Her voice had still the hard steely tone that had so hurt me before, and her glance was coldly penetrating.
“One must first draw back a bolt before shooting it again to see that it is in order.”
“You had already drawn back two and were on the third when I stopped you. You were going to open the door.”
“You know so well what I was doing that I suppose you know also I was going to open the door to let the men in. I am a spy and was acting like you no doubt think a spy would. Why should I try to hide things any longer? You know me so well.” I spoke as if now reckless.
“Ivan has told me everything you said to him, monsieur.”
“Then Ivan’s a fool and ought to have his head punched. You told me before that means must be found to stop his chattering tongue. Of course he only knows what I chose to tell him.”
“You were going out to these men in a forlorn hope of making them see you are not the Emperor.”
I laughed and shrugged my shoulders.
“That’s what I told him. But you know me better than to think me such a fool. You know I was going out as one spy to other spies.”
“Then you were really going out to them?”