"Does a bee sting while it gathers honey?
You spied on our secrets, but did we harm you for it ?" "You did not dare!" she retorted.

"If I had been alone, you would have destroyed me along with those unfortunates on whose account you held the meeting.

It would have been easy to throw me to the _mugger_.

But you did not know how many women had overheard your secrets! You only knew, that more than one had, and that at least ten women witnessed the fate of your victims.

Is that not so ?" "Victims is the wrong word.