Levin said:
"He's our anti-craft liaison officer with the French civilian authorities. Those sort of fellows generally have lived in France a good deal. A very decentish, quiet man. He plays chess with the general and they talk over the chess. . . . But the general is going to talk about what he said to you himself. . . ."
Tietjens said:
"Good God! ... He going to talk as well as you. . . . You'd say the coils were closing in. . . ."
Levin said:
"We can't go on like this. . . . It's my own fault for not being more direct. But this can't last all day. We could neither of us stand it. . . . I'm pretty nearly done. . . ."
Tietjens said:
"Where did your father come from, really? Not from Frankfurt? . . ."
Levin said:
"Constantinople. . . . His father was financial agent to the Sultan; my father was his son by an Armenian presented to him by the Selamlik along with the Order of the Medjidje, first class."