be rather irritating. But do take care. And, since you have decided to leave, come back to me as quickly as possible. Must you wait for so long before resigning? I suppose you’ll have to give a month’s notice, and that means that you won’t be home until the end of June. Quite apart from the fact that it’s very lonely here without you, I am consumed with curiosity. Write to me again very soon.
My love to you, darling, and bless you.
Claire.
I had an idea that most poetic justice was pretty crude.
From Alfred Pelcher, Esq., to myself.
Wolverhampton,
April 19.
Dear Mr. Marlow,
Congratulations! It’s a fine piece of news and, as you say, the price is quite the best we have been able to get so far. Mr. Fitch, who asks me to add his felicitations to mine, tells me that, according to the specifications you have forwarded to him, the total cost of modifications will add about thirty shillings to the works cost of each machine. Your own personal estimate probably told you that. It is, I must say, a most “ ingenious ” arrangement.
Mr. Fitch will be writing to you concerning the way in which the financial details are to be handled and other matters, but I thought that I should like to send you this personal word of congratulation. It is a splendid start. Now we must see if we cannot “ repeat the dose.” What do you say?
Yours sincerely,
Alfred Pelcher.
From Maggiore Generale J. L. Vagas to myself.
Corso Di Porta Nuova,
Milano,
April 20.
My dear Mr. Marlow,
I am anxious to have a chat with you on a matter of some importance. I should be pleased if you could spare time to dine with me at my house to-morrow. Shall we say at eight o’clock? Perhaps you would be good enough to telephone me if you are unable to come.
With kindest regards,
Yours sincerely,
J. L. Vagas.
From myself to Maggiore Generale J. L. Vagas. By hand.
Hotel Parigi,
Milano,
April 21.
My dear General,
I am afraid that I cannot dine with you to-morrow. May I remind you of our conversation on the subject of future communications between us?
Yours very truly,
Nicholas Marlow.
From “J. L. Venezetti” to “N. Marinetti,” Poste Restante, American Express, Milano.
MILANO,
April 21.
Dear Sir,
I should not have requested an interview unless the matter were of vital importance. It is imperative that I see you at once. Will you please let me know by return of post when and where I can meet you. I leave the time and the place to your selection.
Yours faithfully,
J. L. Venezetti.
From “N. Marinetti” to “J. L. Venezetti,” Poste Restante, Wagon-Lits-Cook, Milano.
Milano,
April 22.
Dear Sir,
I shall be driving a dark-blue Fiat limousine at about 35 km. per hour along the Milan-Varese autostrada at about 10.45 on Sunday night. I shall stop only for a car drawn up at the side of the road facing Varese and about 25 km. from Milan and showing two rear lights close together.
Yours faithfully,
N. Marinetti.
11
It was Zaleshoff who had made the arrangements for the meeting between Vagas and myself. I had received his proposals with some amusement.
“Blood and thunder,” I had commented.
He had frowned. “I don’t know about the thunder, but if the Ovra gets on to the fact that you’re meeting Vagas, it’ll be your blood all right.”
“Where’s the Fiat coming from?”
“I’ll fix that.”
“But why on Sunday?”
“Because there’ll be a procession here on Sunday afternoon.”
“What’s that got to do with it?”
“You’ve been under surveillance practically ever since you came here and since that beating up they gave you, you’ve had two of the guys on your tail. Did you know that?”
“Yes, I’ve seen them. They hang about opposite the office all day.”
“Before you can meet Vagas you’ll have to get rid of them. This procession’ll make it easy.”
“How?”
“You’ll see. You write that letter.”
I had written it.
Waiting to be blackmailed is an odd experience. I could not help wondering how Vagas would set about it. What line would he take? He had, hitherto, been all amiability. There was even a sort of oily charm about him. Would he shed his amiability or would the charm intensify, a velvet glove to enclose the mailed fist? I amused myself by speculating.
There was about those days I spent in Milan a curious air of the fantastic. That I had regretted the mood of bitter resentment that had led me into agreeing to carry out Zaleshoff’s plan, goes without saying. Yet, such is the mind’s ability to adapt itself to an idea, the thought that I might back out of the whole business occurred to me only as a sort of protest, an unexecutable threat. And I had decided to resign from Spartacus. That was the important thing. It was, perhaps, that decision more than anything else that determined my attitude. I was shortly to leave Milan. The fact lent a disarming air of impermanence to the situation. In two months or so I should be home and then I really could get down to the business of getting a good job. What happened between now and then seemed of secondary importance. I no longer identified myself with Spartacus. As I had told Claire, I had no conscience about the company. I had, with Vagas’ assistance, secured a valuable order for them. That was that. All I had to do until the time came for me to leave was to see that their interests were adequately protected. If the opportunity presented itself I would secure still more business for them. That was all. In point of fact, it was no less than I should have done if I had been remaining with them. But my attitude was different, it was qualified. I had a sense
