Voules looked at him silently for a minute.
"I hope so," he announced. "We shall make it worth your while to serve us." He paused for a moment, and glanced at Cherriton. "Cherriton has already told you," he said, "that when the Day arrives, when the success that is bound to come, has been given to us, we shall not forget our friends in England." He suddenly turned away from John, and looked at the blond-bearded man on his right. His voice seemed to deepen in tone, and he began suddenly and rapidly to speak in German. "What is your opinion of our young English friend here?" he rapped to the blond-bearded man.
"I cannot judge of him, Excellence."
Voules went on still in German:
"Manwitz and Rathenau have each testified to his usefulness; he is also in the hands of a lady who can well supervise his doings."
The blond man fingered his blond beard, sliding it through his hands.
"Excellence, let me say, may I not suggest a certain reserve in our conversation, in the circumstances."
Voules laughed for the first time. John noticed that his teeth were strong and well kept, and that his laugh was not at all pleasant.
"Our Englander," he said, "understands not one word of German. We may speak freely, Muller. Is it not so, Rathenau?" He turned quickly to Cherriton.
"Yes, Excellence," answered Cherriton, with his contemptuous curl of the lip. "Not one English officer in a thousand knows half a dozen words of German; our friend is no exception."