"I am doing my best to carry out instructions, sir," he declared. "I do not understand why you should take so prejudiced a view of my friend."
"It is, perhaps," Julien replied, "because I know more about him than you seem to. Good night!"
They walked slowly back to the gardens. The woman was thoughtful.
"I am sorry," she said, "that those people came along to spoil our first evening together. I am glad, though, that you refused to meet the German. All that he would have done would have been to try and fill your mind with suspicions of me. Haven't you found me harmless?"
"I am not sure," he answered.
She laughed softly.
"Ah, me!" she exclaimed, "I gave you an opening, didn't I, and one must remember that of late years the men of your nation have established a reputation over here for gallantry. Harmless, at least, so far as regards tearing political secrets from your bosom?"
"As a matter of fact," Julien remarked, "there are not so many secrets between France and England, are there?"
"Thanks in some measure to you," she reminded him. "You take it for granted, I notice, that I am a Frenchwoman."
He looked at her in great surprise.