“The little Natalushka is grown big now; she is quite a woman.”

“A woman!  She will marry an Englishman, and become very rich:  is not that so?”

“Natalie—­I mean, Natalushka will not marry,” said the other coldly.  “She knows she is very useful to me.  She knows I have no other.”

“Maintenant:  the business—­how goes that?”

“Elsewhere, well; in England, not quite so well,” said Ferdinand Lind.  “But what can you expect?  The English think they have no need of co-operation, except to get their groceries cheap.  Why, everything is done in the open air there.  If a scoundrel gets a lash too many in prison, you have it before Parliament next week.  If a school-boy is kicked by his master, you have all the newspapers in the country ablaze.  The newspapers govern England.  A penny journal has more power than the commander-in-chief.”

“Then why do you remain in England?”

“It is the safest for me, personally.  Then there is most to be done there.  Again, it is the head-quarters of money.  Do you see, Calabressa?  One must have money, or one cannot work.”

The albino-looking man lit a cigarette.

“You despair, then, of England?  No, you never despair.”

“There is a prospect.  The Southern Englishman is apathetic; he is interested only, as I have said, in getting his tea and sugar cheap.  But the Northern Englishman is vigorous.  The trades’ associations in the North are vast, powerful, wealthy; but they are suspicious of anything foreign.  Members join us; the associations will not.  But what do you think of this, Calabressa:  if one were to have the assistance of an Englishman whose father was one of the great iron-masters; whose name is well known in the north; who has a large fortune, and a strong will?”

“You have got such a man?”

“Not yet.  He is only a Friend.  But if I do not misjudge him, he will be a Companion soon.  He is a man after my own heart; once with us, all the powers of the earth will not turn him back.”

“And his fortune?”

“He will help us with that also, no doubt.”

“But how did it occur to Providence to furnish you with an assistant so admirably equipped?”

“Do you mean how did I chance to find him?  Through a young English lord—­an amiable youth, who is a great friend of Natalie’s—­of Natalushka’s.  Why, he has joined us, too—­”

“An English milord!”

“Yes; but it is merely from poetical sympathy.  He is pleasant and warm-hearted, but to us not valuable; and he is poor.”

At this moment a bell rung, apparently in the adjoining apartment.  Calabressa jumped from his chair, and hastened to a door on his left, which he opened.  A portiere prevented anything being seen in the chamber beyond.

“Has the summons been answered?” a voice asked, from the other side.

“Yes, sir,” said Calabressa.  “Brother Lind is here.”