I affected to take his jibe as earnest and replied very seriously: "Yes, that would be by far the simplest course."
"You could then force your own terms on him."
"Exactly. Do you think I had better just drop in on him in a friendly way?" I paused and then added: "Or shall we quit fooling and settle something?"
"What is the nature of your news?"
"I understand that at length the news about Prince von Graven and Fräulein Korper has reached His Majesty. Is that so?"
"Undoubtedly; and with results."
"Well, if I can hand you a statement as to the truth of the whole affair, together with a written renunciation on the lady's part, will you pledge me your word of honour that it shall go straight to the Kaiser?"
"You're a cool hand, Bastable," he said laughing.
"Well, my dear fellow, there are other ways of doing it; but I know enough of Court affairs to be aware that any one who could claim the credit of having obtained such a document would do himself a good turn. I would rather you had the credit than any one else; but you see you are Count von Felsen's secretary, and I have to reckon with him."
He sat thinking. He knew the advantage to be gained as well as I did. "Yes, I'll give you my word," he said after the pause.