"Upon my word I can't be sure that this is the lady," she said after quite a long pause.
"But you were so certain of your facts just now," the President smiled encouragingly.
"But I can't see the lady very well, with all those veils on," Mme. Doulenques protested.
Lady Beltham did not wait for the request which the President would inevitably have made, but haughtily put back her veil.
"Do you recognise me now?" she said coldly.
The scorn in her tone upset Mme. Doulenques. She looked again at Lady Beltham and turned instinctively as if to ask enlightenment from Gurn, whose face, however, was expressionless, and then replied:
"It's just what I told you before, your worship: I can't be sure; I couldn't swear to it."
"But you think she is?"
"You know, your worship," Mme. Doulenques protested, "I took an oath just now to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth; so I don't want to tell any stories; well, this lady might be the same lady, and again she mightn't be."
"In other words, you cannot give a definite answer."