“I am to slip it into your pocket when you least expect it, sir. You know that I always take a little turn behind the scenes, in the course of the evening, and I often go with my daughter to the ballet-foyer, which I am entitled to do, as her mother; I bring her her shoes, when the ballet is about to begin⁠ ⁠… in fact, I come and go as I please.⁠ ⁠… The subscribers come and go too.⁠ ⁠… So do you, sir.⁠ ⁠… There are lots of people about.⁠ ⁠… I go behind you and slip the envelope into the tail-pocket of your dress-coat.⁠ ⁠… There’s no witchcraft about that!”

“No witchcraft!” growled Richard, rolling his eyes like Jupiter Tonans. “No witchcraft! Why, I’ve just caught you in a lie, you old witch!”

Mame Giry bristled, with her three teeth sticking out of her mouth.

“And why, may I ask?”