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"It is you Monsieur Pailleton whom the President desires to travel to Brazil." The light was breaking in upon Pailleton. He clenched his fists. "I am to be got out of the way!" he exclaimed. "The President fears me politically, he fears my following!" The ambassador drew himself a little more upright, a stiff unbending figure. His words seemed suddenly to become charged with more weight.
Monsieur Pailleton began in some measure to recover himself. He was still, however, bewildered. "Monsieur," he protested, "I do not understand. This mission to Brazil of which you speak it can have no great importance. Cannot it be entrusted to some other messenger?" "Alas! No, my dear sir," was the uncompromising reply.
"Monsieur Pailleton," the ambassador began, "will you take a seat? It is very kind of you to obey so quickly my summons." "I had no idea," the latter remarked, "that my presence in England was known. I am here on private business." The ambassador bowed suavely. "Precisely, my friend!
"Well, one part of the great work is finished. I have lived for eleven days not quite sure when I wasn't going to be stood up with my back to the light at the Tower. Now it's over." "You've seen Pailleton?" "Seen him, impressed him, given him the document. He has his plans all made." "Good! Very good!"
I am going to ask you to serve your country by leaving for Liverpool this afternoon and for Brazil to-morrow on the steamship Hermes." Monsieur Pailleton had been a little taken aback by the visit of the Baron. He sat now like a man temporarily stupefied. He was too amazed to find any sinister significance in this mission. He could only gasp.
"No one has ever doubted your patriotism, Monsieur Pailleton," the ambassador continued. "It is my privilege now to put it to the test. There is a little misunderstanding in Brazil, every particular concerning which, and the views of our Government, is contained in the little parcel of documents which you see upon this table. Put them in your pocket, Monsieur Pailleton.
If the Chief could find little to say to Monsieur Guillot of Lille, he will, I am sure, be very interested in a short conversation with Monsieur Henri Pailleton." There was a brief, tense silence. The man who had called himself Guillot was transformed. The dreams which had uplifted him a few minutes ago, had passed. He was living very much in the present an ugly and foreboding present.
"I shall have you stripped and searched in this room. I shall have your luggage and your room searched at the Milan Hotel. And now, Monsieur Pailleton?" Once more the man was bewildered. This time, however, it was bewilderment of a different sort. He thought for a moment steadfastly. Who was there who could have betrayed him?
"You will come quietly, monsieur, is it not so?" he asked. Pailleton waved him away. He turned to the ambassador. "Monsieur," he decided, "I will go to Brazil." The Admiralty report that they received last night a message from Commander Conyers of the destroyer Scorpion, announcing that he has destroyed German submarines U 22 and 27, with all hands.
I find that very soon afterwards that statesman is in possession of an autograph letter from the Kaiser, offering peace to the French people on extraordinary terms. Who was the intermediary who brought that document, Captain Granet?" Granet's face never twitched. He held himself with cold composure. "These," he declared, "are fairy tales. Pailleton was a friend of mine.
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