第40章

`Ever since the time of the late Baron Stott-Wartenheim,' Mr Verloc answered in subdued tones, and protruding his lips sadly, in sign of sorrow for the deceased diplomat.The First Secretary observed this play of physiognomy steadily.

`Ah! ever since...Well! What have you got to say for yourself?' he asked, sharply.

Mr Verloc answered with some surprise that he was not aware of having anything special to say.He had been summoned by a letter - And he plunged his hand busily into the side pocket of his overcoat, but before the mocking, cynical watchfulness of Mr Vladimir, concluded to leave it there.

`Bah!' said the latter.`What do you mean by getting out of condition like this? You haven't got even the physique of your profession.You -a member of a starving proletariat - never! You - a desperate socialist or anarchist - which is it?'

`Anarchist,' stated Mr Verloc in a deadened tone.

`Bosh!' went on Mr Vladimir, without raising his voice.`You startled old Wurmt himself.You wouldn't deceive an idiot.They all are that by-the-by, but you seem to me simply impossible.So you began your connection with us by stealing the French gun designs.And you got yourself caught.That must have been very disagreeable to our Government.You don't seem to be very smart.

Mr Verloc tried to exculpate himself huskily.

`As I've had occasion to observe before, a fatal infatuation for an unworthy--'

Mr Vladimir raised a large, white, plump hand.

`Ah, yes.The unlucky attachment - of your youth.She got hold of the money, and then sold you to the police - eh?'

The doleful change in Mr Verloc's physiognomy, the momentary drooping of his whole person, confessed that such was the regrettable case.Mr Vladimir's hand clasped the ankle reposing on his knee.The sock was of dark blue silk.

`You see, that was not very clever of you.Perhaps you are too susceptible.'

Mr Verloc intimated in a throaty, veiled murmur that he was no longer young.

`Oh! That's a failing which age does not cure,' Mr Vladimir remarked, with sinister familiarity.`But no! You are too fat for that.You could not have come to look' like this if you had been at all susceptible.I'll tell you what I think is the matter: you are a lazy fellow.How long have you been drawing pay from this Embassy?'

`Eleven years,' was the answer, after a moment of sulky hesitation.

`I've been charged with several missions to London while His Excellency Baron Stott-Wartenheim was still Ambassador in Paris.Then by his Excellency's instructions I settled down in London.I am English.'

`You are! Are you? Eh?'

`A natural-born British subject,' Mr Verloc said, stolidly.`But my father was French, and so--'

`Never mind explaining,' interrupted the other.`I daresay you could have been legally a Marshal of France and a Member of Parliament in England - and then, indeed, you would have been of some use to our Embassy.'

This flight of fancy provoked something like a faint smile on Mr Verloc's face.Mr Vladimir retained an imperturbable gravity.

`But, as I've said, you are a lazy fellow; you don't use your opportunities.

In the time of Baron Stott-Wartenheim we had a lot of soft-headed people running this Embassy.They caused fellows of your sort to form a false conception of the nature of a secret service fund.It is my business to correct this misapprehension by telling you what the secret service is not.It is not a philanthropic institution.I've had you called here on purpose to tell you this.'

Mr Vladimir observed the forced expression of bewilderment on Verloc's face, and smiled sarcastically.

`I see that you understand me perfectly.I daresay you are intelligent enough for your work.What we want now is activity - activity.'

On repeating this last word Mr Vladimir laid a long white forefinger on the edge of the desk.Every trace of huskiness disappeared from Verloc's voice.The nape of his gross neck became crimson above the velvet collar of his overcoat.His lips quivered before they came widely open.

`If you'll only be good enough to look up my record,' he boomed out in his great, clear, oratorical bass, `you'll see I gave a warning only three months ago on the occasion of the Grand Duke Romuald's visit to Paris, which was telegraphed from here to the French police, and--'

`Tut, tut!' broke out Mr Vladimir, with a frowning grimace.`The French police had no use for your warning.Don't roar like this.What the devil do you mean?'

With a note of proud humility Mr Verloc apologized for forgetting himself.

His voice, famous for years at open-air meetings and at workmen's assemblies in large halls, had contributed, he said, to his reputation of a good and trustworthy comrade.It was, therefore, a part of his usefulness.It had inspired confidence in his principles.`I was always put up to speak by the leaders at a critical moment,' Mr Verloc declared, with obvious satisfaction.

There was no uproar above which he could not make himself heard, he added;and suddenly he made a demonstration.

`Allow me,' he said.With lowered forehead, without looking up, swiftly and ponderously, he crossed the room to one of the french windows.As if giving way to an uncontrollable impulse, he opened it a little.Mr Vladimir, jumping up amazed from the depths of the armchair, looked over his shoulder;and below, across the courtyard of the Embassy, well beyond the open gate, could be seen the broad back of a policeman watching idly the gorgeous perambulator of a wealthy baby being wheeled in state across the Square.

`Constable!' said Mr Verloc, with no more effort than if he were whispering;and Mr Vladimir burst into a laugh on seeing the policeman spin round as if prodded by a sharp instrument.Mr Verloc shut the window quietly, and returned to the middle of the room.

`With a voice like that,' he said, putting on the husky conversational pedal, `I was naturally trusted.And I knew what to say, too.'

Mr Vladimir, arranging his cravat, observed him in the glass over the mantelpiece.