“No no,” said Mr. Lavender sharply, resuming his teeth; “I would not for the world burden your conscience.”

“My clients are all batriots,” said the young dentist, “and my bractice is Kaput.  We are in a bad way, sir,” he added, with a smile, “but we try to do the correct ting.”

Mr. Lavender saw the young woman move the tweezers in a manner which caused his blood to run a little cold.

“We must live,” he heard her say.

“Young madam,” he said, “I honour the impulse which makes you desire to extend your husband’s practice.  Indeed, I perceive you both to be so honourable that I cannot but make you a confession.  My tooth is indeed sound, though, since I have been pretending that it isn’t, it has caused me much discomfort.  I came here largely to form an opinion of your husband’s character, with a view to securing his internment.”

At that word the two young people shrank together till they were standing side by side, staring at Mr Lavender with eyes full of anxiety and wonder.  Their hands, which still held the implements of dentistry, insensibly sought each other.

“Be under no apprehension,” cried Mr. Lavender, much moved; “I can see that you are greatly attached, and even though your husband is a German, he is still a man, and I could never bring myself to separate him from you.”

“Who are you?” said the young woman in a frightened voice, putting her arm round her husband’s waist.

“Just a public man,” answered Mr. Lavender.

“I came here from a sense of duty; nothing more, assure you.”

“Who put you up to it?”

“That,” said Mr. Lavender, bowing as best he could from the angle he was in, “I am not at liberty to disclose.  But, believe me, you have nothing to fear from this visit; I shall never do anything to distress a woman.  And please charge me as if the tooth had been extracted.”

The young German smiled, and shook his head.

“Sir,” he said, “I am grateful to you for coming, for it shows us what danger we are in.  The hardest ting to bear has been the uncertainty of our bosition, and the feeling that our friends were working behind our backs.  Now we know that this is so we shall vordify our souls to bear the worst.  But, tell me,” he went on, “when you came here, surely you must have subbosed that to tear me away from my wife would be very bainful to her and to myself.  You say now you never could do that, how was it, then, you came?”

“Ah, sir!” cried Mr. Lavender, running his hands through his hair and staring at the ceiling, “I feared this might seem inconsistent to your logical German mind.  But there are many things we public men would never do if we could see them being done.  Fortunately, as a rule we cannot.  Believe me, when I leave you I shall do my best to save you from a fate which I perceive to be unnecessary.”

So saying, he rose from the chair, and, picking up his hat, backed towards the door.