"Why do you tremble?" he asked. "Are you afraid of me?"
"Yes," murmured the girl, drooping her head.
He laughed. "Why? I'm not a wild beast, am I? Do I look like a wild beast?" And he moved a step nearer.
Louise stepped in front of Chérie. "My sister-in-law is very young," she said, "and is not used to the attention of strangers."
"My good woman," replied Von Wedel with easy insolence, "go and find some cigarettes for me." And as Louise stared at him with an air of dazed stupefaction he spoke a little louder. "Cigarettes, I said. Surely in your husband's study you will find some. Preferably Turkish. Quick, my good soul. Eins, zwei, drei—go."
After a moment's hesitation Louise turned and left the room; Mireille ran after her. Chérie darted forward to follow them, but Von Wedel took one long stride and caught her by the arm. "Halt, halt!" he said, laughing. "You stay here, my little turtle-dove, and talk to me."
The girl flushed and paled and trembled. "What a shy dove!" he said, bending over her. "What is your name?"
"Chérie," she murmured almost inaudibly.
"What? 'Chérie'?" he laughed. "Did you say that to me? The same to you, Herzchen!" He sat down on a corner of the table quite close to her. "Now tell me what you are afraid of. And whom you are afraid of.... Is it of Captain Fischer? Or of me? Or of the soldiers?"
"Of everybody," stammered Chérie.