"All right. It is sufficient that you know I have met her. Now, where did I meet her?"
"Possibly a few weeks. Our information is that your acquaintance with her is not of long duration."
"Wrong, my friend: I met her in France several years ago; I know her intimately."
"Yes, the intimacy has been reported," said Renoux, blandly. "But it doesn't take long, sometimes."
Barres reddened again and shook his head:
"You and your agents are all wrong, Renoux. So is your Government. Do you know what it's doing--what you and your agents are doing? You're playing a German game for Berlin!"
This time Renoux flushed and there was a slight quiver to his lips and nostrils; but he said very pleasantly:
"That would be rather mortifying, mon ami, if it were true."
"It is true. Berlin, the traitor in Paris, the conspirator in America, the German, Austrian, and Turkish diplomatic agents here ask nothing better than that you manage, somehow, to eliminate the person in question."
"Because more than one of your public men in Paris will face charges of conspiracy and treason if the person in question ever has a fair hearing and a chance to prove her innocence of the terrible accusations that have been made against her."
"Naturally," said Renoux, "those accused bring counter charges. It is always the history of such cases, mon ami."
"My mind is a real mind, Barres. Reason is what it seeks--the logical evidence that leads to truth. If there is anything I don't know, then I wish to know it, and will spare no pains, permit no prejudice to warp my judgment."
"All right. Now, let's have the thing out between us, Renoux. We are not fencing in the dark; we understand each other and are honest enough to say so. Now, go on."
Renoux nodded and said very quietly and pleasantly:
"The reference in one of these papers to the celebrated Nihla Quellen reminds me of the first time I ever saw her. I was quite bowled over, Barres, as you may easily imagine. She sang one of those Asiatic songs--and then the dance!--a miracle!--a delight--apparently entirely unprepared, unpremeditated even--you know how she did it?--exquisite perfection--something charmingly impulsive and spontaneous--a caprice of the moment! Ah--there is a wonderful artiste, Nihla Quellen!"