"What of it?
I should trust you? You who arranged that nice little trick for—for my predecessor, Thursby?
You who knocked off Miles, a man you had nothing against, in cold blood, just like swatting a fly, for the sake of double-crossing Thursby?
You who doublecrossed Gutman, Cairo, Thursby—one, two, three?
You who've never played square with me for half an hour at a stretch since I've known you?
I shouid trust you?
No, no, darling.
I wouldn't do it even if I could.
Why should I?"
Her eyes were steady under his and her hushed voice was steady when she replied:
"Why should you?
If you've been playing with me, if you do not love me, there is no answer to that.
If you did, no answer would be needed."
Blood streaked Spade's eyeballs now and his long-held smile had become a frightful grimace.
He cleared his throat huskily and said:
"Making speeches is no damned good now."
He put a hand on her shoulder.
The hand shook and jerked.
"I don't care who loves who I'm not going to play the sap for you.
I won't walk in Thursby's and Christ knows who else's footsteps.
You killed Miles and you're going over for it.
I could have heiped you by letting the others go and standing off the police the best way I could.
It's too late for that now.
I can't help you now.
And I wouldn't if I could."
She put a hand on his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't help me then," she whispered, "but don't hurt me.
Let me go away now."
"No," he said.
"I'm sunk if I haven't got you to hand over to the police when they come.
That's the only thing that can keep me from going down with the others."
"You won't do that for me?"
"I won't play the sap for you."
"Don't say that, please."
She took his hand from her shoulder and held it to her face.
"Why must you do this to me, Sam?
Surely Mr. Archer wasn't as much to you as—"
"Miles," Spade said hoarsely, "was a son of a bitch.
I found that out the first week we were in business together and I meant to kick him out as soon as the year was up.
You didn't do me a damned bit of harm by killing him."
"Then what?"
Spade pulled his hand out of hers.
He no longer either smiled or grimaced.
His wet yellow face was set hard and deeply lined. His eyes burned madly.
He said: "Listen.
This isn't a damned bit of good.
You'll never understand nc. but I'll try once more and then we'll give it up.
Listen.
When a man's partner is killed he's supposed to do something about it.
It doesn't make any difference what you thought of him.