The Russian waved his hand airily. "Once they are in Russia those documents will never come to light. This man Braine, it has been learned, has long been in the pay of Prussia, and has given the general staff of that country many plans of our frontier fortifications. I do not know what any one of the three looks like. That is why I sought Hargreave."
"I will gladly point them out to you," said Jones, rubbing his hands together, a sign that he was greatly pleased.
"That will be very good of you, I'm sure," in a rumbling but perfectly intelligible English.
"And suddenly they all three will disappear."
"Suddenly; and you may believe me that from that time on they'll be heard of never more."
"All this sounds extremely agreeable to me. Mr. Hargreave will be happy to hear that his long enforced hiding will soon come to an end."
"All you have to do, sir, is to point them out to me."
"It may take a week or ten days."
"My government has waited for ten years to gather in this delectable trio. A month, if you like."
"The sooner the better. I shall call this evening after dinner. We shall begin with Mr. Braine; and generally where he is is the woman. Vroon will be the most difficult."