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William Le Queux
Behind the Throne
Published by Good Press, 2021
EAN 4064066186630
Table of Contents
"Behind the Throne"
Chapter One.
The Cat’s-Paw.
“Of course the transaction is a purely private one. There is, I suppose, no chance of the truth leaking out? If so, it might be very awkward, you know.”
“None whatever. Your Excellency may rely upon me to deal with these people cautiously. Besides, they have their own reputation to consider—as well as ours.”
“And how much do you say they offer?” asked His Excellency in Italian, so that the English servants, if they were listening, should not understand.
“If you accept their conditions as they stand, they pay one hundred thousand francs—four thousand pounds sterling—into your account at the Pall Mall branch of the Credit Lyonnais on Monday next,” replied the other in the same language.
“And your share, my dear Angelo?”
“That is apart. I have arranged it.”
“And they’ll profit a million, and dress our unfortunate infantry in shoddy?”
“Possibly, but what does it really matter? A soldier’s clothes are of little concern, as long as he is well armed.”
“But the boots?—the contract