“Faith, and I’ll do that!  But how about yourself in this house?”

“I shall spend the week-end outside of London,” Victor replied, “not too far away, of course, and”—­the shadow of his satiric smile was briefly visible—­“prepared at any moment to answer the call of my stricken country....  The few who remain here will be provided with the essentials for their protection.  Furthermore, a general warning will be sent out to all who can be trusted.”

“And the others—?”

“With them it must be as Fate wills.”

“Women and children, potential sympathizers and supporters of all classes?” the Irishman persisted in incredulous horror—­“all?”

“All,” Victor affirmed, coldly.  “We who deal in the elemental passions that make revolutions, that is to say, in Life and Death, cannot afford qualms and scruples.  What are a few lives more or less in London?  These British breed like rabbits.”

“I see,” said Eleven, indistinctly.  He stared a moment and swallowed hard, then glanced hastily at his watch.  “I’ll be after bidding you good-night,” he said, “and pleasant dreams.  For meself, I’m a fool if I go to bed this night sober enough to dream at all, at all!”

Victor rang for Shaik Tsin to show him out.

“One question more, if you won’t take it amiss,” Eleven suggested, lingering.  And Victor inclined a gracious head.  “Have you thought of failure?”

“I have thought of everything.”

“Well, and if we do fail—?”

“How, for example?”

“How do I know what hellish accident may kick our plans into a cocked hat?  Anything might happen.  There’s your friend, the Lone Wolf, for instance ...”

“Have you not forgotten him yet?” Victor enquired in simulated surprise.  “Have you neglected to remark that since the blunderer failed to find the Council Chamber that night, when his raid at the Red Moon netted him only a handful of coolie gamblers and drug-addicts, he has left us to our own devices?”

“That’s what makes me wonder what the divvle’s up to.  His sort are never so dangerous as when apparently discouraged.”  “Be reassured.  I promised you three weeks ago his interference would not continue beyond that night.  It has not.  Lanyard knows I have his daughter, that any blow aimed at me must first strike her.”

“Doubtless yourself knows best....”

With the Irishman gone, Prince Victor turned to Sturm.

“You will want a good night’s sleep,” he suggested with pointed solicitude.  “Who knows but that to-morrow will bring your night of nights, my friend?”

He lapsed immediately into remote abstraction, sitting with chin bent to the tips of his joined fingers, his eyes downcast, motionless.

Disgruntled, but afraid to show it, the German cleared away the litter of papers, assorting them into huge portfolios, and took himself off.  Shaik Tsin replaced him, moving noiselessly about the room, restoring the reference books to the shelves and stowing the portfolios away in a massive safe hidden behind a lacquered screen.  This done, he stationed himself before his master, awaiting his attention, a shape of affable placidity, intelligent, at ease; his attitude not entirely lacking a suggestion of familiarity.