of money was one of supreme indifference to me, and my eyebrows in a
manner of doubt that M. Charles Saurez had the means wherewith to
repay my valuable services? By way of a rejoinder he took out from the
inner pocket of his coat a greasy letter-case, and with his
exceedingly grimy fingers extracted therefrom some twenty banknotes,
which a hasty glance on my part revealed as representing a couple of
hundred francs.

"I will give you this as a retaining fee," he said, "if you will
undertake the work I want you to do; and I will double the amount
when you have carried the work out success fully."

Four hundred francs! It was not lavish, it was perhaps not altogether
the price I would have named, but it was vary good, these hard times.
You understand? We were all very poor in France in that year 1815 of
which I speak.

I am always quite straightforward when I am dealing with a client who
means business. I pushed aside the litter of papers in front of me,
leaned my elbows upon my desk, rested my chin in my hands, and said
briefly:

"M. Charles Saurez, I listen!"

He drew his chair a little closer and dropped his voice almost to a
whisper.

"You know the Chancellerie of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?" he
asked.