"I have one more duty to perform," replied Vanslyperken, taking some rouleaus of gold out of his pocket; "this is the money received from the traitors--it is not for a king's officer to have it in his possession."
"You are right, Mr Vanslyperken, but the gold of traitors is forfeited to the crown, and it is now mine, you will accept it as a present from your king."
Mr Vanslyperken took the gold from the table, made a bow, and retired from the royal presence.
The reader will acknowledge that it was impossible to play his cards better than Mr Vanslyperken had done in this interview, and that he deserved great credit for his astute conduct. With such diplomatic talents, he would have made a great prime minister.
"The council was ordered at twelve o'clock, my lords. These letters must be produced. That they are genuine appears to me beyond a doubt."
"That they are faithful copies, I doubt not," replied Lord Albemarle, "but--"
"But what, my Lord Albemarle?"
"I very much suspect the fidelity of the copier--there is something more that has not been told, depend upon it."
"Why do you think so, my lord?"
"Because, your Majesty, allowing that a man would act the part that Mr Vanslyperken says that he has done to discover the conspiracy, still, would he not naturally, to avoid any risk to himself, have furnished government with the first correspondence, and obtained their sanction for prosecuting his plans? This officer has been employed for the last two years or more in carrying the despatches to the Hague, and it must at once strike your Majesty, that a person who can, with such dexterity, open the letters of others can also open those of his own government."