I knew that the secret should at all hazards be kept, and that night I told the Crown-Prince of my second meeting with the pretty woman in black and her urgent request. He laughed, but made no remark. Yet I knew by his tone that he was not so easy in his mind as he desired me to believe. It also seemed strange why, if the young Frenchwoman was so desirous of meeting him, she did not call at the Villa. About a week later it suddenly occurred to me to endeavour to discover the real identity of the lady in black, but as I was not certain whether she actually lived in Nice it was rather difficult. Nevertheless, by invoking the aid of my friend Belabre, inspector of the Sûreté of Nice, and after waiting a few days I made an astounding discovery, namely, that the lady who called herself De Rouville was an Italian café concert singer named Irene Speroni--the woman who had aroused the jealousy of the Crown-Princess! And she knew that important State secret of Germany! The situation was, I saw, a most serious one. Indeed, I felt it my duty to mention my discovery to His Highness, when, to my surprise, he was not in the least angry. He merely said: "It is true, Heltzendorff--true what the Crown-Princess declared--that I went to Wiesbaden and that I gave the woman a pair of emerald earrings which I ordered from old Vollgold. But there was no reason for jealousy. I saw the woman, and gave her the present in the hope of closing her lips." In a moment I understood. The pretty variety artiste was endeavouring to levy blackmail. But how could she, in her position, have learnt the secret of the Emperor's intentions? She was, I found, living as Signorina Speroni, with her maid, at the Hôtel Bristol over at Beaulieu, just across the blue bay of Villefranche, and as the days went on I realized the imminent danger of exposure, and wondered if the Kaiser knew of it. I made a remark to that effect to His Highness one morning, whereupon he replied: "Don't disturb yourself, my dear Heltzendorff! I have not overlooked the matter, for it is one that closely concerns both the Emperor and myself. The woman obtained the secret by opening the dispatch-box of one who believed her to be his friend, and then she attempted to use her knowledge in order to drag me into her net. But I do not think I am very likely to be caught--eh?" At that moment Herr Schäfer entered the room, therefore further discussion was out of the question.