“Yes; a young, and rather pretty, woman.”
“And you’ve come all the way from London, and got here at eleven o’clock at night, to tell me this?”
“I have something else—of greater gravity.”
“Well, let’s hear the worst,” said the Earl with a sigh. “Every day brings its troubles. Look yonder!” and he pointed to the table. “Those are despatches from all the Embassies. The eternal Balkan trouble seems threatening to break out, unless we take strong action. Bulgaria is mobilising again, and Turkey is protesting.”
“There has been a leakage from the Admiralty. How, I cannot explain. A copy of the secret report upon our last naval manœuvres is in the hands of our friends in the Wilhelmstrasse.”
“What?” cried the Earl, starting, his face pale with alarm.
“I repeat that the report is known in Germany—every word of it!”
“And our weakness is thereby revealed?”
“The exact position is known.”
“But the confidential report has not yet come through to me!”