“Then, when we are masters of the hotel, our first operation will be to wait on MM. Bœhmer and Bossange.”
“But you forget one thing,” said Beausire; “our first act should be to ask an audience of the king, and then we should break down. The famous Riza Bey, who was presented to Louis XIV. as ambassador from the Shah of Persia, spoke Persian at least, and there were no savants here capable of knowing how well; but we should be found out at once. We should be told directly that our Portuguese was remarkably French, and we should be sent to the Bastile.”
“We will escape this danger by remaining quietly at home.”
“Then M. Bœhmer will not believe in our ambassadorship.”
“M. Bœhmer will be told that we are sent merely to buy the necklace. We will show him our order to do this, as we shall before have shown it to the chancellor, only we must try to avoid showing it to the ministers, for they are suspicious, and might find a host of little flaws.”
“Oh yes,” cried they all, “let us avoid the ministers.”
“But if MM. Bœhmer and Bossange require money on account?” asked Beausire.
“That would complicate the affair, certainly.”
“For,” continued Beausire, “it is usual for an ambassador to have letters of credit, at least, if not ready money; and here we should fail.”
“You find plenty of reasons why it should fail,” said Manoël, “but nothing to make it succeed.”