Confound it! I couldn't sit here forever bullying her;
sheer desperation lent me strength. "The _Espagne_ sails from Bordeaux
on Saturday, I see by the Herald, and if I were you, I should most
certainly be on board. In fact, if you lose the chance, I am sure you'll
regret it later. The French police authorities are--er--very inquisitive
about foreigners; and if you stop in France in these anxious times, I
think it likely that they may--well--"
She drew a quick, hard breath as I trailed off into silence. Her eyes,
darkened, horrified, were gazing full into mine.
"You wouldn't tell them about me! You couldn't be so cruel!" The words
came almost fiercely, yet with a sound like a stifled sob.
By its sheer preposterousness the speech left me dumb a moment, and then
gave me back the self-possession I had been clutching at throughout
the meal. For the first time since entering I sat erect and squared my
shoulders. I even confronted her with a rather glittering smile.
"I am very sorry," I said, with a cool stare, "if I appear so; but I am
consideration itself compared with the people you would meet in Paris,
say.
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