"Do not look into them too often, my dear," was the rejoinder.
"I have asked not other sacrifice than that you should occupy
his attention and make him fall in love with you."
"Ah, Madame, that will be easy enough. But what is to prevent me
from falling in love with him? He is very handsome."
"You are laughing!"
"Yes, I am laughing. It will be such an amusing adventure, a
souvenir for my old age--and may my old age forget me."
The men lit their cigars and smoked in silence.
"Colonel," said Maurice at last, "will you kindly tell me what
all this means?"
"Never ask your host how old his wine is. If he is proud of it,
he will tell you." He blew the smoke under the candle shades and
watched it as it darted upward. "Don't you find it comfortable?
I should."
"Conscience will not lie down at one's bidding."
"I understood that you were a diplomat?" The Colonel turned to
Fitzgerald. "I hope that, when you are liberated, you will
forget the manner in which you were brought here."
"I shall forget nothing," curtly.
"The devil! I can not fight you; I am too old."
Fitzgerald said nothing, and continued to play with his emptied
wine-glass.
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