He stood sunk in the deepest thought, his slender white fingers
stroking his dark beard. "It is amusing to be the only well-informed
man amongst the ignorant; amusing and sad. I feel it for the first
time, now that I can no longer share my thoughts and plans with her.
She has brought it on herself, and she is heaping wrong upon wrong. A
little while ago and the measure was nearly full. If a spark of the old
love remained in her she must have taken it differently. That pallor,
that terror, that 'no!' at the mere vision of what formerly her soul
thirsted for, as the thirsty traveller in the desert longs for the
stream of water in the oasis. Only because it was a vision? Because it
was not the truth? And if it were made truth?" Giraldi slowly paced the
apartment. "His parents are dead, the monk may be disposed of, and the
handsome youth can have no objection; he is vain and false, and in
love; any one of the three would suffice to induce him to play the
part. And then the likeness--it is not very striking, but she cannot
convict me of falsehood when she sees him; and she must see him."
In the anteroom was a stir as of several people moving; Giraldi, who
was near the door, advanced a step nearer and listened; doubtless the
visit announced in the niece's note. They were all pressing round her
now; they who had formerly avoided Valerie as an outcast and castaway
hastened to her now that she was their equal and doubly as powerful.
They would try to make up by the flatteries and caresses of one hour
for what they had for long years committed against her in their stupid
shortsightedness. She had said once that she longed for this hour, in
order that she might set her foot on the necks of her persecutors, and
pay them back in their own coin for their treatment of her. He had just
now repeated the words that had often been mentioned between them, but
she had not taken them up. The old German love of family was moving in
her towards her blood-relations, while her own flesh and blood--his
own--
He struck his forehead with his clenched fist. "That was the only
foolish action of my life. What would I give if I could undo it!"
All was quiet again in the anteroom; Giraldi opened the door and
beckoned in François, who handed him a number of visiting cards.
"I brought them out again, monsieur," said François; "I was not sure of
being able to remember those German names."
"You must practise," said Giraldi, letting the cards run through his
fingers; "Privy Councillor Wallbach, Frau Louisa von Wallbach (née
Herrenburg Semlow), Ottomar von Werben, Carla von Wallbach--_mon Dieu!_
it is not so very difficult--I can remember twenty names that I have
heard mentioned."
"Oh yes, you, monsieur!" said François, bowing with a cringing smile.
"I expect the same of you. How did madame receive the lady who came
first, the young Fräulein Elsa von Werben!"
"Mademoiselle shut the door when I wanted to follow her. I could not do
it with the best will in the world. Mademoiselle seems to be very
determined."
"You are a fool. And the second lady, the older one, Fräulein Sidonie
von Werben, or were you out of the way again?"
"Oh! no, monsieur! She is a great lady who gives herself airs; there
was no difficulty with her. She walked ten paces forward and then made
her curtsey. Oh, monsieur! such a curtsey! I could not help thinking of
Madame la Duchesse de Rosambert, from whose service I came into
monsieur's."
"Good! and madame?"
"Madame could not help smiling--a melancholy smile, monsieur, that went
to one's heart."
And François laid his hand with a hypocritical look on his dazzlingly
white closely-plaited shirt-front with its large gold studs.
"You may dispense with those grimaces in my presence! Go on."
"Madame, who had passed her left arm through mademoiselle's, and did
not let it go now, held out her right hand and said: 'Ah, que
nous----'"
"In French?"
"No, monsieur, in German."
"Then repeat it in German; the same words, if you please."
"Do we meet again thus after eighty-seven years?"
"Twenty-seven, idiot! But the actual meeting?"
"It was such a confusion, monsieur! I could not distinguish anything in
particular; it was impossible, monsieur!"
Giraldi shrugged his shoulders impatiently.
"If Count Golm calls, tell him that I am at home to him, and add that
monsieur can only spare him a few minutes because he is himself
expected in madame's salon. Then mention, casually, who is in the
salon. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, monsieur."
"One thing more; I do not pay two hundred francs a month to people to
whom anything is impossible. You must perfect yourself if you wish to
remain any longer in my service."
"I will do everything to satisfy monsieur, and to prove myself worthy
of the confidence with which monsieur honours me."
François bowed himself out of the door.
"That is to say," said Giraldi, "you have confided too much in me
already to dare to send me away at a moment's notice. It is our
misfortune that we cannot live without these creatures. In
Machiavelli's time people took the precaution of not letting them live
long. In these days one has to pay double without assuring one's
safety. Ah! the Count."
François had opened the door to Count Golm; the Count entered with
hurried steps. He looked out of temper and absent; his attitude and the
tone of his voice showed the carelessness of the man of rank, who does
not think it worth his while to conceal his dissatisfaction.
"I am sorry to disturb you," he said; "but I will not take up your time
for long; I have only come to tell you that in all probability nothing
will now come of our bargain."
"I should be sorry for that for your sake, Count," answered Giraldi.
"Why for my sake?"
"We make nothing by the bargain, Count Golm."
"Which is as much as to say that I should gain by it! I should be much
obliged, sir, if you would tell me what."
"If the Count, who proposed the bargain, does not know, we cannot
pretend to do so."
"And who are 'we,' if I may venture to ask, in this case; the trustees
of the Warnow property, or yourself?"
"In this case the Baroness von Warnow, whom I have the honour to
represent."
There was so much calm superiority in the Italian's coolly courteous
manner, his black eyes shone with such a steady light, that the Count
could not bear their glance and looked confusedly on the ground.
"I beg your pardon," he said; "I--I did not mean to offend you."
"And I am not offended," answered Giraldi; "I never am when I see that
people vent on me the vexation which I have not caused; it is like a
letter that has been addressed to me by mistake. Shall we sit down?"
The Count accepted the invitation unwillingly.
"I cannot, however, consider you exonerated from all blame; it was you
who told me yesterday that it would not be difficult for me to raise
the first instalment of the purchase-money. As I take it for granted
that you are in a general way acquainted with my circumstances, and on
the other hand, you have been so long intimate with the Councillor, I
could not but believe that between him and you on the one side, and him
and Herr Lübbener on the other, some conversation had taken place upon
the matter in question, and that you were authorised by those gentlemen
to make an advance to me in their names, which could not be made by the
gentlemen themselves to whom I am to sell again, though only in their
capacity as directors of the new railroad. Good! I went this morning to
Lübbener; he professed great astonishment, said it was very strange,
might create bad feeling if it were known that he had advanced the
money, still--to please me, as I was determined to be the seller--in
short, he made conditions--impossible, degrading conditions, I tell
you--for which I could have horsewhipped the--the fellow! I went away
furious, and went straight to Herr Philip Schmidt. Herr Schmidt, you
must know--"
"I know--a merchant-captain, much thought of by the Werbens. The
Councillor spoke to me about him."
Giraldi played with his watch-chain while he said these words in a
careless, conversational tone, and looked up in astonishment when the
Count exclaimed eagerly:
"Heaven forbid! What could I have to do with him! Herr Philip Schmidt
is, as I learnt unfortunately too late, a cousin of that otherwise
utterly insignificant fellow, who has, with incredible audacity, forced
himself into the best circles; a man of no birth----"
"I beg your pardon; Herr Philip Schmidt then, to whom you went----"
"Is the contractor for the Berlin-Sundin Railroad, and is to build our
line also--a successful man, fairly presentable, and immensely rich.
Polite reception, as I expected, assurance on assurance of meeting my
wishes; but his money was tied up in every possible undertaking; his
new house had cost him fearful sums; he must keep a balance in hand for
the contract for our new railroad, and--in short, scarcely better
conditions than those of Lübbener. Now you see how easily I can raise
the half million which you demand as an instalment."
The Count pulled at his fair moustache; his pale blue eyes looked
angrily at Giraldi. He made a motion to rise, but on a sign made by the
latter with his white hand, remained sitting, as if rooted to his
chair.
"I must again ask your pardon," said Giraldi. "I thought I had made
myself clear enough yesterday. I had forgotten that German ears are--I
will not say duller than Italian, but different to them. I could
otherwise have spared you an unpleasant morning; for what could be more
unpleasant for a nobleman than to be obliged to deal with crafty men of
business, still more when these men, as is apparent, are in collusion!
I hope that with us you will be relieved from this and any other
unpleasantness."
"'With us?' With you?" asked the Count in the greatest astonishment.
"I must again say 'we' and 'us,'" answered Giraldi, smiling; "for
if I am myself only the manager, still the savings of an income of
ten thousand thalers could not have increased to so large a sum
without--what shall I say--some speculation by a lucky hand. For the
last few years the money has been really lying idle, and I herewith
offer it to the Count in the name of the Baroness."
The Count stared at Giraldi; but the man's dark eyes shone as calmly as
before. It could not be a joke.
"In the name of the Baroness?"
"If it so pleases you."
"The entire half million?"
"As it appears to us--this time I mean the trustees--that the payment
of half the purchase-money at once is necessary for the better
regulation of the property."
"And the conditions?" asked the Count, after a short pause, with a
somewhat hesitating voice.
Giraldi stroked his dark beard.
"We make really none, with the exception of one special condition,
for the registration of the debt as a first mortgage on the
property--which, as the Count knows, is quite free from debt--and the
low interest of four per cent, can hardly be called conditions, but
rather natural securities, which the Count----"
"Certainly, certainly," said the Count; "quite natural. And the special
condition?"
"That the Count pledges his word of honour not to tell any one, be they
who they may, or even to hint from whom he has obtained the money."
Giraldi held out his hand with a pleasant smile. "It is the hand of a
friend, not of a usurer, that we hold out to you."
The Count was ashamed of his momentary hesitation. "There you have my
hand and my word!" he exclaimed, laying his hand in that of the
Italian. "I will speak of it to no one."
"Not even to the Baroness," continued Giraldi. "She wishes to be
entirely unconcerned; that is to say, quite free. The Count will
understand this womanly delicacy, not to say weakness."
"Perfectly," said the Count.
"Even her name--that is her particular wish--must not appear in any
part of the transaction; so that the mortgage must be made out in my
name. Do you agree!"
"Of course," said the Count.
Giraldi dropped, with a friendly pressure, the hand which he had till
then held in his, and leaned back in his chair.
"Then we are agreed," he said. "I on my side consider myself fortunate
in having delivered a nobleman, whose intelligence and energy had won
my entire sympathy even before I had the happiness of making his
personal acquaintance, from the unclean hands of these roturiers, and
in having placed him in a position which, as it appears to me, confers
on him that leading position in this affair which in every way is his
right. I at least see the road quite clear before him. To raise the
second half of the purchase-money--let us for the present fix the
1st of March as the term--I say to raise the second half of the
purchase-money cannot be the least difficult, as by that time you will
have long ago sold the property to your associates for double the
money; you must not on any account agree for less than two millions.
And now, Count, if it is agreeable to you, allow me to conduct you to
the Baroness, who is longing to make your acquaintance, as I am sure
you will be happy to become acquainted with a lady whom no one can know
without loving and honouring her."
Giraldi had risen; the Count stood embarrassed and undecided.
"You will easily believe that I should prize the happiness proposed
to me at its fullest value; but--your servant--there are a lot of
people--nearly all the family--in the salon. I fear I should be looked
upon as a stranger and an intruder at such a moment."
"But if," answered Giraldi, "it should just be in the presence of her
family that the Baroness especially needs the friendship of men of
position and weight? If she lays the greatest stress on showing that
wherever she appears the friendship of those men is secured to her."
"Let us go!" exclaimed the Count.
"One word more," said Giraldi.
In the hitherto calm eyes of the Italian a deeper fire burned. The
Count stood breathless; he had an undefined feeling that now he was to
hear the solution of the riddle which, in spite of all, was still a
mystery to him.
"And if," continued Giraldi slowly, as if weighing every syllable, "the
Count should imagine that the Baroness does not expect to buy his
friendship by doing him a service in a matter of business, but rather
by using all her influence in his favour, in case he should have the
wish, once for all, to make the reproach of being a stranger and
intruder in the family impossible. I need say no more, if the Count
understands, and I dare say no more if he has not understood me."
The blood mounted into the Count's face.
"If he dared to understand you!" he exclaimed, seizing the hand of the
Italian and pressing it warmly--"if he dared!"
"That would be my smallest fear," answered Giraldi, with a crafty
smile; "but I feel neither that nor any other. Only let prudence go
hand in hand with courage, and let Count Golm kindly trust in this
delicate business to the experience and knowledge of the world of an
older man."
"I will not take a step without you--not a step!"
They had already reached the door when François entered with a card,
which Giraldi, after glancing at it, handed to the Count.
"You see. Count Golm! Il n'y a que le premier pas qui coûte! The cost
is not counted on that side! Ask Herr von Werben to come in."
François opened the door for Ottomar.
"I come at the general wish of the ladies," said Ottomar.
For the first time he saw the Count, The sarcastic smile left his
delicate lips; his bright eyes took a gloomy shade.
"I beg pardon," said he; "I thought I should find you alone, or I would
have chosen a better time----"
"To me any time is right at which I make the acquaintance of the nephew
of my highly revered friend," answered Giraldi. "Besides, the Count and
I were on the point of going to join the ladies in the drawing-room;
now, indeed, I must ask the Count's permission to enjoy the honour of
Herr von Werben's society here for a few minutes more."
"_Au revoir_, then!" said the Count, leaving the room, and considering
as he crossed the anteroom, accompanied by François, whether he ought
to be affronted or amused at Ottomar's distant manner. He came to the
conclusion that he had more cause for the latter. Ottomar, indeed, had
now reached the important goal; but it was extremely probable that he
never would have reached it at all if a certain other person had
arrived in Berlin a few days earlier. Everybody said so; and that
it was only jealousy which had brought Ottomar's indecision and
faint-heartedness to an end. Faint-heartedness, indeed! To satisfy a
woman like Carla von Wallbach, a man must have very different
qualifications to any that Ottomar von Werben could boast--must, in
short, be a Count Golm. Well, he had kindly released the family from
the anxiety which he had caused them--Fräulein Elsa, too, who had
evidently trembled for her brother. They owed him some gratitude, and
all of them, excepting Ottomar, would feel that--they would be eager to
show him that gratitude. And if when he rose that morning he had not
quite made up his mind about the other matter, he had done so now.
Favoured by the lady here, whom the whole family had hastened to visit
the very morning after her arrival, the remaining difficulties would
vanish that opposed themselves to his entering that family as a highly
desirable member--if he chose to do so! Of course, he should reserve
his liberty of decision to the last moment!
The Count lingered a little at the door to follow up his agreeable
train of thought to the end, and to arrange his fair wavy hair and long
moustache to the best advantage, before he desired François, who was
waiting respectfully, to open the door for him; no special announcement
was needed as he was expected.
François obeyed with a low bow the order given him in French, and then
behind the closed door, with a still lower bow, said: "Monsieur le
Comte, vous parlez français--comme une vache espagnole---je vous rends
cette justice, ah!" and drawing himself up the man shook his fist: "que
je déteste ce genre là!"