"You heard me whistling a little while ago outside? That was to give him
a hint, as I came along, that it was time to bring in the dinner; and
here it is."
Lena rose and passed to the right of Ricardo, who lowered his glance for
a moment. They sat down at the table. The enormous gorilla back of Pedro
swayed out through the door.
"Extraordinary strong brute, ma'am," said Ricardo. He, had a propensity
to talk about "his Pedro," as some men will talk of their dog. "He ain't
pretty, though. No, he ain't pretty. And he has got to be kept under. I
am his keeper, as it might be. The governor don't trouble his head much
about dee-tails. All that's left to Martin. Martin, that's me, ma'am."
Heyst saw the girl's eyes turn towards Mr. Jones's secretary and rest
blankly on his face. Ricardo, however, looked vaguely into space,
and, with faint flickers of a smile about his lips, made conversation
indefatigably against the silence of his entertainers. He boasted
largely of his long association with Mr. Jones--over four years now, he
said. Then, glancing rapidly at Heyst:
"You can see at once he's a gentleman, can't you?"
"You people," Heyst said, his habitual playful intonation tinged with
gloom, "are divorced from all reality in my eyes."
Ricardo received this speech as if he had been expecting to hear
those very words, or else did not mind at all what Heyst might say.
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