Part 35 (2/2)
”Where are you taking me?” she demanded as Hentzi guided her past the big room where Trent had been arraigned, the room from which he had made his escape.
”His Excellency cannot remain in a room with an entire window torn out.
It would but be to invite a flock of bats to enter.”
Pauline climbed two little flights of steps which led to the topmost floor of the castle.
”I have never been here before,” she commented.
”Few strangers have,” he said, locking it behind her.
”Strangers!” she repeated, ”since when have I been a stranger?”
She found nothing strange in his silence. Hentzi was constantly a prey to the fear he might by some over zealous action provoke the wrath of the man he served. Probably he had not heard her question.
She found Count Michael in a big bare room, octagonal in shape and knew it must be the tower which stood out boldly on the western corner of the castle.
”Why bring me here?” she said petulantly.
She had no fear of the man who ruled his people as an autocrat. It is not in the nature of such women as Pauline to eliminate a certain feeling of contempt for the power of men whom they can sway by whim and artifice. Michael, Count Temesvar, was terrible to such as he hated, and a political force of sinister strength, but to the green eyed woman who looked at him mockingly he was one of the weak and pliable p.a.w.ns on life's board.
”Sit down,” he said suavely. There was no sudden look of affection as he gazed at her. He spoke, she reflected, very much as he had done to Anthony Trent. But the ex-chauffeur had been a prisoner. She looked about her and saw that this was almost a prison.
”About this Alfred Anthony,” he began. ”I am told, although I do not believe it, that you were much concerned for his safety.”
”Who told you that?” she demanded.
”What matters that? It is untrue?”
”Naturally,” she answered, trying to fathom what lay behind his smiling face.
”Tell me this Pauline,” he said leaning forward, ”when the Sissek woman informed us that he had escaped I thought I heard you say 'Thank G.o.d.'
Why did you thank G.o.d when my enemy escaped?”
Pauline was not so easily to be trapped. She remembered breathing her prayer almost at his ear but she hoped in the excitement he had not heard.
”You are dreaming Michael,” she exclaimed. ”Why should I say that?”
”Another thing,” the count went on. ”This man would hardly have escaped if the electric lights had not gone out.” Abruptly the count turned to Hentzi. ”Tell me, did you see the engineer about this?”
”Yes, Excellency,” Hentzi a.s.sured him, ”He tells me in technical terms which I do not comprehend that sometimes the light goes off for a few moments. It was the thunder storm or some atmospherical condition. I do not remember.”
”Heaven seems to fight for him,” Count Michael commented. ”First the lights extinguished and then someone in this house of mine who gives him keys and aids his escape. The garage door opens itself to him and lo, he disappears.”
”He has an accomplice you think, Excellency?” Hentzi stammered. He was fearful that his master had learned of his carrying the book to the prisoner. Out of this slender fact the wrathful count might be weaving plot enough to engulf his faithful secretary. ”I a.s.sure your Excellency,” Hentzi cried, ”that I am entirely loyal.”
Pauline was still not to be frightened by this changed mood of the count and the agitation expressed on his secretary's face. She had been victor over him in a hundred violent scenes and Pauline loved violence and the raising of voices.
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