You shall find me in that, as in all
other matters, perfectly amenable to reason. Only I must have time.
Haste would ruin us. I repeat that I have a plan by which I am
certain to get the girl into my possession--a plan the execution of
which I will entrust to no other hands but my own. But I conclude as
I began--I must have time."
"And how much time?" exclaimed Le Noir, again losing his patience.
"Easy, my patron. That I cannot tell you. It is imprudent to make
promises, especially to you, who will take nothing into
consideration when they cannot be kept," replied Black Donald,
coolly.
"But, sir, do you not know that I am ordered to Mexico, and must
leave within three days? I would see the end of this before I go,"
angrily exclaimed Le Noir.
"Softly, softly, my child the colonel! 'Slow and sure!' 'Fair and
easy goes far in a day!'"
"In a word, will you do this business for me and do it promptly?"
"Surely, surely, my patron! But I insist upon time."
"But I go to Mexico in three days."
"All honor go with you, my colonel. Who would keep his friend from
the path of glory?"
"Perdition, sir, you trifle with me."
"Perdition, certainly, colonel; there I perfectly agree with you.
But the rest of your sentence is wrong; I don't trifle with you."
"What in the fiend's name do you mean?"
"Nothing in the name of any absent friend of ours.
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