Part 3 (1/2)
”True, but he remains a Captain of Horse I expected rapid events in this country, and quick prole with their lives Instead, we have an expedition against soands'
fastness, which is deserted e arrive, or a troop to quell a petty riot which has fizzled out e get there, and that is all”
”And monsieur thirsts for more; the desperate encounter and the bloody sword; for high place and Court favor”
”Is it too great an ambition?” Ellerey de of the ladder look eagerly toward the top--the student to the masters of his profession, the apprentice to the seat of his eh favor at Court?”
”Such favorto win it”
”Patience You shall not always find those fastnesses deserted, those riots quelled when you arrive This is the waiting ti time, and there are difficulties in the way of proiment?”
”Neither loved nor hated”
”And in the city?”
”I have few friends A Captain of Horse does not command them”
”That is not the reason It is because you are a foreigner,” De Froilette answered ”You are welcoet killed in them, but youcould do without us, how ners would wake tomorrow in the city, think you?”
”All Europe has talked of such a rebellion, but it does not come,”
said Ellerey
”It will,” was the answer, ”and if you are strong enough you may take the reward”
”You speak in riddles”
”Is it wise to speak plainly?” and De Froilette swept out his arave the answer They had left the woods and the rough country behind therown and spread itself beyond its walls In the distance the lights of the city blinked under the doht
”There are ever-watchful eyes, ever-waking ears about us, looking and listening for treachery,” De Froilette went on ”Every ers ready for the knife handle Yonder in the citadel, ahter and the music, a dozen plots will creep forward a space before the dawn Does ues there?”
”Yes, so that it is honest”
”Monsieur ht, at the Altstrasse, 12, at ten o'clock We can talk further
Until then, _au revoir_” and De Froilette put his horse into a canter, leaving Ellerey to pursue his way alone
Entering the city by the eastern gate, Ellerey crossed the Konigplatz at walking pace on his way to his lodging by the Western Gate They were a pleasure-loving people in Sturatzberg, working as little as possible, and spending without a thought of the enuine enough, and there was little indication of the co storm of revolution so confidently predicted by De Froilette Ellerey's mind was busy with the events of the afternoon For two years he had been in Sturatzberg, ready to seize the opportunity of distinguishi+ng himself whenever it arose It had not come yet His life had been passed on a dead level of inactivity, and the stirring times he had hoped for seeone back to that breezyon the downs, and he devoutly wished that Princess Maritza would coo to her, claiood right arive Who was this De Froilette, and why should he take an interest in him or wish to help him? For such favors there was always a price to be paid in soo to the Altstrasse? And another question ca faster for a moment Was this De Froilette an eht she not be in Sturatzberg now? Might he not see her to-night? ”I would risk anything for that,” he said, as he swung himself from the saddle, ”and whatever the adventure is, so that it has a spice of danger in it, it is welcome I shall kno to take care of , bearded man came forward to take the horse, and the manner in which he drew the back of his hand across his ested that he had left the tankard hastily
”Has anyone inquired for me, Stefan?”
”No, Captain, I have been undisturbed until now,” the man answered in a deep voice well suited to his fra his soldier-servant's weakness and his capacity for indulging in it with i a tins of his potations showed themselves Drink heavily he certainly did, but since he never exhibited any ill effects fro, it would have been unjust to call him a drunkard
The Altstrasse was of the old town, a narrow thoroughfare of gaunt houses which now sheltered a dozen families in rooms where the wealthy had once lived, and in which Ministers and Ambassadors had entertained the wit, beauty, and bravery of nations These glories had departed to the palatial buildings which had grown up round the citadel, leaving the Altstrasse asevident though he be clad in rusty garh which tatterdemalions, men, wos, deep-cut crests and coats-of-ar to dry over handsoh and broken roadway garbage, cast there days since, lay rotting where it had fallen Poverty had seized upon the place, flaunting poverty, seeking no concealh the Altstrasse before to-night, but the surroundings had had no particular interest for hiht not have birth and grow to dangeroussuch people as these?