“How have you found this out?” Julian gasped.

“From one of Germany’s chief friends in England.  He is high up in the diplomatic service of—­of a neutral country, but he has been working for Germany ever since the commencement of the war.  He has been helping in this.  He has seen me often with Nicholas Fenn, and he believes that I am behind the scenes, too.  He believes that I know the truth, and that I am working for Germany.  He is absolutely to be relied upon.  Every word that I am telling you is the truth.”

“What about Fenn?” Julian demanded breathlessly.

“Nicholas Fenn has had a hundred thousand pounds of German money within the last few months,” she replied.  “He is one of the foulest traitors who ever breathed.  Freistner’s first few letters were genuine enough, but for the last six weeks he has been imprisoned in a German fortress—­and Fenn knows it.”

“Have you any proof of all this?” Julian asked.  “Remember we have the Council to face, and they are all girt for battle.”

“Yes, I have proof,” she answered, “indirect but damning enough.  This man has sometimes forwarded and collected for me letters from connections of mine in Germany.  He handed me one to-night from a distant cousin.  You know him by name General Geroldberg.  The first two pages are personal.  Read what he says towards the end,” she added, passing it on to Julian.

Julian turned up the lamp and read the few lines to which she pointed: 

By the bye, dear cousin, if you should receive a shock within the next few days by hearing that our three great men have agreed to an absurd peace, do not worry.  Their signatures have been obtained for some document which we do not regard seriously, and it is their intention to repudiate them as soon as a certain much-looked for event takes place.  When the peace comes, believe me, it will be a glorious one for us.  What we have won by the sword we shall hold, and what has been wrested from us by cunning and treachery, we shall regain.

“That man,” Catherine declared, “is one of the Kaiser’s intimates.  He is one of the twelve iron men of Germany.  Now I will tell you the name of the man with whom I, have spent the evening.  It is Baron Hellman.  Believe me, he knows, and he has told me the truth.  He has had this letter by him for a fortnight, as he told me frankly that he thought it too compromising to hand over.  To-night he changed his mind.”

Julian stood speechless for a moment, his fists clenched, his eyes ablaze.

Catherine threw herself into his easy-chair and loosened her coat.

“Oh, I am tired!” she moaned.  “Give me some water, please, or some wine.”

He found some hock in the sideboard, and after she had drunk it they sat for some few minutes in agitated silence.  The street sounds outside had died away.  Julian’s was the topmost flat in the block, and their isolation was complete.  He suddenly realised the position.