"Can I?" I said.

"You must if need be"--and the Baron gave a most significant
look which was not lost upon me--"carry on an intrigue
with one or, better, with several of them. Are you ready
for it?"

"More than ready," I said.

"Very good. But this is only a part. You are expected
also to familiarize yourself with the leaders of the
great financial interests. You are to put yourself on
such a footing with them as to borrow large sums of money
from them. Do you object to this?"

"No," I said frankly, "I do not."

"Good! You will also mingle freely in Ambassadorial and
foreign circles. It would be well for you to dine, at
least once a week, with the British Ambassador. And now
one final word"--here Gestern spoke with singular
impressiveness--"as to the President of the United States."

"Yes," I said.

"You must mix with him on a footing of the most open-handed
friendliness. Be at the White House continually. Make
yourself in the fullest sense of the words the friend
and adviser of the President. All this I think is clear.
In fact, it is only what is done, as you know, by all