Now at last it seemed to me that I understood. This extraordinary woman had doubtless consulted her representatives in Europe as to the dangers of detection, and they had informed her that I was Wilhelm II.’s favourite confidential agent, who would almost certainly be called in if any suspicion arose. Thereupon she had adopted the artful device of retaining me on her own side in advance, placing me in the extremely delicate position of being bound by loyalty to her to hoodwink my other patron. What was I to do? A bare refusal or neglect to answer the Kaiser’s summons would leave him free to employ another agent, whom I might find it hard to outwit. On the other hand, I should violate my lifelong rule, if I accepted a commission which I could not loyally discharge. After much painful thought, I decided on what seemed to me the only wise and honourable course. Disguised as I was, I went straight round to the palace, and asked to see the Kaiser. ‘Impossible!’ declared the private secretary on duty, to whom I was first shown in. ‘His Majesty is retiring. Who are you?’ ‘Go and tell the Emperor that the man whom he has just telegraphed to Paris for is here.’ The secretary gave me an astonished look, as he well might, and left the room. In a minute he was back with instructions to conduct me to the Kaiser’s presence. I found his Majesty in his dressing-room alone. ‘Monsieur V----! Is this really you?’ he exclaimed. ‘My voice may be more familiar to you than my face, sire,’ I responded. ‘I am delighted. Sit down. I have a most extraordinary thing to consult you about. This----’ I ventured to hold up my hand. For the first time in my life I presumed to interrupt royalty. ‘A thousand pardons, sire! I beg of you to let me speak first.’ ‘Why, what does this mean, sir,’ Wilhelm II. inquired sternly. ‘It means, sire, that I am compelled to presume on the many faithful services I have rendered to your Majesty to ask you for a favour which alone can extricate me from a position of cruel embarrassment.’ ‘Proceed, sir.’ The Kaiser’s tone was still reserved, but I fancied I observed a slight softening in the glance. ‘I already know the business in which you desire my aid.’ [Illustration: “Wilhelm II. strode to me, seized me by the shoulder, and thrust me out of the room.”] ‘You know it!’ cried the Emperor, fairly confounded. ‘It is my business to know things, and I know this. Now, let me put it to your Majesty, what can you possibly gain by following up an inquiry which can have no tangible result? I say no tangible result, because there is simply no means by which you can arrive at the proof of what you suspect. And, if it were otherwise, how could your Majesty possibly turn the information to account? ‘You could not entertain the idea of confessing to the world that you had been duped. Consider, sire, what use the wits of the boulevards would make of such a revelation! Imagine the pencil of Caran d’Ache at work on the episode!’