Am I a helot, that you should offer to buy my very soul?
Do you think my honour is so cheap a thing that you can have it for the matter of some bits of glass?
Or do you imagine that we of the new regime, because we do not mouth the word at every turn, have no such thing as honour?
For shame!" He paused, his wrath boiling over as he sought words in which to give it utterance.

And then, words failing him to express the half of what was in him, he lifted the bag high above his head, and hurled it at her feet with a force that sent half the glittering contents rolling about the parquet floor.

"Citoyenne, your journey has been in vain.

I will not treat with you another instant." She recoiled before his wrath, a white and frightened thing that but an instant back had been so calm and self-possessed.

She gave no thought to the flashing jewels scattered about the floor.