"That was why I was somewhat persistent in my conversation," he continued, still smiling a little, "but it quickly served the purpose of satisfying me absolutely that my guns were on the wrong target. And so I promptly relieved you of my conversation."
He turned again to von Belke.
"Then, Mr Belke, a very curious thing happened, which one of us may perhaps be pardoned for thinking diabolical and the other providential.
Miss Holland happened to have met the real Mr Burnett and bowled me out. And then I had another lucky inspiration. If Miss Holland will pardon me for saying so in her presence, I had already been struck with the fact that she was a young lady of very exceptional looks and brains and character--and, moreover, she knew Germany and she knew German. It occurred to me that in dealing with a young and probably not unimpressionable man such an ally might conceivably come in useful."
"Robin," interrupted his old friend, with his rich laugh, "you are the coldest-blooded brute I ever met!"
"To plot against a man like that!" agreed von Belke with bitter emphasis.
"Oh, I wasn"t thinking of you," said Captain Phipps, with a gallant glance at the lady. "However, on you go with your yarn."
"Well, I decided on the spot to take Miss Holland into my confidence--and I should like to say that confidence was never better justified. She seemed inclined to do what she could for her country."
Commander Blacklock paused for an instant, and added apologetically, "I am putting it very mildly and very badly, but you know what I mean.
She was, in fact, ready to do anything I asked her on receipt of a summons from me. I had thought of her even when talking to Captain Phipps, but I felt a little reluctant to involve her in the business, with all it entailed, unless no other course remained open. And no other course was open. And so I first telegraphed to her and then went over and fetched her. That was how she came to play the part she did, entirely at my request and instigation."
"You--you then told her to--to make me admire her?" asked von Belke in an unsteady voice.
"Frankly I did. Of course it was not for me to teach a lady how to be attractive, but I may say that we rehea.r.s.ed several of the scenes very carefully indeed,--I mean in connection with such matters as the things you should say to Commander Wiedermann, and so on. Miss Holland placed herself under my orders, and I simply told her what to say. She was in no sense to blame."
"Blame!" cried Captain Phipps. "She deserves all the decorations going!"
"I was trying to look at it from Mr Belke"s point of view," said Blacklock, "as I think Miss Holland probably desires."
She gave him a quick, grateful look, and he continued--
"It was I who suggested that she should appear critical of me, and endeavour, as it were, to divide our household into two camps, so that you should feel you were acting against me when you were actually doing what I wished. I tell you this frankly so that you may see who was responsible for the deceit that we were forced to practise."
"Forced!" cried the young lieutenant bitterly. "Who forced you to use a woman? Could you not have deceived me alone?"
"No," said Blacklock candidly, "I couldn"t, or I should not have sent for Miss Holland. It was an extremely difficult problem to get you to risk your life, and stand out against your commanding officer"s wishes and your own inclinations and your apparent duty, and come back to this house after the whole plan was arranged and every argument seemed to be in favour of your going aboard your boat again. n.o.body but a man under the influence of a woman would have taken such a course. Those were the facts I had to face, and--well, the thing came off, thanks entirely to Miss Holland. I have apologised to her twenty times already for making such a use of her, and I apologise again."
Suddenly the young German broke out.
"Ah! But were there not consolations?"
"What do you mean?"
"You and Miss Holland living by yourselves in this house--is it that you need apologise for?"
"Miss Holland never spent a single night under this roof," said Blacklock quietly.
"Not--not a night," stammered von Belke. "Then where----?"
"She stayed at a house in the neighbourhood."
The lieutenant seemed incapable of comment, and Captain Phipps observed genially,
"There seem to have been some rum goings-on behind your back, Mr Belke!"
Von Belke seemed to be realising this fact himself, and resenting it.
"You seem to have amused yourself very much by deceiving me," he remarked.
"I a.s.sure you I did nothing for fun," said Blacklock gravely, yet with a twinkle in his eye. "It was all in the way of business."
"The story that you preached, for instance!"
"Would you have felt quite happy if I had told you I had omitted to do the one thing I had professed to come here for?"
Von Belke gave a little sound that might have meant anything. Then he exclaimed--
"But your servant who was not supposed to know anything--that was to annoy me, I suppose!"
"To isolate you. I didn"t want you to speak to a soul but me."
The captive sat silent for a moment, and then said--
"You had the house watched by the police--I see that now."
"A compliment to you, Mr Belke," smiled the Commander; and then he added, "You gave me one or two anxious moments, I may tell you. Your demand for mufti necessitated a very hurried interview with the commander of a destroyer, and old Craigie"s visit very nearly upset the apple-cart. I had to tell him pretty nearly the whole truth when I got him outside. But those incidents came after the chief crisis was over.
The nearest squeak was when I thought you were safely engaged with Miss Holland, and a certain officer was calling on me, who was _not_ Captain Phipps. In fact, he was an even more exalted person. Miss Holland saved the situation by crying out that you were coming, or I"m afraid that would have been the end of the submarine attack."
"So?" said the young German slowly and with a very wry face, and then he turned to Eileen. "Then, Miss Holland, every time you did me the honour to appear kind and visit me you were carrying out one of this gentleman"s plans? And every word you spoke was said to entangle me in your net, or to keep me quiet while something was being done behind my back? I hope that some day you may enjoy the recollection as much as I am enjoying it now!"
"Mr Belke," she cried, "I am very deeply sorry for treating even an enemy as I treated you!"
She spoke so sincerely and with so much emotion that even Captain Phipps a.s.sumed a certain solemn expression, which was traditionally never seen on his face except when the Chaplain was actually officiating, and jumping up she came a step towards the prisoner.
There she stood, a graceful and beautiful figure, her eyes glowing with fervour.
"All I can say for myself, and all I can ask you to think of when your recollections of me pain you, is only this--if you had a sister, would you have had her hesitate to do one single thing I did in order to defeat her country"s enemies?"
Von Belke looked at her for a moment with frowning brow and folded arms. Then all he said was--
"Germany"s cause is sacred!"
Her eyes opened very wide.
"Then what is right for Germany is wrong for her enemies?"
"Naturally. How can Germany both be right--as she is, and yet be wrong?"
"I--I don"t think you quite understand what I mean," she said with a puzzled look.
"Germany never will," said Blacklock quietly. "That is why we are at war."
A tramp of footsteps sounded on the gravel outside, and Captain Phipps sprang up.