"Good!" exclaimed Voules in his throat. "We will now come to the purpose of my visit. You shall have your part in the big work afoot. I assure you there are bigger things than the sinking of the Malta! For instance, on the twenty-eighth we shall strike a blow that will not rapidly be forgotten by these English!"
He suddenly snapped his teeth together and drew tight his lips; a gleam of ferocity lit in his hard eyes.
"These English!" he exclaimed between his teeth. "Their arrogance maddens me! It is a torture to me to live among them, concealed thus as a civilian! I am maddened by their complacency!" he went on, "their calm! Nevertheless, we shall strike deep this time! Your work, gnädige Frau," he said, speaking in the tone of masterful authority that was his real habit, "your work is not difficult. On the twenty-fourth I request you to go to Heatherpoint Fort. It is fortunate that your husband is away. You can thus go to the Isle of Wight ostensibly for a holiday. While there you will make the acquaintance of the adjutant of Heatherpoint, who visits regularly the —— Hotel in Newport. My report is that this young Lieutenant Parkson is susceptible to beauty. You, gnädige Frau," he smiled his hard smile, "are, indeed, beautiful enough to engage the attention of one far less susceptible!"
"What do you wish me to do with this particular susceptible man?" inquired Mrs. Beecher Monmouth, with slight sarcasm.
"You are to engage the young man's attention, and his affections."
"You appear to forget, Excellenz, that I am a married woman of social position!"
"I do not forget, gnädige Frau; but your complaisance on that account will be more than ever flattering. The young man in question will not be able to resist the charms of the beautiful and wealthy society woman who is—to fall in love with him!"
Mrs. Beecher Monmouth smiled, and spoke with a touch of irony.
"I am your servant, Excellenz!"
"You are the servant of the Fatherland," answered Voules gravely, "and all I require is that this young man, Lieutenant Parkson, shall not be at his post in the fort on the night of the twenty-eighth. How you will succeed in keeping him away from duty is a matter for your own discretion—I have the fullest confidence in you. Captain Cherriton undertook the work, but the young man in question neither drinks nor gambles. Cherriton's efforts ended in complete failure. Moreover, our agent inside the fort has been strangely silent of late. We have received neither signal nor message from him for some days. If you play your cards neatly with Parkson, you will possibly secure an invitation to tea at the fort mess."