said I beamingly. "And now, what do you say to our trip to the bottom of the castle?"
She shook her head. "Not with the house full of spies, my dear friend.
We"ll save that for another day. A rainy day perhaps. I feel like having all the sunshine I can get to-day. To-night I shall be gloomy and very lonely. I shall take Rosemary and Jinko out upon the top of the tower and play all day in the sun."
I had an idea. "I am sure I should enjoy a little sunshine myself. May I come too?"
She looked me straight in the eye. There was a touch of dignity in her voice when she spoke.
"Not to-day, Mr. Smart."
A most unfathomable person!
CHAPTER XI
I AM INVITED TO SPEND MONEY
Any one who has travelled in the Valley of the Donau knows the Rempf Hotel. It is an ancient hostelry, frequented quite as much in these days as it was in olden times by people who are by way of knowing the excellence of its cuisine and the character of its wines. Unless one possesses this intelligence, either through hearsay or experience, he will pa.s.s by the Rempf without so much as a glance at its rather forbidding exterior and make for the modern hotel on the platz, thereby missing one of the most interesting spots in this grim old town. Is it to the fashionable Bellevue that the n.o.bility and the elect wend their way when they come to town? Not by any means. They affect the Rempf, and there you may see them in fat, inglorious plenty smugly execrating the plebeian rich of many lands who dismiss Rempf"s with a sniff, and enjoying to their heart"s content a privacy which the aforesaid rich would not consider at any price.
You may be quite sure that the rates are low at the historic Rempf, and that they would be much lower if the n.o.bility had anything to say about it. One can get a very comfortable room, without bath, at the Rempf for a dollar a day, provided he gets in ahead of the native aristocracy. If he insists on having a room with bath he is guilty of _lese majeste_ and is sent on his way.
But, bath or no bath, the food is the best in the entire valley and the cellar without a rival.
I found Mr. Pless at the Rempf at nine o"clock. He was in his room when I entered the quaint old place and approached the rotund manager with considerable uncertainty in my manner. For whom was I to inquire?
Would he be known there as Pless?
The manager gave me a broad (I was about to say serviceable) smile and put my mind at rest by blandly inquiring if I was the gentleman who wished to see Mr. Pless. He directed me to the top floor of the hotel and I mounted two flights of stairs at the heels of a porter who exercised native thrift by carrying up a large trunk, thus saving time and steps after a fashion, although it may be hard to see wherein he really benefited when I say that after escorting me to a room on the third floor and knocking at the door while balancing the trunk on his back, he descended to the second and delivered his burden in triumph to the lady who had been calling for it since six o"clock in the evening. But even at that he displayed considerable cunning in not forgetting what room the luggage belonged in, thereby saving himself a trip all the way down to the office and back with the trunk.
Mr. Pless welcomed me with a great deal of warmth. He called me "dear old fellow" and shook hands with me with more heartiness than I had thought him capable of expressing. His dark, handsome face was aglow with pleasure. He was quite boyish. A smallish old gentleman was with him. My introduction to the stranger was a sort of afterthought, it seemed to me. I was informed that he was one of the greatest lawyers and advocates in Vienna and Mr. Pless"s personal adviser in the "unfortunate controversy."
I accepted a cigar.
"So you knew who I was all the time I was at Schloss Rothhoefen," said Mr. Pless, smiling amiably. "I was trying to maintain my incognito so that you might not be distressed, Mr. Smart, by having in your home such a notorious character as I am supposed to be. I confess it was rather shabby in me, but I hold your excellent friends responsible for the trick."
"It is rather difficult to keep a secret with women about," said I evasively.
"But never difficult to construct one," said Mr. Schymansky, winking rather too broadly. I think Schymansky was the name.
"By the way," said I, "I have had no word from our mutual friends.
Have you seen them?"
Mr. Pless stiffened. His face grew perceptibly older.
"I regret to inform you, Mr. Smart, that our relations are not quite as friendly as they once were. I have reason to suspect that Mr. Smith has been working against me for the past two or three days, to such an extent, I may say, that the Amba.s.sador now declines to advise your government to grant us certain privileges we had hoped to secure without trouble. In short, we have just heard that he will not ask the United States to consider anything in the shape of an extradition if the Countess is apprehended in her own country. Up to yesterday we felt confident that he would advise your State Department to turn the child over to our representatives in case she is to be found there. There has been underhand work going on, and Mr. Smith is at the bottom of it. He wantonly insulted me the day we left Rothhoefen. I have challenged him, but he--he committed the most diabolical breach of etiquette by threatening to kick my friend the Baron out of his rooms when he waited upon him yesterday morning."
With difficulty I restrained a desire to shout the single word: "Good!"
I was proud of Billy Smith. Controlling my exultation, I merely said: "Perfectly diabolical! Perfectly!"
"I have no doubt, however, should our Minister make a formal demand upon your Secretary of State, the cause of justice would be sustained.
It is a clear case of abduction, as you so forcibly declare in the interviews, Mr. Smart. I cannot adequately express my gratification for the stand you have taken. Will you be offended if I add that it was rather unexpected? I had the feeling that you were against me, that you did not like me."
I smiled deprecatingly. "As I seldom read the newspapers, I am not quite sure that they have done justice to my real feelings in the matter."
The lawyer sitting directly opposite to me, was watching my face intently. "They quoted you rather freely, sir," said he. Instinctively I felt that here was a wily person whom it would be difficult to deceive. "The Count is to be congratulated upon having the good will of so distinguished a gentleman as John Bellamy Smart. It will carry great weight, believe me."
"Oh, you will find to your sorrow that I cut a very small figure in national politics," said I. "Pray do not deceive yourselves."
"May I offer you a brandy and soda?" asked Mr. Pless, tapping sharply on the table top with his seal ring. Instantly his French valet, still bearing faint traces of the drubbing he had sustained at Britton"s hands, appeared in the bedchamber door.
"Thank you, no," I made haste to say. "I am on the water wagon."
"I beg your pardon," said Mr. Pless in perplexity.
"I am not drinking, Mr. Pless," I explained.
"Sorry," said he, and curtly dismissed the man. I had a notion that the great lawyer looked a trifle disappointed. "I fancy you are wondering why I sent for you, Mr. Smart."
"I am."
"Am I to a.s.sume that the newspapers were correct in stating that you mean to support my cause with--I may say, to the full extent of your powers?"
"It depends on circ.u.mstances, Mr. Pless."
"Circ.u.mstances?" He eyed me rather coldly, as if to say, "What right have you to suggest circ.u.mstances?"
"Perhaps I should have said that it depends somewhat on what my powers represent."
He crossed his slender legs comfortably and looked at me with a queer little tilt of his left eyebrow, but with an unsmiling visage. He was too c.o.c.ksure of himself to grant me even so much as an ingratiating smile. Was not I a glory-seeking American and he one of the glorious?
It would be doing me a favour to let me help him.
"I trust you will understand, Mr. Smart, that I do not ask a favour of you, but rather put myself under a certain obligation for the time being. You have become a land-owner in this country, and as such, you should ally yourself with the representative people of our land. It is not an easy matter for a foreigner to plant himself in our midst, so to speak,--as a mushroom,--and expect to thrive on limited favours.
I can be of a.s.sistance to you. My position, as you doubtless know, is rather a superior one in the capital. An unfortunate marriage has not lessened the power that I possess as a birthright nor the esteem in which I am held throughout Europe. The disgraceful methods employed by my former wife in securing a divorce are well known to you, I take it, and I am gratified to observe that you frown upon them. I suppose you know the whole story?"
"I think I do," said I, quietly. I have never known such consummate self-a.s.surance as the fellow displayed.
"Then you are aware that her father has defaulted under the terms of an ante-nuptial agreement. There is still due me, under the contract, a round million of your exceedingly useful dollars."
"With the interest to be added," said the lawyer, thrumming on the chair-arm with his fingers something after the fashion my mother always employs in computing a simple sum in addition.
"Certainly," said Mr. Pless, sharply. "Mr. Smart understands that quite clearly, Mr. Schymansky. It isn"t necessary to enlighten him."
The lawyer cleared his throat. I knew him at once for a shyster. Mr.
Pless continued, addressing me.
"Of course he will have to pay this money before his daughter may even hope to gain from me the right to share the custody of our little girl, who loves me devotedly. When the debt is fully liquidated, I may consent to an arrangement by which she shall have the child part of the time at least."
"It seems to me she has the upper hand of you at present, however,"
I said, not without secret satisfaction. "She may be in America by this time."