“Perhaps. Of course a spy must have unpleasant things said to him, and have to learn to forget quickly. It’s a happy gift at times I assure you.” I spoke as indifferently as I could.
“There is not a true note in your voice. You do remember that I said I would not owe my safety to you. I repeat it, I will not.”
“Is that any reason you should object to my going out to betray you?”
“Do you wish to insult as well as humiliate me, monsieur?”
The pendulum of her mood was swinging over to passion again.
“Have you spared me?” I asked sharply. “When the lash of your contemptuous words is burning and scorching like fire strokes now? Had you not deemed me utterly base and mean, would you have said what you did? If you thought it then, you must think it now; and you may as well think I am foul and cowardly enough to go out and betray you? It would be no great effort of imagination for you. I beg your pardon,” I said, thrusting my momentary anger away. “I did not mean to lose my temper. I have been sorely tried, but I will not do that. No, I do not wish to humiliate or insult you. I thought perhaps I could help you a bit out of this mess I have got you into.”
“I should regard your help as a humiliation, monsieur.”
“Knowing that, I did not mean you to hear of it. That’s Ivan’s fault.”
“You shall not go out to them, monsieur.”
“Very well, mademoiselle.”