"You can go, doctor," repeated Mrs. Arne in the same unemotional voice. Without another word, Drabble, the bully, stole out of the room. Mallow was amazed. "It is necessary to preserve discipline here," said Madame, observing his expression. "Pray be seated, Mr. Mallow. If you do not mind, I will continue my knitting." "I do not mind at all," replied Mallow, seating himself mechanically. He watched her firm, plump hands clicking the shining needles together as she wove her web of red wool-work. She divined his thoughts. "You wonder at my employment," she said without a smile. "It is very feminine, is it not? Not quite in keeping perhaps, you think, with my reputation? But, you see, I am turning fiction into fact." "Madame Defarge, I suppose you mean?" She nodded. "A wonderful character in a wonderful book. The 'Tale of Two Cities' and your Carlyle's 'Revolution' are my favourite reading. What times, what people, what glory! I had rather work with guillotines than with bombs, but" (with a shrug) "what would you? We have improved on all that. I speak your tongue well do I not?" "Excellently well, Madame; you are never at a loss for a word." "I am never at a loss for anything, my friend," returned Madame Arne composedly. "But we must get to business. Tell me, why did you look so fixedly at me when you entered the room?" "Madame, your celebrity----" "Tell me the truth, please." "Well, it was your name." "As a celebrity?" "No, as the lady who used Mrs. Dacre's house as the means of introducing Clara Trall to Mrs. Carson." "Ah, so you know of that. You have been making inquiries. Why?" "Because Clara has turned out badly, and has gone off to Italy with her mistress's husband." "Quite so; I know it." "From Major Semberry, I presume. Is he, too----" "He is----what I please," answered Mrs. Arne with an odd look. "We will speak of him another time. So you are the man who is in love with Mrs. Carson! Oh, don't trouble to deny it. I know it. You made inquiries about me from Mrs. Dacre--on her behalf. A man does not take up a woman's burden--not a burden of this kind--unless he has something more than a platonic interest in her welfare." "Excuse me, Mrs. Arne, but there are other subjects we can discuss more profitably." "As you please. The subject has no interest for me; but I may explain that I purposely went to Mrs. Dacre's in the capacity of a dressmaker, that I might answer Mrs. Carson's inquiry from a good address. I was determined that she should engage Clara." "As a spy?" "Yes," admitted the woman, nonchalantly, "as a spy. It was necessary that I should have Carson watched." "But your spy has betrayed you?" "So much the worse for her. She shall die. How or when I have not yet determined."