'
WILLIS: 'Oh, but you couldn't! With that face of yours, and that
confounded conscience of yours behind it, you would give away the
whitest lie that was ever told.'
ROBERTS: 'Do you wish me to lie? Very well, then, I will lie.
What is the lie?'
WILLIS: 'Ah, now you're talking like a man! I can soon think up a
lie if you're game for it. Suppose it wasn't so very white--say a
delicate blonde!'
ROBERTS: 'I shouldn't care if it were as black as the ace of
spades.'
WILLIS: 'Roberts, I honour you! It isn't everybody who could steal
an old gentleman's watch, and then be so ready to lie out of it.
Well, you HAVE got courage--both kinds--moral and physical.'
ROBERTS: 'Thank you, Willis. Of course I don't pretend that I
should be willing to lie under ordinary circumstances; but for the
sake of Agnes and the children--I don't want any awkwardness about
the matter; it would be the death of me. Well, what do you wish me
to say? Be quick; I don't believe I could hold out for a great
while. I don't suppose but what Mr. Bemis would be reasonable, even
if I--'
WILLIS: 'I'm afraid we couldn't trust him. The only way is for you
to take the bull by the horns.'
ROBERTS: 'Yes?'
WILLIS: 'You will not only have to lie, Roberts, but you will have
to wear an air of innocent candour at the same time.'
ROBERTS: 'I--I'm afraid I couldn't manage that.
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