I pray you proceed with what you have to say." "Ah!" It was a sigh of satisfaction on the part of Chauvelin.

Her anger and impatience even at this early stage of the interview proved sufficiently that her icy restraint was only on the surface.
And Chauvelin always knew how to deal with vehemence.

He loved to play with the emotions of a passionate fellow-creature: it was only the imperturbable calm of a certain enemy of his that was wont to shake his own impenetrable armour of reserve.
"As your ladyship desires," he said, with a slight and ironical bow of the head.

"But before proceeding according to your wish, I am compelled to ask your ladyship just one question." "And that is ?" "Have you reflected what your present position means to that inimitable prince of dandies, Sir Percy Blakeney ?" "Is it necessary for your present purpose, Monsieur, that you should mention my husband's name at all ?" she asked.
"It is indispensable, fair lady," he replied suavely, "for is not the fate of your husband so closely intertwined with yours, that his actions will inevitably be largely influenced by your own." Marguerite gave a start of surprise, and as Chauvelin had paused she tried to read what hidden meaning lay behind these last words of his.
Was it his intention then to propose some bargain, one of those terrible "either-or's" of which he seemed to possess the malignant secret?
Oh! if that was so, if indeed he had sent for her in order to suggest one of those terrible alternatives of his, then--be it what it may, be it the wildest conception which the insane brain of a fiend could invent, she would accept it, so long as the man she loved were given one single chance of escape.
Therefore she turned to her arch-enemy in a more conciliatory spirit now, and even endeavoured to match her own diplomatic cunning against his.
"I do not understand," she said tentatively.

"How can my actions influence those of my husband?
I am a prisoner in Boulogne: he probably is not aware of that fact yet and..." "Sir Percy Blakeney may be in Boulogne at any moment now," he interrupted quietly.