“You will arrange to strike up a fresh acquaintance with Marcel Baradier. Bring me the young man here one of these evenings. He knows the secret of the manufacture, and he shall either give it up to you of his own free will, or I will undertake to force him to do so.”
Lichtenbach’s hands trembled nervously. Sophia remained impassive.
“Well, what do you say to my proposal?” asked Hans, in jovial tones.
“I will have nothing further to do with the matter!” declared the Baroness.
“Ah! take care!” exclaimed Agostini. “I know why you refuse to help us against young Marcel. You are afraid for him. That is the difficulty.”
“And what if it were so?”
Hans made no reply. He appeared to reflect deeply. Then, with feigned good temper, he said—
“After all, you may be right. In any case, we can do nothing without you.”
Lichtenbach heaved a sigh of satisfaction. The conciliating attitude suddenly assumed by Hans seemed to be full of meaning. Wishing to know what this terrible partner of his really thought, he judged it useful to dissimulate his own ideas.
“Come, we will say nothing more on the matter! What this affair has cost me I will pass through the profit and loss account. Still, it is a pity we could not find that secret trick of manipulation. There was a great deal of money to be earned by it, after all!”