"Sit down, Fröhling, sit down!"
The old barber, rather to his surprise, had been invited to follow his
host into the Hegners' private parlour, a little square room situated
behind the big front shop.
The floor of the parlour was covered with a large-patterned oilcloth.
There was a round mahogany pedestal table, too large for the room, and
four substantial cane-backed armchairs. Till to-day there had always
hung over the piano a large engraving of the German Emperor, and on the
opposite wall a smaller oleograph picture of Queen Victoria with her
little great-grandson, the Prince of Wales, at her knee. The German
Emperor had now been taken down, and there was a patch of clean paper
marking where the frame had hung.
As answer to Mr. Hegner's invitation, the older man sat down heavily in
a chair near the table.
Both men remained silent for a moment, and a student of Germany, one who
really knew and understood that amazing country, might well, had he seen
the two sitting there, have regarded the one as epitomising the old
Germany, and the other--naturalised Englishman though he now
was--epitomising the new. Manfred Hegner was slim, active, and
prosperous-looking; he appeared years younger than his age. Ludwig
Fröhling was stout and rather stumpy; he seemed older than he really
was, and although he was a barber, his hair was long and untidy. He
looked intelligent and thoughtful, but it was the intelligence and the
thoughtfulness of the student and of the dreamer, not of the man of
action.
"Well, Mr. Fröhling, the International haven't done much the last few
days, eh? I'm afraid you must have been disappointed." He of course
spoke in German.
"Yes, I _have_ been disappointed," said the other stoutly, "very much
disappointed indeed! But still, from this great crime good may come,
even now. It has occurred to me that, owing to this war made by the
great rulers, the people in Russia, as well as in my beloved Fatherland,
may arise and cut their bonds."
A light came into the speaker's eyes, and Manfred Hegner looked at him
in mingled pity and contempt. It was not his intention, however, to
waste much time this evening listening to a foolish old man. In fact, he
had hesitated as to whether he should include the Fröhlings in his
invitations--then he had thought that if he omitted to do so the fact
might possibly come to the ears of the Dean. Fröhling and the Dean had
long been pleasantly acquainted. Then, again, it was just possible--not
likely, but possible--that he might be able to get out of the ex-barber
of the Witanbury garrison some interesting and just now valuable
information.
"What are you going to do now?" he asked. "Have you made any plans yet?"
"We are thinking of going to London, and of making a fresh start there.
We have friends in Red Lion Square." Fröhling spoke as if the words
were being dragged out of him. He longed to tell the other man to mind
his own business.
"You haven't a chance of being allowed to do that! Why, already, on the
very first day, every German barber is suspected." The speaker gave a
short, unpleasant laugh.
"I am not suspected. So!" exclaimed Fröhling heatedly. "Not one single
person has spoken as if he suspected me in this town! On the contrary,
England is not harsh, Mr. Hegner. English people are too sensible and
broad-minded to suspect harm where there is none. Indeed, they are not
suspecting enough."
Strange to say, old Fröhling's last sentence found an agreeable, even a
comforting, echo in Mr. Hegner's heart. He looked up, and for the first
time the expression on his face was really cordial. "Maybe you are
right, Mr. Fröhling. Most heartily do I desire it may be so! And
yet--well, one cannot say people would be altogether wrong in suspecting
barbers, for barbers hear a great deal of interesting conversation, is
it not so?"
"That depends on their customers," said the other coldly. "I cannot say
that I ever found the conversation of the young English officers here in
Witanbury very illuminating."
"Not exactly illuminating," said the other cautiously. "But take the
last few days? You must have heard a good deal of information as to
coming plans."
"Not one word did I hear," said the other man quickly--"not one word,
Mr. Hegner! Far more from my own intelligent, level-headed German
assistant. He knew and guessed what none of these young gentlemen
did--to what all the wicked intrigues of Berlin, Petersburg and Vienna,
of the last ten days were tending."
"I have heard to-night--in fact it was the daughter of the Dean who
mentioned it--that the British Army is going to Belgium," said Mr.
Hegner casually. "Is your son going to Belgium, Mr. Fröhling?"
"Not that I know of," said the other. But a troubled look came over his
face. He opened his mouth as if to add something, and then tightly shut
it again.
Mr. Hegner had the immediate impression that old Fröhling could have
told him something worth hearing had he been willing to do so.
"Well, that is all," said the host with a dismissory air, as he got up
from his seat. "I have many to see, many to advise to-night. One thing I
_do_ tell you, Mr. Fröhling. You may take it from me that if you wish to
leave this place you should clear out quickly. They will be making very
tiresome regulations soon--but not now, not for a few days. Fortunately
for you, and for all those who have not taken out their certificates,
there is no organisation in this country. As for thoroughness, they do
not know the meaning of the word."
"I have sometimes wondered," observed Mr. Fröhling mildly, "why you, who
dislike England so much, should have taken out your certificate, Mr.
Hegner. In your place I should have gone back to America."
"You have no right, no business, to say that I dislike England!" cried
his host vehemently. "It is a wicked thing to say to me on such a day
as this! It is a thing that might do me great harm in this city of which
I am a Councillor."
"It is not a thing that I should say to any one but you," returned the
old man. "But nevertheless it is true. We have not very often met--but
every time we have met you have spoken in a disagreeable, a derogatory,
a jeering way of what is now your country."
"And you," said Mr. Hegner, his eyes flashing, "have often spoken to me
in a derogatory, a jeering, a disagreeable way of Germany--of the
country where we were each born, of our _real_ Fatherland."
"It is not of Germany that I speak ill," said the older man wearily; "it
is of what a few people have made of my beloved country. To-day we see
the outcome of their evil doings. But all that is transitory. I am an
old man, and yet I hope to see a free Germany rise up."
He walked through into the shop, and beckoned to his wife. Then they
both turned towards the door through which they had gained admittance
earlier in the evening.
Mr. Hegner smoothed out his brow, and a mechanical smile came to his
lips. He was glad the old Socialist had cleared out early. It is not too
much to say that Manfred Hegner hated Fröhling. He wondered who would
get the German barber's job. He knew a man, a sharp, clever fellow, who
like himself had lived for a long time in America--who was, in fact, an
American citizen, though he had been born in Hamburg--who would be the
very man for it. Perhaps now was scarcely the moment to try and get yet
another foreigner, even if only this time an American, into the
neighbourhood of the barracks.
* * * * *
The owner of the Witanbury Stores went over to the place where Anna
Bauer was sitting talking to the mother of one of Mr. Hegner's German
employés. To call that young man German is, however, wrong, for some six
weeks ago he had become naturalised. Well for him that he had done so,
otherwise he would have had now to go back to the Fatherland and fight.
His mother was the one really happy person in the gathering to-night,
for the poor woman kept thanking God and Mr. Hegner in her heart for
having saved her son from an awful fate. Treating the mother of his
shopman as if she had not been there, Mr. Hegner bent towards the other
woman.
"Frau Bauer," he said graciously, "come into our parlour for a few
moments. I should like a little chat with you."
Anna got up and followed him through the crowd. What was it Mr. Hegner
wanted to say to her? She felt slightly apprehensive. Surely he was
going to tell her that now, owing to the war, he would have to stop the
half-commission he was still giving her on Mrs. Otway's modest orders?
Her heart rose in revolt. An Englishman belonging to the type and class
of Anna Bauer would have determined "to have it out" with him, but she
knew well that she would not have the courage to say anything at all if
he did this mean thing.
To her great surprise, after she had followed him into the parlour, Mr.
Hegner turned the key in the lock.
"I have but a very little to say," he exclaimed jovially, "but, while I
say it, I do not care to be interrupted! It is more cosy so. Sit down,
Frau Bauer, sit down!"
Still surprised, and still believing that her host was going to "best"
her in some way, Anna did sit down. She fixed her light-blue,
short-sighted eyes watchfully on his face. What a pity it was that he so
greatly resembled her adored Kaiser!
"You are very kind," she said mechanically.
"I believe that last Sunday, August 1st, there was owing to you this
sum." So saying, he pushed towards her across the table five
half-sovereigns.
Anna Bauer uttered an exclamation of profound astonishment. She stared
down at the money lying now close to her fat red hand.
"Is not that so?" he said, looking at her fixedly.
And at last she stammered out, "Yes, that is so. But--but----do you then
know Willi, Mr. Hegner?"
The man sitting opposite to her remained silent for a moment. He hadn't
the slightest idea who "Willi" was. "Ach, yes! It is from him that you
generally receive this money every six months--I had forgotten that!
Willi is a good fellow. Have you known him long?" He wisely waited for a
reply, for on his tongue had been the words, "I suppose he lives in
London?"
"I have only known him three years," said Anna, "and that though he
married my niece seven years ago. Yes, Willi is indeed an excellent
fellow!"
And then she suddenly bethought herself of what Mrs. Otway had said
that very morning. Mr. Hegner would certainly be able to tell her the
truth--he was the sort of man who knew everything of a practical,
business nature. "Perhaps you will be able to tell me," she asked
eagerly, "if my nephew will have to fight--to go to the frontier. Mrs.
Otway, she says that the police are always the last to be called out--is
that true, Mr. Hegner?"
"Yes, I think I may assure you, Frau Bauer, that it is a fact." He
looked at her curiously. "You are very fond, then, of your niece's
husband, of the excellent Willi?"
"I am indeed," she said eagerly, "and grateful to him too, for this
money he sends me is very welcome, Mr. Hegner. I was so afraid it might
not come this time."
"And you were right to be afraid! It will become more and more difficult
to get money from Germany to England," said her host, and there was a
touch of grimness in his voice. "Still, there are ways of getting over
every difficulty. Should the war last as long, I will certainly see that
you, Frau Bauer, receive what is your due on the 1st of next January.
But many strange things may happen before then. Long before Christmas
you may no longer be earning this money."
"Oh! I hope that will not be the case!" She looked very much disturbed.
£5 a year was about a fifth of good old Anna's total income.
"Well, we shall see. I will do my best for you, Frau Bauer."
"Thank you, thank you! I am very grateful to you, Mr. Hegner."
Indeed old Anna's feelings towards the man who sat there, playing with a
pen in his hand, had undergone an extraordinary transformation. She had
come into the room disliking him, fearing him, feeling sure that he was
going to take some advantage of her. Now she stared at his moody, rather
flushed face, full of wondering gratitude.
How strange that he had never taken the trouble to tell her that he knew
Willi! She was sorry to remember how often she had dissuaded her
mistress from getting something at the Stores that could be got
elsewhere, some little thing on which the tiny commission she received
would have been practically nil, or, worse still, overlooked. Her
commission had been often overlooked of late unless she kept a very
sharp look-out on the bills, which Mrs. Otway had a tiresome habit of
locking away when receipted.
She took the five precious gold pieces off the table, and moved, as if
to rise from her chair.
But Mr. Hegner waved his hand. "Sit down, sit down, Frau Bauer," he
said. "There is no hurry. I enjoy the thought of a little chat with
you." He waited a moment. "And are you thinking of staying on in your
present position? You are--let me see--with Mrs. Otway?"
"Oh yes," she said, brightening. "I shall certainly stay where I am. I
am very happy there. They are very kind to me, Mr. Hegner. I love my
young lady as much as I do my own child."
"It is a quiet house," he went on, "a quiet house, with very little
coming and going, Frau Bauer. Is not that so?"
"There is a good deal of visiting," she said quickly. "It is a
hospitable house."
"Not often gentlemen of the garrison, I suppose?"
"Indeed, yes," cried Anna eagerly. "You know how it is in England? It is
not like in our country. Here everybody is much more associated. In some
ways it is pleasanter."
"Very true. And had any of these officers who came and called on your
two ladies reason to suppose that the war was coming?"
Anna stared at him, surprised. "No, indeed!" she cried. "English
officers never talk of warlike subjects. I have never even seen one of
them wearing his uniform."
"It looks to me as if I shall have to add a new line of officers' kit to
the Stores," said Mr. Hegner thoughtfully. "And any information you give
me about officers just now might be very useful in my business. I know,
Frau Bauer, that you were annoyed, disappointed about that little matter
of the commission being halved."
"Oh no," murmured Anna, rather confusedly.
"Yes, and I understand your point of view. Well, from to-day, Frau
Bauer, I restore the old scale! And if at any time you can say anything
about the Stores to the visitors who come to see your ladies--anything,
you understand, that may lead to an order--I will be generous, I will
recognise your help in the widest sense."
Anna got up again, and so did her host. "Well, we have had a pleasant
gossip," he said. "And one word more, Frau Bauer. You have not told _any
one_, not even your daughter, of--of----" he hesitated, for he did not
wish to put in plain words the question he wished to convey--"of that
other matter--of that in which your nephew is concerned?"
"I gave my solemn promise to Willi to say nothing," said Anna, "and I am
not one who ever breaks my word, Mr. Hegner."
"That I am sure you are not! And Frau Bauer? Do not attempt to write to
the Fatherland henceforth. Your letters would be opened, your business
all spied out, and then the letters destroyed! I am at your disposal for
any information you require. Come in and see us sometimes," he said
cordially. "Let me see--to-day is Wednesday. How about Sunday? Come in
on Sunday night, if you can do so, and have a little supper. You may
have news of interest to my business to give me, and in any case it is
pleasant to chat among friends."