Part 78 (1/2)

Calabressa said nothing now, but he was greatly excited.

”We had been urging him about money, Calabressa mio--that I will explain to you. It has been coming in slowest of all from England, the richest of the countries, and just when we had so much need. Then, again, there is a vacancy in the Council, and Lind has a wish that way. What happens?

He tries to induce the Englishman to take an officers.h.i.+p and give us his fortune; the Englishman refuses; he says then, 'Part from my daughter, and go to America.' The daughter says, 'If he goes, I follow.'

You perceive, my friend, that if this story is true, and it is consecutive and minute as I received it, there was a reason for our colleague Lind to be angry, and to be desirous of making it certain that this Englishman who had opposed him should not have his daughter.”

”I perceive it well, Excellenza. Meanwhile?”

”Meanwhile, that is all. Only, when an old friend--when one who has such claims on our Society as a Berezolyi naturally has--comes and tells you such a story, you listen with attention and respect. You may believe, or you may not believe; one prefers not to believe when the matter touches upon the faith of a colleague who has been trustworthy for many years.

But at the same time, if the Council, being appealed to, and being anxious above all things that no wrong should be done, were to find an agent--prudent, silent, cautious--who might be armed with plenary powers of pardon, for example, supposing there were an accomplice to be bribed--if the Council were to commission such a one as you, my Calabressa, to inst.i.tute inquiries, and perhaps to satisfy those two appellants that no injustice has been done, you would undertake the task with diligence, with a sense of responsibility, would you not?”

”With joy--with a full heart, Excellenza!” Calabressa exclaimed.

”Oh no, not at all--with prudence and disinterestedness; with calmness and no prejudice; and, above all, with a resolution to conceal from our friend and colleague Lind that any slight of suspicion is being put upon him.”

”Oh, you can trust me, Excellenza!” Calabressa said, eagerly.

”Let me do this for the sake of the sweetheart of my old age--that is that beautiful-souled little one; and if I cannot bring her peace and security one way--mind, I go without prejudice--I swear to you I go without bias--I will harm no one even in intention--but this I say, that if I fail that way there is another.”

”You have seen the two men, Beratinsky and Reitzei, who were of the ballot along with Lind and the Englishman. To me they are but names.

Describe them to me.”

”Beratinsky,” said Calabressa, promptly, ”a bear--surly, pig-headed; Reitzei, a fop--sinuous, petted.”

”Which would be the more easily started, for example?” the tall man said, with a smile.

”Oh, your Excellency, leave that to me,” Calabressa answered. ”Give me no definite instructions: am I not a volunteer?--can I not do as I please, always with the risk that one may knock me over the head if I am impertinent?”

”Well, then, if you leave it to your discretion, friend Calabressa, to your ingenuity, and your desire to have justice without bias, have you money?”

”Not at all, Excellenza.”

”The Secretary Granaglia will communicate with you this evening. You can start at once?”

”By the direct train to-morrow morning at seven. Excellenza.” Then he added, ”Oh, the devil!”

”What now?”

”There was a young fellow, Excellenza, committed the imprudence of d.o.g.g.i.ng my footsteps this afternoon. I know him. I stopped him and referred him to the captain of the schooner _La Svezia_: he was to bring me the receipt to morrow.”

”Never mind,” said the general, laughing; ”we will look after him when he goes on board. Now do you understand, friend Calabressa, the great delicacy of the mission the Council have intrusted to you? You must be patient, sure, unbia.s.sed; and if, as I imagine, Lind and you were not the best of friends at one time in your life, you must forget all that.

You are not going as the avenger of his daughter; you are going as the minister of justice--only you have power behind you; that you can allow to be known indirectly. Do you understand?”

”It is as clear as the noonday skies. Confide in me, Excellenza.” The other rose.

”Use speed, my Calabressa. Farewell!”