"But they must know nothing!" exclaimed. Chisholm quickly. "If the secret of our weakness comes out, all Europe will be ablaze." "Exactly, that's just what I fear!" the Minister answered. "It must be kept from them at all hazards. You are the only man in London besides myself who has the slightest inkling of the situation. You will, of course, regard it as strictly confidential." "Absolutely." "And you destroyed the despatch I sent you to Wroxeter?" "I burnt it." "Good!" exclaimed the marquess, leaning both elbows upon the table and looking across again at the man sitting there in the falling darkness. "And now we must form some plan of action. We must save the situation. Have you anything to suggest?" "I really don't know what to suggest," Dudley faltered. "The whole affair is so mysterious, and we seem to have nothing to go upon. To me, it doesn't seem possible that our friends in Constantinople have suddenly turned antagonistic." "Certainly not. Our relations with the Porte are excellent--and you can tell the House so. It is that very fact which puzzles me. The only solution of the enigma, as far as I can see, is that it is the outcome of that dastardly betrayal to Russia of our policy towards the Porte a year or two ago. You will recollect it, and how nearly it resulted in war?" "Yes," answered Dudley in a faltering voice, "I remember it." Then he added quickly, as though to change the subject: "As far as I can see, the conspiracy is being worked from one of the other capitals." Her Majesty's Under-Secretary knew the truth, but made a clever pretence of being no less mystified than his chief. "Perhaps so, perhaps so," the great statesman remarked. "But this affair shows that there is once again a desperate attempt being made against us--from what quarter we are unable at present to detect." "Rome is not the centre of activity, I feel sure," Chisholm observed. "We only see its effect there." "An effect which may alienate us from Italy at any moment. With the Saracco Government in power there, matters are by no means upon a firm basis." "But Rathmore is one of our best men. He'll surely see that such a _contretemps_ does not occur." "Difficult--my dear Chisholm," replied the grey-haired Minister. "Diplomacy is often as difficult in Rome as it is in Petersburg. The undercurrents against us are quite as many. The Powers are jealous of Italy's friendship towards us and of her resolve to assist us in the Mediterranean if necessary. That is the whole _crux_ of the matter. Happily, they are not aware of the terms I made with Rudini two years ago, or the war-cloud would probably have burst some time back. We can't afford to risk hostilities while Italy is so weak. In two years her new armaments will be complete, and then--" "And then we shall be able to defy them," added the Under-Secretary with a smile. The great Minister rubbed his gold-framed glasses and nodded in the affirmative.