very bad temper and did not quite know what to do. The officer’s quiet,
somewhat mocking tone obviously disconcerted him.
He signed to the two sailors to withdraw, then turned to Heideck.
“This gentleman is a business friend. And I should like to know what
I and my affairs have got to do with you at all. I am here to sell my
herrings. I suppose that isn’t forbidden?”
“Certainly not. But if you have your business, mynheer, I have mine. And
I think it would be pleasantest for both of us if we could settle the
matter here at once without having to row over to the Gefion.”
“To the Gefion? What’s the meaning of that? What right have you to use
force with me? My papers are in order; I can show them to you.”
“I should like to see them. But won’t you be kind enough to tell me this
gentleman’s name? It is really of interest to me to make your business
friend’s acquaintance.”
The second visitor now thought it advisable to introduce himself.
“My name is Camille Penurot,” said he; “I am a grocer in Breskens.
Maaning Brandelaar has offered to sell me his cargo, and I have come
with him to inspect the goods.”
“And no doubt night is the best time for that,” rejoined Heideck in a
sarcastic tone, but with an imperturbably serious air. “Now let me see
your papers, Mynheer Brandelaar.”
Just as he had expected, the papers were in perfect order. The fishing
smack Bressay, owner Maximilian van Spranekhuizen of Rotterdam,
sailing with a cargo of pickled herrings from Lerwick. Captain, Maaning
Brandelaar. Attested by the English harbour officials at Lerwick.
Everything perfectly correct.
“Very good,” said Heideck. “Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Hollway of Dover
has not endorsed them, but that was not necessary at all.”
These words, uttered with perfect calmness, had an astounding effect
upon the two men. Penurot’s pale face turned almost green; Brandelaar’s
hard features were frightfully distorted in a grimace of rage. Half
choking in the effort to keep down a furious curse, he drew a deep
breath, and said--
“I don’t know any Admiral Hollway, and I have never been in Dover in my
life.”
“Well, well! Let us talk about your business--or yours, M. Penurot. Of
course the cargo of herrings which you want to buy is not meant to be
sold at Breskens, but to some business friend at Antwerp? isn’t it so?”
No answer was given. Heideck, as if it were the most natural thing in
the world, turned to the cupboard and, before the others had grasped his
intention, took out the second white loaf and broke it in two. This time
a folded paper came to light. Heideck spread it out and saw that it was
covered with a long list of questions written in English.
“Look here,” said he, “the gentleman who had this paper baked with
your breakfast bread must be confoundedly curious. ‘How strong is
the garrison of Antwerp? What regiments? What batteries? Who are the
commanders of the outer fort? What is the exact plan of the flooded
district? How is the population disposed towards the German troops? How
many German men-of-war are there in the harbour and in the Schelde? How
are they distributed? Exact information as to the number of cannon and
crews of all the men-of-war. How many and which ships of the German
navigation companies are allotted to the German fleet? How many troops
are there on the island of Walcheren? How many in the neighbourhood of
Antwerp? How are the troops distributed on both banks of the Schelde?
Are troops ready to be put on board the men-of-war and transports? Has
a date been settled for that? Is there a plan for employing the German
fleet? What is said about the German fleet joining the French?’ That is
only a small portion of the long list; but it is quite enough for anyone
to guess at the nature of the rest of the questions. What the deuce!
Admiral Hollway would like to learn everything for his paltry thirty
pounds! or were they only a little on account? I cannot believe, M.
Penurot, that your Antwerp correspondent would be willing to sell so
much for thirty pounds.”
The two men were clearly overwhelmed by the weight of the unexpected
blow. For a moment, when Heideck drew the paper out of the bread, it
looked as if Brandelaar would have thrown himself upon him and attempted
to tear it from him by force. But the thought of the soldiers probably
restrained him opportunely from such an act of folly. He stood where he
was with tightly compressed lips and spitefully glistening eyes.
“I don’t understand you, Herr major,” exclaimed Penurot with a visible
effort. “I know nothing whatever about this paper. I am an honest
business man.”
“And of course, Herr Brandelaar, you had no suspicion of the important
stuffing in your white bread? Now, I am not called upon to investigate
the matter further. It will be for the court-martial to throw light on
the affair.”
The grocer turned as pale as death, and lifted up his hands imploringly.
“Mercy, Herr major, mercy! As true as I live, I am innocent.”
Heideck pretended not to have heard his assertion.
“Further, I must tell you, gentlemen, that you are confoundedly bad men
of business, to risk your lives for a miserable thirty pounds. That
was an inexcusable folly. If ever you wanted to make money in that way,
really you would have done better to work for us. We would pay a man
five times as much without haggling, if he would furnish us with really
trustworthy information of this kind about the English fleet and army.”
At these words, spoken almost in a jovial tone, a gleam of hope showed
itself in the countenance of the two men. The grocer had opened his
mouth to reply, when Heideck signed to him to be silent.
“Be so good as to go on deck for a while, Penurot,” said he. “I will
call you when I want to continue the conversation. You shall give me
your company first, Brandelaar. I should like a few words with you in
private.”
The man with the fashionably pointed beard obeyed. Then Heideck turned
to the Dutchman--
“This Penurot is the guilty party, isn’t he? As a skipper you have
probably never troubled yourself much about politics during your
lifetime: you scarcely had a correct idea of the risk you were running.
If the court-martial condemns you, you will only have your friend
Penurot to thank for it.”
“What you say is quite true, sir,” replied Brandelaar with well-acted
simplicity. “I have my cargo to sell for the firm of Van Spranekhuizen,
and I don’t care a damn for war or spying. I beg the Herr major to put
in a good word for me. I had no suspicion of what was inside the bread.”
“So this Penurot has drawn you into the affair without your knowing it.
Did he intend to go with you to Antwerp?”
“I will tell you the whole truth, Herr major! Admiral Hollway at Dover,
who is in control of the intelligence department for the Channel and
the coast from Cuxhaven to Brest, gave me the two loaves for Camille
Penurot. That is all I know of the matter.”
“Was it the first time you had to carry out such commissions for Admiral
Hollway?”
“So help me God, the first time!”
“But Penurot was not meant to keep these peculiar loaves for himself?
He, like yourself, is only an agent? If you want me to speak for you,
you must tell me unreservedly everything you know about it.”
“Penurot has a business friend in Antwerp, as the Herr major has rightly
guessed.”
“His name?”
“Eberhard Amelungen.”
“What is he?”
“A wholesale merchant. My cargo is intended for him.”
“And how is he connected with Penurot?”
“I don’t know. Penurot is an agent who does all kinds of business.”
“Oh! and what does the owner, Mynheer van Spranekhuizen, say to your
having anything to do with such things as the conveyance of these
loaves?”
“Mynheer van Spranekhuizen and Mynheer Amelungen are near relations.”
“In other words, these two gentlemen have agreed to send the Bressay
from the Shetlands to Dover, and from Dover to Antwerp.”
“I know nothing about that, Herr major. I have told you everything I
know. No vessel can go further up the Schelde than Ternenzen, and I can
unload at Breskens just as well as at Ternenzen and send the goods by
rail to Antwerp.”
“Now, Brandelaar, go upstairs again and send M. Penurot down to me.”
With heavy tread the skipper mounted the narrow ladder, and almost at
once Penurot entered. Heideck, with a wave of his hand, invited him to
sit down opposite and began to speak.
“From what I have seen of Brandelaar I am convinced that he is an arrant
rascal. It was very imprudent on your part to have anything to do with
a man like that. If you are brought before a court-martial, you have him
to thank for it.”
“For God’s sake, Herr major--my life isn’t in danger? I implore you,
have pity on me!”
“It will matter little whether personally I have pity on you. You
will go with me to the Gefion and be brought before a court-martial at
Flushing. The fact that you have been Brandelaar’s accomplice cannot be
got rid of. He has just now declared definitely that the two loaves were
intended for you.”
“For me? That is a vile lie. I have never received a penny from the
English.”
“Well--but, without special reasons, a man doesn’t amuse himself by
paying a visit to a herring-smack at night. The cargo could have been
delivered to Herr Eberhard Amelungen without your inspection.”
“Eberhard Amelungen?”
“Don’t pretend to be so ignorant. Brandelaar has already confessed
so much, that you can easily admit the rest. Amelungen and Van
Spranekhuizen are in a conspiracy to carry on a regular system of
espionage in the interests of England. You are used as an agent, and
Maaning Brandelaar is trying to get out of it by sacrificing you.”
“So it seems, really. But I am quite innocent, Herr major. I know
nothing of all that. The last time Brandelaar left the Schelde, he came
to see me here in Breskens and told me that he would soon be back again
and that it would be a good business for me.”
“When did that happen?”
“Three weeks ago. I had no reason to distrust Brandelaar, since he had
often supplied goods for Amelungen.”
“But why did you come on board to-day?”
“Brandelaar wanted it. He said I could look at the cargo and discuss
whether it should be unloaded here or at Ternenzen.”
“Now, M. Penurot, I will tell you something. You will go with me to
Antwerp, where I will call on Herr Amelungen and convince myself whether
you are really as innocent as you say, and as I shall be glad to believe
you are for the present.”
The grocer appeared to be getting still more uneasy.
“But you won’t take me before the court-martial?”
“That remains to be seen. I can promise you nothing. Everything will
depend on the information which Herr Amelungen gives me about you, and
on your future behaviour. I will now have Brandelaar down again, and you
will remain silent while I speak to him.”
“Of course, I will do everything the Herr major tells me.”
Brandelaar having been summoned to the cabin, Heideck addressed him as
follows:--
“Listen to me, Maaning Brandelaar. I know everything, and I need
not tell you that it is more than enough to put your neck in danger
according to martial law. But I will show you a way to save yourself. Go
to-morrow to Ternenzen and wait there till you hear from me. I will make
it easy for you to execute your commission; I will write the answers to
Admiral Hollway’s questions myself. You can then take them to Dover
to your customer. But at the same time I will give you a number of
questions, to which you will bring me trustworthy answers at Flushing.
If you carry out this mission to my satisfaction, I will pay you 3,000
marks on your return. As you will also have your fee from the Admiral,
you will make a very good thing out of it. But beware of attempting to
betray me; it would turn out an extremely bad job for you. I know where
I can catch you, and you would be imprisoned as soon as you showed
yourself anywhere on the Dutch coast. So you had better think it over
carefully.”
The skipper’s broad countenance had gradually brightened, and at these
words a cunning grin overspread his features.
“Three thousand marks! If that’s a bargain, Herr major, you can count
upon my serving you honourably.”
“Perhaps it isn’t so much a matter of your honour as of your cleverness.
Unless the information you bring me corresponds with my expectations, of
course the payment will suffer accordingly. The price depends upon the
quality of the goods.”
“Oh, you will be satisfied with me. I have connexions over there, and if
you want anything else, you shall see what Brandelaar can do.”
“Good! It will be to your own interest to serve me well and faithfully.”
Suddenly the skipper again looked thoughtful.
“There is still one thing that troubles me, Herr major.”
“What is that?”
“My men have seen an officer and soldiers visit my ship. Suppose they
talk about it over in England and the Admiral should suspect me?”
“He will have no reason to do so, if he is convinced that your
information is correct. He will have other sources of information
besides yourself, and if he finds your statements confirmed, he will
have complete confidence in you.”
These words did not allay Maaning Brandelaar’s uneasiness.
“Yes, but--you don’t mean to give me correct information?”
“Certainly I do. Everything I write for you will be perfectly correct.”
This reply was clearly too much for the skipper to understand. He stared
in speechless amazement at Heideck, who proceeded quietly--
“The Admiral wants to know the strength of the German army at Antwerp,
and I will tell you the condition of affairs. We have 120,000 men
in Holland and the small portion of Belgian territory which we have
occupied round Antwerp. In the fortress itself there are 30,000 men; on
the island of Walcheren only 5,000, in occupation of Flushing and other
important points. These are entirely trustworthy facts.”
The Captain shook his head.
“If it were not disrespectful, I should think you were making a fool of
me.”
“No, my friend, I have no reason to do so; you can go bail for
everything I write, and your fee will be honourably earned. It would be
somewhat different with the news you might take over to the Admiral on
your own responsibility.”
Brandelaar nodded.
“I understand, Herr major, and I will act accordingly. But I must
certainly get a fresh crew; these men know too much; that is bad, and
they might make it unpleasant for me.”
“No, no, that would be quite a mistake. Keep your men and make no fuss.
When I get to Ternenzen, I will have you and the crew arrested. You will
be examined by me and in a few days set at liberty.”
The skipper did not seem to relish this prospect.
“But suppose you should change your mind in the meantime, and take me
before the court-martial?”
“You may confidently trust my word. It will only be a sham examination
to prevent your men getting unprofitable ideas into their heads and
betraying anything which might arouse suspicion across the water. On the
contrary, it will look as if you had had to endure all kinds of dangers
and disappointments; and if my estimate of you is correct, my worthy
Brandelaar, you will not lose the opportunity of extracting an extra fee
from the Admiral to make up for the anxiety you have suffered.”
XXVI
CAMILLE PENUROT
When Heideck and his prisoner, Penurot, reached the Gefion he found the
Commander on deck, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour. He reported
himself, and asked him to treat Penurot as a guest.
“I was getting anxious about you,” said the Captain, “and was on
the point of sending the steam pinnace after you. Have you found out
anything important?”
“I believe I have. The two rascals whom I caught there don’t seem to
belong to the ordinary class of spies. They are the skipper Brandelaar
and the man I have brought with me.”
“Didn’t you arrest the skipper as well?”
“I intend to use them in our interest, and hope that Admiral Hollway
will find himself caught in his own net.”
“Isn’t that rather a risky game? If the fellows have betrayed Admiral
Hollway, you may rely upon it they will do the same by us.”
“I trust to their fears and selfishness more than their honour. To take
information about us to the English they must return here again, and so
I hold them in my hand.”
“But the converse is true. I confess I have very little faith in such
double-dealing spies.”
“Of course, I feel the same; but I believe I have at last found the way
to the headquarters of the English system of espionage. In order to
get to the bottom of the matter I cannot do without the aid of the two
spies.”
“The headquarters?”
“Yes. The underlings who risk their lives are always of subordinate
importance. It is, above all, necessary to find out the persons
of higher rank who prudently contrive to keep themselves in the
background.”
“I wish you success.”
“Before going to Antwerp, whither M. Penurot is to accompany me
to-morrow, I should like to make a report to the Imperial Chancellor.
May I ask you to let me have a boat to-morrow morning to go to
Flushing?”
“Certainly. You can have any boat you like.”
“Then I should like the steam pinnace.”
“Perhaps you know whether the Chancellor intends to stay long at
Flushing?”
“I cannot say. In many ways Antwerp would certainly be a better place;
but he has gone to Flushing to make a demonstration.”
“To make a demonstration?” repeated the Commander in a tone of
astonishment.
“The English, of course, know that he is there, and his presence at
Flushing is bound to strengthen their belief that our main base of
operations will be the mouth of the Schelde.”
“Is it not surprising that our Chancellor is always at the centre of
operations, though he is neither a general nor an admiral?”
“We have seen the same before in the case of Bismarck. If we follow the
history of the wars of 1864, 1866, and 1870-71 we get the impression
that Bismarck was in like manner the soul of all the operations,
although his military title was only an honorary one.”
“That is true; but the circumstances are essentially different. Bismarck
was a trained official, diplomatist, ambassador, before he became
Chancellor. His authority was great in military matters, independently
of the generals; but our new Chancellor comes from quite a different
sphere.”
“But he has the power of a strong personality, and it is that which
turns the scale in all great matters. The fine instinct of the people
feels that the Emperor has chosen rightly, and the Chancellor’s general
popularity insures him powerful support even against the generals.
Besides, everyone must admire his practical understanding and his wide
range of vision. Is not the occupation of Antwerp a fresh proof of it?
The rest of Belgium is occupied by the French army, but the Chancellor
has arranged with the French Government for us to hold Antwerp, since
our fleet is in the Schelde. And I am sure we shall never give it up
again.”
The Commander shook his head doubtfully.
“You really think we shall be able to keep Antwerp without further
trouble?”
“We must, and shall, have Antwerp. Belgium and the Netherlands may
continue to exist, for we cannot with any justification annex them. But
the Netherlands and Antwerp will enter into closer political relations
with the German Empire for the sake of their own interests. Their
Governments are too weak to put down revolutionary movements in their
countries for any length of time. We are moving irresistibly towards
the formation of larger states. The fact that war in its attendant
manifestations is a means of promoting the union of peoples seems to me
to some extent to mitigate its cruelty.”
“That sounds very fanciful, Herr major,” said the Captain, turning the
conversation. “But what sort of information do you propose to send by
your agents to Dover?”
“I propose to confirm the Admiral in the idea that we intend to leave
the Schelde with the fleet and a number of our private companies’
steamers, and, with the support of the French fleet, to throw an army
across to Dover.”
“I am surprised that the English have not even attempted to force our
positions. One is almost tempted to believe that the English navy is as
inefficient as the English army. If our enemies felt strong enough,
they would have appeared long ago before Brest, Cherbourg, Flushing,
Wilhelmshaven, or Kiel. Heligoland could not stop a fleet of ironclads
from forcing its way into the Elbe; it ought rather to be a welcome
object of attack for the English fleet. If I were in command, I should
set out against Heligoland with the older ironclads--Albion, Glory,
Canopus, Coliath, Ocean, and Vengeance. The little island could
hardly resist these six battleships for long, and the German North
Sea fleet--supposing one to exist--would be obliged to come out from
Wilhelmshaven to save its honour.”
“The reason they do nothing of the sort is not so much the consciousness
of their own weakness, as the fact that they have no one whose genius
would be equal to the situation. Certainly, they have several capable
admirals, but there is no Nelson among them. Perhaps our war also would
have remained in abeyance, had not the Emperor discovered in our new
Chancellor the genius needed by the times. The wars against Denmark,
Austria, and France would hardly have taken place without Bismarck’s
initiative. Even under a most wretched government which commits
the grossest blunders great states can exist for a long time; but
advancement, real progress is only possible through the intervention of
a strong personality.”
“I am not quite of your opinion. I am convinced that it is economic
conditions that from time to time force on great revolutions. Do you
think, for instance, that the Russians would have conquered India if the
economic conditions of the natives had been better?”
“Certainly not. Even a great man must have the soil prepared on which to
prove his strength. And I think that our Chancellor has appeared on the
scene just at the right moment.”
Heideck took leave of the Commander and retired to his cabin to draw up
a report and take a well-deserved rest.
When he sent for M. Camille Penurot on the following morning, he found a
striking alteration in him. That foppish gentleman no longer showed
the dejection of the day before, his dark eyes were bright and full of
confidence. By daylight, Heideck saw that his captive was a good-looking
man about thirty years of age, more like a Spaniard than a Netherlander.
He bowed politely to Heideck and then asked, with a certain amount of
confidence, “Pardon me, Herr major, if I serve the German Empire well,
may I count on an adequate reward?”
“I have already told you, M. Penurot, that we are prepared to pay more
than the English.”
“Oh, that was not what I meant. You mustn’t class me with Maaning
Brandelaar and people of that sort.”
Heideck smiled.
“Will you be good enough to tell me, then, M. Penurot, with whom I am to
class you?”
“I am willing from this moment to devote all my energies to the cause of
the allies.”
“Granted. But what are your wishes in the matter of reward?”
“I should like you to use your influence to obtain me the honour of an
order.”
Heideck was unable to conceal his astonishment at this strange request.
“Such distinctions are, as a rule, only given in Germany for acts of
bravery or for services which cannot be adequately requited in hard
cash.”
“What I am willing to do requires bravery.”
“You are only going to help me to find out the spies in Antwerp.”
“But they are dangerous people to make enemies of--people whose tools
would be capable of anything.”
“Rest assured, M. Penurot, that your reward will correspond with the
services rendered. You know that I have no order to bestow, and besides,
I do not quite understand of what importance a decoration can be to
you.”
“You rate my sense of honour too low, Herr major! But in order that you
may understand me, I will tell you a secret. I am in love with a lady of
very good family, and her people would be more ready to welcome me, if I
had an order.”
“Then you have fixed your affections very high, I suppose?”
“That’s as one takes it. In the matter of birth, I am in that painful
situation which is the inheritance of all children born out of wedlock.
My mother was a Spanish dancer, my father is the wealthy Amelungen. He
is fond of me and provides for me. It was he who bought the business in
Breskens for me. But his wife, who is English, has no liking for me.”
“I understand you even less than before. If you have such resources at
your disposal, why on earth do you mix yourself up in such dangerous
undertakings?”
“Herr Amelungen wished it.”