"It is a fair question. It would not. But still I say I might have reflected upon the matter before I gave my suspicion tongue."
"You would have left the Court without revealing the secret?"
"Secret!" he exclaimed.
"Well, it was a matter known only to yourself. May we not call such a knowledge a secret?"
"You argue skilfully, and have drawn me into a conversation which I would have perferred to avoid. My time is valuable, Mr. Lambert."
"So is mine, Dr. Pye."
There was a pause; each was waiting for the other to speak, and I was determined he should be the first.
"May I inquire," he said, "your reason for evincing so extraordinary an interest in this affair?"
Here was an opportunity for a bit of acting; I took advantage of it. Leaning forward I said in my most serious tone, "Dr. Pye, my reputation is at stake. It is a dangerous admission to make, but we are closeted together in confidence, and may say anything to each other without fear. No one can hear us"--(I was not so sure of that, but it suited my purpose to say it)--"and if either of us were called upon to give an account of our interview--though there is nothing more unlikely--we might say what we pleased, invent what we pleased, put into each other's mouth anything we pleased. That is the advantage of speaking without witnesses."
"You are very frank," he said.