at no good result would
follow if the Debt Commissioners, who only considered the bondholders'
interests, were on this inquiry, Gordon met Lesseps the next morning
in the full expectation that business would now be begun. The further
ramifications of the intrigue, for it soon became one, for the
discomfiture and discrediting of Gordon, must be told in his own
words:

"The next day Lesseps came to my Palace with Stanton (Stokes's
old Danube Secretary, now Resident-Commissioner for the British
Government Suez Canal Shares at Paris, an old friend of mine).
Lesseps began, 'We must have the Commissioners of the Debt on the
_enquete_.'

"I said, 'It is a _sine qua non_ that they are not to be upon
it.' Lesseps replied, 'They must be upon it.'

"Then in came Cherif Pasha (the Premier), and said, 'Are you
agreed?' I left Lesseps to speak, and he said, 'Yes,' at which I
stared and said, 'I fear not.' Then Lesseps and Cherif discussed
it, and Lesseps gave in, and agreed to serve on the Commission
without the Commissioners of the Debt, but with the proviso that
he would ask permission to do so from Paris. Cherif Pasha was
pleased.

"But I instinctively felt old Lesseps was ratting, so I asked
Cherif to stop a moment, and said to Stanton, 'Now, see that
Lesseps does not make a mess of it. Let him say at once, Will he
act without the Commissioners of Debt or not? Do this for my
sake; take him into that corner and speak to him.' Stanton did
so, while I took Cherif into the other corner, much against his
will, for he thought I was a bore, raising obstacles. I told him
that Lesseps had declared before he came that he would not act
unless with the Commissioners of the Debt. Cherif was huffed with
me, and turned to Lesseps, whom Stanton had already dosed in his
corner of the room, and he and Lesseps had a close conversation
again for some time; and then Cherif came to me and said,
'Lesseps has accepted without the Commissioners of the Debt.'

"I disgusted Cherif as I went downstairs with him by saying, 'He
will never stick to it.'"

If Gordon was not a diplomatist, he was at least very clear-sighted.
He saw clearly through M. de Lesseps, who had no views on the subject,
and who was quite content to play the part his Government assigned
him. A few minutes after the interview described he