"Are we to stand by and see Aureataland enter on the shameful path of
repudiation?"
"Never!" cried the signorina, leaping up with sparkling eyes. "Never!"
She looked enchanting. But business is business; and I said again:
"What are you going to do?"
"We are going, with your help, Martin, to prevent this national
disgrace. We are going--" he lowered his voice, uselessly, for the
signorina struck in, in a high, merry tone, waving her gloves over
head and dancing a little _pas seul_ on the floor before me, with
these remarkable words:
"Hurrah for the Revolution! Hip! hip! hurrah!"
She looked like a Goddess of Freedom in her high spirits and a Paris
bonnet. I lost my mental balance. Leaping up, I grasped her round the
waist, and we twirled madly about the office, the signorina breaking
forth into the "Marseillaise."
"For God's sake, be quiet!" said McGregor, in a hoarse whisper, making
a clutch at me as I sped past him. "If they hear you! Stop, I tell
you, Christina!"
The signorina stopped.
"Do you mean me, Colonel McGregor?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, "and that fool Martin, too."
"Even in times of revolution, colonel," said I, "nothing is lost by
politeness.
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