"You are a member of the No. 1 Branch of the Waiters' Union," she said slowly.
"There is no money in that," I answered. "They even want me to pay something for my own rifle!"
"And when the time comes," she said thoughtfully, "you will probably be shot!"
"At least," I said hopefully, "I will shoot a few English first. But it is true what you say, Madame."
"The English government," she said, "would give a great deal of money to the person who told them about that No. 1 Branch. It would be easily earned; eh?"
I would have risen to my feet, but she pulled me back.
"Do not be foolish, Herr Paul," she said. "What has your country done for you? When you are older and wiser, you will understand that there is only one hand worth playing for in the world, and that is your own. I hate all this talk about patriotism and the Fatherland. They are all very well for holiday times; but the first thing in the world, and the only thing, is money. I want it and so do you! Let us earn it together."
"Madame," I said, "permit me to leave. I shall try to forget what you have suggested. I love my little girl and I love money. But never that way!"
I think that Madame was a little surprised. She tried to pull me down again by her side, but I resisted.
"You are a very foolish young man," she said vigorously. "Sit still and listen to me! What would your sweetheart say if she knew that you were throwing away a chance of marrying her, perhaps next month? Who can tell?"
"Madame," I said, "if you say more, you say it at your own risk. So far as we have gone I will try to forget. But I would like you to understand that I am not an informer."
"You are afraid of running a little risk," she muttered--"a very small risk! Remember that it would be a fortune. With what I can tell you it would be a fortune for both of us, and no one need know that it was us."
"Madame," I said, "I am sorry that I came. I wish you good afternoon!"
I think that she had made up her mind, then, to waste no more time upon me, for with a shrug of the shoulders she rose to her feet. She smoothed her hair in front of the glass and patted her bow.
"I think, Herr Paul," she said, "that if it had not been for the little girl in Frankfort, we might have arranged this--eh?"