Still, we lose no point to fortify ourselves against the possibility of it.

Some one has been telling you old-wives' tales." "Ten thousand marks," almost inaudibly.
"What was that you said ?" cried the chancellor, whirling round abruptly, for the words startled him.
"Pardon me! I was thinking out loud about a sum of money." "Ah!" And yet the chancellor realized that the other was telling him as plainly as he dared that the German government had offered such a sum to forward the very intrigue which he was so emphatically denying.
"Why not turn the matter over to your own ambassador here ?" The secret agent laughed.

"Publicity is what neither your government nor mine desires.

Thank you." "I am sorry not to be of some service to you." "I can readily believe that, your excellency," not to be outdone in the matter of duplicity.

"I thank you for your time." "I hadn't the least idea that you were in the service; butterflies and diplomacy!" with a hearty laugh.
"It is only temporary." "Your _Alpine Butterflies_ compares favorably with _The Life of the Bee_." "That is a very great compliment!" And with this the interview, extraordinary in all ways, came to an end.
Neither man had fooled the other, neither had made any mistake in his logical deductions; and, in a way, both were satisfied.