Part 13 (1/2)

He glanced around quickly, then went straight to the vault and began to turn the k.n.o.b, while the Duke, one eye just beyond the curtain's edge, watched him curiously. Could it be that this servant was familiar with the combination of the lock, that only the King and Dehra were supposed to know! If so ... the bolts shot back, the door opened, and the valet disappeared in the vault. In a moment he came out with the box; but Lotzen did not see him, having drawn behind the curtain; nor did he venture again to look out except when a.s.sured that Adolph's back was toward him.

Placing the box on the desk, the valet laid back the lid and with another furtive look around, went swiftly across to the wall, where hung the big, life-sized portrait of the King, the escutcheon, on the top of the heavy gold frame, almost against the ceiling. Under it was a tall, straight-backed chair, with high arms; and, mounting on them, Adolph reached behind the picture and, from the s.p.a.ce between it and the wall, drew out an ancient book, leather-bound and metal-hinged:-the Laws of the Dalbergs.

With a faint chuckle, he sprang down and started toward the box; then stopped-the Book slipped from his fingers-he gasped-his eyes widened in terrified amazement-his face took on the gray pallor of awful fear; for the Duke of Lotzen had emerged from behind the window curtain and was coming slowly toward him.

”You seem startled, Adolph,” said the Duke, with an amused smile, ”doubtless you thought you were alone.” He sat down in the revolving chair. ”May I trouble you to give me the Book-the floor is hardly the place for the Laws of the Dalbergs.”

The valet's composure had returned, in a measure, at the tone of the other's voice, but his hand still trembled as he picked up the Book and carried it to the desk.

”Thank you, Adolph,” said Lotzen, ”thank you ... you seem a trifle shaky, sit down and rest” (indicating a chair near by). ”I shall need you presently.”

He watched the man until he had obeyed, then opened the Laws and turned quickly to the last decree.

Across the page lay a fresh, white blotter, used but twice, he noticed, as he turned it over. He had come for this very bit of paper, that Dehra had casually mentioned in her story to the Council-hoping vaguely that the King had let it lie, and that it had not been destroyed by the servants who cared for the desk. He would have been amply satisfied with the faint chance it might give him of guessing the decree from the few words the mirror would disclose. But, now, he had no need for guesses nor mirrors; and with a light laugh he laid the blotter aside. Surely, the G.o.ddess of Fortune was with him! And to Ferdinand of Lotzen this meant much; for to him there was only one other Divinity, and that other was a female, too.

Thrice he read Frederick's decree; first rapidly, then slowly, then word by word, as it were.

And all the while Adolph watched him covertly, a sly smile in his small, black eyes. He had quite recovered from his fright-though he might be led to pretend otherwise-indeed, now that he had time to think, he could find no reason why the Duke should punish him; rather did he deserve an ample reward for having kept the Laws from the Council. In fact, why should he not demand a reward, if it were not offered?-demand it discreetly, to be sure, but none the less demand it. And, as the Duke read, and re-read, the reward piled higher, and visions of Paris (it is strange how, under certain conditions, the thoughts of a certain sort of people turn to Paris as instinctively as the needle to the Pole) danced before his eyes.... And presently he forgot the Duke, and the Laws, and Dornlitz-he was sitting at a little table along the Boulevard des Italiens, an absinthe at his hand, a merry girl, with sparkling eyes and perfumed hair, at his elbow, a sensuous waltz song in his ears, and light, and life, and love, and lingerie in every breath of air....

”Dreaming, Adolph,” said Lotzen, ”dreaming?... of what, pray?”

”Of Paris, my lord,” he answered unthinkingly.

The Duke regarded him in frowning surprise.

”Paris!” he muttered, ”Paris! has everyone gone Paris mad?”

”It was of the Boulevards, my lord-the music and the lights and the--”

”Shut up!” exclaimed Lotzen; ”to the devil with your Paris and its Boulevards!... How did this Book get behind that picture?”

”I put it there, monsieur.”-The reward was not piled quite as high as he had fancied.

”Why?”

”To hide it, monsieur-until I could replace it in the box.”-The reward was dwindling marvellously fast.

”Then you stole the Laws of the Dalbergs?”

Adolph did not answer.... It was queer how chilly the room had got. It had seemed warm enough, a moment ago.

The Duke regarded him meditatively.

”Come,” he said presently; ”tell me how you managed it. My time is short-speak up.”

The valet slunk a furtive look at his face; it was expressionlessly pitiless.-The reward had disappeared.

”Your Highness will believe me?” he asked.

”Believe you, Adolph! surely-a valet never lies! Go on.”