Quicksands Part 18

"No, I only said that my confidence in you was shaken. It was best to be frank, and you could not but see that I was justified by the Pastor's letter. The importance to be attached to that letter depends entirely upon the explanation which I expect from you."

"I am ready to give you an explanation. I a.s.sure you that every word which I am about to utter shall be perfectly true, but I do not deny that the circ.u.mstances in which I find myself forbid my telling the whole truth. I am forced to be silent with regard to these circ.u.mstances, whilst I could by a single word prove the falsehood of the ridiculous charges--ridiculous so far as I am concerned--contained in the letter. This word, however, I shall not speak. If the explanations which I am able to give you do not satisfy you, then, Herr von Osternau, I must remind you of our agreement when I first came to your house. We reserved for each of us perfect liberty to dissolve at any given moment a connection which cannot continue to exist if you withdraw your confidence from your son's tutor or believe him capable of appropriating to himself money confided to him by others."

"This is a strange preface to your explanation, Herr Pigglewitch; it can be answered only when I have heard you further."

"I do not ask a reply until then. I understand perfectly that this letter, which I beg now to return to you, has shaken your confidence in me. Your knowledge of me is of too recent a date to convince you that in spite of grievous defects of character I am incapable of a dishonourable act, and Pastor Widman's letter, containing as it does a mixture of truth and falsehood, may well give you cause for reflection.

Let me refer to the letter in detail. It is untrue that Pastor Widman befriended his sister's orphan boy. He treated him with great severity, only sending him to school when he was forced to do so, the expenses of his education being defrayed from the orphan boy's patrimony. On the other hand, it is true that the weak, thoughtless young man squandered the rest of his inheritance, and sacrificed his first situation to his pa.s.sion for gaming. Later, in another situation, he so won the esteem of his employer that Doctor Kramser felt himself justified in recommending him to you for your son's tutor. I candidly confess to you, Herr von Osternau, that I have led a life far from blameless, that I have foolishly squandered both time and money, but I swear to you that I have never been involved in any dishonourable transaction. It is true that the Schulze Brandes gave the sum in question to the nephew of Pastor Widman for transmission to his uncle, and that this money has not yet been paid him, but I have neither appropriated this money nor have I lost it at play. The reason why this money has not been paid I cannot now disclose to you, all I can say is that I have a perfect right to refuse to give this sum to the Herr Pastor. Nevertheless, he shall have his money without abatement of a penny; here it is, and I beg of you, Herr von Osternau, to transmit it to him."

As he spoke, Egon took out his pocket-book and counted out the notes upon the table.

Herr von Osternau was amazed. "You have the money? Why then did you not send it to your uncle long ago?"

"I regret that I cannot answer this question, for in doing so I should be obliged to refer to matters which were best pa.s.sed over in silence, at least for the present. I can only a.s.sure you that I never even dreamed of depriving Herr Pastor Widman of his property. If this does not suffice you, Herr von Osternau, I can no longer remain in the castle; I must resign my situation here, much as I regret to do so. I can no longer be your son's tutor if you have lost faith in me."

"No, I have not lost it. I believe you to be incapable of anything dishonourable, but I tell you candidly that I do not like your wrapping yourself up in mystery."

"I regret being forced to do so. At present I cannot tell you the whole truth, and I will not tell you a falsehood."

"I have no right to force your confidence or to lay down the law to you, but, as a man much your elder, I have a right to tell you honestly what I think. The manner in which you speak of your uncle displeases me as much as does your foolish mystery. You speak of him as Herr Pastor Widman, in the most formal way; however harshly he may have treated you years ago, you are wrong thus to bear malice. When there has been a coolness or a quarrel between relatives, it is the duty of the younger to take the first steps towards a reconciliation. If my good opinion is worth anything to you, you will accept my advice to put back into your pocket-book the money you have counted out upon the table. I will not undertake to mediate between uncle and nephew. You ought to return his property to him; if you comply with my wishes, you will take it to him yourself. Wennersdorf is only a few hours' journey from Breslau. The journey thither is neither difficult nor expensive. Take your uncle his money, pay him a visit of a few days, and be reconciled with him. I will gladly give you leave of absence for a week. Will you not start early to-morrow morning?"

Egon hesitated to reply. He had not expected such a proposal. Could he accept it, since he could not possibly deliver in person Pastor Widman's money? He could not positively reject it without wounding Herr von Osternau, and, besides, it had a certain attraction. If he could be delivered for a few days from the spell that bound him, if he could make a short excursion in the Riesengebirge, he might perhaps come to some clear conclusion in his own mind. After a short pause for reflection, he said, "I can give you no decided promise, Herr von Osternau. If you will allow me leave of absence for a few days, I shall be grateful for it. I shall then go to Breslau to-morrow, but whether I shall go thence to Wennersdorf, or employ the time granted me in making a pedestrian excursion among the mountains, I cannot at present tell you."

"I do not ask you to tell me. I hope that calm reflection will show you the right path to pursue. At all events I am glad that our interview has had the effect of entirely restoring my confidence in you, in proof of which I beg you to transact a little business for me in Breslau to-morrow. A manufacturer in Breslau, whom I have known for many years as an honest, industrious man, became some time ago so involved in his pecuniary affairs as to solicit of me a loan of some ten thousand marks, for which he gave me his note. It falls due to-morrow. I do not wish this note presented at the bank, it might injure the man were it known that he had borrowed money of a private individual; nor do I wish the note to be protested if he should not be quite ready to pay the money. I have entire confidence in his honesty, and I do not wish to embarra.s.s him. I thought of sending my cousin Albrecht to-morrow to Breslau to attend to this affair for me, but since you are going I should be much obliged by your undertaking it. Will you do so?"

"With pleasure."

"Use your own discretion. I do not want to have my debtor hara.s.sed. If he pays the money, please send it to me immediately by post, I shall receive it to-morrow afternoon; if he does not, send me back the note."

Herr von Osternau went to his secretary and opened it. In one of its centre part.i.tions stood an iron-bound box with a patent lock. From it he took first a pile of bank-notes representing a considerable sum; these he laid on the desk of the secretary until he had found the note, then returning them to the box, he locked it and the secretary, and turned to Egon. "I hope," he said, kindly, "that our conversation to-day, painful as it was at first, has left no unpleasant impression on either of us. I shall be glad if it is the means of reconciling relatives at present at odds. And now, Herr Pigglewitch, I will detain you no longer. Fritzchen is, I am sure, awaiting you."

He dismissed Egon with a friendly grasp of the hand, and when the young man had left the room, gave himself over to reflection as to whether he had not been somewhat hasty in putting so much trust in him. "I am sure he will justify it," he concluded. "If he had not held sacred the money intrusted to him for his uncle he would have used it in Breslau to purchase what he so greatly needed; he would not have paid for his clothes by instalments. I would far sooner trust him than Albrecht with ten thousand marks. Still he is a strange, incomprehensible fellow, and I detest mysteries. He said himself that he could not tell me the whole truth. I wonder what he suppressed." Upon this he pondered for some time without coming to any conclusion.

CHAPTER XVI.

ROBBED.

It was an uncomfortable, wearisome evening. A conversation like that of the morning between Herr von Osternau and the tutor always leaves traces, even although it has ended satisfactorily for both parties; for some short time at least it leaves behind it an uncomfortable sense of restraint, and this was evident now. Herr von Osternau could not recover from the effect upon his mood of the interviews with the Lieutenant and the tutor. He tried to be as cordial and kindly as usual, but he did not succeed very well, and his efforts were by no means seconded either by Albrecht or by Pigglewitch.

The Lieutenant was so absent-minded and self-occupied that he took no part whatever in the conversation, and the Candidate was noticeably taciturn. He did not add to the evening's entertainment either by playing or by singing; he declined, indeed, to sing when asked, pleading fatigue, even when Lieschen added her voice to the general pet.i.tion for a song.

"He is jealous," Frau von Osternau whispered to her husband, and it really seemed as if she might be right. Herr von Osternau noticed that the Candidate was watching Bertha narrowly, and if he really were in love with her she certainly gave him abundant cause for jealousy.

Bertha alone of the little a.s.semblage was in the rosiest mood, she was so gay, so absolutely charming, that Herr von w.a.n.gen was to be pardoned for having eyes and ears for nothing save her radiant self. The young fellow, who was wont to be so shy, now conversed with readiness and ease, nay, he and Bertha monopolized the talk. He did not find the evening wearisome, he could have wished that it might last much longer when Herr von Osternau declared that it was time to separate for the night, since Herr Pigglewitch would be obliged to rise early for his journey the next morning.

"You are leaving us?" the Lieutenant asked, suddenly becoming interested. "Where are you going, and for how long?"

Lieschen looked at Egon in surprise, awaiting his reply.

"I do not yet know how long I shall be gone," Egon replied. "My leave of absence is for three or four days."

"Oh, no, Herr Pigglewitch," Herr von Osternau interposed, "I leave that entirely to you; if you wish to remain longer with your uncle you need not return for a couple of weeks. Herr Pigglewitch, Emma, is going to visit a relative of his, Pastor Widman, in Wennersdorf," he added, in reply to his wife's look of surprised inquiry.

An odd smile hovered about the Lieutenant's features for an instant.

His sullen mood was suddenly dissipated, and with a good grace he wished the tutor a successful journey and a speedy return. In this he was joined by Bertha and Herr von w.a.n.gen, but Lieschen said not a word; there was only a dreamy, far-away look in her eyes as she bade him good-night, and her hand rested in his a moment longer than was usual.

Herr von Osternau had another interview on his hands this evening. He had his confession to make to his wife. She had a right to know the meaning of this sudden visit of the Candidate to his uncle. Her husband could not but acquaint her with Herr Pastor Widman's letter, and with his conversation of the morning with Herr Pigglewitch. As he did so he expressed his conviction that Pigglewitch was a thoroughly honest man, and he added an account of the commission with which he had intrusted him.

Frau von Osternau did not share her husband's faith. "I am afraid, Fritz," she said, shaking her head, "that you have allowed yourself to be carried away again by your kind, unsuspicious nature. Had you not better recall the commission? Ten thousand marks is a large sum, quite sufficient to tempt a poor Candidate who, as we now learn, has a pa.s.sion for play. Let Albrecht go to Breslau to-morrow, or Herr Storting, or Herr von w.a.n.gon."

"To change my messenger now would be a positive insult to Herr Pigglewitch. I was perhaps imprudent, but it is done now and cannot be altered."

The old Herr, however, was not quite easy in his mind. He slept but poorly, and awoke the next morning so weary that in spite of the glorious weather he did not go out, but sat at his favourite window in his arm-chair. Lieschen and her mother kept him company, but they could not enliven his gloomy mood, which was partly caused by his confinement to the house and partly by a vague feeling of anxiety. His thoughts dwelt upon the Candidate. Would the money arrive punctually from Breslau?

Towards eleven o'clock the Lieutenant entered the room, and seemed confused and not quite agreeably surprised to find Lieschen and Frau von Osternau with his cousin, but quickly collecting himself he said, "I come to you at a rather unusual time, Cousin Fritz, to ask you for leave of absence for a few days. I must attend to that money matter of which I told you. I must spend a short time in Berlin."

"You know I never wish to put any restraint upon you," his cousin said, kindly; "still less would I do so in this matter, in which I wish you all success. When would you like to go?"

"With your permission, immediately after dinner. I wish to leave Breslau by the night-train, and so have the entire day in Berlin to-morrow."

"I am quite willing. I beg you, however, to go to see Sastrow to-morrow as early as possible. I know that you are not on very good terms with him. I ask you as a favour to me to see him yourself, and learn from him about Bertha's affairs: whether anything has been heard of young Herr von Ernau, and whether there is any abatement of the disagreeable gossip of society. Write me to-morrow what you hear."

"It will hardly be necessary. I can tell you the latest news of the affair without having seen Sastrow. You must pardon me for not letting you know before what I heard from a friend in Berlin, who accompanied me to the railway-station when I was last there. I was so preoccupied with my own affairs that I quite forgot Fraulein von Ma.s.senburg's.

However, I told Fraulein Bertha herself soon after my arrival that there was no longer any doubt of the death of Herr von Ernau, his body has been recovered from the Spree."

Herr and Frau von Osternau uttered an exclamation of surprised dismay.

Lieschen was not at all surprised. "Now I understand," she said, "Bertha's excited manner on the evening of her conversation with Cousin Albrecht in the window-recess, and her great amiability towards Herr von w.a.n.gen after it. As Herr von Ernau is certainly dead, Herr von w.a.n.gen is to take his place."

"How can you speak so unkindly, child?" said her father.

"I only speak the truth. I know that she would have preferred the millionaire, but since she must give up all hopes of him, Herr von w.a.n.gen will do."

"Not another word, Lieschen!" Herr von Osternau exclaimed. "Hus.h.!.+ If you cannot conquer your childish, unfounded dislike for Bertha, at least do not give it utterance. Go on, Albrecht, tell me what else you heard."

"Nothing else, except that the body of the unfortunate man had been found in the Spree. Whether Herr von Ernau was murdered or had drowned himself my friend did not know. The chief of police, from whom he had his information, did not know either, but suspected he had been murdered, since none of the money which he had drawn from his father's bank on the morning of his disappearance was found upon the body.

Doubtless all this has tended to increase the talk about Fraulein von Ma.s.senburg, so it is scarcely necessary for me to go to inquire of Herr von Sastrow."

"You will, however, oblige me greatly by doing so, and by letting me know what he says."

"Your wish shall be my law, Cousin Fritz. My first visit to-morrow morning shall be to Herr von Sastrow. I shall leave, then, immediately after dinner, and I must ask you to advance me five hundred or a thousand marks. I dislike to ask this favour, but if I am to make any settlement of the matter I spoke of to you I must have some cash in hand."

Herr von Osternau frowned. He would fain have refused the young man's request. He suspected that the money would be used to attempt to recover his losses at play, but he did not wish to expose the Lieutenant before Lieschen and her mother, and he could not explain to them his reason for wis.h.i.+ng to refuse a demand apparently so reasonable.

He rose slowly and went to his secretary. It was usually opened with great ease, but now something seemed the matter with the lock, he was several moments in unlocking it, and he had the same difficulty with the money-box. "Strange!" he said, trying to turn the key in the last; "either I am very awkward today or these keys are growing rusty." As he spoke the lock yielded and the lid of the box opened. One glance showed him to his dismay the reason why he had found so much difficulty in turning his keys. His secretary had been forced in the night by means of false keys, and the money had been stolen from the iron-bound box.

The bundle of bank-notes which Herr von Osternau had returned to it on the previous day, after giving the note of hand to the Candidate, was gone.