Sir William Magnay

“ My narrow escape was not to be thought of without the irresistible suggestion of a sinister design. I, however, determined to keep my own counsel about it; Von Lindheim and Szalay being nervous enough as it was. But neither the Professor nor his daughter should be admitted into the house again if I could help it.
Such were my thoughts as I made my way from the rock valley to the village. The path, it will be remembered, descended upon and led past the inn. As I came round the corner of that house I happened, by the merest chance, to glance in at the window of the coffee-room. ”

“ Beyond the man who had accompanied Count Furello from Buyda, and the two ruffians I had seen in the wood, I was ignorant of the strength of his household; at the same time I realized that, even had I a dozen men at my back, to attempt to rescue Fräulein von Winterstein by force would be absurd. It would only make matters worse. There was no law to be invoked; the whole force, moral and physical, open and secret, of the Government would be against me. If the poor girl’s death were deemed necessary for State reasons, not even her parents could have a valid protest against it. ”

“ Probably Rallenstein already believes me dead, but this man, Furello——”
“Ah!” I could guess the story now. “He is in love with you?”
She nodded. “He will spare my life if I will marry him. Marry him! Ah, mein Gott! is it not horrible? This murderer, this unspeakable villain. Be his wife! And for how long? He dare not let me live even if he should wish. Already they say he has killed one wife and is secretly married now.”
“To a lady whom he passes off as his sister. She knows you are here?”
“I cannot tell. What must her life be, poor woman!” ”

“ The blazing eyes protruded from their sockets, the swollen lips, jet black were drawn back into a frightful grin; the man was a human being no longer; it seemed as though he were already a devil, as hideous as the imagination of man ever conceived. The sight brought back to me poor Szalay’s appearance in his death agony, but the effect of the poison here was indescribably more fearful. ”

“ For a long while we saw nothing of the priest, but at length, just as we were wondering whether we were not perhaps losing our time, a closed carriage rumbled along the street and drew up at some distance below our inn. A man alighted and appeared to give some directions to the coachman, who turned his horses and drove off the way he had come. The man walked up the street towards us; not a prepossessing fellow by any means, with his long nose, stubby black moustache, swarthy complexion, and restless way of looking about him. ”

“ A pair of candles in a massive silver holder were placed on a console table, and showed me an extraordinary scene. Two men standing in a recess by a window facing one another, and one pointing a pistol at his companion’s breast. The light falling on the polished barrel showed it clearly and made me certain of that. But what astounded me most was my recognition of the two; the man with the pistol was the one who had accosted and questioned me in the wood that evening; I knew him in an instant; and the other was even less unmistakable—Von Orsova. ”

“ I leaned forward. “Excellency,” I said earnestly, “can we not come to an understanding? I make no accusations, I seek to know nothing; my interference is merely forced upon me by pity and a desire to clear up a misunderstanding. I ask you to remove this cloud of danger hanging over Herr von Lindheim’s head. You can do it if you will, and I can assure you you will not repent it.”
If I thought my entreaty would move him I was mistaken. ”

“ To bridge over the time in safety between now and freedom, life——”
“Ah!” she cried. “Herr Tyrrell, don’t make me hope. It is cruel.”
“Indeed, no, if we walk warily. You must temporize with the Count. Appear inclined to relent. I can leave that to your wit. Only keep things as they are till to-morrow evening, when I will return, not to leave without you. Now, I hate to go, Fräulein, but the risk to you in staying is too great. Keep a good heart; above all do not let anyone see that you have hope, and trust me.” ”

“ I turned again as the Baroness spoke.
“Is it out of compliment to Mr. Tyrrell’s nationality that you have been too much absorbed in Shakespeare to notice your friends in the house, Herr von Lindheim?”
He made a—to me—obvious effort to throw off his worry, as he replied:
“No, indeed; I cannot claim such ultra politeness. Harff is at his very best to-night.”
“You are giving yourself a poor character as a diplomatist, Herr von Lindheim,” said Count Furello, “in confessing that even the excitement of superb acting can blind you to the realities of life around you.” ”

“ I said to comfort him. “Now, mind; take steady aim on the first sight and get your fire in before his, it’s your best chance.”
The account given of the fire-eating Captain de Hayn had not been over-coloured. It seemed impossible that five feet four inches of humanity could hold a greater quantity of truculent conceit than was manifestly compressed into his personality. A greater contrast between this business-like little butcher, with his bronzed—and brazen—countenance, and poor Szalay, trying to control his shaking nerves and keep a manly look on his grey face, could not be imagined. ”

“ Tyrrell, Count Furello.”
Turning to bow, I found myself face to face with the man who had accosted me by Duke Johann’s chapel the night before, the man who had forced Von Orsova to his death. I knew him at once, despite the fact that both my former views of him had been imperfect; the feline eyes that glittered from the dark recess of the box were unmistakable. And a curious-looking man he was; a man whom at first sight and without my previous knowledge of him, one would hardly have known whether to set down as attractive or detestable, but certainly interesting. ”

“ Only for your life, for the lives of all of us, don’t breathe a word of it—not even to yourself.”
I looked at him inquisitively, and indeed my curiosity was greater than my concern. “Is there any danger,” I asked, “in my inquiring the name of the fellow who honoured me with the cross-examination?”
“Do for Heaven’s sake dismiss the whole affair,” Von Lindheim answered impatiently. “Don’t think we have done anything wrong,” he added quickly; “it is less and yet worse than that. Our only chance is that we were not recognized.” ”

“ Von Lindheim thought a moment. “Doctor Rothmer, I should think, eh, Szalay? The man who killed the Reichsrath Lorenz by treating him for indigestion when he had peritonitis.”
“A pompous idiot, eh? Just the man. Send for him at once, and turn into bed. Recollect you are poisoned; but don’t tell the doctor that. All you know is that you have been supping abroad and are horribly ill.”
I rang, and told Pabst to send for the doctor.
“And I? What am I to do?” Szalay inquired with almost ludicrous concern. “I am not poisoned.”
“No. You have simply got to keep quiet and not be seen. ”

“ I said. “You and Herr Szalay are going to face this danger, if it exists, and will not give up your lives without a struggle. Surely, Lindheim, there is some law, some authority to which you can appeal for protection.”
He shook his head. “None.”
“But in these days of civilization men are not butchered in cold blood without an appeal to law and justice.”
“Civilization,” he answered, “is a very pretty word for occasions. We are proud of it, in theory, but it is never allowed to stand in the way of political expediency. ”

“ It was hardly probable that he saw us in the same instant; anyhow, we could hear no voice above the raging of the storm. Without another moment’s delay we set ourselves to close the door, which hung to its post by a single hinge.
“Stay, for Heaven’s sake!” Strode cried suddenly. “The pistols and cartridges are in the carriage. Without them we are dead men.” ”

“ Szalay said gloomily.
For some moments neither of us spoke. All my suspicions now came back as certainties, and I could properly appreciate the escape I had had that afternoon. Von Lindheim laughed grimly. “To think that we have had the scoundrel in this very house. It is a wonder I am yet alive. He did not come here for nothing, you may swear.”
“But for what?”
“Time will show, if we are only in a position to comprehend it.”
“Let us at least be thankful,” said I, “that chance has shown us our danger. We shall know our enemy now when we see him. ”

“ The two men would take up their abode in Paris, or possibly go to England with me, not to return to their home until Rallenstein’s power was at an end, or at least until the turn of political events gave them assurance that they could breathe their native air in safety.
I had taken a turn and a half along the terrace when a sharp, low bark of suspicion from the dog broke the silence round, and aroused my attention. “Hey, Fritz, old fellow! What’s the matter?” I cried.
The dog was running to and fro with his nose to earth, growling and whining excitedly. ”

“ If Herr von Lindheim is ill, then Herr Szalay must find another friend, or take the consequences.”
“No doubt,” I replied, “if Von Lindheim’s illness continues, Herr Szalay will find another friend. But you can hardly expect him to do so by breakfast time.”
He twirled his silly little moustache, and put on one of the most stupidly offensive looks it has ever been my fortune to see on a human countenance. “You, sir,” he said blusteringly, “you seem to be at pains to champion Herr Szalay; what is there to prevent your acting as his friend?” ”

“ He looked perturbed.
“Pardon, meine Herren,” he said. “I did not know Herr Szalay was here. He has doubtless brought you the bad news.”
The two colleagues looked at each other in renewed fear. “What bad news?” Von Lindheim asked.
“You mean the death of the Herr Rittmeister von Orsova,” I suggested.
“Pardon, mein Herr,” Pabst answered, with a grave shake of the head, “it is nearer than that. Herr D’Urban——”
“Ah!” The terror in both men made them cry out simultaneously. But the good Pabst probably read nothing in their faces beyond ignorance, and concern for the fate of a colleague. ”

“ In a short hour we were at the frontier, had safely passed the barrier, and, with intense relief, found ourselves beyond the jurisdiction of his grim Excellency the Chancellor Graf Rallenstein; although, if what I had learned at the Monastery were true, we had less to fear now from him than from Count Furello. Still, strong wills do not love to be successfully thwarted, and even statesmen who live for their country are not always above the vindictive passions of meaner men. ”

“ Herr Tyrrell!” it cried.
“Good-evening, Count!” I replied mockingly.
“Good-night, Herr Tyrrell,” he returned. “My compliments. You are a clever fellow, for an Englishman. But you will need to be much cleverer when next we meet. So look to yourself and make the most of the few hours of life we leave you. Auf Wiedersehen!”
The metallic voice had rung out so that not a word escaped me. Then the wind dying fitfully away let me hear the sound of retreating hoofs, and I knew that for the time we were safe. I turned to find Asta standing behind me. ”

“ Both he and I were depressed at the thought of the parting, and I am sure our minds were full of darker forebodings than we cared to acknowledge; but Strode’s dry humour and happy-go-lucky temperament kept up our spirits; carelessness of self is infectious, as every soldier knows.
We reached the spot where the Eilwagen was to pass, and after some twenty minutes’ waiting it lumbered into sight. Thereupon we bade Von Lindheim God-speed and left him, thinking it just as well that he should appear alone. ”

“ The momentary weakness was overcome and I peered out into the passage. To my intense joy and relief a faint glimmer of light fell across it at half its length. In a few seconds I was by the window. Approaching cautiously, I heard no sound of voices; the curtains were drawn slightly apart, I peeped through and saw Fräulein Asta sitting there alone. A tap on the glass brought her joyfully to the window. In reply to my sign of inquiry she nodded that all was safe, so without delay I set to work on the screws that held the bars. ”

“ One of the hurdles was placed beside the body, which was then laid on it; two ropes were produced and passed underneath. One man, the dwarf, took the ropes at the foot, while the fellow who held the lantern came forward to help the other man. As he did so he stooped down, and lifting the covering from the dead face held the light to it. An irresistible fascination overcame my desire to avert my eyes, and it was as well it did so.
For with a great shock of something like relief I recognized not the face of Asta von Winterstein, but that of the priest we had seen that day in Carlzig. ”

“ You have a chance, and a good one. I tell you both you must not be so mad and wicked as to throw it away.”
Thus appealed to, and perhaps catching hope from my confident manner, they made an effort to look more cheerfully at the business.
“There may be half a chance,” Von Lindheim said.
“There will be none,” I said, “if you give up. We have three heads here, and we know our danger. You mean to fight for your life, eh, Herr Szalay?”
Szalay tried to smile, but could only achieve a ghastly grimace. “I am not yet tired of my life, and am ready to make an effort.” ”

“ Not a sound. The very silence showed me that my nerves were in order—not even imagination conjured up the slightest movement. After waiting a few minutes, I quietly slipped out of bed, and resumed such of my clothes as I had put off. I took my revolver, matches and a candle, and made ready to meet the danger I felt was coming. From what quarter it would appear I was quite ignorant, and not a little curious; anyhow, I was not going to stay where it would expect to find me. I crossed the room, and took my stand beside the square wardrobe, ready for a dash, and listening intently. ”

“ He faced round to me, so that his back was turned upon the Count, and next moment our glasses had been changed. I leaned forward and touched with the other two men; Von Lindheim did the same, and at a nod from me he drank some of his wine at which he at first hesitated. I raised the glass to my lips and pretended to drink, then I contrived unseen to spill a portion of its contents over my pocket handkerchief, so that I could return to my former place, a little unsteadily, with my glass half empty. All the time my brain was raging as I realized the hideousness of the business. ”

“ I am not a madman; and, if I were, escape would be impossible. Shall I fire?”
Von Orsova raised his hand. “I will spare you the trouble,” he said, and then turned to the wall. I heard the murmuring sound of his voice, perhaps in prayer; then he raised his right hand to his head. Next moment he staggered from the wall and fell heavily backwards with an awful thud, his head almost striking the Count, who jumped back that it might clear him. So he stood for a few seconds watching the supine body, his pistol still pointing as though fearing a trick. ”

“ Von Lindheim observed.
“I wonder what his excuse for a call will be?” said Szalay.
“The Jaguar’s emissaries need little excuse,” the other returned gloomily.
“You had better leave il Conte to me,” I suggested, “if he does call. You are too ill to receive him; and I will do my best to throw dust in his eyes. It is doubtful whether he knows that Szalay is here.”
“The Chancellor knows everything.”
“If he does it shall not be our fault. This amiable assassin will not see our friend if there is a hiding-place in the house.” ”