The captain's dispatches
are examined and the only document of real value is abstracted. Of
course it would be difficult to establish a case against the priest,
and it is always vexatious and troublesome to have dealings with
that class, as it generally means trouble with the peasantry. But
the case is as clear as crystal."
"But the intriguers here? Can you not deal with them?"
"I have them under observation," replied the colonel. "I already
knew the leaders, Souza's lieutenants in Lisbon, and I can put my
hand upon them at any moment. If I have not already done so it is
because I find it more profitable to leave them at large; it is
possible, indeed, that I may never proceed to extremes against them.
Conceive that they have enabled me to seize La Fleche, the most
dangerous, insidious and skilful of all Napoleon's agents. I found
him at Redondo's ball last week in the uniform of a Portuguese major,
and through him I was able to track down Souza's chief instrument -
I discovered them closeted with him in one of the card-rooms."
"And you didn't arrest them?"
"Arrest them! I apologised for my intrusion, and withdrew. La
Fleche took his leave of them. He was to have left Lisbon at dawn
equipped with a passport countersigned by yourself, my dear
adjutant.
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