“I think you’re making a pretty considerable ass of yourself, Petrov; but I’ll listen to you.”
“You meant to take her to Maglai, you and Karasch. You knew she was no witch and meant to earn the reward. Well, I can help you now, if you’ll give me my share.”
My first impulse was to kick him out of the room and I started angrily to obey it; but then a very different thought stopped me. He knew something that I ought to know. He took me for a scoundrel enough to betray Mademoiselle in this way and thought he could sell this knowledge of his at the price of a share in the reward.
“Why were you so long away?” I asked, seizing on the vital point.
“What share am I to have?”
“Half the reward when I receive it.”
“You swear that?” he asked slowly.
“Tell me what you know,” I cried, sternly.
“Does she say she’ll come here?” he asked, pointing again at the note in my hand.
“Yes.”