‘As far as your pocket is concerned, nothing. I do not even ask that this loan shall ever be repaid.’
He stared at me for a moment in astonishment. Then all at once his expression changed, and his voice dropped to a whisper.
‘Ah! I understand. This is some affair of the secret service. You are offering me a bribe, I suppose.’
‘I do not come from the Third Section, if that is what your Highness means. I am, as I have said, a financier, and my only object is to make money.’
‘I see. You wish me to influence the Government on your behalf?’
‘Not exactly that, sir. I am in search of information—information which will enable me to operate successfully on the Paris Bourse.’
The Grand Duke looked rather relieved. It was evident that he did not consider this very serious.
‘And what is the information you want?’ he asked.
‘It is very simple. I want to know the real bearing of the recent Peace Rescript of the Tsar. Let me explain,’ I went on quickly, raising my hand as I saw he was about to speak. ‘I know the surface explanation of the matter, but I do not believe it. I do not believe that this rescript would ever have seen the light unless the Council of State had some purpose of their own to serve by it, and I want to know what that purpose is. It is not to lessen the burden of their own armaments; they could do that, if they chose, to-morrow. This is an appeal to the other Powers to disarm, and I want to know why it has been made.’
The Grand Duke listened to this speech in silence, biting his lips with an air of indecision from which I augured a good result.