“He is, indeed,” says I, with a significance not to be conveyed by a mere adjective or noun.
For an hour or more we broke our minds upon this problem. It was the deepest mystery, and of that provoking kind that makes one unhappy till one has solved it. As it would not profit us to keep the Corporal in durance, I judged it right to take measures to release him. But it was certain that as soon as he was at large my guilt would be published to his officer. Therefore I took boldness for my course, and stepped down straightway to the Captain. I carried the blue papers and the mutilated seal with me.
My enemy was alone. He received me with the courtesy that never failed him, while I, with the consideration that was habitual to me, asked politely of his leg.
“Captain,” I decisively began, “an accident of a rather serious sort hath happened to that emissary of yours.”
“My soul,” cried the Captain, anxiously, “is that so? Pray tell me of it, madam.”
“I will strike a bargain first,” says I, coolly, and cast the papers down before his eyes.
I think I never saw a man so taken.
“Ods wounds!” he cries, “how came these in your custody?”
“An accident hath occurred to that emissary of yours,” I repeated, and smiled upon his urgent face, “and you shall hear the details of it on condition that you do confess why this packet is a bogus. I can assure you, Captain, that I am burning to learn the reason for this make-believe.”
He tried to hedge at this, and get news of the Corporal out of me without giving me the secret that I so desired. But if he considered I was a child in these affairs to be evaded lightly he was early undeceived.