II
It was about half an hour later when Tuppence opened her eyes andfound a doctor and Tommy bending over her.
Over the events of the next quarter of an hour a decent veil had betterbe drawn¹, but after that period the doctor departed with the assurancethat all was now well.
“Mon ami, Hastings,” said Tommy fondly. “How I rejoice that you arestill alive.”
“Have we got No. 16?”
“Once more I have crushed him like an eggshell — in other words,Carter’s got him. The little grey cells! By the way, I’m raising Albert’swages.”
“Tell me all about it.”
Tommy gave her a spirited narrative², with certain omissions³.
“Weren’t you half frantic⁴ about me?” asked Tuppence faintly.
“Not particularly. One must keep calm, you know.”
“Liar!” said Tuppence. “You look quite haggard still.”
“Well, perhaps, I was just a little worried, darling. I say—we’re going togive it up now, aren’t we?”
“Certainly we are.”
Tommy gave a sigh of relief.
“I hoped you’d be sensible. After a shock like this—”
“It’s not the shock. You know I never mind shocks.”
“A rubber bone—indestructible,” murmured Tommy.
“I’ve got something better to do,” continued Tuppence. “Something everso much more exciting. Something I’ve never done before.”
Tommy looked at her with lively apprehension⁵.
“I forbid it, Tuppence.”
“You can’t,” said Tuppence. “It’s a law of nature.”
“What are you talking about, Tuppence?”
“I’m talking,” said Tuppence, “of Our Baby. Wives don’t whispernowadays. They shout. OUR BABY! Tommy, isn’t everything marvellous?”

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