“ Mon ami! I have completely lost the thread⁠ ⁠… Lise⁠ ⁠… I love and respect that angel as before; just as before; but it seems to me they both asked me simply to find out something from me, that is more simply to get something out of me, and then to get rid of me.⁠ ⁠… That’s how it is.”

“You ought to be ashamed!” I couldn’t help exclaiming.