"With Del Ferice's confidential clerk. Yes—it is quite true. I was with him last night."
"And what did he say? What you have been telling me, I suppose."
"Something much more disagreeable—something you would rather not hear."
"I wish to hear it."
"You should, as a matter of fact."
"Go on."
"We are completely in Del Ferice's hands."
"We are in the hands of his bank."
"What is the difference? To all intents and purposes he is our bank. The proof is that but for him we should have failed already."
Orsino looked up sharply.