At seven in the morning I sent a guarded note to our chief, and at
eight he appeared. I need not dwell upon his surprise as he listened
to the full relation of my encounter with Le Moyne, about which and
our subsequent difficulty he already knew something. When I quietly
told him the rest of the story and, untying the ribbon, laid the dusty
package on the table, he became grave. He very evidently did not
approve of our method of securing the papers, but whatever he may
have felt as to the right or wrong of what we had done was lost in
astonishment as he saw before him the terribly plain revelation
of all we had been so long dreading. Here was the hatching of an
international conspiracy. As he sat, his kindly face grew stern while
I translated to him the emperor's comments.
"It is evident," he said, "that a resume of certain of these papers
should go to Berlin and Russia in cipher, but this may wait. The
originals must as soon as possible reach our minister in London."
While Mr. Dayton considered the several questions involved, the first
secretary, who had been sent for, arrived. The minister at once set
before him the startling character of the papers on the table, and my
story was briefly retold. Upon this there was a long consultation
concerning the imminence of the crisis they suggested, and in regard
to the necessity of the originals being placed as soon as possible in
the hands of Mr. Adams, our able representative at the court of St.
James. No one for a moment seemed to consider the documents as other
than a lawful prize. We could not burn them. To admit of our having
them was to convict Madame Bellegarde; and not to use them was almost
treason to our country. So much I gathered from the rapid interchange
of opinions. When the method of sending them to Mr. Adams came before
us, the first secretary said shrewdly enough:
"If they were sure these papers were in the villa,--and they were, I
fancy,--I wonder they did not accidentally burn the house."
"That would have been simple and complete," said the chief, smiling,
"but there are original letters here which it was very desirable to
keep, and I presume them to have felt sure soon or late of recovering
them."
"Yes," said the first secretary, "that is no doubt true. Now the whole
affair is changed. I am certain that the house will have been searched
and the scattered ashes seen. They will then feel sure that we have
the papers."
I had to confess that, in my haste, I had taken no pains about
restoring the ashes. My footprints in the garden soil and my want of
care would help to make plain that the papers had been removed, and
any clever detective would then infer what had been the purpose of the
pistol-shots. I had been stupid and had to agree with the secretary
that they would now know they had been tricked and see that the game
so far had been lost. The legation and all of us would be still more
closely watched, and I, for one, was also sure that the messenger to
England would never see London with the papers still in his
possession.
Meanwhile, as the secretary and our chief discussed the question, my
mind was on Merton. About ten, to my relief, he sent in his card. He
entered smiling.
"Good morning, Mr. Dayton. All right, Greville?"
I said: "Yes, the papers are here. These gentlemen all know. Had you
any trouble?"
"A little. When I fired shot after shot in the air and our man was
screaming murder, they all ran toward us like ducks to a decoy. I ran,
too, and Alphonse. As I crossed a road, I came upon a big gendarme. I
am afraid I hurt him. Oh, not much. After that I had no difficulty.
And now perhaps I am in the way." He rose as he spoke.