“To give you my full confidence in the manner you imply, Mr. Carter, I must betray the secrets of my sovereign, which are, in part, at least, reposed in me alone.”
“Even so, sir, I cannot qualify what I have said. I cannot perform the service for you, if I am like the horse of a picador when it enters the bull ring; blindfolded. I must be able to see; and unless you can intrust me with the secrets of your sovereign, as well as with your own, I am not worthy to be trusted at all.”
The ambassador was silent, tapping the top of the desk with his pencil.
But after a moment he raised his eyes and said:
“So be it, Mr. Carter. I will not caval with you; you are right. In order to carry out this matter to a successful issue, you must know as much as I do about it.”
“Just so, prince.”
“But bear in mind our agreement to refer to that unnamed country as Siam.”
“I do.”
“I will begin, then, by stating that some years ago I was ambassador to—er—Siam. Really, I will have to accustom myself to that form of expression, for upon my word I was never anywhere near Siam in my life.”