"You may precede me," I said. "I will again be candid. I do not trust
you;" and I stood aside for him to pass, and took the handle of the
door, which opened towards me, in my left hand.
He laughed quietly again, and turned and faced me.
"An excess of caution is bad diplomacy, madame," he said, "for it
creates suspicion. If I did not know how impossible it was, I should
think you still had designs upon the seal."
With another soft chuckle he passed on and entered the doorway; and then
like a flash, the instant his back was turned, I caught his silk
embroidered robe in my right hand, and with my left flung to the door
and locked it.
There was a guttural exclamation from within as he tried to tear his
gown free, but my glance fell upon the Oriental knife that I had used
before, and, holding the silk in my hand, with a slash I cut it through,
and the seal, which lay in the corner of the deep pocket, was again in
my possession.
Ling Wen was beating furiously upon the panels, so I took the precaution
of locking the outer door as I departed, and descended the stairs,
elated with a feeling of supreme contentment, for was not my promise to
Monsieur Roche amply and well fulfilled?