“Oh, I beg, I beseech you, as my friend, find some way out of it, but don’t have me talked about! I don’t want to be talked about!”
The captain looked at her, somewhat surprised to see her in such a state of agitation, and said:
“You sha’n’t be talked about, Little Mother Coralie, I promise you.”
“Then what will you do with that man?”
“Well,” he said, with a laugh, “I shall begin by asking him politely if he will condescend to answer my questions; then thank him for his civil behavior to you; and lastly beg him to be good enough to go away.”
He rose:
“Do you wish to see him, Little Mother Coralie?”
“No,” she said, “I am so tired! If you don’t want me, question him by yourself. You can tell me about it afterwards. . . .”
She seemed quite exhausted by all this fresh excitement and strain, added to all those which already rendered her life as a nurse so hard. The captain did not insist and went out, closing the door of the drawing-room after him.
She heard him saying: