“Yeah, an’ same time he told Carrie, who was singer at duh Web, dat he was crazy fo’ her.” Another chimed in:

“An’ wasn’t he roun’ Nigger Mike’s spendin’ ever’thing that you all handed over to him?”

“Didn’t Harry Wray dancin’ wit’ me only a few nights ago say Money Johnson come aroun’ an’ gambled duh money yo’ give him, at Doggie’s pool room? What yo’ yelpin’ like dat fo’, Topaze?”

“It’s a damn lie!’ Topaze shrieked, infuriated by the taunts of the others.

“Tain’t neither. Ah’ll prove it by Harry. Money Johnson boasted he could git all duh money he wanted fum yo’.”

“You’re jealous sluts. All o’ yo’.” Topaze was crying with rage. She turned to Gert. “Gert, yo’ know right here in this joint Money Johnson kissed me an’ tol’ me he loved me better’n any thin’ in duh world. Ain’t dat right, Gert?”

“Ah don’t remember, but he mought.”

“Yo’ was settin’ him up in yo’ apartment, feedin’ him chicken and buyin’ his clo’es. Di’n’t cost him nothin’ to say he love yo’.”

“Gert, yo’ don’ know nothin’. He proposed to me. We was goin’ to be married. We was goin’ to Paris when Bert was takin’ me over wit’ his show.”

“Yo’ was goin’ to take him, yo’ mean. Why di’n’t he take yo’ when he made his money in the number racket? Went over by hisself, di’n’t he, an’ turned yo’ over cold?”

“He was goin’ to send fo’ me.”

“Went over wit’ another gal an’ made yo’ grieve till yo’ went on duh dope an’ lost yo’ job. Ruined yo’self fo’ him, dat’s whut yo’ did.”

“Don’ care what yo’ all say. He loved me.”

“Well, den he di’n’t want no mo’ ob yo’ after he got big an’ prosp’rous an’ grand, an’ got hisself a white woman ’stead o’ yo’,” observed Gert as she passed around the liquor.

Topaze threw her head in the air and exulted.

“Yeah, an’ Ah fixed her. She won’t be actin’ up grand no mo’ now he’s in a jail house.” She broke into a spasm of uncontrollable hysterical laughter.

“Stop dat sinful mule laugh,” Gert was shaking her. “Neighbors’ll complain to duh owner o’ dese premises. Den where duh hell Ah goin’ to be fo’ a livin’?”

Topaze screamed with frenzied glee.

“Hush up, will yo’? Hush up before Ah smack yo’.”

“Damn silly way to get back yo’ man, puttin’ duh bulls on him fo’ runnin’ a policy game. Jus’ spitin’ yo’self over a slut white woman!”

“She’s duh no account trash yo’ should ’a’ took it out on.”

Topaze gave herself over to depressive abandon. She flung open the window and was half out when she was dragged back. Gert was in a terror of alarm.