“This must come to an end!”
“Come, now, peace!” ordered Hans, authoritatively. “What noise you make for nothing at all! What news have you, father money-bags? Has your jesuit d’Escayrac seen our friends?”
“He has. They refuse.”
“Refuse what? Be precise. Your daughter or our affair?”
Elias changed colour, and his eyes flashed. However, neither anger nor chagrin appeared from his voice.
“They refuse both alliance with me and co-operation with you. Everything, in short!”
“Donnerwetter!” growled Hans. “Are they mad?”
“No; they are aware that you have nothing, and they have everything. This they prove by sending us about our business.”
“You take all this very calmly,” exclaimed Count Cesare. “I have seen you less resigned than you now appear.”
“I am not in the habit of fighting windmills. You have tricked me into an absurd and dangerous business; now I am simply leaving it, that is all.”