tious?

"If that alliance were once concluded," she said softly, "one might hope
for everything."

"If it rests only with me," he began seriously, "oh, madame!"

He seemed overcome. Madame was gracious; but was he really stupid or
only very much in earnest?

"To be one of the world's money kings," she whispered, "it is wonderful,
that. It is power--supreme, absolute power! There is nothing
beyond--there is nothing greater."

Then Peter, who was watching her closely, caught another gleam in her
eyes, and he began to understand. He had seen it before amongst a
certain type of her countrywomen--the greed of money. He looked at her
jewels, and he remembered that, for an ambassador, her husband was
reputed to be a poor man. The cloud of misgiving passed away from him;
he settled down to the game.

"If money could only buy the desire of one's heart!" he murmured.
"Alas!"

His eyes seemed to seek out Monsieur de Lamborne amongst the moving
throngs. She laughed softly, and her hand brushed his.

"Money and one other thing, Monsieur le Baron," she whispered in his
ear, "can buy the jewels from a crown--can buy even the heart of a
woman."

A movement of approaching guests caught them up and parted them for a
time. The Baroness de Grost was at home from ten till one, and her rooms
were crowded. Peter found himself drawn on one side a few minutes later
by Monsieur de Lamborne himself.

"I have been looking for you, de Grost," the latter declared. "Where can
we talk for a moment?"

His host took the ambassador by the arm and led him into a retired
corner. Monsieur de Lamborne was a tall, slight man, somewhat
cadaverous-looking, with large features, hollow eyes, thin but carefully
arranged grey hair, and a pointed grey beard. He wore a frilled shirt,
and an eyeglass suspended by a broad, black ribbon hung down upon his
chest. His face, as a rule, was imperturbable enough, but he had the air
just now of a man greatly disturbed.

"We cannot be overheard here," Peter remarked. "It must be an affair of
a few words only, though."

Monsieur de Lamborne wasted no time in preliminaries.

"This afternoon," he said, "I received from my Government papers of
immense importance, which I am to hand over to your Foreign Minister at
eleven o'clock to-morrow morning."

Peter nodded.

"Well?"

De Lamborne's thin fingers trembled as they played nervously with the
ribbon of his eyeglass.

"Listen," he continued, dropping his vo