"It has in his case," she said frankly. "He really is extraordinarily clever."
She added nothing more, but the implication was very clear that the other meanings were not quite so flattering. I felt already that this strange little household was divided into two camps, and that Eileen and I were together in one.
"But we have talked enough about Herr Tiel!" she exclaimed in a different voice. "Because we really can get no further. It is like discussing what is inside a locked box! We can trust his judgment in this business; I think you will agree to that."
"Oh yes," I said, "I have seen enough to respect his abilities very thoroughly."
"Then," said she, "let us talk of something more amusing."
"Yourself," I said frankly, though perhaps a little too boldly, for she did not respond immediately. I felt that I had better proceed more diplomatically.
"I was wondering whether you were a pure German," I added.
"My feelings towards Germany are as strong as yours, Mr Belke," she answered. "Indeed I don't think any one can be more loyal to their country than I am, but I am not purely German by blood. My mother was Irish, hence my name—Eileen."
"Then that is your real name?" I cried, between surprise and delight.
"Yes, that is the one genuine thing about me," she smiled.