But they agreed thatthere was a certain subtlety about this young man, a certain suggestionof strength and confidence, that won their admiration.
Moreno perhaps did not repose quite so much confidence in them as theydid in himself.
"I hope to heaven they won't bungle it at the last minute," he said tohimself as he walked along. "If I were dealing with the French police,I shouldn't have a doubt."
He walked down the Puerta del Sol, past the Grand Hotel de la Paix. Hesaw the tall form of Contraras enter the vestibule. He shrugged hisshoulders, and a look of regret stole over his face.
"He is going to hearten her up for this night's work, the old devil,while he stands safely outside, and looks on. Poor little woman! Iwish I could save her. But how can you save a fanatic?" So ran histhoughts. "Why in the name of wonder does a woman who has goteverything in the world she requires want to mix herself up with thiswretched and bloodthirsty crew? She must lie on the bed she has made,and it will be a pretty hard one, I should wager."
Moreno walked swiftly in the direction of a poor quarter of the town.He entered the humble abode of an inferior member of the Spanish SecretService, where he doffed his working-man's garb and assumed his ordinaryclothes.
Later on, he saw Violet Hargrave, who was living close to him.
Violet seemed very restless and perturbed. "This is the great night,"she said by way of greeting. "I wonder if it will come off all right."
"I should say there is every chance it will, unless Valerie's nervefails her at the last moment," was Moreno's diplomatic answer.
Mrs Hargrave gave a little shudder. Her pretty delicate face went ashade paler.
"I cannot help feeling glad that I wasn't brought into it."
Moreno bent upon her his keen glance. "And yet I should not put youdown as a very tender-hearted person."
"I don't know that I am, or should be under certain circumstances. ButI have no grudge against these people, no particular wrong to avenge.Aren't you really glad you are out of it?"
"I suppose, in a way, I am. Still, one feels a bit of a coward inletting Valerie take all the risk. It seems taking advantage of herbravery, to snatch at the chance of avoiding all danger for oneself."
"I shall sit up very late, on the chance of hearing the news."
"On the contrary, I think I shall go to bed early," said Moreno. "Weshall hear nothing to-night in this distant quarter. And in the morningthere will be the news, or no news at all. The Chief will let us know."
The great Contraras, very upright and vigorous for his age, was showninto Mademoiselle Delmonte's sitting-room. She sprang up eagerly at hisentrance.
"I am so glad you have come. You are a little late, are you not?Luncheon will be served in a few moments."
He could see she was very restless, and her cheeks were pale; there wasa strange, almost unnatural brilliance in her dark eyes. Her voice wasjerky.
He took both her hands in his and pressed them tenderly. "You are notafraid, Valerie?"
He was a fanatic, bold, brutal, and ruthless in his fanaticism, ready tosacrifice anything and everybody to the one absorbing idea. But at thesight of those pale cheeks, that quivering mouth, a momentary regretassailed him. He was a father, and this beautiful young woman was youngenough to be his daughter.
"We ought to have had a man for this job," he said, speaking a littlehoarsely. "But you know you chose it yourself; you would not even haveanother associated with you."
"I know." She tried to laugh lightly, but there was a quaver in thelaugh. "I do not regret. I am not really afraid. But I suppose everysoldier on his first battlefield has inward tremors that he cannotrepress. I am a soldier of the Revolution, and to-night is my firstbattlefield."
"And you feel those tremors, eh?"
"Just a little, although I blush for them. But don't let us think ofthis. Ah, here comes lunch." They sat down to the meal. She was avery abstemious woman, and rarely partook of stimulants. But, in honourof Contraras' visit, she had ordered a bottle of champagne. Under itsexhilarating influence, her jangled nerves readjusted themselves, andshe became her natural self. The colour returned to her cheeks.
She raised her glass and nodded to her guest.
"To the new world, born upon the ruins of the old."
"Amen to that wish!" cried Contraras fervently, as he drank his wine inone long draught.
There was a long pause, which she broke abruptly. "I think I have toldyou I made my will in London last year."
Contraras nodded. "Yes, you told me that."
"But I did not tell you the details. I have left all my money in thehands of the Public Trustee, to divide amongst certain charities. Asprivate fortunes go, it is a fair one--but what a small sum to go to thealleviation of this vast amount of human misery!"
"You could not have made a better use of it," said Contrarasappreciatively.
"To you, my dear friend, I have left twenty thousand pounds to devote towhatever purpose you think fit. Of course you will apply that money tothe spreading of the propaganda."
"I much appreciate your kind thought, my dear Valerie; it is just likeyou. But may the day be far distant when--"
She raised her hand. "We will speak no more of that, please. I wonderwhat will be the result of to-night?"
"Success!" cried Contraras confidently. "Success!"
A few minutes later he rose to go.
"The Duchess will call for you in her carriage. Once arrived at thePalace, keep under her wing for some time, so as to avoid suspicion.Then seize your time and opportunity. Would you like me to come roundand see you before you start? But I shall look out for you at thePalace."
For a moment she did not answer him, she was pursuing the train of herown thoughts.
"I never told you I had my fortune told by a gipsy when I was sixteen.Would you like to know what she predicted?"
"If you wish," replied Contraras politely. He had no respect forgipsies or their prophecies.
"Ah, I see it won't interest you. I don't think you believe much in thespiritual side of existence. Still, I will tell it; it will not take amoment. Up to the present, it has come remarkably true. This gipsy,she was a very old woman, predicted that I should have a very hard lifefor some years, then would come some years of great good fortune, andthen--equally great tribulation."
Contraras smiled. "My dear child, she probably predicted precisely thesame things hundreds of times to her clients. The veil of the future isnot to be lifted by a wandering beggar-woman."
"Of course, I knew you would not be impressed, or perhaps you just sayit to cheer me."
She had forgotten his question--should he come and see her again beforeshe started for the Palace? He repeated it.
"No, my good friend, I would rather not. If all goes well, we shallmeet again often. If not, we will say good-bye here. A thousand thanksfor your friendship and kindness."
Could fanaticism go further? She was thanking this hardened old schemerfor his friendship and kindness--friendship and kindness that were readyto sacrifice her at any moment for his own ends.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
Moreno had declared to Violet Hargrave that he proposed to go to bedearly, and wait till to-morrow for the news.
When he spoke that had been his original intention. But, as the eveningdrew on, he began to feel a certain restlessness stirring in him.Certain things were about to happen, or, as he hoped, to be frustrated.He could hardly compose himself to sleep under the unusualcircumstances. He would go out, and form one of the undistinguishedcrowd that clustered round the Palace gates. If anything dramatichappened, he could not fail to be aware of it. The news would spreadlike wildfire.
On his arrival, he caught sight of a woman closely veiled standing closebeside him. He recognised her at once. It was evident that MrsHargrave could no more endure to stay indoors than he could.
He moved up a few paces and spoke to her in English, practically theirnative tongue.
"Th
e same sudden impulse seized both of us," he whispered. "Well, it isa very orderly crowd. I don't think we shall be pushed or knockedabout. We shall enjoy the sight of the grandees arriving. By the way,it is a pity we were not sent an invitation, then we could have seen itfrom the inside."
Violet Hargrave whispered back. "I simply couldn't stay indoors. Mynerves seem on edge to-night."
"Mine are a bit out of time, too," answered Moreno in a low voice.
And, while they were waiting, Moreno indulged in several philosophicalreflections.
A curious and not ill-natured crowd was gathered round the Palace,something like the throng that gathers round a wedding. There was noharm in these good-humoured, laughing persons, mainly of the