Havoc
Page 6
CHAPTER VI
VON BEHRLING IS TEMPTED
The night was dark but fine, and the crossing smooth. Louise,wrapped in furs, abandoned her private cabin directly they had leftthe harbor, and had a chair placed on the upper deck. Von Behrlingfound her there, but not before they were nearly half-way across.She beckoned him to her side. Her eyes glowed at him through thedarkness.
"You are not looking after me, my friend," she declared. "By myselfI had to find this place."
Von Behrling was ruffled. He was also humbly apologetic.
"It is those idiots who are with me," he said. "All the time theyworry."
She laughed and drew him down so that she could whisper in his ear.
"I know what it is," she said. "You have secrets which you aretaking to London, and they are afraid of me because I am a Servian.Tell me, is it not so? Perhaps, even, they think that I am a spy."
Von Behrling hesitated. She drew him closer towards her.
"Sit down on the deck," she continued, "and lean against the rail.You are too big to talk to up there. So! Now you can comeunderneath my rug. Tell me, are they afraid of me, your friends?"
"Is it without reason?" he asked. "Would not any one be afraid ofyou--if, indeed, they believed that you wished to know our secrets?I wonder if there is a man alive whom you could not turn round yourlittle finger."
She laughed at him softly.
"Ah, no!" she said. "Men are not like that, nowadays. They talkand they talk, but it is not much they would do for a woman's sake."
"You believe that?" he asked, in a low tone.
"I do, indeed. One reads love-stories--no, I do not mean romances,but memoirs--memoirs of the French and Austrian Courts--memoirs,even, written by Englishmen. Men were different a generation ago.Honor was dear to them then, honor and position and wealth, and yetthere were many, very many then who were willing to give all thesethings for the love of a woman.
"And do you think there are none now?" he whispered hoarsely.
"My friend," she answered, looking down at him, "I think that thereare very few."
She heard his breath come fast between his teeth, and she realizedhis state of excitement.
"Mademoiselle Louise," he said, "my love for you has made me alaughing-stock in the clubs of Vienna. I--the poverty-stricken,who have nothing but a noble name, nothing to offer you--have daredto show others what I think, have dared to place you in my heartabove all the women on earth."
"It is very nice of you," she murmured. "Why do you tell me thisnow?"
"Why, indeed?" he answered. "What have I to hope for?"
She looked along the deck. Not a dozen yards away, two cigar endsburned red through the gloom. She knew very well that those cigarends belonged to Streuss and his friend. She laughed softly andonce more she bent her head.
"How they watch you, those men!" she said. "Listen, my friendRudolph. Supposing their fears were true, supposing I were reallya spy, supposing I offered you wealth and with it whatever elseyou might claim from me, for the secret which you carry to England!"
"How do you know that I am carrying a secret?" he asked hoarsely.
She laughed.
"My friend," she said, "with your two absurd companions shadowingyou all the time and glowering at me, how could one possibly doubtit? The Baron Streuss is, I believe, the Chief of your SecretService Department, is he not? To me he seems the most obviouspoliceman I ever saw dressed as a gentleman."
"You don't mean it!" he muttered. "You can't mean what you saidjust now!"
She was silent for a few moments. Some one passing struck a match,and she caught a glimpse of the white face of the man who sat byher side--strained now and curiously intense.
"Supposing I did!"
"You must be mad!" he declared. "You must not talk to me like this,Mademoiselle. I have no secret. It is your humor, I know, but itis dangerous."
"There is no danger," she murmured, "for we are alone. I say again,Rudolph, supposing this were true?"
His hand passed across his forehead. She fancied that he made amotion as though to rise to his feet, but she laid her hand upon his.
"Stay here," she whispered. "No, I do not wish to drive you away.Now you are here you shall listen to me."
"But you are not in earnest!" he faltered. "Don't tell me that youare in earnest. It is treason. I am Rudolph Von Behrling,Secretary to the Chancellor."
Again she leaned towards him so that he could see into her eyes.
"Rudolph," she said, "you are indeed Rudolph Von Behrling, you areindeed the Chancellor's secretary. What do you gain from it? Apittance! Many hours work a day and a pittance. What have you tolook forward to? A little official life, a stupid official position.Rudolph, here am I, and there is the world. Do I not representother things?"
"God knows you do!" he muttered.
"I, too, am weary of singing. I want a long rest--a long rest anda better name than my own. Don't shrink away from me. It isn't sowonderful, after all. Bellamy, the Englishman, came to me a fewhours ago. He was Dorward's friend. He knew well what Dorwardcarried. It was not his affair, he told me, and interposition fromhim was hopeless, but he knew that you and I were friends."
"You must stop!" Von Behrling declared. "You must stop! I mustnot listen to this!"
"He offered me twenty thousand pounds," she went on, "for the packetin your pocket. Think of that, my friend. It would be a start inlife, would it not? I am an extravagant woman. Even if I would, Idared not think of a poor man. But twenty thousand pounds issufficient. When I reach London, I am going to a flat which hasbeen waiting for me for weeks--15, Dover Street. If you bring thatpacket to me instead of taking it to the Austrian Embassy, therewill be twenty thousand pounds and--"
Her fingers suddenly held his. She could almost hear his heartbeating. Her eyes, by now accustomed to the gloom, could see thetumult which was passing within the man, reflected in his face.She whispered a warning under her breath. The two cigar ends hadmoved nearer. The forms of the two men were now distinct. One wasleaning over the side of the ship by Von Behrling's side. The otherstood a few feet away, gazing at the lights of Dover. Von Behrlingstaggered to his feet. He said something in an angry undertone toStreuss. Louise rose and shook out her furs.
"My friend," she said, turning to Von Behrling, "if your friends canspare you so long, will you fetch one of my maids? You will findthem both in my cabin, number three. I wish to walk for a fewmoments before we arrive."
Von Behrling turned away like a man in a dream. Mademoiselle Idialefollowed him slowly, and behind her came Von Behrling's companions.
The details of the great singer's journey had been most carefullyplanned by an excited manager who had received the telegramannouncing her journey to London. There was an engaged carriage atDover, into which she was duly escorted by a representative of theOpera Syndicate, who had been sent down from London to receive her.Von Behrling seemed to be missing. She had seen nothing of himsince he had descended to summon her maids. But just as the trainwas starting, she heard the sound of angry voices, and a momentlater his white face was pressed through the open window of thecarriage.
"Louise," he muttered, "I am on fire! I cannot talk to you! I fearthat they suspect something. They have told me that if I travelwith you they will force their way in. Even now, Streuss comes.Listen for your telephone to-night or whenever I can. I mustthink--I must think!"
He passed on, and Louise, leaning back in her seat, closed her eyes.