"
The old man thought for a while. "Suppose you had a son who was making a
fool of himself?"
"Or a nephew?"
"Well, or a nephew?"
"Making a fool of himself over what?"
"A woman."
"Nothing unusual in that. But what kind of a woman?"
"A good woman, honest, too good by far for any man."
"Oh!"
"Suppose she was vastly his inferior in station, that marriage to him
was merely a political contract? What would you do?"
"I believe I begin to understand."
"I am grateful for that."
"But the risks you run!"
"I believed them all over last night."
"But you would dare handle him in this way?"
"When the devil drives, my friend!" The other smiled. "I was born in the
heart of a war. I have taken so many risks that the sense of danger no
longer has a keen edge. But now that you understand, I am sure a soldier
like yourself will pardon the blunder of last night."
"Your nephew is an ungrateful wretch."
"What?" coldly.
"He knew all along who I was. I dragged him out of the Rhine upon a
certain day, and he plays this trick!"
"You? Carmichael, Carmichael; of course; I should have remembered the
name, as he wrote me at the time. Thank you! And you knew him all the
while?"
"No; I recalled his face, but the time and place were in the dark till
this early morning.
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