A tall footman with powdered hair asked me into the great reception-room where, at one end, hung a great portrait of the late King Humbert, the other end of the room opening upon a large conservatory where stood a grand piano. It was a sombre apartment, furnished with solid, old-fashioned taste and embellished with a number of photographs of noteworthy persons presented to the popular Ambassador and his wife in the various cities wherein His Excellency had represented his sovereign. Like most London reception-rooms, it looked its best at night under the myriad electric lamps. At noon, as I sat there, it looked a trifle too dull and gloomy. Presently one of the staff of the Embassy, a short, pleasant-faced, elderly Italian of charming manner, and speaking perfect English, greeted me courteously and inquired the object of my request to see His Excellency. "I have called," I said, "in order to give some confidential information which may be of interest to His Excellency. The fact is I have been present at the death of the ex-Minister for Justice Nardini." "His death!" exclaimed the pleasant official. "What do you mean? Is he dead?" "He died here, in London, and unrecognised. It was only on searching his papers that I discovered his identity. He came to an obscure boarding-house in Shepherd's Bush, giving the name of Massari, but on the following day he died. He had for a long time been suffering from an internal complaint and suddenly collapsed. The effort of the rapid journey from Rome and the anxiety were evidently too great for him." "This is astounding! We had no idea he was here! There were orders given for his arrest, you know," remarked the Embassy archivist, for such I afterwards found him to be--a trusted official who for many years has held that position, and is well-known and popular in the diplomatic circle in London. "But," he added suddenly, "how were you enabled to establish his identity?" "By these," I answered, drawing out a packet of official papers from my pocket, opening them and handing him one of them to read. The instant his eyes fell upon it he started, turned it over, and looked up at me amazed. "I presume you know Italian?" he asked quickly. I nodded in the affirmative. "Then you are aware what these papers are--most important Government documents, abstracted from the archives of the Ministry of Justice in Rome?" "I know," I replied briefly. "That is why I secured them, and why I have brought them to His Excellency. They certainly should not be allowed to go into the hands of any one, for they contain much confidential information regarding certain well-known persons."