Part 23 (1/2)
”Yet these bills were presented to Baron von Zwenken, and we paid them to prevent a lawsuit. It could not have affected you very much, for you were in America; but my grandfather would have been obliged to retire from the army.”
”Francis, you are possessed of good, sound sense. How dared I have committed such an offence just at the time I was in hiding near Zutphen, at the moment when you were so generously raising funds for my enterprise in America; nay, at the moment when my sincerest desire was to carry my father's forgiveness with me into exile? Show me these accursed bills, and I will prove my innocence.”
”They are in the General's possession; I cannot get at them to show you them.”
”If we had them here, I would soon prove to you that it is impossible for me, with my wretched handwriting, to imitate the fine and regular hand of my father. What is your opinion, Mr. Leopold?”
”I believe what you say,” I answered.
”Ah, that's a relief; it does me good!” he murmured, his eyes filling with tears. ”My father has been accustomed to spend his leave in fas.h.i.+onable watering-places; is it not possible for him there to have made the acquaintance of some wretch wicked enough to serve him such a turn?”
”For the last few years the General has not been from home, except one winter which he spent in Arnheim.”
”Can Rolf have done it?”
”No, don't suspect Rolf; he never had any education, but he's the honestest man living, and he would pluck out an eye rather than cause the old General any trouble.”
”Then I don't know whom to suspect. Now take these notes, Francis--they are real, I a.s.sure you; take them as a proof you still believe my word.”
”I believe you, Rudolf; but I think you have more need of them than I have.”
”Never mind me; I have a good position now: first rider in the Great Equestrian Circus of Mr. Stonehouse, of Baltimore, with a salary of two hundred dollars a month--is it not splendid? You see I have not lost my old love for horses. Formerly they cost me much money; now they bring me in a living.”
”Well, Rudolf, you might have sunk lower; your business demands courage and address. But I will not accept your money; I never take back what I have given. To-morrow morning we shall see each other again. You need not jump from the balcony and scale the garden wall; I will let you out myself.”
”Ah! you wish to make sure of my departure----”
”I have already said I would trust to your promise. Good night, gentlemen.”
CHAPTER XXVIII.
She was scarcely out of the room, when Rudolf, who had drained the bottle, began in his usual tone of banter--
”I don't know whether I ought to congratulate you, Mr. Leopold, but I am firmly convinced our charming Major has found her colonel.”
I only shrugged my shoulders; for I felt a repugnance to making Francis a subject of conversation with such a fellow.
”Do you imagine I have no eyes? I know the women, I can a.s.sure you. I have come across all sorts, and all sizes and colours, in my vagabond life; and my niece, though she were a thousand times Major Frank, is still a woman--a woman with a man's heart, as good Queen Bess used to say of herself. I don't know what you intend to do, but it appears to me you have only to propose--
'Et bientot on verra l'infante Au bras de son heureux vainqueur.'
She is smitten by you, that's certain! Why, she's like a thoroughbred horse. With much patience, much attention, and a firm hand that knows when to be gentle, so one succeeds. As for myself, I was always too rash, too impatient. These gracious devils soon perceive it, and once they know it, you are thrown--there's no help for you. After all, perhaps I am mistaken,” he said, seeing I remained silent; ”otherwise I would add that I hope you are rich. Her grandfather is ruined----”