"I am."
The girl rose; so did I. Then she stepped forward, took my right hand and rested her other upon it.
"I stand for light, for the world's freedom, for the liberties of the weaker, for the self-determination of all peoples. I stand for their right to the pursuit of happiness. I stand for the downfall of all tyranny—the tyranny of the mob as well as the tyranny of all autocrats. That is where I stand, Mr. O'Ryan.... Where do you stand?"
"Beside you."
She dropped my hand with an excited little laugh:
"I was certain of that. In Berne I learned all about you. I took no chances in coming here. I took none in being frank with you." She began to laugh again, mischievously: "Perhaps I took chances in being impertinent to you. There is a dreadful and common vein of frivolity in me. I'm a little reckless, too. I adore absurd situations, and the circumstances—when you unwillingly discovered that I was attractive—appealed to me irresistibly. And I am afraid I was silly enough—common enough—malicious enough to thoroughly enjoy it.... But," she added naïvely, "you gave me rather a good scare when you threatened to kiss me."
"I'm glad of that," said I with satisfaction.
"Of course," she remarked, "that would have been the climax of absurdity."
"Would it?"
"Certainly."