Part 70 (1/2)

It was Prince Waldenberg.

”Pardon me, father, if I cannot keep my promise to accompany you to the princess,” said the prince, out of breath; ”but you hear the rebellion is out again. I expect every moment to hear the drums beat.”

The count was still quite beside himself from the encounter with Berger. He stared at the prince with a pale, disturbed countenance.

”What is the matter, father?” asked the prince, who now only noticed the change in his appearance.

”Go to the devil with your father, sir,” cried the count, in whom the wild hatred he had cherished for so many years against his wife's son at last broke out into full fury. ”I am not your father. I do not choose to be your father. If you wish to see your father go to your mother. You will find him there!”

”What do you mean, father?” said the prince, fearing the count had become insane.

”Father!” mimicked the count, scornfully. ”Delightful! Charming! But I am tired of the farce. You can all go to the devil!”

He rang the bell.

”My carriage; do you hear?” he cried, as the waiter came. Then turning to the prince, ”Will you go now, sir, or not?”

The prince looked at the count like a man who does not know whether he shall believe his own ears and eyes or not. Suddenly he seemed to have formed a resolution. He cast one more look at the count, who was running about like a madman, and left the room.

CHAPTER XIV.

Mr. Schmenckel walked slowly down the Linden to William street. He had crossed his arms behind and pressed his hat low down on his brow.

People made way for him, for he stared fixedly at the pavement, and continually murmured unintelligible words through his teeth. But Mr.

Schmenckel was neither drunk nor mad; he was only a little excited, and repeated the lesson which Berger had taught him. It was a hard task; but Mr. Schmenckel felt that he was only doing his duty if he broke up the plot into which he had been entrapped by the cunning of Mr. Timm.

How fortunate that he had revealed it all to the professor in his great anxiety! How that man talked! Why, he had frightened him out of his wits! Schmenckel had always said that the professor was a man of very special gifts. And that the Czika turned out to be a baron's daughter, that was no wonder to Director Schmenckel, of Vienna. She had such wonderful eyes, that girl, and he had always treated her well; it was not so strange, therefore, that the baron should have offered old Caspar Schmenckel a place as steward on one of his estates. No; Caspar Schmenckel, from Vienna, need not try to obtain money by foul means.

Caspar Schmenckel could hold his head high again and----

”Why on earth, old man, are you coming only now?” said suddenly a very sharp voice near him. ”You ought to have done with your visit by this time!”

It was Mr. Timm who had uttered these angry words. He had been patrolling up and down William street, in the neighborhood of the Waldenberg mansion, in order to hear the result of Oswald's interview with the Baroness Grenwitz. He thought Director Schmenckel was by this time on his way to the Dismal Hole, where they had appointed to meet in case they should miss each other in the street. Timm had had his reasons for sending Schmenckel an hour sooner than Oswald to the house.

If Oswald's interview with the baroness was to be successful, the baroness must first have read a certain letter; and in order to make the letter effective, Schmenckel must first have had a conference with the princess. In Mr. Timm's exquisite plans each measure fitted into the other as in the works of a watch. Mr. Timm had, therefore, good reasons for being very indignant at Mr. Schmenckel's dereliction.

”It is enough to drive one mad,” he continued, in his irritation. ”I cannot leave you alone for a moment but you commit a stupid blunder.”

”Oh! not so rude, my friend!” replied Mr. Schmenckel, feeling in his virtuous purposes quite able to cope with the serpent-wisdom of his accomplice, ”or I'll become personal too!”

Mr. Timm saw that he had gone too far.

”Well, well!” he said, gently; ”between friends no offence ought to be taken. Only make haste now to go in. All may come out right yet. You have seen the count this morning?”

”No!” growled Mr. Schmenckel.

”But why on earth haven't you seen him?” exclaimed Timm, whose indignation was roused once more.

”Because I did not choose!” said Schmenckel, defiantly. ”Because I do not want to have anything more to do with you anyway!”