“Plot against me, madame. Oh, I see through it! You are an agent of my enemies. You were to trick me into this Borodin business; when I was thoroughly involved, my enemies thought to expose me, and use the case to complete my ruin. Did you think to catch me by such an old trick?”
On his desk stood a bronze alarm bell. He stretched out a hand to strike it.
She caught and stayed his arm. “Stop—what are you doing?”
“Ringing for a guard.” His little eyes gleamed with vindictive triumph. “Perhaps I cannot reach my enemies, but at least I shall make their agent suffer! I shall have you punished for what you pretend to be—a revolutionist.”
“You are mistaken!” she cried. “I am a revolutionist!”
“Bah!” sneered he. “There have been too many schemes laid against me, not to see through a simple one like this!”
“But I am a revolutionist, I tell you!”
He sneered again and he reached a second time to strike the belt.
Again she seized his arm. “Wait, wait!” she cried desperately. “I can prove that I tell you the truth!”
“Prove it?”