Under a Charm Volume I Part 17

"Might I in my turn inquire the names of these gentlemen?" continued Hubert.

"What makes you ask?" said the younger stranger, indifferently.

"I wish to know them."

"I am sorry for that. We don't wish to tell."

The a.s.sessor nodded as much as to say: "So I thought." "I am connected with the police department of L----," he said, significantly.

"Very agreeable position," said the stranger, his eyes just glancing at the official with an indifference positively offensive, and then wandering off and fixing themselves on the young girl, who had retreated to the window.

For a moment Hubert was disconcerted. They must indeed be case-hardened conspirators! Even the mention of the L---- police could extract from them no sign of alarm, though by this time some inkling of their fate must have dawned upon them. But there were means of overcoming their obduracy. The interrogation proceeded.

"About two hours ago you pa.s.sed me in a post-chaise?"

This time the younger man made no answer. He seemed to have had enough of the conversation; but the elder replied civilly, "Certainly, we noticed you in your carriage."

"At the last station you left the post-chaise and continued your journey on foot. You were, according to your own statement, bound for Wilicza--you avoided the high-road, and took a side-path across the fields." The a.s.sessor was sternly judicial now again, as he hurled out these accusations one after the other, in a manner which ought to have been crushing, and which did indeed produce some effect. The elder of the two conspirators showed signs of uneasiness, and the younger, on whom the lynx eye of the official had at once fixed as the more dangerous of the pair, went up quickly to his companion, and laid his hand protectingly as it were on the back of his chair.

"We put on our coats, too, when it began to get cool, and left a pair of gloves at the post-house by mistake," said the latter, with unconcealed irony. "Perhaps you would like to add these two facts to your interesting notes on our conduct and deportment."

"Sir, that is not a tone in which to address a representative of the Government," exclaimed Hubert, angrily.

The stranger shrugged his shoulders and turned to the window.

"You leave us quite to ourselves, Fraulein. Will you not come out and deliver us by your presence from this gentleman's unrefreshing discourse?"

The a.s.sessor was seized with a just wrath; such boldness was more than he could bear. The steward might come in at any moment now, he knew, so he threw to the winds his previous caution, and replied in a lofty tone--

"I fear there is much before you that you will find unrefreshing. In the first place you will give me your names, deliver up your papers. I require it, I insist upon it. In a word, you are suspicious characters."

That blow told. The pale gentleman started up with every appearance of trepidation. "Good Heavens, what do you say!"

"Ah, so the consciousness of guilt makes itself felt at last, does it?"

said Hubert, triumphantly. "You winced yourself," he a.s.serted, turning to the other, and looking up at him with an authoritative air. "Do not attempt to deny it. I saw your face twitch."

The young man's face had twitched, no doubt, in the most singular manner at mention of the words "suspicious characters;" and now, as he bent down to his companion, the corners of his mouth worked quite perceptibly.

"Why do you not clear up the matter?" asked his friend, in a low beseeching tone.

"Because it amuses me," was the reply, returned in a voice as low.

"No whispering here," interrupted the a.s.sessor. "No fresh conspiring in my very presence--that I forbid. Once again, your name! Will you give me an answer?"

"Yes, we will," said the younger stranger, drawing himself up. "So you look upon us as conspirators?"

"And traitors to the State," added Hubert, emphatically.

"And traitors to the State. Of course--that is the usual complement."

The a.s.sessor stood petrified at such audacity.

"I call upon you for the last time to give me your names and deliver up your papers," he cried. "You refuse to do either?"

The stranger sat down unconcernedly on the arm of the chair, and crossed his arms.

"Quite correct. The whole conspiracy lies in a nutsh.e.l.l."

"Sir, I believe that you are inclined to jest with me," shouted the a.s.sessor, scarlet with rage. "Are you aware that that will tell very much against your case? The police department of L---- ..."

"Must be in a bad way if it has you for a representative," observed the young man, with imperturbable calm.

This was too much. The insulted official sprang up like one possessed.

"Unheard-of insolence! What, have things gone so far that the authorities are now to be openly scoffed at and treated with contempt?

But you shall pay dearly for it! You have insulted and attacked the Government in my person. I arrest you. I will have you handcuffed and conveyed to L----."

He rushed at his adversary, who quietly let him come on, and then with a single movement of his powerful arm sent him back, bounding like a ball on to the sofa near at hand, which happily received him.

"Violence!" he screamed, "violence! an attack upon my person. Fraulein Margaret, fetch your father."

"Fetch a gla.s.s of water, Fraulein, and dash it over the gentleman's head," said the stranger. "He needs it."

The girl had no time to obey either of these very different injunctions, for hasty steps were heard in the adjoining room, and the steward, who had seen with extreme surprise the precautionary measures adopted in his hall, and had heard the loud voices, came quickly in.

The a.s.sessor still lay on the sofa, wriggling and kicking in his struggle to get on his legs again, which, in consequence of the shortness of those members and the height whereon he was perched, was a feat difficult to accomplish.

"Herr Frank," he cried, "guard the entrance, call in the men. You have the direction of the Wilicza police--you must support me. I arrest these two persons in the name of ..."

Here his voice deserted him; he fought desperately in the air, and at last, by a violent jerk, managed to get himself into a sitting posture.

The younger stranger had risen and gone up to the steward. "Herr Frank, you hold the direction of the Wilicza police as proxy for me, and you will, I trust, reflect before delivering up your own princ.i.p.al."

"Who?" cried the steward, starting back.

The stranger drew a paper from his breast-pocket and held it out to him. "I come quite unexpectedly, and after ten years you can hardly be expected to recognise me, so this letter may serve for my credentials.

You addressed it to me a few weeks since."

Frank cast a rapid glance at the page, and another as rapid at the features of the man before him. "Herr Nordeck?"

That gentleman a.s.sented. "Waldemar Nordeck, who in the very hour of his return to his own estates has come near being arrested as a suspicious vagrant. A most agreeable welcome, certainly."

He looked across at the sofa. There sat the a.s.sessor, stiff and motionless as a statue, with mouth wide open, arms pendant, staring at the young landowner as though he were out of his mind.

"What a painful misunderstanding!" said the steward, in great confusion. "I am very sorry it should have happened in my house, Herr Nordeck. The a.s.sessor will regret his mistake exceedingly ..."

The poor a.s.sessor! He was so crushed, he had not even strength to apologise. The master of Wilicza, the man of many millions, of whom the President had lately spoken, saying that, should he come to Wilicza, he was to be treated with special consideration--and he, the subordinate, had threatened to have this personage conveyed handcuffed to L----! Fortunately Waldemar took no notice of him. He now presented his companion to the steward and the steward's daughter.

"Dr. Fabian, my friend and teacher. We saw that the Castle was lighted up, and heard that a great festivity was going on there. I am quite a stranger to my mother's guests, and as my sudden arrival might very naturally have caused some disturbance, we preferred to make a call on your hospitality--at all events, until the visitors take their departure. Besides this, there are some matters I wish to talk over with you, Herr Frank--matters referred to in your letter, which I only received a few days ago. I was travelling, and it was sent on after me from place to place. Could we have half an hour's talk in private?"