"And now," he said, "now that we are alone, quite alone together, you and I, let us for the moment forget our mutual—shall I say dislike?—our distrust of one another, eh?"
He approached and laid his hands upon her wrists, stooping to undo the cords with which the prisoner was bound.
At his touch Charlotte, who had been watching his movements with a look of terror on her face, sprang sharply back, as though she had been stung by some poisonous reptile.
"Don't come near me!" she exclaimed passionately. "I could not bear you to touch me!"
She retreated to the farthest end of the cell and stood at bay there with her back to the wall.
"As you will! as you will!" replied the other. "I merely thought that perhaps you would chat more freely if—but no matter."
"Will you not sit down?" he added, motioning her to a chair.
"I will stand!" she answered coldly.
"By all means," said Chabot, in an amused voice, "by all means. But I suppose you have no objection to my sitting?"
The girl made no reply.