"
There was no reply.
"Did you not volunteer to make me fall in love with you to keep
me from interfering with Madame's plans?" It was brutal, but he
was compelled to say it.
Silence.
"Did you not?" he persisted. "When one writes such messages as
these, one should use an intricate cipher. Had I been other than
a prisoner, what I have done would not be the act of a gentleman.
But I am a prisoner; I must defend myself. To rob a man through
his love! And such a man! He is a very infant in the hands of a
woman. He has been a soldier all his life. All women to him are
little less than angels; he knows nothing of their treachery,
their deceit, their false smiles. It will be an easy victory, or
rather it would have been, for I shall do my best to prevent it.
Madame is not unknown to me; I have been waiting to see what
meant this peculiar house party.
"Perhaps I am now too late. Madame distrusts me. I dare say she
has her reasons. She went to you. You were to occupy me. I was
young, I liked the society of women, I was gay and careless. She
has decked me out as one would deck a monkey (and doubtless she
calls me one behind my back), and has offered me a sword to play
with.
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