‘The removal of Humbert will put funds at our disposal for other
work.’
At last I was on the trail. Carefully concealing my excitement
under an appearance of natural curiosity, I inquired: ‘How is that,
comrade?’
‘You must not ask too much. I have only got authority to tell you
that it is so. A sum of money will be ours as soon as Humbert is
dead.’
‘And you will not tell me how or why?’
Ferretti hesitated.
‘It has been promised us--guaranteed to us, in fact--by one who has
reasons of his own for wanting to see Humbert out of the way.’
‘I don’t like the sound of that,’ I objected. ‘It sounds as though we
were being hired as private assassins.’
Ferretti’s face fell.
‘I am afraid I cannot tell you anything more without consulting
others,’ he said slowly. ‘I will swear to you, if you like, that it
is not a case of private revenge. The person behind us has public
reasons for his conduct, though they are not the same as ours.’
This statement threw me into a brown study. What public reasons could
any one possibly have for the removal of the King of Italy? The
Garibaldians? No, they were not assassins--besides, they would not
have come to America to get a suitable instrument. There were plenty
nearer at hand.
‘Listen to me,’ I said at length. ‘When I took a vow to rid the world
of a crowned head at the risk of my own life, I did not undertake to
become a blind tool in the hands of any one else. I owe no obedience
to you or our comrades. I say what I said last night--convince me
that I ought to kill Humbert, and I will. But it is no good if you
can’t trust me. Why should I trust you with my life, when you won’t
trust me with your reasons for wanting this King out of the way?’
Ferretti was staggered.
‘I will tell the others what you say,’ he declared. ‘For my part, I
think your demand is reasonable.’
He left me, but did not come back. Days passed, and no further
overture was made to me. On the contrary, the lame Swiss began
to talk to me about the other victims I had pointed out, and to
encourage me to fix on one of them.
I was able to guess what had happened. The four were looking for a
more docile tool.