Part 36 (1/2)
he then said calmly--”A Jew may be called a liar with impunity, and whatever a Jew has a.s.serted can be flatly denied. Remember, he is in our pay!”
”I doubt if he will consent to be made the scapegoat in this affair,”
said Lutera; ”Unless we can make it exceptionally to his advantage;--he has the press at his command.”
”Give him a t.i.tle!” returned Perousse contemptuously; ”These Jew press-men love nothing better!”
The Marquis smiled somewhat sardonically.
”Jost, with a patent of n.o.bility would cut rather an extraordinary figure!” he said; ”Still he would probably make good use of it,--especially if he were to start a newspaper in London! They would accept him as a great man there!”
Perousse gave a careless nod; his thoughts were otherwise occupied.
”This Pasquin Leroy has gone to Moscow?”
”According to his own words, he was leaving this morning.”
”I daresay that statement is a blind. I should not at all wonder if he is still in the city. I will get an exact description of him from Jost, and set Bernhoff on his track.”
”Do not forget,” said the Marquis impressively, ”that he told Jost in apparently the most friendly and well-meaning manner possible, that the King had discovered the whole plan of our financial campaign. He even reported _me_ as being ready to resign in consequence----”
”Which apparently you are!” interpolated Perousse with some sarcasm.
”I certainly have my resignation in prospect,” returned Lutera coldly--”And, so far, this mysterious spy has seemingly probed my thoughts. If he is as correct in his report concerning the King, it is impossible to say what may be the consequence.”
”Why, what can the King do?” demanded Perousse impatiently, and with scorn for the vacillating humour of his companion; ”Granted that he knew everything from the beginning----”
”Including your large land purchases and contract concessions in the very country you propose war with,” put in the Marquis,--”Say that he knew you had resolved on war, and had already started a company for the fabrication of the guns and other armaments, out of which you get the princ.i.p.al pickings--what then?”
”What then?” echoed Perousse defiantly--”Why nothing! The King is as powerless as a target in a field, set up for arrows to be aimed at! He dare not divulge a State secret; he has no privilege of interference with politics; all he can do is to 'lead' fas.h.i.+onable society--a poor business at best--and at present his lead is not particularly apparent.
The King must do as We command!”
He rose and paced up and down with agitated steps.
”To-day, when he told me he had resolved to 'veto' my propositions, I accepted his information without any manifestation of surprise. I merely said it would have to be stated in the Senate, and that reasons would have to be given. He agreed, and said that he himself would proclaim those reasons. I told him it was impossible!”
”And what was his reply?” asked the Marquis.
”His reply was as absurd as his avowed intention. 'Hitherto it has been impossible,' he said; 'But in Our reign we shall make it possible!' He declined any further conversation with me, referring me to you and our chief colleagues in the Cabinet.”
”Well?”
”Well! I pay no more attention to a King's sudden caprice than I do to the veering of the wind! He will alter his mind in a few days, when the exigency of the matters in hand becomes apparent to him. In the same way, he will revoke his decision about that grant of land to the Jesuits. He must let them have their way.”
”What benefit do we get by favouring the Jesuits?” asked Lutera.
”Jost gets a thousand a year for putting flattering notices of the schools, processions, festivals and such nonsense in his various newspapers; and our party secures the political support of the Vatican in Europe,--which just now is very necessary. The Pope must give his Christian benediction not only to our Educational system, but also to the war!”
”Then the King has set himself in our way already, even in this matter?”
”He has! Quite unaccountably and very foolishly. But we shall persuade him still to be of our opinion. The a.s.s that will not walk must be beaten till he gallops! I have no anxiety whatever on any point; even the advent of Jost's spy, with an imitation of your signet on his finger appears to me quite melodramatic, and only helps to make the general situation more interesting,--to me at least;--I am only sorry to see that you allow yourself to be so much concerned over these trifles!”
”I have my family to think of,” said the Marquis slowly; ”My reputation as a statesman, and my honour as a minister are both at stake.” Perousse smiled oddly, but said nothing. ”If in any way my name became a subject of popular animadversion, it would entirely ruin the position I believe I have attained in history. I have always wished,--” and there was a tinge of pathos in his voice--”my descendants to hold a certain pride in my career!”