the illustrious prince-第26节

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sions　of　those　few　months；　but　a　phrase；　a　word；　even　a　gesture；　to　a　clever　woman　might　mean　a　great　deal。　It　might　also　mean　a　great　deal　to　us。〃

〃I'll　mention　it；〃　the　Duke　promised；　〃but　I　am　afraid　my　womenfolk　are　scarcely　up　to　this　sort　of　thing。　The　best　plan　would　be　to　tackle　him　ourselves　down　at　Devenham。〃

〃I　thought　of　that；〃　the　Prime　Minister　assented。　〃That　is　why　I　am　coming　down　myself　and　bringing　Bransome。　If　he　will　have　nothing　to　say　to　us　within　a　week　or　so　of　his　departure；　we　shall　know　what　to　think。　Remember　my　words；　Devenham；when　our　chronicler　dips　his　pen　into　the　ink　and　writes　of　our　government；　our　foreign　policy；　at　least；　will　be　judged　by　our　position　in　the　far　East。　Exactly　what　that　will　be　depends　upon　Prince　Maiyo。　With　a　renewal　of　our　treaty　we　could　go　to　the　country　tomorrow。　Without　it；　especially　if　the　refusal　should　come　from　them；　there　will　be　some　very　ugly　writing　across　the　page。〃

The　Duke　threw　away　his　cigarette。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃we　can　only　do　our　best。　The　young　man　seems　friendly　enough。〃

The　Prime　Minister　nodded。

〃It　is　precisely　his　friendliness　which　I　fear；〃　he　said。



CHAPTER　XVII。　A　GAY　NIGHT　IN　PARIS

Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　was　almost　as　much　at　home　at　the　Grand　　Hotel；　Paris；　as　he　had　been　at　the　Savoy　in　London。　His　headquarters　were　at　the　American　Bar；　where　he　approved　of　the　cocktails；patronized　the　highballs；　and　continually　met　fellow…countrymen　with　whom　he　gossiped　and　visited　various　places　of　amusement。　His　business　during　the　daytime　he　kept　to　himself；　but　he　certainly　was　possessed　of　a　bagful　of　documents　and　drawings　relating　to　sundry　patents　connected　with　the　manufacture　of　woollen　goods；　the　praises　of　which　he　was　always　ready　to　sing　in　a　most　enthusiastic　fashion。

Mr。　Coulson　was　not　a　man　whose　acquaintance　it　was　difficult　to　make。　From　five　to　seven　every　afternoon；　scorning　the　attractions　of　the　band　outside　　and　the　generally　festive　air　which　pervaded　the　great　tea　rooms；　he　sat　at　the　corner　of　the　bar　　upon　an　article　of　furniture　which　resembled　more　than　anything　else　an　office　stool；　dividing　　his　attention　between　desultory　conversation　with　any　other　gentleman　who　might　be　indulging　in　a　drink；　and　watching　the　billiards　in　which　some　of　his　compatriots　were　usually　competing。　It　was　not；　so　far　as　one　might　judge；　a　strenuous　life　which　Mr。　Coulson　was　leading。　He　had　been　known　once　or　twice　to　yawn；　and　he　had　somewhat　the　appearance　of　a　man　engaged　in　an　earnest　but　at　times　not　altogether　successful　attempt　to　kill　time。　Perhaps　for　that　reason　he　made　acquaintances　with　a　little　more　than　his　customary　freedom。　There　was　a　young　Englishman；　for　instance；　whose　name；　it　appeared；　was　Gaynsforth；　with　whom；　after　a　drink　or　two　at　the　bar；　he　speedily　became　on　almost　intimate　terms。

Mr。　Gaynsforth　was　a　young　man；　apparently　of　good　breeding　and　some　means。　He　was　well　dressed；　of　cheerful　disposition；　knew　something　about　the　woollen　trade；　and　appeared　to　take　a　distinct　liking　to　his　new　friend。　The　two　men；　after　having　talked　business　together　for　some　time；　arranged　to　dine　together　and　have　what　they　called　a　gay　evening。　They　retired　to　their　various　apartments　to　change；　Mr。　Gaynsforth　perfectly　well　satisfied　with　his　progress；　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　with　a　broad　grin　upon　his　face。

After　a　very　excellent　dinner；　for　which　Mr。　Gaynsforth　insisted　upon　paying；　they　went　to　the　Folies　Bergeres；　where　the　Englishman　developed　a　thirst　which；　considering　the　coolness　of　the　evening；　was　nothing　short　of　amazing。　Mr。　Coulson；　however；　kept　pace　with　him　steadily；　and　toward　midnight　their　acquaintance　had　steadily　progressed　until　they　were　certainly　on　friendly　if　not　affectionate　terms。　A　round　of　the　supper　places；　proposed　by　the　Englishman；　was　assented　to　by　Mr。　Coulson　with　enthusiasm。　About　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　Mr。　Coulson　had　the　appearance　of　a　man　for　whom　the　troubles　of　this　world　are　over；　and　who　was　realizing　the　ecstatic　bliss　of　a　temporary　Nirvana。　Mr。　Gaynsforth；　on　the　other　hand；　although　half　an　hour　ago　he　had　been　boisterous　and　unsteady；　seemed　suddenly　to　have　become　once　more　the　quiet；　discreet…looking　young　Englishman　who　had　first　bowed　to　Mr。　Coulson　in　the　bar　of　the　Grand　Hotel　and　accepted　with　some　diffidence　his　offer　of　a　drink。　To　prevent　his　friend　being　jostled　by　the　somewhat　mixed　crowd　in　which　they　then　were；　Mr。　Gaynsforth　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　him。　He　even　let　his　hand　stray　over　his　person；　as　though　to　be　sure　that　he　was　not　carrying　too　much　in　his　pockets。

〃Say；　old　man；〃　he　whispered　in　his　ear；they　were　sitting　side　by　side　now　in　the　Bal　Tabarin；〃if　you　are　going　on　like　this；　Heaven　knows　where　you'll　land　at　the　end　of　it　all！　I'll　look　after　you　as　well　as　I　can；where　you　go；　I'll　gobut　we　can't　be　together　every　second　of　the　time。　Don't　you　think　you'd　be　safer　if　you　handed　over　your　pocketbook　to　me？〃

〃Right　you　are！〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared；　falling　a　little　over　on　one　side。　〃Take　it　out　of　my　pocket。　Be　careful　of　it　now。　There's　five　hundred　francs　there；　and　the　plans　of　a　loom　which　I　wouldn't　sell　for　a　good　many　thousands。〃

Mr。　Gaynsforth　possessed　himself　quickly　of　the　pocketbook；　and　satisfied　himself　that　his　friend's　description　of　its　contents　was　fairly　correct。

〃You've　nothing　else　upon　you　worth　taking　care　of？〃　he　whispered。　〃You　can　trust　me；　you　know。　You　haven't　any　papers；　or　anything　of　that　sort？〃

Then　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson；　who　was　getting　tired　of　his　part；　suddenly　sat　up；　and　a　soberer　man　had　never　occupied　that　particular　chair　in　the　Bal　Tabarin。

〃And　if　I　have；　my　young　friend；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃what　the　devil　business　is　it　of　yours？〃

Mr。　Gaynsforth　was　taken　aback　and　showed　it。　He　recovered　himself　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　realized　that　he　had　been　living　in　a　fool's　paradise　so　far　as　the　condition　of　his　companion　was　concerned。　He　realized；　also；　that　the　first　move　in　the　game　between　them　had　been　made　and　that　he　had　lost。

〃You　are　too　good　an　actor　for　me；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　he　said。　〃Suppose　we　get　to　business。〃

〃That's　all　right；〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered。　〃Let's　go　somewhere　where　we　can　get　some　supper。　We'll　go　to　the　Abbaye　Theleme；　and　you　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　me。〃

Mr。　Gaynsforth　handed　back　the　pocketbook　and　led　the　way　out　of　the　place　without　a　word。　It　was　only　a　few　steps　up　the　hill；　and　they　found　themselves　then　in　a　supper　place　of　a　very　different　class。　Here　Mr。　Coulson；　after　a　brief　visit　to　the　lavatory；　during　which　he　obliterated　all　traces　of　his　recent　condition；　seated　himself　at　one　of　the　small　flower…decked　tables　and　offered　the　menu　to　his　new　friend。

〃It's　up　to　you　to　pay；〃　he　said；　〃so　you　shall　choose　the　supper。　Personally；　I'm　for　a　few　oysters；　a　hot　bird；　and　a　cold　bottle。〃

Mr。　Gaynsforth；　who　was　still　somewhat　subdued；　commanded　the　best　supper　procurable　on　these　lines。　Mr。　Coulson；　having　waved　his　hand　to　a　few　acquaintances　and　chaffed　the　Spanish　dancing　girls　in　their　own　language；not　a　little　to　his　companion's　astonishment；at　last　turned　to　business。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃you　and　I　ought　to　understand　one　another。　You　are　over　here　from　London　either　to　pump　me　or　to　rob　me。　You　are　either　a　detective　or　a　political　spy　or　a　secret　service　agent　of　some　sort；　or　you　are　on　a　lay　of　your　own。　Now；　put　it　in　a　business　form；　what　can　I　do　for　you？　Make　your　offer；　and　let's　see　where　we　are。〃

Mr。　Gaynsforth　began　to　recover　himself。　It　did　not　follow；　because　he　had　made　one　mistake；　that　he　was　to　lose　the　game。

〃I　am　neither　a　detective；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　he　said；　〃nor　a　secret　service　agent；in　fact；　I　am　nothing　of　that　sort　at　all。　I　have　a　friend；　however；　who　for　certain　reasons　does　not　care　to　approach　you　himself；　but　who　is　nevertheless　very　much　interested　in　a　particular　event；　or　rather　incident；　in　which　you　are　concerned。〃

〃Good！〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared。　〃Get　right　on。〃

〃That　friend；〃　Mr。　Gaynsforth　continued　calmly；　〃is　prepared　to　pay　a　thousand　pounds　for　full　information　and　proof　as　to　the　nature　of　those　papers　which　were　stolen　from　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　on　the　night　of　March　22nd。〃

〃A　thousand　pounds；〃　Mr。　Coulson　repeated。　〃Gee　whiz！〃

〃He　is　also；〃　the　Englishman　continued；　〃prepared　to　pay　another　thousand　for　a　satisfactory　explanation　of　the　murder　of　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole　on　the　following　day。

〃Say；　your　friend's　got　the　stuff！〃　Mr。　Coulson　remarked　admiringly。

〃My　friend　is　not　a　poor　man；〃　Mr。　Gaynsforth　admitted。　〃You　see；　there's　a　sort　of　feeling　abroad　that　these　two　things　are　connected。　I　am　not　working　on　behalf　of　the　police。　I　am　not　working　on　behalf　of　any　one　who　desires　the　least　publicity。　But　I　am　working　for　some　one　who　wants　to　know　and　is　prepared　to　pay。〃

〃That's　a　very　interesting　job　you're　on；　and　no　mistake；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared。　〃I　wonder　you　waste　time　coming　over　here　on　the　spree　when　you've　got　a　piece　of　business　like　that　to　look　after。〃〃I　came　over　here；〃　Mr。　Gaynsforth　replied；　〃entirely　on　the　matter　I　have　mentioned　to　you。〃

〃What；　over　here　to　Paris？〃　Mr。　Coulson　exclaimed。

〃Not　only　to　Paris；