“A useful knave! And the contents of this document?”
“Are eminently adapted to make us rejoice.”
“Why so?”
“Because the document—hold your breath—relates to a plot for the deposing of the Czar; it contains the autograph signatures of the conspirators; and, as many of them happen to be obstacles in the way to our future advancement, we have but to denounce them to Paul, and Siberia or death will be their doom.”
Arcadius slapped his thigh savagely.
“I knew it,” he cried. “I guessed there was something of the sort afoot when Benningsen took to damning the Czar in my presence, and drinking to the powers that will be! Of course that German pig is one of the conspirators! At last I have him in my power! You have brought the document with you?”
For answer Loris drew forth a roll of vellum, which he proceeded to unfold.
“Read it.”
“The devil! You don’t ask me to read all this, do you?” protested Loris, exhibiting the document to his brother’s gaze. “It’s infernally long and prosy, but it’s unimpeachable in its treason, and that’s all we want. It starts with a statement drawn up by a body styling Itself ‘The Committee for the Public Weal.’”