"Tell me," I said, stonily.
"He has stolen a document from my safe and sold it to those who can, who will, use it to disgrace and overthrow me."
"It is false."
"A month ago France was insulted—deliberately insulted in such a manner that it became almost a declaration of war. It was equivalent to a challenge for war, and yet one that we dare not take up. War to France would mean ruin. She would inevitably lose, and sink to the condition of a second-rate power."
"Well!"
"We decided we could not go to war. We must diplomatically ignore the slur, at least until we were more prepared; but it was a matter for France, and not for the ministry alone. If our course of action became known, it might be the first step towards revolution. There was no help for it, and I privately conferred with the head of the opposition, my greatest political enemy, Monsieur Desormes."
"One of the most unscrupulous men in France."
"One of the greatest diplomats."
"The terms are frequently synonymous, monsieur. Proceed."
"Wonderful to relate, he was with us. War was impossible—we dare not declare it, we must accept the distasteful position—but I insisted that his support of that policy should be given me in writing, that he should bind himself to an adhesion to our views, so that he could not withdraw; and he agreed, and wrote a confidential document in which he declared that he stood firm with us for peace. That document has been stolen from my safe by Gaspard Levivé, and returned to Desormes, who now laughs in my face, sneeringly announcing that he will publicly charge my ministry with degrading France in the eyes of Europe, and crush us."