Treason’s Harbour. Patrick O’Brian

host of very passionate objections rose in Stephen’s bosom; but he had long since ceased opening himself to any but intimate friends and now he only smiled, saying ‘Sure, it is a point of view.’

      ‘But in any event,’ said Wray, ‘it is clearly our duty to hamstring the universal empire, if I may use the expression. For my own part’ – lowering his voice and leaning over the table – ‘I have a somewhat delicate task in hand at present, and I should be grateful for your advice – the Admiral said I might apply to you. As soon as he comes in there will be a general meeting, and perhaps you would be so good as to attend.’

      Stephen said that he was entirely at Mr Wray’s service: a number of clocks striking near at hand and far reminded him that he was already late for his appointment with Laura Fielding, and springing up he took his leave.

      Wray watched Stephen hurry across the square and disappear down the busy street; then he returned to the church, quite empty at this hour, looked at the arrangement of the candles in the chapel dedicated to Saint Rocco and walked round to the south aisle, where a small door, usually locked but now only latched, let him into the secularized cloister. It was filled with barrels of one kind and another, and a passage in the far corner led to a warehouse, also filled with barrels: among them stood Lesueur with a pen and a book in his hand and an inkhorn in his buttonhole.

      ‘You have been a very long time, Mr Wray,’ he said. ‘It is a wonder the candles had not gone out.’

      ‘Yes. I was talking to a man I met in the church.’

      ‘So I am told. And what did you have to say to Dr Maturin?’

      ‘We were talking about plainchant. Why do you ask?’

      ‘You know he is an agent?’

      ‘Working for whom?’

      ‘For you, of course. For the Admiralty.’

      ‘I have heard of his being consulted: I know that reports have been submitted to him because of his knowledge of the political position in Catalonia, and that he has advised the Admiral’s secretary on Spanish affairs. But as for his being an agent … no, I should certainly never think of him as an agent. His name does not appear in the list of orders for payment.’

      ‘You do not know that he is the man who killed Dubreuil and Pontet-Canet in Boston and who almost wiped out Joliot’s organization through false information planted in the ministry of war – the man who ruined our cooperation with the Americans?’

      ‘Not I, by God,’ cried Wray.

      ‘Then it is clear that Sir Blaine has not been open with you. It may be his native cunning or it may be that someone, somewhere, has smelt a rat: you must look to your lines of communication, my friend.’

      ‘I have the lists of payments almost by heart,’ said Wray, ‘and I can absolutely assert that Maturin’s name is not on any of them.’

      ‘I am sure you are right,’ said Lesueur. ‘He is an idealist, like you, and that is what makes him so dangerous. However, it is just as well that you did not know; you would never have been able to talk to him so naturally. If any rats have been smelt, and if he knows about it, he is likely to dismiss them. Have you spoken to him about your mission?’

      ‘I made a general reference to it, and desired him to attend the meeting when the Commander-in-Chief arrives.’

      ‘Very good. But you would be well advised to keep your distance: treat him as a political consultant, an expert witness, no more. Apart from the ordinary surveillance, I have an agent working on him. He certainly has a private network of informants, some of them in France, and the name of even one might lead us to the rest and so to Paris … But he is a difficult, coriaceous animal and if this agent does not succeed quite soon, success is improbable, and I shall have to ask you to find some plausible manner of putting him out of the way, without compromising my position here.’

      ‘I see,’ said Wray. He considered for a while and then observed, ‘That can be arranged. If nothing else offers before, the Dey of Mascara will certainly deal with the situation. Indeed,’ he added after a moment’s reflection, ‘I believe the Dey can be used to the greatest advantage. He can be used to kill two birds with one stone, as we say.’

      Lesueur looked at him thoughtfully, and after a pause said, ‘Pray count the barrels on your side of the pillar. I cannot see them all from here.’

      ‘Twenty-eight,’ said Wray.

      ‘Thank you.’ Lesueur noted it down in his book. ‘I get seven francs fifty back on each, which is appreciable.’

      While he multiplied these figures to his own satisfaction Wray was visibly formulating his next words. When they came they had the awkward lack of spontaneity of a prepared speech and something more of righteous indignation than the occasion warranted. ‘You spoke of my being an idealist just now,’ he said, ‘and so I am. No sum could purchase my support: no sum did purchase my support. But I cannot live on ideals alone. Until my wife inherits I have only a very limited income, and while I am here I am forced to keep up my position. Sir Hildebrand and all those who can make a good thing out of the dockyard and the victualling play for very high stakes, and I am obliged to follow suit.’

      ‘You drew a large addition to your usual … grant-in-aid before leaving London,’ said Lesueur. ‘You cannot expect the rue Villars to pay your gambling debts.’

      ‘I certainly can when they are incurred for a reason of this kind,’ said Wray.

      ‘I will put it to my chief,’ said Lesueur, ‘but I can promise nothing. Yet surely,’ he said with a burst of impatience, ‘surely you can win these men’s confidence without playing high? It seems to me very poor practice.’

      ‘With these men it is essential,’ said Wray doggedly.