“Why?”
He spread out his hands and smiled.
“May we not find a reason in your interesting narration? I have really never known myself to feel so much impatience for anything of the kind before. I entreat of you not to keep me in suspense.”
And he threw himself back in his chair and folded his hands in the attitude of an interested listener and looked to me to begin.
Chapter XIX—TURNING THE SCREW
BEFORE I complied with Prince Kalkov’s request I took out a fresh cigar and spent some time over lighting it.
“You have quite a stage instinct, monsieur, in pausing thus at the critical moment. If I did not know you, I might be tempted to think you were arranging the duly dramatic unfolding of the tale, or perhaps,” he added lightly, “considering what part of it you need not tell.”
“It is after all only the story of a failure, Prince, and naturally one does not care to dwell too long upon it. I went to Boreski, as you know, led him to believe that I was the Emperor, laid before him the papers as we arranged, and he took the objection I had anticipated—that he must have the money in cash instead of a draft.”