I sprang up.
"Mr Tiel," I said, "kindly understand that a German naval officer is not in the habit of enduring affronts to his service!"
"But you think a German secret-service agent should have no such pride?" he inquired.
"I decline to discuss the question any further," I said stiffly.
For a moment he seemed exceedingly amused. Then he saw that I was in no humour for jesting on the subject, and he ceased to smile.
"Have another cigar?" he said, in a quiet matter-of-fact voice, just as though nothing had happened to ruffle the harmony of the evening.
"You quite understand what I said?" I demanded in an icy voice.
"I thought the subject was closed," he replied with a smile, and then jumping up he laid his hand on my arm in the friendliest fashion. "My dear Belke," said he, "we are going to be shut up together in this house for several days, and if we begin with a quarrel we shall certainly end in murder. Let us respect one another's point of view, and say no more about it."
"I don't know what you mean by 'one another's point of view,'" I answered politely but coldly. "So far as I am aware there is only one point of view, and I have just stated it. If we both respect that, there will be no danger of our quarrelling."
He glanced at me for a moment in an odd way, and then said merely—