from South America. He is
in Paris now ... somewhere in a penny show, in the suburbs ... I don't
know where ... with a girl."

"With a girl!" thought Lily.

Everything returned to her in a flash! The girl with the bruised skin ...
that boy's body all muscle ... Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Not dead! She felt
inclined to run up to Trampy, to fly at his throat, to bellow in his face
that Ave Maria was here, just to see the effect! But she restrained
herself. Suppose it were not true? Oh, she would soon know! That footy
rotter, if it were true! O God, grant that it might be true!

All this passed through her brain in less than a second.

"Why!" said Jimmy, seeing her turn pale. "Does that affect you so much ...
the loss of your little friends, the Bambinis? For you're going to lose
them...."

"No, Jimmy!" she replied indignantly. "You shall not give up the Bambinis
to their brother, a cruel, cowardly brute like that, right at the bottom
of the profession. I know ... I've seen.... You shan't do it, Jimmy, and,
look here, I forbid you!"

"Well, Lily, Lily, I'll do what I can, to please you, you know; I'll try;
I'll see the police; you must give your evidence, if you have anything to
say. Do you know, Lily, you are as good as gold. You're a good little
Lily: hard upon herself and kind to others."

But he was interrupted ... Jimmy here, Jimmy there ... he was wanted ...
for the flies, for the roof.... Jimmy flew to the stage, bothered on every
side, worried by the Astrarium ... and Lily. Lily! He could not escape her
now, do what he might! He had her in his heart, in his brain, everywhere.
She lived and existed in his breast, shot up there like a flame! Whatever
he had been told about her he no longer knew, did not want to know. And,
besides, even if it had been true, oh, he would have forgiven everything!
He would have passed over everything! He would have plunged into the abyss
to get Lily out of it, whatever she had done; yes! In spite of everything!
in spite of everybody! In spite of Trampy, husband or not!

CHAPTER III

To-morrow was to be the great day, the opening of the Astrarium, the first
night; and Jimmy, more bustled than ever, forgot Lily