"Of course he does. Did you ever know a diplomatist who told the truth?"
"Huh! That comes well from you, considering."
"I never knew that white lies were political privileges. Besides, Aksakoff is too ashamed of Katinka to tell the truth."
"What's she been doin'?" asked the Duke, alertly. He had the soul of a knitter in the sun for gossip.
"Rescuing Demetrius," answered Leah, curtly.
"What!!!" Jim turned white and purple and red and green like a rainbow, and spluttered at the mouth. His wife, eyeing him coldly, did not think this exhibition of genuine fear a pretty sight. "He'll--why, he'll--tell," gasped Jim, gulping down an extremely serviceable word, which better fitted his feelings than surroundings.
"Of course."
"It's a question of money, I suppose."
"No, it isn't."
"But you told me----"