DIPLOMATIC INSTRUCTIONS
Mr. Stanley's Chief was a grey, weazened little man, who had achieved
distinction in diplomacy and in his country's councils, largely on
account of his infinite capacity for holding his tongue. As a result he
let fall little and learned much. His reticence, however, was not the
reserve of impotence, but the reserve of power.
On this occasion he was busy at his great desk, which occupied the
centre of the room, and merely glancing up at his Secretary's entrance,
he resumed the piece of work on which he was engaged. Ten minutes later
he put down his pen and gave his waiting subordinate an encouraging
smile. It was his official permission to speak.
"I regret to say that I have got into a little scrape, sir, concerning
which will you give me leave to clear myself?"
"Leave of absence or my approval, Mr. Stanley?"
"Both, your Excellency."
The Minister leaned back in his chair, rested his elbows on the arms,
and bringing the first fingers of each hand together, held them at the
level of his face and gazed attentively at their point of contact. It
was a favourite attitude which the Secretary understood, and he at once
gave a concise account of all the circumstances concerning Madame Darcy.
The Minister heard him out in perfect silence, and after taking a moment
or two to ponder over his words, remarked quietly:
"It's a small world, Mr. Stanley."
"You mean the fact that Senor De Costa and my father were friends before
they quarrelled, and that his daughter----"
"No, I do not mean that."
The Secretary thought it better policy not to ask what he did mean,
though he much wished to know; and silence again reigned.
Presently the Minister sat up to his desk and ran his hand through the
mass of papers upon it; finally unearthing one in particular, which he
submitted to a careful scrutiny.
"Your report of your visit to the Foreign Office yesterday," he said--"a
very important communication, Mr. Stanley."
If his Chief had a disagreeable trait, and he was on the whole an
exceedingly amiable man, it was an assumed seriousness of speech and
demeanour, which he intended for sarcasm, and which invariably misled
his victims to their ultimate discomfiture.
Stanley, who was aware of this trait and not very proud of the report in
question, hastened to disclaim any inherent excellence it might be
supposed to contain.
"There's nothing in it, your Excellency, except that remark about
'parlous times.'"
"Which was just the thing I was most anxious to hear. It proves that the
Foreign Office regards the accomplishment of the treaty as by no means
certain."
Stanley, with difficulty, checked an exclamation of surprise, but he had
learned to respect his Chief's little fads, and succeeded.
The Minister cleared his throat, an indication that this was one of the
rare occasions on which he was about to speak at length, and on which he
desired absolute attention and immunity from comment--and proceeded:
"For three hundred years a treaty has been pending between Great Britain
and our own country, concerning the possession of an island lying at the
mouth of the river X----. At first Spanish distrust of English
aggression and, at a later period, the frequent changes of government to
which our unfortunate country has been subjected, have prevented the
successful termination of the negotiations.
"Matters have never been more favourable for its settlement than at the
present time, and the immediate cession of the island to Great Britain,
in return for a most satisfactory indemnity. For the last few weeks,
however, we have noted an increasing opposition on the part of certain
members of our own Ministry, to the acceptance of the English
propositions, the cause of which has now been discovered. An influential
manufacturing concern, officered and financed by certain unscrupulous
persons in this country, owns large mills on the island in question, for
the production of an article of which they would be assured a monopoly,
did the territory still remain in our hands, but which would be open to
competition did it come into the possession of Great Britain. The
company, in order to obtain a continuance of the monopoly, have raised
L40,000 for distribution among a majority of the committee, who are to
pass upon the treaty, thus practically insuring the failure of the
negotiations.
"While there is no reasonable doubt that this unfortunate state of
affairs exists, we have not been able to obtain actual proofs of the
same, and it is very necessary to do so, in order that the Executive
should be able, when the treaty comes up for consideration, six weeks
hence, to inform the intending offenders that their intrigue is known.
It is not the intention of our government to create any scandal in this
matter, it being quite sufficient to insure the passage of the treaty,
that the Executive should hold proof of the Minister's guilt, and be in
a position to back up the threat of exposure and punishment.
"Now it is known that the English agent intrusted with the financial
part of this disgraceful scheme, the man who is to take the money to be
used in bribery and corruption from this country to ours, is the worst
type of an adventurer, a thorough-going scoundrel, and clever enough to
make a fortune in some honest way. His name is Colonel Robert Darcy."
The Secretary so far forgot himself as to draw in his breath sharply,
and his Chief looked at him with a disapproving frown, and then
continued:
"This is why I said that the world was small when you told me of your
connection with this man. For the past few weeks I have had him
carefully watched, and I have learned that he is to go down to Sussex
almost at once, to receive the money for this dishonourable purpose from
one of the heads of the firm, a silent partner, whose identity we have
not yet discovered. This money is to be paid in gold, and after
receiving it, and his private instructions, Darcy will return at once to
London and sail for the scene of his mission. I cannot watch his course
in Sussex personally, and I do not think it wise to risk publicity by
putting the affair in the hands of the police. Before you told me of
your association with this man and his wife, I had some thoughts of
giving you the conduct of this important and delicate matter, now----"
"Now!" burst out the Secretary, unable in his chagrin longer to contain
himself, "I have by my stupid blundering rendered myself unfit for the
place, and lost a splendid chance!"
The Minister was visibly annoyed.
"I was about to say, sir, when you interrupted me (a very bad habit of
yours, Mr. Stanley), that you had unconsciously so perfectly adapted
yourself to fill the position, that you have made it impossible for me
to give it to anybody else."
Stanley gasped; he could not help it.
"A diplomat should never express anything," remarked his Chief severely,
and continued his statement.
"The greatest triumph of art could never have placed you in the position
you now occupy as a result of a fortuitous combination of events. You
can go right to the ground where Darcy must operate, and any one of a
dozen people can tell him that you have perfectly natural and innocent
reasons for being there. Being only human and apparently very angry,
he'll certainly seek you out, and you may depend on it that I'll see
that he has definite information as to where you have gone and with whom
you are staying. All you'll have to do is to associate yourself with
him; he'll give you ample opportunity for doing so, and to keep your
eyes open.
"I need hardly point out that, should you, during the next fortnight, be
able to obtain in any way the required evidence, you would not only
merit my approval but would put yourself in the sure way of promotion,
and that for the best of all reasons, as one who has done a signal
service to your country.
"Now, just a word of warning. Do not communicate with me unless it is
absolutely necessary. Do not try to find out anything about Darcy; do
not try to see him. Do not so much as breathe the treaty to anyone.
Simply be yourself. He's bound to suspect you at first, and it will
only be as time passes and he becomes convinced from your manner of
life--that you are young, inexperienced and wholly unfit to be trusted
with a diplomatic secret--that he'll put himself off his guard. Then
will be your opportunity. Seize it if possible. That's all; now go. No
thanks, please; I trust you will deserve mine when you return. I'll
manage everything for you here, and the Legation pays your
expenses--your leave is for an indefinite period."
Stanley bowed silently, his heart was too full to speak, and he turned
to leave the room.
"Stop!" came his Chief's voice. "You ought to know that Darcy has a
confederate. One of the two is a masterhand, probably the Colonel; but
see if you can find out the other; I've not been able to do so."
Stanley started, a vivid remembrance flashing through his mind of
Kingsland's significant caution to Darcy at the tea. "Sh'. He's looking
our way! He'll hear us."
The Ambassador noticed the involuntary movement of his subordinate, and
a grim smile played about his lips.
"Deportment, Mr. Secretary, deportment," he said. "A diplomat should
always appear at his ease. So; that is better. You can go."