Richard would have rushed upon Mme. Giry, if Moncharmin had not stayed his avenging hand and hastened to ask her, more gently:

“How can you suspect my partner, M. Richard, of putting twenty-thousand francs in his pocket?”

“I never said that,” declared Mame Giry, “seeing that it was myself who put the twenty-thousand francs into M. Richard’s pocket.” And she added, under her voice, “There! It’s out!⁠ ⁠… And may the ghost forgive me!”

Richard began bellowing anew, but Moncharmin authoritatively ordered him to be silent.