‘They kidnapped you merely to keep you out of England for a few days, merely to compel you to fail in your appointment with Sampson Levi. And it appears to me that they succeeded. Assuming that you don’t obtain the money from Levi, is there another financier in all Europe from whom you can get it--on such strange security as you have to offer?’ ‘Possibly there is not,’ said Prince Eugen calmly. ‘But, you see, I shall get it from Sampson Levi. Levi promised it, and I know from other sources that he is a man of his word. He said that the money, subject to certain formalities, would be available till--’ ‘Till?’ ‘Till the end of June.’ ‘And it is now the end of July.’ ‘Well, what is a month? He is only too glad to lend the money. He will get excellent interest. How on earth have you got into your sage old head this notion of a plot against me? The idea is ridiculous. A plot against me? What for?’ ‘Have you ever thought of Bosnia?’ asked Aribert coldly. ‘What of Bosnia?’ ‘I need not tell you that the King of Bosnia is naturally under obligations to Austria, to whom he owes his crown. Austria is anxious for him to make a good influential marriage.’ ‘Well, let him.’ ‘He is going to. He is going to marry the Princess Anna.’ ‘Not while I live. He made overtures there a year ago, and was rebuffed.’ ‘Yes; but he will make overtures again, and this time he will not be rebuffed. Oh, Eugen! can’t you see that this plot against you is being engineered by some persons who know all about your affairs, and whose desire is to prevent your marriage with Princess Anna? Only one man in Europe can have any motive for wishing to prevent your marriage with Princess Anna, and that is the man who means to marry her himself.’ Eugen went very pale. ‘Then, Aribert, do you mean to convey to me that my detention in Ostend was contrived by the agents of the King of Bosnia?’ ‘I do.’ ‘With a view to stopping my negotiations with Sampson Levi, and so putting an end to the possibility of my marriage with Anna?’ Aribert nodded. ‘You are a good friend to me, Aribert. You mean well. But you are mistaken. You have been worrying about nothing.’ ‘Have you forgotten about Reginald Dimmock?’ ‘I remember you said that he had died.’ ‘I said nothing of the sort. I said that he had been assassinated. That was part of it, my poor Eugen.’ ‘Pooh!’ said Eugen. ‘I don’t believe he was assassinated. And as for Sampson Levi, I will bet you a thousand marks that he and I come to terms this morning, and that the million is in my hands before I leave London.’ Aribert shook his head. ‘You seem to be pretty sure of Mr Levi’s character. Have you had much to do with him before?’ ‘Well,’ Eugen hesitated a second, ‘a little. What young man in my position hasn’t had something to do with Mr Sampson Levi at one time or another?’ ‘I haven’t,’ said Aribert. ‘You! You are a fossil.’ He rang a silver bell. ‘Hans! I will receive Mr Sampson Levi.’