said the other, "be seated," and he pointed with a beautifully white hand to a chair by the table. "I desire some little conversation with you. I am the Earl of Marlborough." And as he mentioned his name he put out that white hand again and offered it to me, I taking it with all imaginable respect. He was at this time the most conspicuous subject of any sovereign in the world; his name was known from one end of Europe to the other. Also it was the most feared, although he had not yet put the crowning point to his glory nor risen to the highest rank for which he was destined. But he was very near his zenith now-his greatness almost at its height-and, I have often thought since, there was something within him at this time which told him it was close at hand. For he had an imperturbable calmness, an unfailing quiet graciousness, as I witnessed afterward on many occasions, which alone could be possessed by one who felt sure of himself. In every word he spoke, in his every action, he proclaimed that he was certain of, and master of, his destiny!
"My Lord Athlone tells me," he continued, when I was seated, the soft voice flowing musically, "that you have the fitting aspirations of a soldier-desire a regiment, and are willing to earn one."
I bowed and muttered that to succeed in my career was my one desire, and that if I could win success I would spare no effort. Then he went on:
"You speak French. That is good. Also Spanish. That, too, is good. Likewise, I hear, can disguise your identity as an Englishman if necessary. That is well, also. Mr. – " and he took up a piece of paper lying before him, on which I supposed my name was written, "Mr. Crespin, I-we-are going to employ you on secret service. Are you willing to undertake it?"
"I am willing, my Lord, to do anything that may advance my career. Anything that may become a soldier."
"That is as it should be. The light in which to regard matters-anything that may become a soldier. That before all. Well, to be short, we are going to send you to Cadiz."
"To Cadiz, my Lord!" I said, unable to repress some slight feeling of astonishment.
"Yes. To Cadiz, where you will not find another English soldier. Still that will, perhaps, not matter very much, since we do not desire you when there to appear as a soldier yourself. You are granted leave from your regiment indefinitely while on this mission, and, at the first at least, you will be a private gentleman. Also, when at Cadiz, you will please to be anything but an English gentleman."
"Or a Dutch one," put in the other earl with a guttural laugh. "Therefore, assume not the Dutch accent."
Evidently my Lord Marlborough did not know of the joke underlying this remark, since he went on:
"As a Frenchman you will have the best chance. Or, perhaps, as a Swiss merchant. But that we leave to you. What you have to do is to get to Cadiz, and, when there, to pass as some one, neither English nor Dutch, who is engaged in ordinary mercantile pursuits. Then when the fleet comes in-"
"The fleet, my Lord!"
"Yes. The English fleet. I should tell you-I must make myself clear. A large fleet under Admirals Rooke and Hopson, as well as some Dutch admirals, are about to besiege Cadiz. They will shortly sail from Portsmouth, as we have advices, and it is almost a certainty that they will succeed in gaining possession of the island, which is Cadiz. That will be of immense service to us, since, while we are fighting King Louis in the north, the Duke of Ormond, who goes out in that fleet in command of between thirteen and fourteen thousand men, will be able to attack the Duke of Anjou, or, as he now calls himself, King Philip V of Spain, in the south. But that is not all. We are not sending you there to add one more strong right arm to His Grace's forces-we could utilize that here, Mr. Crespin," and he bowed courteously, "but because we wish you to convey a message to him and the admirals."
I, too, bowed again, and expressed by my manner that I was listening most attentively, while the earl continued:
"The message is this: We have received information from a sure source that the galleons now on their way back to Spain from the Indies have altered their plan of arrival because they, in their turn, have been informed in some way, by some spy or traitor, that this expedition will sail from England. Therefore they will not go near Cadiz. But the spot to which they will proceed is Vigo, in the north. Now," and he rose as he spoke, and stood in front of the empty fireplace, "your business will be to convey this intelligence to Sir George Rooke and those under him, and I need not tell you that you are like enough to encounter dangers in so conveying it. Are you prepared to undertake them?"
CHAPTER III.
I FIND A SHIP
"You see," the Earl of Marlborough continued, while Ginkell and I stood on either side of him, "that neither your risks nor your difficulties will be light. To begin with, you must pass as a Frenchman, or, at least, not an Englishman, for Cadiz, like all Spanish ports and towns, will not permit of any being there. Therefore, your only way to get into it is to be no Englishman. Now, how, Mr. Crespin, would you suggest reaching the place and obtaining entry? It is far away."
I thought a moment on this; then I said:
"But Portugal, my lord, is not closed to us. That country has not yet thrown in its lot with either France or Austria."
"That is true. And the southern frontier of Portugal is very near to Spain-to Cadiz. You mean that?"
"Yes. I could proceed to the frontier of Portugal, could perhaps get by sea to Tavira-then, as a Frenchman, cross into Spain, and so to Cadiz."
He pondered a little on this, then said: "Yes, the idea is feasible. Only, how to go to Tavira?" and he bent over a chart lying on the table, and regarded it fixedly as he spoke. "How to do that?" running his finger down the coast line of Portugal as he spoke, and then up again as far north as the Netherlands, stopping at Rotterdam.
"All traffic is closed," he muttered, "between Spain and Holland now, otherwise there would be countless vessels passing between Rotterdam and Cadiz which would doubtless put you ashore on the Portuguese coast. But now-now-there will scarce be any."
Ginkell had been called away by one of his aides-de-camp as his lordship bent over the chart and mused upon it, or, doubtless, his astute Dutch mind might have suggested some way out of the difficulty that stared us in the face; but even as we pondered over the sheet an idea occurred to me.
"My Lord," I said, "may I suggest this: That I should make my way to Rotterdam to begin with-by some chance there may be a ship going south-through some part of the bay at least. But even if it is not so-if all traffic is stopped-why then I could at least get to England, might arrive there before the fleet sails for Cadiz."
"Nay," his Lordship interrupted; "you would be too late. They may have sailed by now."
"I know not what further to propose, my Lord."
"We must risk it," he said, promptly. "Chance your finding some vessel by which you can proceed, even if only part of the way. The hope is a poor one, yet 'tis worth catching at. King Louis wants the money those galleons are bringing; his coffers are empty; he hardly knows where to turn for the wherewithal to pay his and his grandson's men; we want it, too, if we can get it. Above all, we want to prevent the wealth falling into the hands of Spain, which now means France. Mr. Crespin, on an almost forlorn chance you must start for Rotterdam."
"When shall I go, my Lord? To-night? At once?"
"You are ready?"
"I am ready."
"Good! You have the successful soldier's qualities. Yes, you must go at once-at once."
That
