The Mission of Poubalov — page 183: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

POUBALOV’S REVOLUTION. 179 in the afternoon, and that when he came in he immedi- ately began preparations for going out again. ‘*T came along = once,’’ said Paul, ‘lest he should get here ahead of me.’ Clara asked her uncle if he would like to meet the spy. ‘“‘No,’ he answered uneasily; ‘‘what good purpose would it serve?”’ “T thought that perhaps you might read him better than I can,’’ said Clara; ‘‘I don’t see how we can help coming to a crisis this evening, and if you could help, we might bring about the release of Ivan all the sooner.”’ Mr. Pembroke was careworn, and all his utterances and actions had been marked by indecision since his return from New York. , “‘[am afraid I cando no good,’ he said with a sigh; ‘‘handle the situation as best you can, Clara. I believe you will find your happiness restored to you shortly.’”’ With that he shut himself in his library, and they saw no more of him that night. Poubalov acted more like himself than he did the day before, but it was apparent to Clara that his confident self-possession was maintained by an effort. “*Must we begin where we left off yesterday?’’ he said by way of introduction. ‘*You may begin where you please,’ responded Clara, ‘but you must tell me the truth. I think you are going to go so, Mr. Poubaloy.’’ “‘T cannot remember that I have told you a single lie since I met you, Miss Hilman. It must beastrange admis- sion for you to hear me make, that I am not certain when I have spoken truly and when falsely; but that is the fault of the peculiar work that my emperor has set me to do, and it is not due in the present instance to any pur- pose of deceiving you. 1am going to begin by telling you of a discovery that I have made since I began to work on this case—a discovery that to me, at least, is startling. “My experience throughout all my life has been such as to make me believe that honesty and sincerity did not ex- (EMME ODOOLKS (CO im