As the duke and his friends drew near the trio unmasked. Bora, catching sight of them, stopped in his walk, and then came slowly forward attended by his followers, all intent on enjoying the presumable mortification of the ministers.
"A sad blow this, dear marshal, to the feelings of the princess," began the duke blandly, and lighting a cigar as he spoke. "It's quite certain that the Appropriation Bill will pass."
"Pass? Oh! dear no. Nothing of the sort," replied Zabern in his most cheerful manner.
"We have just been informed that the second reading has been carried by a majority of 'eleven.'"
"Now, Saint Nicholas give you wisdom!" cried Bora, amid the scarcely repressed laughter of his creatures. "Are you clinging to the hope that the men who voted one thing to-night will vote the contrary seven days hence?"
"I _know_ that they will," returned Zabern, coolly.
"There is certain to be a full House next week--one hundred and twenty members, should Ravenna have returned from Rome in time to take part in the division. Out of that number I venture to prophesy that seventy will be found to reject the bill."
"Giving the ministry a majority of twenty?"
"Giving the ministry a majority of twenty," repeated Zabern.
Bora could only attribute this utterance to mere bravado.
"Marshal, I should like to know with what amount you will back your opinion," he sneered.
"With whatever sum your grace is prepared to back yours."
"I will stake five thousand roubles--" began the duke.
"Oh! your grace, make it more than that," said Zabern affably.
"I will double the amount. I will wager ten thousand roubles that the votes given against the bill will fall short of seventy."
"Let me have that wager in your handwriting, dear duke," said Zabern blandly. "The like sum from me if ministers have not seventy votes on their side, or a clear majority of twenty."
When the written pledges had been interchanged Radzivil spoke, addressing the duke in somewhat indignant tones.
"And do you bet, then, on the success of a measure known to be hateful to the princess?"
"This is a bill on which the best of friends may differ, as is shown by the schism among your own Polish adherents. Remember," he added, "there must be no underhand work to secure the passing of this bill, or my wager becomes null and void. There must be no bribery on the part of the ministry."