His frankness evidently perplexed her.
"If that is so," she said, "what interests you in the papers you took
from me?"
"Nothing at all, my dear young lady! I'm not interested in them. But
friends of mine are."
"Who?"
He merely laughed at her.
"Are you an agent for any government?"
"Not that I know of."
She said very quietly: "You make a terrible mistake to involve yourself in this affair. If
you are not paid to do it--if you are not interested from patriotic
motives--you had better keep aloof."
"But it's too late. I am mixed up in it--whatever it may mean. Why
not tell me, Scheherazade?"
His humorous badinage seemed only to make her more serious.
"Mr. Neeland," she said quietly, "if you really are what you say you
are, it is a dangerous and silly thing that you have done tonight."
"Don't say that! Don't consider it so tragically. I'm enjoying it all
immensely."
"Do you consider it a comedy when a woman tries to kill you?"
"Maybe you are fond of murder, gentle lady."
"Your sense of humour seems a trifle perverted. I am more serious than
I ever was in my life. And I tell you very solemnly that you'll be
killed if you try to take those papers to Paris. Listen!"--she laid
one hand lightly on his arm--"Why should you involve yourself--you, an
American? This matter is no concern of yours----"
"What matter?"
"The matter concerning those papers. I tell you it does not concern
you; it is none of your business. Let me be frank with you: the papers
are of importance to a foreign government--to the German Government.
And in no way do they threaten your people or your country's welfare.
Why, then, do you interfere? Why do you use violence toward an agent
of a foreign and friendly government?"
"Why does a foreign and friendly government employ spies in a friendly
country?"
"All governments do."
"Is that so?"
"It is. America swarms with British and French agents."
"How do you know?"
"It's my business to know, Mr. Neeland."
"Then that is your profession! You really are a spy?"
"Yes."
"And you pursue this ennobling profession with an enthusiasm which
does not stop short of murder!"
"I had no choice."
"Hadn't you? Your business seems to be rather a deadly one, doesn't
it, Scheherazade?"
"Yes, it might become so.... Mr. Neeland, I have no personal feeling
of anger for you. You offered me violence; you behaved brutally,
indecently. But I want you to understand that no petty personal
feeling incites me. The wrong you have done me is nothing; the injury
you threaten to do my country is very grave. I ask you to believe that
I speak the truth. It is in the service of my country that I have
acted. Nothing matters to me except my country's welfare. Individuals
are nothing; the Fatherland everything.... Will you give me back my
papers?"