“That King,” said Gorman, “isn’t very good at paying.”
“In this case he will have no choice. The Emperor will insist on his paying.”
“The Emperor is a powerful man,” said Gorman, “but even he would hardly be able to make King Konrad Karl fork out what he hasn’t got. You may safely bet your last shilling that most of what Donovan paid for that island is spent, chucked away, gone scat.”
“The Emperor,” said Sir Bartholomew, “will be responsible for the return in full of the purchase price.”
“Very well,” said Gorman, “and now suppose Donovan won’t sell. Suppose he simply says ‘No.’”
“There is an alternative policy,” said Sir Bartholomew. “It has occurred to some of us who are interested in the matter—I am not now speaking with the authority of any ambassador, certainly not with the formal approval of our Foreign Office. It has occurred to me—I will put it that way. It has occurred to me that the matter might be settled quite satisfactorily to all parties, to the Emperor certainly if——The King of Megalia is, I think, unmarried.”
“There’s Madame Ypsilante,” said Gorman, “a lady——”
“A lady! Pooh! In these cases there is always a lady. But the King is unmarried. Miss Donovan, so we understand, wishes to be a queen. You catch my meaning?”
“Perfectly. You want me to arrange a marriage between——”
“My dear Mr. Gorman! I want nothing of the sort. I do not ask you to arrange anything. I merely say that if such a marriage were to take place the Emperor would probably be satisfied. I am aware that the personal character of King Konrad Karl is not such——But he is a young man. There are possibilities of improvement.”