"I mean nothing--so long as you remain silent," Waldron answered.

Ghelardi was nonplussed. But only for a second, for he was not a man to be easily deterred from any intention.

"So you think that I may heed your empty threats--eh, Signor Waldron?

Well, we shall see," he replied, with a hard, triumphant laugh.

Then releasing his hold upon the door handle he bowed mockingly to the Englishman, inviting him to pa.s.s out.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT.

Hubert Waldron halted on the threshold, his eyes fixed upon those of the spy.

"Well?" asked Ghelardi, with a sinister smile.

"All I desire to say is that I have the ear of His Majesty as well as yourself. And what I shall tell him will not be to your credit."

The countenance of the Chief of the Secret Service broadened into a smile of open derision. In his high official position he was all-powerful in Italy--more powerful indeed than the whole Cabinet of Ministers.

"Neither will it be to your credit when I describe to the King what I have witnessed to-night," he answered.

The Englishman had it upon the tip of his tongue to speak more openly, but on reflection realised that it would be more judicious to keep the information to himself. Jerningham knew that man who had been England's arch-enemy while in the pay of his masters at Berlin; he had cause to know him--and well, too.

"Signor Ghelardi," he said finally, "this matter is one of give and take. I offer you terms for your silence. If you refuse, then I shall act as I think fit."

"Act just as you think fit," was the Italian's sneering response.

"Very well," replied the diplomat, turning and walking up the corridor back to the ballroom.

Half an hour later he met His Majesty face to face.

"Ah, Signor Waldron, you are back again in Rome--eh?" the King exclaimed anxiously. "Well--anything to tell me?" he asked, dropping his voice.

His Majesty was pa.s.sing through the Sala Regia alone, and there was n.o.body in the vicinity to overhear.

"Nothing, sir--only--"

"Only what? Quick," he said impatiently. "It is rumoured in Brussels that Austria is mobilising for attack!"

"In Brussels!" exclaimed the King as they walked together. "How do you know that?"

"I have to-night returned from there."

"Curious--very curious," repeated His Majesty reflectively. "Here, as far as I know, we have heard nothing. Ghelardi's agents in Vienna report by telegraph several times daily, but they can obtain no definite information, though it is known that troops are ma.s.sing in the south-- for manoeuvres--the old story."

"I am still inquiring into the affair," said Waldron. "As soon as I have anything to report I will seek audience of Your Majesty."

"Yes; at any hour. I have instructed Villanova."

"I have not spoken about the matter to Ghelardi," the Englishman said as they left the great _salon_ and turned into one of the corridors.

Several men and women had halted to bow as His Majesty pa.s.sed.

"Ghelardi has discovered nothing," was the King's hasty response. "He has all sorts of wild theories regarding the theft of the plans, but as far as I can see he has no clue whatever to the thief."

"Then I shall continue to work without his aid," Waldron declared, and a moment later he bowed and left His Majesty, who pa.s.sed through a small door leading to the private apartments.

Next morning, at nine o'clock, Pucci, the brigadier of detective police, called at Hubert's rooms, and produced a carefully written report, which the Englishman settled himself to digest.

It certainly was interesting reading.

While the brigadier sat smoking a cigarette, the diplomat ran through the doc.u.ment, which showed that Pucci had been extremely active during the week of his absence.

The private and public lives--with extracts from the dossiers at the Prefecture of Police--of His Excellency the Minister for War, of Lambarini, secretary of the Council of Defence, and of Pironti, the Minister's private secretary, were all laid bare.

Of General Cataldi it was stated that, after long service in the army, he became General, commanding the Third Army Corps in Calabria. While occupying that post an army scandal occurred regarding the supply of stores, great quant.i.ties having been paid for and not delivered by the contractors. A court martial was held and four officers attached to the General's headquarters had been sentenced to terms of imprisonment and dismissed the Service. Certain journals had accused the General himself of being cognisant of the misappropriation of funds, but this he had indignantly denied and had demanded of the Minister of War an inquiry into his conduct. This had been held, and a report returned that there were no grounds for the allegation. But even in face of that the journals in question had charged him with making scapegoats of the four imprisoned officers.

It was curious that a year later the General, who had hitherto, like all Italian officers, not been very well off, had suddenly appeared to be in possession of considerable funds. He had been transferred to Turin, where he had bought a large house and, with his wife, had entertained lavishly. Another lady, a certain youthful Countess in Milan, had attracted him, and in consequence, after a few months, his wife preferred to live apart.

Then, by reason of his lavish entertainments, his apparent wealth, and also because he had a number of influential friends in the Chamber of Deputies, he had been called by the King and given his portfolio as Minister of War.

The confidential report added that his present expenditure greatly exceeded his income, and that he was also heavily in debt, owing, in great measure, to the extravagances of the young Countess in question, who had now taken up her abode in Rome.

Against Colonel Lambarini nothing was known. He was happily married, with two charming children. He lived well within his income, and was of a plain and rather economic turn of mind. He ran into debt for nothing, and his wife had a private income of her own.

The King's estimate of Lambarini was therefore perfectly correct.

With Pironti it was different. As His Excellency's secretary he was a man who pandered in every way to all his Chief's whims and foibles. He was a bachelor, and spent his evenings in the gaming clubs and other questionable haunts, and had been known to lose considerable sums at baccarat. He frequented the political cafes and the variety theatres, and it was also well-known in the army that no one could obtain the ear of His Excellency without first obtaining "the good graces of his secretary."

"These good graces you mention, Signor Pucci, mean money, I suppose!"

remarked Waldron suddenly in Italian.

"_Si, signore_," replied the dark-faced detective, with a smile.

Continuing, the report stated that Pironti often a.s.sociated with undesirable persons, and, further, that it was a known fact that he had received from many officers who had sought promotion _douceurs_ to a considerable amount. Indeed in the army it was declared that so lax was His Excellency in his duties as Minister that he left Pironti to prepare the lists of both promotions and military decorations, merely taking care that the names of none of his enemies appeared there, and scribbling his signature to the decree for the King's approval.

Hubert Waldon sighed when he had finished that most instructive doc.u.ment.

Then, rising, he placed it in a drawer of his writing-table and locked it safely away.

"So His Excellency and his secretary are not exactly above accepting bribes--eh?" he asked, throwing himself again in his chair.

"According to the result of my inquiries they seem to be both reaping a golden harvest," Pucci said. "But perhaps not greater than in any other department."

"The police excepted, I hope," laughed the diplomat.

But the brigadier grinned. During his years of office he had known more than one person being given timely warning to escape when the Government, forced to prosecute, did not wish to expose a scandal. The Italian peasant may well say that the law for the count is exactly opposite to that for the _contadino_.

Hubert sat for some moments looking straight into the fire.