“I know,” I said, quietly.
“What?” His astonishment was complete. “The devil you do.”
“I’m going to tell you. Nikolitch: as my friend, you know, not the Colonel’s mouthpiece.”
“I’m friend first, Bergwyn, mouthpiece only afterwards—and a long way afterwards, too.”
“Well, then, I’m here because of the Princess;” and I told him as briefly as I could of the adventure in the hills and Karasch’s discovery of the part played by Duke Barinski. I said nothing, however, of my feelings for Gatrina, leaving him to believe merely that I was anxious for her safety.
“You’re a lucky devil, Bergwyn,” was his first comment. “I wish I could have had such a chance to serve her. But what an infernal scheme! What are you going to do?”
“I want the army influence to protect her in case of trouble. Now you understand. How can I get it?”
“Tell Petrosch what you’ve told me in the first place, and in the second, pledge yourself to negotiate a loan for the new Government as soon as it’s well established.”
I thought a moment. “No, to the first part,” I said. “That’s for ourselves alone at present. To the second, yes, as soon as you like.”
“He’s very quick. He’ll guess.”