"I was prepared to."
"Child," said the Saint, "you amaze me."
He stood up and walked to the window in long jerky strides.
From there he beckoned her, looking down to the street from behind the curtains.
"Come here."
She came, after a pause, with a bored languidness; but it was impossible to make him show the least impatience.
"See there!"
He pointed down with a challenging forefinger.
"See and hear that man singing 'Rose in the Bud' at the harmonium? He's just waiting for me to come out and tell him he can go home. And you see the man farther up with the ice-cream cart? He's standing by. And the man selling newspapers on this side? More of the posse. You credited me with the darn thing, so I thought I'd live up to it. There's ten of 'em spread around this block now!"
"I'm sorry. I thought even your word of honour might be worth something. But now—"