She felt now as if the whole universe must stand still during the next supreme moment, until she had heard what Chauvelin's next words would be.
There was to be an "unless" then?
An "either-or" more terrible no doubt than the one he had formulated before her just a year ago.
Chauvelin, she knew, was past master in the art of putting a knife at his victim's throat and of giving it just the necessary twist with his cruel and relentless "unless"! But she felt quite calm, because her purpose was resolute.

There is no doubt that during this agonizing moment of suspense she was absolutely firm in her determination to accept any and every condition which Chauvelin would put before her as the price of her husband's safety.
After all, these conditions, since he placed them before HER, could resolve themselves into questions of her own life against her husband's.
With that unreasoning impulse which was one of her most salient characteristics, she never paused to think that, to Chauvelin, her own life or death were only the means to the great end which he had in view: the complete annihilation of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
That end could only be reached by Percy Blakeney's death--not by her own.
Even now as she was watching him with eyes glowing and lips tightly closed, lest a cry of impatient agony should escape her throat, he,--like a snail that has shown its slimy horns too soon, and is not ready to face the enemy as yet,--seemed suddenly to withdraw within his former shell of careless suavity.

The earnestness of his tone vanished, giving place to light and easy conversation, just as if he were discussing social topics with a woman of fashion in a Paris drawing-room.
"Nay!" he said pleasantly, "is not your ladyship taking this matter in too serious a spirit?
Of a truth you repeated my innocent word 'unless' even as if I were putting knife at your dainty throat.

Yet I meant naught that need disturb you yet.

Have I not said that I am your friend?
Let me try and prove it to you." "You will find that a difficult task, Monsieur," she said drily.
"Difficult tasks always have had a great fascination for your humble servant.