“You blockhead, you fool, you thing of wood, get out of the room. You’ll hear of this again, all of you. A set of clumsy mules without the brains of an idiot amongst you;” and he stormed away at them furiously. I chuckled at their discomfiture while admiring at the same time the excellent variety of abusive epithet possessed by their angry superior. “These blunders are the curse and despair of public men,” he exclaimed as he slammed the door after them and returned to his seat. “Of course the whole thing is an egregious blunder, Mr. Donnington, and I tender you at once a most profound apology.” I considered it judicious to mount the high horse. “It is a very disgraceful affair, sir, and naturally I shall report the matter to the representatives of my country here and demand satisfaction.” “Oh, I hope you will not find it necessary to do that,” he replied in a tone of great concern. “I would not have had it occur for any consideration in the world.” “A man in my position is not likely to submit tamely to such an infamous outrage; and I cannot see my way to have such a thing hushed up,” I declared with a very grandiose air. “It might have occurred to any countryman of mine whose lack of influence might render him unable to protect himself.” “Let us talk it over;” he urged; and we did at some length until I allowed myself to be mollified by his apologies, and agreed not to take any step without first seeing Volheno. “And now perhaps you will have the goodness to explain why I was asked so courteously”--I dwelt on the phrase and he winced--“to come here at this time of night.” “It was really M. Volheno’s suggestion, Mr. Donnington. You see I am in evening dress and I was fetched home hurriedly from a social gathering as the result of some discoveries the police have made. I may explain I am the magistrate--d’Olliveira is my name: you may perhaps have heard it.” “I have not. I never discuss public matters here,” I said. “Well, as I was saying, some important discoveries have been made and a number of arrests----” “Of the same nature as mine?” I interjected. “Oh, please,” he replied with a deprecatory smile and wave of the hand. “A number of genuine arrests have been made and I am going to interrogate the prisoners. M. Volheno thinks it very probable that you can identify----” “Do what?” I exclaimed. “We believe that they are some of the men who frequented the revolutionary headquarters in the Rua Catania about which you gave him information.” “Wait a moment. I never gave M. Volheno any information of any sort whatever, sir.” He gave me a very shrewd glance and his eyes were hard and piercing. “Surely--I don’t understand, then.” “I am beginning to, I think. I had a letter from him to-night--I think your clever police brought it away with them--in which he thanked me for having done something of the sort. But he is under a complete delusion. I am going to see him in the morning and tell him so.”