“I described exactly what had happened. How the captain had a year ago declared his love for me, and how he came to Bologna from Paris.”
“And what else?”
“I described how I had received in confidence the mysterious packet from him, with instructions to hand it to a friend of his, a Frenchman, who would make an appointment to meet me. What I told the three officers who took down my statement seemed to create a great impression upon them.”
“Of course it would, because it is your statement that has condemned Solaro.”
“Condemned!” she gasped in blank surprise. “What, has he already been tried?”
“Yes, and dismissed the army.”
“But he is—”
“There are no buts, signorina,” he quickly interrupted in a hard voice. “If you render secret service to the Ministry you must never reason as to the why or the wherefore. Always rest assured that we are acting solely for the benefit and safety of Italy.”
She thought deeply for a moment.
“When I met the Frenchman by appointment at a seat in the Montagnola garden, and gave him the packet, he broke it open, and I saw that some tracings were inside.”