ly," I remarked with irony. "It would be better if you
accepted me as a serious antagonist, believe me."

Petrovitch lowered his eyes in confusion, as he muttered,

"I apologize, Monsieur V----. I have blundered, as I now perceive."

"Let us resume. I was about to say that I had prevented the sailing
of this fleet, because I feared that its voyage might be marked by
some incident likely to bring Great Britain and Russia into
collision."

The financier raised his head and watched me keenly.

"You, yourself, M. Petrovitch, have been active, I believe, in
preparing the mind of the Czar and the Russian public for something
of the sort. Doubtless you have not done so without very good
grounds."

"My information leads me to think that a flotilla of torpedo boats is
being kept ready in the English ports for a night attack on our fleet
during its progress through the North Sea."

I smiled disdainfully.

"That is a false report. I have asked you to call here in the hope
that I might find you ready to assist me in discrediting it."

The Russian continued to watch me out of his narrow eyes.

"And, also," I added, "to assist me in preventing any attempt to give
color to it."

"I am not sure that I understand you, Monsieur V----."

"That is quite possible. I will speak more plainly. There are some
prophets who take a little trouble to make their prophesies come
true. I wish to know whether you and your friends have determined
that this particular prophesy shall come true--perhaps to fulfill it
yourselves?"

Petrovitch frowned and compressed his lips.

"So that is why you got me here?"

"I wished to see," I said blandly, "if it was possible for me to
offer you terms which might induce you to alter your views
altogether--in short, to stop the war."

The financier looked thunderstruck.

"Monsieur V----, you don't know what you ask! But you--would a
million rubles tempt you to come over, to be neutral, even?"

"I am a member, by adoption, of the imperial family of Japan," I
replied laconically.

Petrovitch was past surprise. If I had informed him that I was the
Mikado in disguise, I think he would have taken it as a matter of
course.

"This war is worth ten millions to me," he confessed hoarsely.

I shook my head with resignation.

"The price is too high. We must be enemies, not friends, I perceive."

The author of the war, who had regained his self-possession, did not
blanch at these words.

"I regret i