In spite of his own indiscreet behaviour, and thanks to the unprofessional conduct of nature, Cyril slept well, and awoke refreshed in the morning, to hear from Dietrich that the British Minister had called to see him, and on being told that he was not up, had said that he would come again in an hour.
“He means to have it out,” said Cyril to himself. “Well, one can’t say that life has been dull during the last few days. It’s only a pity that all this pleasurable excitement can’t manage to distribute itself a little more.”
When he went down to his study, he found Sir Egerton waiting for him—not sitting down, as would have been the case on ordinary occasions, but standing wrathfully in the middle of the room, like Nemesis armed with a riding-whip. As Cyril entered, the British Minister stepped forward with a stiff bow.
“Good morning, Count Mortimer. Your sudden restoration to health is as astonishing as it is gratifying. You may have observed that I was surprised to see you yesterday. As a matter of fact, I had heard it said that you would accompany your colleagues to the Palace, but I imagined that the report had been spread by your servants in order to put off as long as possible the discovery of your escape.”
“I am sure you can’t have been half as glad to see me again as I was to see you. A friendly face——”
“Excuse my interrupting you. Five days ago, by representing yourself to be in a state of abject terror almost amounting to madness, you induced me to smuggle you out of the city, on the understanding that you would not return to Thracia. Now I find you back again, and apparently quite restored to health. I should be glad to know what all this means.”
“Simply that three days’ rest and change gave tone to my nerves and set me up again. You forget that I expressed my intention of returning if that should prove to be the case, Stratford.”
“Sir Egerton Stratford to you in future, if you please.”
“I beg your Excellency’s pardon most humbly. Well, then, Sir Egerton Stratford, may I ask to what you object in my return?”
“You were no more ill at that time than you are now. You had some scheme in your head for capturing the government, and you made a catspaw of me to enable you to carry it out. Instead of getting you out of Thracia, I have in some way or other made you a present of the Premiership. I don’t pretend to understand how you have worked it, but it is quite clear that I played into your hands and ensured the success of your plot.”