"Yes."
"Did you not say so?"
He hung his face in shame and answered: "Yes."
"Is that not the thought among your friends at this moment, and would
the life of your sister be safe from them if she were in her own house
to-night?"
"It would not."
"And yet, you call such people your friends--those who would without
question put her to death on mere suspicion--to a death to which you
have helped to condemn her by your own foul suspicions and the more
foul utterance of them. Shame on you, Ivan de Echeveria! Shame on you!"
Pain contorted his face, and he was silent. "Did you fire the bullet
that so nearly killed me?" I asked.
"No, I did not do that, but I directed that it be done. You would not
have escaped if I had held the pistol."
"Perhaps not. It is unimportant, any way. Have you not wondered why I
brought you to this house?"
"To torture me; that, at least, is what you are doing."
"I brought you here to save you."
"To save me!"
"Yes; from the folly of your youth. You are a man in years, but a boy
in every act you commit. Have you manhood enough left in you to want to
save your sister, who now, thanks to you, has two enemies to face?
Russia would send her to Siberia, and the nihilists would murder her.
She would have sacrificed herself for you--she offered to do so. Are
you willing to sacrifice yourself for her?"
"God knows that I am."
"Will you prove it?"
"Oh, that I might!"
"You shall have the chance. I cannot quite trust you, Ivan, or, for her
sake, I would loosen your bonds and set you free now. But you would
hasten to your friends and warn them of their danger, and by that act,
you would destroy your sister forever--by that act you would kill her.
She is safe and will be safe, if they are not warned of what is to
happen to-night. Shall I set you free, and trust to your honor not to
go to them?"
"No--no--no! For God's sake, no! Leave me bound! Tie me more tightly!
Do not let me go! Kill me if you will, but do nothing to injure her.
Oh, are you telling me the truth?"
"The whole truth, Ivan. I will leave you as you are until I return. I
do not think you will escape; I do not think that you will try to do
so. But you must understand one thing: This night forever ends your
connection with nihilism. That is the sacrifice you must make to save
your sister. Will you make it?"
"If it will save her, I will make it. But will it?"