The Secret Adversary

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blanks, and they were just mad! They didn't know whether I'd changed the
papers, or whether Danvers had been carrying a dummy message, while
the real one was sent another way. They spoke of"--she closed her
eyes--"torturing me to find out!

"I'd never known what fear--really sickening fear--was before! Once
they came to look at me. I shut my eyes and pretended to be still
unconscious, but I was afraid they'd hear the beating of my heart.
However, they went away again. I began thinking madly. What could I do?
I knew I wouldn't be able to stand up against torture very long.

"Suddenly something put the thought of loss of memory into my head. The
subject had always interested me, and I'd read an awful lot about it.
I had the whole thing at my finger-tips. If only I could succeed in
carrying the bluff through, it might save me. I said a prayer, and drew
a long breath. Then I opened my eyes and started babbling in FRENCH!