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to me, with tottering steps. I watched him, rather frightened by his threat, as he came towards me, but I was determined not to give way.
I calmly took the glass he offered me, and threw the contents into the fire.
"Oh," he cried, as he took hold of my hand and twisted me round, but without hurting me, "you are disobedient. Well, well, so much the better, I prefer that!"
He took a handful of gold from his pocket in one hand, and a glass of liquor in the other:
"Drink," he cried, "and I will give you all this."
"I will not drink it." I answered.
"Oh" he said, laughing and bowing a little, "what a splendid character! Touched neither by fear nor cupidity! That doesn't matter, I like you as you are."
"Come and sit by me on the sofa and tell me your story." I sat down without a word.
"You have been unhappy and persecuted, have you not? I will wager that like your companions here, your father was at least a general. Be perfectly frank about it, do you like me?"
"I dislike you very much."
