"Well, because he is madame's friend--her very best friend, if report speaks the truth." There was a sarcastic ring in his words which she did not fail to detect, and it stung her to fury. "I cannot see why you should entertain the least sympathy for my friend," she remarked in a hard voice. "More especially for one unknown to you." "Oh, we have met!" her companion said. "We met in Paris long since on an occasion when I was travelling incognito, and I liked him. Indeed, he was dining at the Carlton a week ago at the next table to me." "And you are aware of the nature of this secret, which, according to what you tell me, must some day or other bring about his utter downfall?" "Ah, no. Madame misunderstands me entirely," he hastened to protest. "I am not a diplomatist, nor have I any connection, official or otherwise, with diplomacy. I merely told you of a matter which had come to my knowledge. Recollect, that a young man in Chisholm's position of responsibility must have a large number of jealous enemies. Perhaps it will be owing to one of these that the secret will leak out." "It will be used for a political purpose, you mean?" "Exactly," replied the Grand-Duke. "Your Government, what with the two or three contending parties, is always at war, as it were, and the Opposition, as you term it, may, as a _coup de grace_ to the Government, reveal the secret." "But you told me that it was a document, and that it reposed safely in one of the Chancelleries in a foreign capital, if I remember aright," she said. "Now, tell me honestly, is St. Petersburg the capital you refer to?" "No, it is not," he replied promptly. "And the Embassy in London that is aware of the truth is not in Chesham Place?" "Most assuredly not, madame," he replied. "Cannot you be more explicit," she urged. "Cannot you, if you are my friend, as you have more than once declared yourself to be, tell me more regarding this extraordinary matter which is to create such a terrible scandal?" "No, it is impossible--utterly impossible. If I could, I would tell madame everything. But my information really carries me no further than the bare fact that a certain Power antagonistic to England has been able to secure a document which must prove the ruin of the most brilliant and promising of the younger English statesmen." "And have you really no idea whatever as to the nature of the secret?" "None." "From what you tell me one would almost infer that Dudley Chisholm had been guilty of some crime. Have you no suspicion of its nature?" "Absolutely none," her companion declared. "The only other fact I know is the whereabouts of the document in question, and that I must keep a secret, according to my solemn promise." "You promised not to divulge the direction in which danger lies?" she said suspiciously. "Why did you do so? You surely must have had some motive!"