agent in the Camera. He had becomerich in a few years, owing to the various grants and concessions HisExcellency had made to him, yet somehow his personal extravagance kepthim always poor, always in want of money. He feared to calculate howmuch of the secret service funds had already found its way into hispocket, and yet with wily ingenuity he was there again for a grant, notfrom the secret service fund--for he knew well that the sum voted forthe present year was already exhausted--but from Camillo Morini's ownprivate purse.
Vito Ricci, with all the outward appearance of a gentleman, was utterlyunscrupulous. He worked in the Camera for the master who paid himbest--a fact which Morini knew too well. If the Socialists wereprepared to pay his price, then the man whom he had trained so cleverlyand promoted to place and power would calmly throw him over, and houndhim down with just as great an enthusiasm as he now supported him.
"I suppose," he went on at last, "it is, as usual, a matter of pricewith you--eh, Vito?"
"Well, I must live, just as you must," responded the other with a faintsmile as he discerned how terrified the Minister had become at theinformation he had just given him. "I have no private income, andtherefore must make money somehow."
"You have made plenty of it," the other remarked. "Only three monthsago you had fifty thousand lire out of the secret service fund."
"And I am now badly in want of an exactly similar amount," the deputydeclared.
"Ah! so that is the price--eh? Fifty thousand?"
"Yes. But of course I cannot guarantee success for that sum. It maycost more. I have to bribe the leaders of each of the groups in theChamber, and I flatter myself that I am the only man who can work themin favour of the Ministry."
"I admit that, my dear Vito. You are a marvel of tact and cunning.What a pity you did not enter the Diplomatic service! But the price.It is too high. I can't really afford to pay so much. Ah! if you knewhow heavy my personal expenses are, and how--"
"Of course," the other cried, interrupting. "You made the same excuselast time, but you paid these screaming hounds all the same. It issurely useless to waste breath upon argument. The facts are quiteplain, as I've already told you. If you pay for triumph you willprobably receive it; if you don't, you must fall, and Angelo Borselliwill be given your portfolio. Pardon me for saying it, Camillo, but oflate you have lived with your eyes shut. I have watched, and I haveobserved certain things. Recently you have held me aloof from you, justat a moment when I could be of greatest service. This, I confess, hashurt me. I believed you reposed confidence in me, but it seems that youmistrust me."
"I mistrust all blackmailers," was the Minister's quick reply, his darkeyes flashing at the speaker.
"Because you are one yourself," the other retorted quickly, with a grin."You yourself taught me the gentle art of blackmailing. But no! do notlet us revile each other. Rather let us face the critical situation. Itell you that you are blind--otherwise you would realise how cleverlyand with what devilish ingenuity your power is being undermined. Youmust bribe the groups--you must pay the sum I ask. It is your duty, notonly for your own sake, but for that of your family--the signora and theSignorina Mary."
The Minister of War stood undecided. Mention of his family brought hometo him the terrible responsibility upon him. Ruin, exposure,condemnation, disgrace, all stared him in the face. Yet by paying whathis creature demanded he could once again steer clear of the shoals ofthe stormy parliamentary waters, and the country would have renewedconfidence in Camillo Morini.
He knew that he was--as indeed he had been for years--entirely at themercy of this man whom he had trained as his secret agent both in theCamera and out of it.
"Well," he answered at last in a deep, hoarse, broken voice, "andsuppose I pay? What then?"
"Then I shall do my best," was Vito's response. "I can't, of course, becertain that I shall succeed, but as the groups require my influence inanother quarter, they will probably render me assistance in this."
Morini was pacing the room again. His appearance was that of a manfilled with apprehension. He saw that the situation was most critical,and recognised that ruin was before him. He glanced across at hiswriting-table, when his lips compressed and a strange, half-triumphantsmile overspread his grey countenance.
"Very well," he exclaimed, and his sigh ran through the great oldchamber. "I suppose you must have the money to throw to those howlingdogs. Call at the Ministry to-morrow and you shall have a draft."
"For sixty thousand," said the deputy quickly. "Better be on the safeside. I shall have to distribute money freely this time, you know."
But the Minister refused, knowing that the extra ten thousand lire wouldgo into Vito's pocket. Then they argued, long and hotly, Ricci, theaccomplished blackmailer, refusing openly to lend his influence for anyless sum, until at length the man who was so completely in his power wasreluctantly compelled to yield--for the sake of his wife and Mary, hesaid in sheer desperation.
"And now that you are again reposing confidence in me, my dear friend,"said the deputy, "let me give you a word of warning."
"Speak. I am all attention."
"Last season there was here in Rome a man named Dubard. You introducedus one night when I dined here. I have since heard that he is aspiringto your daughter's hand."
"Well?"
"Watch him, and you will discover something that will surprise you. Ishall say no more. The future is in your own hands."
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
THE SECRET AGENT.
A fat waiter conducted a well-dressed, lady-like girl up the greatmarble staircase of the Hotel Brun, in Bologna, rapped lightly at thedoor of a private sitting-room, and ushered her in.
Angelo Borselli, who rose to meet her, bowed politely, with a smile onhis sallow face, and welcomed his visitor.
She was about twenty-three, with very dark hair, fine big eyes, and awell-formed figure, rather stout, as are most of the Bolognese.
"I had given you up, signorina," he said. "I have waited for you overan hour."
"I could not get away before," she replied somewhat timidly. "At homethey seemed suspicious, and I had the greatest difficulty in cominghere." And she smiled, a faint flush suffusing her sunburnt cheeks.
"You came in a closed cab?"
"No, I went to the station and drove here in the hotel omnibus, asthough I had arrived by train. I thought it would excite lesssuspicion."
"Excellent!" laughed the Under-Secretary, glancing to see that the doorwas closed. "You are clever--always clever, Filomena. You will make afirst-class agent of the Ministry some day," he added approvingly.
She laughed as she seated herself in the chair he politely offered, andlaid the little fan she carried upon the table, replying--
"I always do my best. But my mother watches so closely that I have tobe most cautious."
"You have done exceedingly well," declared the schemer. "In this lastaffair you have rendered me the greatest assistance. Without you weshould have failed. But I have invited you here to learn all thedetails. I was in Paris at the time, and all I have gathered is fromthe official reports of the court-martial. They did not call you up toTurin, I hope?"
"No. They took my evidence in secret at the barracks here."
"And what did you tell them?"
"I described exactly what had happened. How the captain had a year agodeclared his love for me, and how he came to Bologna from Paris."
"And what else?"
"I described how I had received in confidence the mysterious packet fromhim, with instructions to hand it to a friend of his, a Frenchman, whowould make an appointment to meet me. What I told the three officerswho took down my statement seemed to create a great impression uponthem."
"Of course it would, because it is your statement that has condemnedSolaro."
"Condemned!" she gasped in blank surprise. "What, has he already beentried?"
"Yes, and dismissed the army."
"But he is--"
"There
are no buts, signorina," he quickly interrupted in a hard voice."If you render secret service to the Ministry you must never reason asto the why or the wherefore. Always rest assured that we are actingsolely for the benefit and safety of Italy."
She thought deeply for a moment.
"When I met the Frenchman by appointment at a seat in the Montagnolagarden, and gave him the packet, he broke it open, and I saw that sometracings were inside."
"And what did the Frenchman say?" inquired Borselli. "Oh, he was verypolite," she laughed, blushing slightly. "We walked about the gardenfor nearly half an hour; for he was a pleasant man, who spoke