"Then I will go in and order supper. Our room is ordered."
"Do," replied Aymar in the same expressionless voice. "Supper for yourself, I mean. I will follow a little later and order mine. You need not know me."
"Do you really imagine that I——" began Laurent, and then stopped with a great sigh, and, coming a little nearer as he walked, slid his arm into Aymar's and gripped it close.
They were late for the table d'hôte supper at the inn, and were served separately at the side of the room, attracting little notice. Laurent's head at least was spinning from the blow. His own side! His own side could believe a thing like that of L'Oiseleur, on hearsay, without investigation. It had not taken long to give the lie to his own arguments on that score a few days ago.
Once upstairs alone, in the room which had been reserved for them, Aymar turned on his companion.
"Laurent, this has got to end! We must say good-bye."
Laurent, already unfastening his uniform, shook his head with a smile. "I am not going to be dismissed like that!"
"You are not going to be exposed again to what happened this evening!"
"Probably not. It will not happen again. And at any rate I took no harm."
"Did you enjoy it, then?" asked Aymar, suddenly flaring up. "What do you think I felt like, seeing you involved in my shame?"