"If the Professor himself considers that the affair is a secret, it is not for me to speak of it, even if I did know anything about it."
"Then you refuse to give us the information?"
"Ah, my dear lady, there is no one to whom I would rather make a communication than to the excellent ladies whom I have the honor of seeing here, but I am much too insignificant to be able to serve you in this."
"And have you taken into consideration the embarrassing consequences of your refusal, for my husband, for the whole University, and--what you, an advocate of truth, must consider more important than all--for science?"
Knips acknowledged himself to be the advocate of truth.
Laura remarked that the examination was wandering into by-paths on which the parchment was not to be found; she jumped up, and cried out:
"Go out of the room for a little while, Magister Knips, I wish to confer with the Professor's wife."
Knips rose very readily and made a bow.
"But you must not go away. Go into the next room. Come, I shall call you in again directly."
Knips followed her with bowed head, and Laura came back on tiptoes and said, in a low tone: