"Well," I inquired at last; "and your reason for seeing me this
evening?"
She hesitated, as though uncertain in what manner to place her project
before me. She moved uneasily, and, rising, drew forth a large
dispatch-box from its leathern case and placed it upon the table. I
noticed that the outer case bore a count's coronet with a cipher
beneath.
Having opened the box with a tiny gold master-key which hung upon her
bracelet, she drew forth some official-looking papers, and with them
returned to her chair.
"You have already been entrusted with a secret, which you have not
betrayed--the secret of that unfortunate occurrence on the evening when
accident first brought us together," she commenced gravely. "Therefore
I feel convinced that any further confidence placed in you will not be
abused."
"I am honoured to think, madam, that you should entertain such an
opinion of me," I said, not, however, without the slightest touch of
sarcasm.
I did not forget that she had only rescued me from my enemies in return
for my silence. She was not a woman to act without strong motives.
Moreover, she had admitted knowledge of that strange midnight crime at
The Boltons, and was, therefore, an accessory after the fact.
"You are the Prince's confidential agent here, in London, and I come to
you on a mission direct from His Serene Highness."
"From Bulgaria?" I inquired.
"Yes. I left Sofia a week ago," she answered. "It was at first
proposed to place the matter in the hands of Guechoff, our diplomatic
representative at the Court of St James's, but, on consideration, His
Serene Highness, knowing that with the present state of high feeling in
the Sobranje a single hint leaking out might prove disastrous, to the
dynasty, and perhaps to the nation, resolved to place the matter
unreservedly in my hands. The Prince did me the honour of referring in
terms of praise to my previous dealings with you, and instructed me to
lose no time in seeing you and invoking your aid."
"In what direction?" Was it not amazing that I should awake from my
years of unconsciousness to find myself so powerful in the world of
finance that reigning princes sought my assistance?
"I have here a letter from His Serene Highness;" and she handed me a
note which bore the Bulgarian royal arms, and had apparently been
written by the Prince's own hand. It was merely a formal note asking me
to consider the secret proposals which would be placed before me by the
bearer.
"Well?" I inquired, when I had read it. "Explain."
"Briefly," she said, "the facts are as follows: The throne of Bulgaria,
never very safe owing to the eternal bickering between St Petersburg
and the Porte, is at this moment in imminent danger. The People's Party
in the Sobranje have been defeated, and the police have learnt of a
projected popular uprising against His Highness in favour of a republic,
the agitation being, of course, caused by paid agents of Russia. It is
an open secret that Russia, at the first sign of an outbreak, would
endeavour to annex the country, hence the position of the throne grows
each moment more perilous. Fear of giving offence to Russia prevents
orders being issued for the arrest of the secret agitators, and it seems
therefore as though a revolution cannot long be delayed. It is your aid
His Serene Highness seeks--your aid to negotiate a loan of half a
million sterling."
"Half a million!" I ejaculated. "A large sum! It seems incredible
that I should be a dealer in millions."
"A large sum, certainly, but you can easily obtain it," she quickly
assured me. "I have all the necessary preliminaries of the securities
here;" and she pointed to the pile of papers at her side.
"I take it that the money is required for the Prince's private purse?"
"No; solely for defence--to purchase arms and ammunition; to pay the
army the arrears due, so as to secure their support in case of an
outbreak, and to pay certain heavy sums as secret-service money. All
this is imperative in order to save the country from falling into the
hands of Russia. But it must be done, of course, in strictest secrecy,
His Highness, as I have already explained, hesitated to entrust the
matter to his recognised minister here because the spies of Russia are
everywhere, and if any knowledge of his intentions leaked out it would
be fatal to his plans."
"And so he trusts me!" I said, smiling.
"He does, absolutely."
"And where does His Highness think that I am going to get half a million
of money from at a moment's notice, pray?" I asked with a smile.
"With these in your possession there will be no difficulty," she
responded coolly, indicating the papers. "There is not a financial
agent in the City of London who would not be only too delighted to,
without its intentions being known."
"But you say it is all a secret," I observed. "How do you think it
possible that I can raise such a loan without its intentions being
known?"
She laughed outright.
"The money, you will find from the documents here, is ostensibly for the
construction of a new railway from Philippopolis, by the Shipka to
Rustchuk. The plans are here, properly prepared, so that you need have
no hesitation in showing them to any railway engineer."