The Breaking of the Storm Volume Ii Part 34

To hear a decided resolution from her sister-in-law was something so extraordinary, that Carla, who was already at the door, turned round again. "But, Louisa----"

"Well, I do not see it at all," said Frau von Wallbach. "Elsa is always amiable to me, much more so than you are. I was really sorry for the Baroness to-day, to see the trouble she took without receiving the slightest thanks from you, and I am sorry for poor Ottomar. Whatever he may be, he does not show me that he thinks me a fool, as you do, and I do not think it seemly that behind his aunt's back in her own house----"

"Warnow has long belonged to the Count," said Carla.

"It is all the same. We are staying here with the Baroness, and not with the Count. If you wish to stay with the Count, marry him--for all I care. But I think you would be sorry if you gave up Ottomar, and I do not see how it would be possible now. However, do as you please--I go!"

The unheard-of obstinacy of her sister-in-law began to make Carla really uneasy. She laid her things down on a chair, knelt by Louisa's side, and as she held and stroked her hand, said in a soft coaxing voice, "My sweet pet will never hurt me so. She will not leave poor Carla in her need. Ottomar is too bad. I know now, from Giraldi, why he proposed to me, because he was refused by Ferdinanda Schmidt, and he is still madly in love with her, and is making use of his former mistress to win her back. And Giraldi says that he has so many debts that his whole inheritance would not pay them, even if Elsa--and Giraldi knows everything, everything, I tell you--married that man; and you yourself would hardly wish to have the wife of a Superintendent of Pilots for a sister-in-law--would you, my sweet pet!"

"That is all nonsense," said Frau von Wallbach, with a feeble and fruitless attempt to draw her hand away from Carla's. "You never had scruples about Ottomar's mistresses formerly. I am certain that the Count also has his mistresses--all men have; and the same with regard to his debts. The Count has certainly as many--and perhaps more."

"But not such bad ones," said Carla hastily. "He has terrible debts, Giraldi says."

"The fact is," said Frau von Wallbach, "you are over head and ears in love with the Count."

"And if I say yes, will my sweetest Louisa remain here?" whispered Carla, suddenly throwing her arms round her sister-in-law and laying her head on her shoulder.

"You will see, no good will come of it."

Francois looked into the room. "I beg pardon, but the Count has sent to ask if mademoiselle----"

"I am coming," cried Carla, stretching out her hand for her hat. "You will, will you not, sweet pet?--please fasten the elastic of my hat behind--you will remain! Thanks! Adieu, sweet pet!"

She once more embraced her sister-in-law, took her gloves from the chair, and hastened away, her skirt trailing far behind her.

"If it were only not such a bore!" said Frau von Wallbach, sinking back in her chair.

When the Count came down, the horses had just been brought round. Herr von Strummin was sitting on a bench which encircled the trunk of a wide-spreading lime-tree, and playing with the point of his riding-whip in the fine gravel.

"You have come at last?" he said, looking up angrily.

"Fraulein von Wallbach wishes to say good-bye again to the ladies,"

said the Count, seating himself by the side of his friend, "and it is rather a long business. We shall still have some little time to wait."

"So much the better," said Herr von Strummin; "I have not for a long time had the pleasure of speaking to you for a minute alone. So, without any beating about the bush--I am very sorry, but I must have back my five thousand thalers."

"I am very sorry too, my dear Strummin," replied the Count, laughing, "because I cannot repay them."

"Cannot repay me!" exclaimed Herr von Strummin, as the colour grew still deeper in his red face. "But you told me that I could count upon it at any time."

"Because I naturally supposed that you would not choose just the most unsuitable time. You know that I must pay off that mortgage to-morrow."

"Why did you give notice to pay it off? It was most imprudent. I told you so from the first."

"I wanted to save the interest; and if you can get back two million for one--in the meantime--of course--as things stand at present----"

"You may be thankful that the directors have postponed the date of payment of the second instalment, which was due to-morrow."

"Certainly," said the Count; "it is very kind of the gentlemen. I should have been in a terrible position; but it has not made my situation even now particularly pleasant. That confounded mortgage! My creditor is most disagreeably pressing; he says he must have the money back."

"Perhaps it may now transpire who this creditor really is whom you make such a mystery about?"

"I have given my word of honour----"

"Then say nothing. It is all the same to me, moreover; and if you can pay half a million to-morrow to the gentleman in question, you can also raise my five thousand!"

"I do not know yet whether I shall be able to pay!" cried the Count impatiently--"Lubbener--Haselow and Co.--I could not stand Lubbener any longer--unlimited orders to sell; but if to-morrow our shares go down still further--they stood the day before yesterday at forty-five----"

"And yesterday at twenty-five!"

"Impossible!" cried the Count.

"Good heavens, man! have you never troubled yourself to inquire, then?"

"I--I--my letters lately--the presence of the ladies here--there are so many claims upon me----"

"So it seems," replied Herr von Strummin, taking a letter out of his pocket. "I got my banker to write to me yesterday, as I saw what was impending, and have carried his letter about with me since this morning. I have already been over to Golm, too, to tell you of it." He unfolded the letter: "Sundin-Wissows were offered freely to-day at thirty-five; no buyers. They then rose to forty-five on large purchases. When it became known, however, that Lubbener himself was the buyer, merely to keep up the price, they fell rapidly, and closed at twenty-five! Please telegraph distinct orders whether to sell at any price. A further fall is inevitable.' There you have the whole affair."

"It is certainly bad," murmured the Count.

"And whom have we to thank for all this?" cried Herr von Strummin.

"You--you only! You first led us into the affair, and promised all sorts of things, and then prudently left us in the dark until you had pocketed your profits as promoter. Then we fell further into the trap, and had to pay up heavily; and finally you throw half a million into the market, and bring down the value of our own shares. And I, like a fool, gave you the last penny I had; and instead of looking after your own affairs, as it was your bounden duty to do, you hang about here with the women, and----"

"I think that last clause has nothing to do with the matter." said the Count, getting up.

"Nothing to do with it!" cried the other, also springing to his feet.

"Very well! very well! ruin yourself if you please, but at least leave other people out of the game. And I tell you, that if by twelve o'clock the day after to-morrow my five thousand thalers, which I lent you on your word of honour, are not lying on my table at Strummin to the uttermost farthing----"

"For heaven's sake do not speak so loud," said the Count; "you shall have your money, although I am convinced that the great trousseau is only a pretext----"

"A pretext? a pretext?" cried Herr von Strummin, raising his rough voice if possible still louder; "pretext indeed! when Meta is herself gone this morning to Berlin, to----"

"This morning?" said the Count, with a jeering laugh; "excuse my remarking, _mon cher_, that was very imprudent of you! Our shares may rise again, and--the stone-cutter will not run away."

Herr von Strummin's light blue eyes almost started out of his burning face. He became suddenly hoa.r.s.e with pa.s.sion.

"What, what, what!" he snarled. "A stone-cutter? An artist! and a great artist, who every year makes his six to ten thousand--a stone-cutter?"

"I only say it because you always call him so yourself."

"I can call my son-in-law anything I choose, but if any one else permits himself to do so, he shall eat his words as sure as I----"

"You gentlemen must certainly have grown very impatient," said Carla, who came out of the door just at this moment.

"Not at all," said the Count, turning on his heel and hastening towards her.

"Yes, very impatient!" cried Herr von Strummin, who had suddenly recovered his voice. "I was only waiting to take my leave; I must be at Strummin in half an hour. I hope the conversation will get on better without me; I have the honour----"