come to Nunspeet with me . . . to please me, to walk on the heath with me? You would be giving me such immense pleasure. It would be good for me. . . ."
"And all of them, here, around me? . . ."
He pointed round the room, cautiously.
"We will leave them to sleep here."
"And that cad, downstairs? . . ."
"He sha'n't interfere with them, I promise you. . . . We'll lock up the room, Ernst, and they shall sleep peacefully."
She humoured him, not knowing if she was doing right, but feeling too tired to convince him.
"You promise?" he asked, suddenly. "You promise that they shall sleep peacefully?"
"Yes."
"That the cad downstairs won't wake them and tread on them?"
"Yes, yes."
"You promise that?"
"Yes."
"We'll lock up the room very quietly?"
"Yes."
"And nobody at all will come in?"
"No."
"You promise that?"
"Yes."
"Will you swear it?"
"Yes, Ernst."
