The Assassins by Alan Bardos (read novel full .TXT) 📕

have the door to where we live.' This was obviously a subject which the Russian Ambassador felt very strongly about and he could only express his strength of feeling in his mother tongue.

Johnny translated for de Bunsen, who asked if Russia would use the current crisis developing in the Balkans as a pretext to drive off the German threat and realise their aspirations for Constantinople.

The Russian Ambassador glowered at Johnny. 'The Imperial Russian Government has no intention of going to war on behalf of Serbia,' Johnny translated as the Ambassador continued to speak. 'However, if the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy were to crush Serbia, the predominance of both Austro-Hungary and her allies in the near east would become a serious threat to Russia's security. Our interests in the region would also be seriously impeded by a drop in prestige if Russia were not to fulfil its historic role as defender of the Slavs. We would be considered no more than a second rate power.'

De Bunsen exchanged a look with Pinkie and his staff. Johnny didn’t think Russia would stand for any further drop in status after the humiliation they’d suffered in their war with Japan and Austria's subsequent annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

'Any threat to the sovereignty of our Balkan little brothers, caused by the crime in Sarajevo, would not go unnoticed in Russia. We would have no choice but to defend the interests of both ourselves and our allies,' the Russian Ambassador said, reminding Johnny of something that Count Tisza had told him.

'But the Germans don't believe that Russia will intervene in what is essentially a matter of honour for Austro-Hungary to gain justice for their dead Heir,' Johnny blurted out in Russian before he’d thought about what he was saying. Both the Russian Ambassador and his staff eyed Johnny dubiously.

'What on earth are you saying to the Russian Ambassador?' de Bunsen asked, sensing a possible diplomatic incident. Johnny repeated what he’d said in English.

'You can’t possibly know that is the German Government’s thinking,' de Bunsen said sharply, putting Johnny in his place and making it clear that he had no business interpreting the policy of a great power.

‘I have a contact in the Austro-Hungarian Government,’ Johnny said proudly, and sensing an opportunity to shine in front of the British Ambassador, he relayed what Count Tisza had said to him during their last meeting.

‘Who is this contact?’ Pinkie asked. Johnny thought he sounded as if his professional pride had been hurt. ‘You’ve been in Vienna five minutes - you couldn’t have had time to make such a high level connection.’

Johnny doubted that they'd believe him if he said that it was the Hungarian Prime Minister, and he didn’t want to show Pinkie up any more, so he told them about Breitner, exaggerating his importance in the Joint Ministry of Finance. Johnny explained that he'd liaised with Breitner during a recent fact-finding trip that he’d undertaken in Bosnia.

‘Is that the chap you were with at the station?’ Pinkie asked, turning to de Bunsen. ‘Swift was in the company of an official from the Joint Ministry of Finance when I met him at the station, sir. They’d both returned from Sarajevo.’

‘Yes, that’s right. He’s been recalled to Vienna, to brief the Council of Joint Ministers on the assassination crisis. Very talkative after a couple of drinks,’ Johnny said wryly, reaching for a glass of champagne as a waiter floated past.

De Bunsen and his staff were incredulous. 'This contact told you that Germany has given Austria a free hand to deal with Serbia as they see fit, because they feel Russia won’t intervene if Austria attacks Serbia?' De Bunsen had switched back to French so that the Russians could follow what they were saying.

'Well, yes. After all, if any nation is touchy about members of their Royal Family being assassinated, then surely it's Russia,' Johnny replied, also in French, before finishing his champagne.

The Russian Ambassador’s face darkened and for a moment Johnny saw why the Russians were known as the 'steam-roller' of Europe. 'The thing I dislike about the frock coat is that it makes it difficult to separate the gentlemen from the lackey.’

He spoke in French directly to de Bunsen, who flinched, then turned to Johnny and said, ‘I think you’d better go before you do any more damage to our alliance with Russia.’

Johnny managed to find solace for his bruised self-esteem in more champagne. It didn't seem to matter what he did, he would never be seen as, 'one of us' by his social superiors, but he knew the day of the lackey was coming. The decaying old aristocrats would be cast out soon enough to make room for the middle classes, if what he'd seen in Sarajevo was anything to go by.

Lady Elizabeth Smyth finally turned up an hour later, gliding through the assembled elite in the same sparkly dress she'd worn in Vittel, indifferent to the envious and admiring stares she received. Johnny approached her and she gave him a cool, sideways glance. 'Oh, there you are. Well, you certainly took your time about it,' she said, moving away. Johnny followed.

'I couldn't get here any sooner. I was detained in police custody,' Johnny said, talking to the side of her head because she refused to turn around.

'Well, that was your own silly fault. I can’t believe you ran off like that.'

'So you left Sarajevo without me, Libby.' Johnny didn't really blame her for that, not with all the rioting that had been going on.

'Did you really expect me to wait around for you?' Libby said airily.

'No, I'm sure that would have been too much to hope for,' Johnny replied dully. He knew there wasn't any point in discussing it further - as far as she was concerned she'd left him a note and that was that.

'Do stop being tiresome, Johnny.' Libby turned around at last to