Part 42 (1/2)
”Absolutely.”
”And the loan for the Prince?” he said. ”Have you raised it?”
”No; the thing is too dangerous in these circ.u.mstances. I have made a full report. You received it, I suppose?”
”No; I must have left Sofia before it arrived. Tell me.”
”That very useful fool named Heaton has suddenly gone out of his mind.”
”Insane?”
”Yes,” she responded. ”At least, he seems so to me. I placed the matter before him, but he refused to have anything whatever to do with it. His standing in the City has been utterly shattered by all sorts of rumours regarding the worthlessness of certain of the concessions, and as far as we are concerned our hopes of successfully raising the loan have now disappeared into thin air.”
”What!” he cried. ”Have you utterly failed?”
”Yes,” she answered. ”Heaton a.s.sisted us while all was square, but now, just when we want a snug little sum for ourselves, he has suddenly become obstinate and refuses to raise a finger.”
”Curse him! He shall a.s.sist us--by Heaven! I'll--I'll compel him!”
cried her mysterious companion furiously.
”To talk like that is useless,” she responded. ”Remember that he knows something.”
”Something, yes. But what?”
”He knows more than we think.”
”Where is he now?”
”n.o.body can discover. I saw him once, but he has disappeared. They say he's a wandering lunatic. He left Denbury suddenly after showing signs of madness, and although that terror of a woman, his wife, strove to trace him, she was unsuccessful. His insanity, coupled with the fact that financial ruin overtook him suddenly, apparently preyed upon her mind. She fell ill, and according to a letter I received from Gedge a few days ago, she died suddenly of an aneurism, and was buried last Thursday at Budleigh-Salterton. The announcement of her death was in yesterday's papers.”
I listened to those words open-mouthed. My wife was dead! Then I was free!
With my strained ear close to the thin wood of the door I stood breathless, fearing that they might distinguish the rapid beating of my heart.
”Your ingenuity has always been extraordinary, madame,” he said reflectively, ”but in this last affair you have not shown your usual tact.”
”In what manner?”
”His Highness places confidence in you, yet you sit idly here, and profess yourself unable to a.s.sist him.”
”A warrant is out against you; nevertheless, you still consider the Prince your friend. That is curious!” she remarked, with a touch of sarcasm.
”Most certainly. It was Oustromoff's doings. His Highness is powerless to control the Ministry of Police.”
”And you believe that you will be safe in England?” she inquired dubiously.
”I believe so, providing that I exercise care,” he responded. ”After to-night it is best that we should remain strangers--you understand?”
”Of course.”