diplomatists always, assume to have no knowledge whatever concerning those persons of whom they are most afraid. Yet just now it was unpleasantly possible that “the stone which the builders rejected” might indirectly be the means of crushing the Ministry, and reorganizing the affairs of the country. His meditations on this occasion were interrupted by a touch on the shoulder from behind, and, looking up, he saw the Marquis de Lutera. “Almost a riot!” he said, forcing a pale smile,--“But not quite!” “Say, rather, almost a revolution!” retorted the Marquis brusquely;--“Jesting is out of place. We are on the brink of a very serious disaster! The people are roused. To-night they threatened to burn down these buildings over our heads,--to sack and destroy the King’s Palace. The Socialist leader, Thord, alone saved the situation.” “With the aid of his mistress?” suggested Pérousse with a sneer. “You mean the woman they call Lotys? I am not aware that she is his mistress. I should rather doubt it. The people would not make such a saint of her if she were. At any rate, whatever else she may be, she is certainly dangerous;--and in a country less free than ours would be placed under arrest. I must confess I never believed in her ‘vogue’ with the masses, until to-night.” Pérousse was silent. The great square in front of the Government buildings was now deserted,--save for the police and soldiery on guard; but away in the distance could still be heard faint echoes of singing and cheering from the broken-up sections of the crowd that had lately disturbed the peace. “Have you seen the King lately?” enquired Lutera presently. “No.” “By his absolute ‘veto’ against our propositions at the last Cabinet Council, the impending war which would have been so useful to us, has been quashed in embryo,” went on the Premier with a frown;--“This of course you know! And he has the right to exercise his veto if he likes. But I scarcely expected you after all you said, to take the matter so easily!” Pérousse smiled, and shrugged his shoulders deprecatingly. “However,” continued the Marquis with latent contempt in his tone;--“I now quite understand your complacent attitude! You have simply turned your ‘Army Supplies Contract’ into a ‘Trust’ Combine with other nations,--so you will not lose, but rather gain by the transaction!” “I never intended to lose!” said Pérousse calmly; “I am not troubled with scruples. One form of trade is as good as another. The prime object of life nowadays is to make money!” Lutera looked at him, but said nothing. “To amalgamate all the steel industries into one international Union, and get as many shares myself in the combine is not at all an unwise project,” went on Pérousse,--“For if our country is not to fight, other countries will;--and they will require guns and swords and all such accoutrements of war. Why should we not satisfy the demand and pocket the cash?” Still the Marquis looked at him steadily.