Page:The Prime Minister by Hall Caine.djvu/114

90  [In towering wrath.] Admit it? Woman, do you know what you admit? That you are a spy—a low spy. You have taken advantage of an accidental circumstance to worm your way into a Minister's house, that by peeking and prying and poking your nose into every corner of his public life, you may betray the secrets of his Government to your miserable country, which condescends to any deceit and treachery, no matter how mean and despicable, to destroy the laws of God and man. [He strides across the room and returns.] But you are worse than a spy—you are a traitor. [She flinches.] A traitor who has preyed upon the ignorance, the weakness, perhaps the affection of that poor Swiss girl, until she has lent herself to this criminal exchange. [Again he crosses the room and returns.] Worse than that, you are a fiend. With hate in your heart against me, you have come here to poison the mind of my child against her father. [She looks round quickly.] Very well! Woman as you are, since you are so eager to do the devil's work, you shall take the devil's wages. [He touches a bell. enters.] Call up Sir Malcolm Clark. Ask him to come back immediately.  Yes, sir. [ goes out. ''sits by desk. Margaret stands.''

 [With bitter calmness.] You are quite right, sir, and quite wrong. I did take advantage of an