"No. He was splendid in the beginning. He might be splendid some day
again. But if we let him go off and do this he's done for."

"He's done for anyhow. Isn't it better to recognize that he's rotten?
McClane wouldn't have him. He saw what he was."

"He didn't see him at Berlaere. He _was_ splendid there."

"My dear child, don't you know why? He didn't see there was any danger.
He was too stupid to see it."

"I saw it."

"You're not stupid."

"He did see it at the end."

"At the end, yes--When he let you go back for the guns."

She remembered. She remembered his face, the little beads of sweat
glittering. He couldn't help that.

"Look here, from the time he realised the danger, did he go out or did he
stay under cover?"

She didn't answer.

"There," he said, "you see."