"I will let you know, by a note to your room, m"sieur."
Hubert, fearing to meet His Excellency in the salle a manger, went out and dined at the Cura.s.sier, a noted restaurant in the Rue Nationale, and did not return before half-past ten.
In his room he found a scribbled line as arranged.
Then, descending by the lift, he sought the a.s.sistant concierge, and from him discovered that the pair were in consultation in room Number 164.
"Yes, I believe there is a door between that and the next room, m"sieur," the man replied.
"Good. Then get me the key for an hour or so, and I will make it all right with you."
The profession of concierge is synonymous of bribery. No concierge in Europe lives upon his stipend. Hence within ten minutes Hubert was crouched against the door of the adjoining room, listening to the conversation of the Italian Minister of War and the stranger from Berlin--a conversation which certainly proved highly instructive.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
GOVERNMENT SECRETS.
Like most doors separating rooms in Continental hotels those of the Univers at Tours were no exception. They were thin, and Hubert, kneeling with his ear to the crack, could distinctly hear the conversation between the Cabinet Minister who was pa.s.sing under the una.s.suming name of Emilio Conio.
Apparently His Excellency had only a very limited knowledge of German, and the pair were therefore speaking in very indifferent French. The Italian can seldom speak French well.
Very soon Waldron ascertained that the secret meeting had been arranged in order to discuss a forthcoming army contract for one hundred and eighty thousand pairs of boots, lucrative, no doubt. Contracts in these days are always lucrative. There is commission somewhere.
"We have had many tenders," His Excellency said. "Firms in England, France, and Italy have sent in quotations and samples, in addition to four German firms, including your own."
"But they are all strangers, Your Excellency, no doubt," replied the gentleman from Berlin very suavely. "We are not strangers, and the terms we offer must, I think, commend themselves to you. Our last deal turned out satisfactory for both sides, did it not?"
"Except that my secretary became suddenly most avaricious."
"By some indiscretion on Your Excellency"s part, no doubt. Secretaries are only hirelings."
"Probably I was foolish," the General laughed. "But as I wrote you, I think that if I pa.s.s an order of this magnitude your firm ought to-- well, they ought to increase its generosity."
"Ah! Excellency, things are cut so terribly fine. You do not know. In order to compete with those Northampton and Leicester firms we have to be content with the very slightest margin of profit, and after our secret commission to you there is really nothing left. We have to live and pay our people. Besides you tie us down so rigidly to dates of delivery."
"Unfortunately I am compelled. I cannot show any favour to you, or our a.s.sociation would at once be detected."
And so, for half an hour, the two men haggled and bargained, until the General who, from the conversation, had, it seemed, got six thousand pounds out of a recent contract from army food, grew impatient and said:
"Well, it seems that we cannot do business. I am really sorry. But I have Menier, of Ma.r.s.eilles, coming to see me here at noon to-morrow. He will be a little more generous than yourself. I happen to know the large commissions which you recently paid in Turkey to secure the contract. So why strangle me--eh?"
"Exactly, m"sieur. But to supply army boots to Turkey and to Italy are quite different matters. To Turkey one can send any rubbish that will hang together--soles of millboard, if necessary--for with a little baksheesh anything will be pa.s.sed. But in Rome you have your commission, remember, and those officers of yours cannot be bribed."
"Perhaps it is as well," laughed the General. "What I fear is that if I sign your contract my secretary will at once suspect commission, and make a demand upon me--as he did before--the worm!"
"Well, permit me to remark that the sum is a really respectable one, and if we pay it on receipt of the contract into an English bank to the account of the Countess Cioni, as before, it cannot be traced to you."
"Ah yes. But my secretary is a very shrewd person. I would have to give him something--however small."
Again the two men haggled, while Waldron knelt, holding his breath and listening to the corrupt bargain whereby the Italian Army were to be supplied with inferior German boots in order that His Excellency, the Minister of War, should profit. But in most European countries the same thing is done and winked at.
"If you are to have the contract, Herr Steinberg," the General said decisively at last, "you must give me an extra half per cent. I will not sign it without."
"Upon the whole amount?"
"Yes, on the whole amount."
"But the total contract amounts to nearly a million francs."
"Exactly. I gave you the tinned-food contract. It is large, therefore I require a larger sum for my signature."
There was silence for a few moments.
To Waldron it seemed by the rustle of paper that the German contractor must be scribbling a rapid sum to see exactly what the commission amounted to.
"I shall, of course, want the usual sum, twenty-five thousand francs down and the balance placed to the credit of the Countess in London seven days after the signed contract is delivered to you in Berlin," His Excellency said.
"Well," exclaimed the German in dismay at last. "That leaves us so very little that I really cannot decide it off-hand. I must telegraph at once to my partner, and will give you a decision to-morrow."
"No, Herr Steinberg," was the General"s answer. "I must know now--at once--yes or no. Personally it would give me greater popularity if I dealt in France, rather than in Germany. Besides, if I deal with Menier, my secretary knows nothing. So there is the position. You may leave or accept my terms--whichever you like. It is quite immaterial to me."
Again they argued and haggled, the German pleading for time to communicate with his partner in Berlin, the General quite obdurate. The latter had much experience of contractors.
At last Herr Steinberg, shrewd business man that he was, seeing that the General"s mind was made up, said: "Very well. I accept your terms."
"Good," answered the General. "I shall sign the contract as soon as I return to Rome--the day after to-morrow--and send it to you in Berlin by special messenger."
"Agreed. Perhaps you will write me a letter?"
"At once," was the reply. Then after another brief silence, during which time both had scribbled some agreement, the German said:
"I think that will suffice."
"And this?" asked the General.
They read each other"s letters, expressed satisfaction, and then Waldron heard a slight click, the opening and shutting of a wallet.
Some notes were counted out--to the sum of one thousand pounds. They rustled, and the listener knew that they were English notes so that they could not be traced so easily as those which the unscrupulous German contractor might withdraw from his own bank in Berlin.
His Excellency counted them, declared the sum to be correct, and then, after a further brief conversation the German left, His Excellency remaining so as not to be seen in his company.
The deal was concluded. Though interesting to Hubert, it however carried him no farther in his inquiry. It proved of course that General Cataldi, Minister of War, was corrupt and unscrupulous, yet were not the majority of the men who formed the Cabinet equally ready to accept bribes?
He stood in that artistically furnished bedroom full of chagrin. He had practically had his journey there for nothing, and had lost valuable time by his absence from Rome.
Therefore he slipped out along the corridor, and two hours later was on his way to Culoz, to catch the _train-de-luxe_ from Paris to Rome.
During that night as the express roared through the mountains he lay in his narrow sleeping-berth watching the green-shaded lamp above, and full of conflicting thoughts.