He affected her in a way that no one else
ever did, in provoking her to futile outbursts of defiance and anger.
She had never lost her head with anyone else, but he always made her
incapable of reasoning, raging one minute, and cowed the next.
Hitherto Emile had always been there to screen and protect her, to
stand between her and her enemy. She knew now why he had so often
hoped to see her in her coffin.
"I can't murder! I undertook to work for the Cause, but not that--_Mon
Dieu_! not that!"
"We don't talk about murder," Sobrenski sneered. "We merely 'remove'
those who have proved themselves untrustworthy. You undertook to obey
orders, I believe. You may contradict me if I am incorrect."
He leant forward with the glittering eyes of the fanatic. "You talk of
murder and forget that to us human life is nothing. Do you think you
will save Vardri by refusing? Am I to suppose that he has infected you
also with the taint of disloyalty? It is your business to loathe a
traitor as we do. You wear your badge, but do you never read the words
on it? Poleski used to tell me great things of your enthusiasm, your
devotion.
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