“Who? The Countess? What do you mean? Harm her? Do you think I waste my thoughts on that little fool? She is not a factor in anything—except that just now I’m using her and mean to use her house in Paradise.”
“Haven’t you stripped her of every cent she has?” I asked. “What do you want of her now?” And I added something about respect due to women.
“Oh yes, of course,” he said, with a vague glance at the street below. “You need not worry; nobody’s going to hurt her—” He suddenly shifted his eyes to 120 me. “You haven’t taken a fancy to her, have you?” he asked, in faint disgust.
I saw that he thought me weak enough for any sentiment, even a noble one.
“If you think it pays,” he muttered, “marry her and beat her, for all I care; but don’t play loose with me, my friend; as a plain matter of business it won’t pay you.”
“Is that a threat?” I asked, in the bullying tone of a born coward.
“No, not a threat, a plain matter of profit and loss, a simple business proposition. For, suppose you betray me—and, by a miracle, live to boast of it? What is your reward? A colonelcy in the Military Police with a few thousand francs salary, and, in your old age, a pension which might permit you to eat meat twice a week. Against that, balance what I offer—free play in a helpless city, and no one to hinder you from salting away as many millions as you can carry off!”
Presently I said, weakly, “And what, once more, is the service you ask of me?”
“I ask you to notify the government that you are watching Paradise, that you do not arrest the Countess and Dr. Delmont because you desire to use them as a bait to catch me.”
“Is that all?”