At ten o’clock on the morning of Wednesday, the 13th of October, AnthonyCade walked into Harridge’s Hotel and asked for Baron1 Lolopretjzyl whowas occupying a suite2 there.
After suitable and imposing3 delay, Anthony was taken to the suite inquestion. The Baron was standing4 on the hearthrug in a correct and stifffashion. Little Captain Andrassy, equally correct as to demeanour, butwith a slightly hostile attitude, was also present.
The usual bows, clicking of heels, and other formal greetings of etiquettetook place. Anthony was, by now, thoroughly5 conversant6 with the routine.
“You will forgive this early call I trust, Baron,” he said cheerfully, layingdown his hat and stick on the table. “As a matter of fact, I have a littlebusiness proposition to make to you.”
“Ha! Is that so?” said the Baron.
Captain Andrassy, who had never overcome his initial distrust of An-thony, looked suspicious.
“Business,” said Anthony, “is based on the well-known principle of sup-ply and demand. You want something, the other man has it. The onlything left to settle is the price.”
The Baron looked at him attentively7, but said nothing.
“Between a Herzoslovakian nobleman and an English gentleman theterms should be easily arranged,” said Anthony rapidly.
He blushed a little as he said it. Such words do not rise easily to an Eng-lishman’s lips, but he had observed on previous occasions the enormouseffect of such phraseology upon the Baron’s mentality8. True enough, thecharm worked.
“That is so,” said the Baron approvingly, nodding his head. “That is en-tirely so.”
Even Captain Andrassy appeared to unbend a little, and nodded hishead also.
“Very good,” said Anthony. “I won’t beat about the bush any more—”
“What is that, you say?” interrupted the Baron. “To beat about the bush?
I do not comprehend?”
“A mere9 figure of speech, Baron. To speak in plain English, you want thegoods, we have them! The ship is all very well, but it lacks a figurehead. Bythe ship, I mean the Loyalist party of Herzoslovakia. At the present minuteyou lack the principal plank10 of your political programme. You are minus aprince! Now supposing—only supposing, that I could supply you with aprince?”
The baron stared.
“I do not comprehend you in the least,” he declared.
“Sir,” said Captain Andrassy, twirling his moustache fiercely, “you areinsulting!”
“Not at all,” said Anthony. “I’m trying to be helpful. Supply and demand,you understand. It’s all perfectly11 fair and square. No princes supplied un-less genuine—see trademark12. If we come to terms, you’ll find it’s quite allright. I’m offering you the real genuine article — out of the bottomdrawer.”
“Not in the least,” the Baron declared again, “do I comprehend you.”
“It doesn’t really matter,” said Anthony kindly13. “I just want you to getused to the idea. To put it vulgarly, I’ve got something up my sleeve. Justget hold of this. You want a prince. Under certain conditions, I will under-take to supply you with one.”
The Baron and Andrassy stared at him. Anthony took up his hat andstick again and prepared to depart.
“Just think it over. Now, Baron, there is one thing further. You mustcome down to Chimneys this evening — Captain Andrassy also. Severalvery curious things are likely to happen there. Shall we make an appoint-ment? Say in the Council Chamber14 at nine o’clock? Thank you, gentlemen,I may rely upon you to be there?”
The Baron took a step forward and looked searchingly in Anthony’sface.
“Mr. Cade,” he said, not without dignity, “it is not, I hope, that you wishto make fun of me?”
Anthony returned his gaze steadily15.
“Baron,” he said, and there was a curious note in his voice, “when thisevening is over, I think you will be the first to admit that there is moreearnest than jest about this business.”
Bowing to both men, he left the room.
His next call was in the City where he sent in his card to Mr. HermanIsaacstein.
After some delay, Anthony was received by a pale and exquisitelydressed underling with an engaging manner, and a military title.
“You wanted to see Mr. Isaacstein, didn’t you?” said the young man. “I’mafraid he’s most awfully16 busy this morning—board meetings and all thatsort of thing, you know. Is it anything that I can do?”
“I must see him personally,” said Anthony, and added carelessly, “I’vejust come up from Chimneys.”
The young man was slightly staggered by the mention of Chimneys.
“Oh!” he said doubtfully. “Well, I’ll see.”
“Tell him it’s important,” said Anthony.
“Message from Lord Caterham?” suggested the young man.
“Something of the kind,” said Anthony, “but it’s imperative17 that I shouldsee Mr. Isaacstein at once.”
Two minutes later Anthony was conducted into a sumptuous18 inner sanc-tum where he was principally impressed by the immense size and roomydepths of the leather-covered armchairs.
Mr. Isaacstein rose to greet him.
“You must forgive my looking you up like this,” said Anthony. “I knowthat you’re a busy man, and I’m not going to waste more of your time thanI can help. It’s just a little matter of business that I want to put beforeyou.”
Isaacstein looked at him attentively for a minute or two out of his beadyblack eyes.
“Have a cigar,” he said unexpectedly, holding out an open box.
“Thank you,” said Anthony. “I don’t mind if I do.”
He helped himself.
“It’s about this Herzoslovakian business,” continued Anthony as he ac-cepted a match. He noted19 the momentary20 flickering21 of the other’s steadygaze. “The murder of Prince Michael must have rather upset the apple-cart.”
Mr. Isaacstein raised one eyebrow22, murmured. “Ah?” interrogativelyand transferred his gaze to the ceiling.
“Oil,” said Anthony, thoughtfully surveying the polished surface of thedesk. “Wonderful thing, oil.”
He felt the slight start the financier gave.
“Do you mind coming to the point, Mr. Cade?”
“Not at all. I imagine, Mr. Isaacstein, that if those oil concessions23 aregranted to another company you won’t be exactly pleased about it?”
“What’s the proposition?” asked the other, looking straight at him.
“A suitable claimant to the throne, full of pro-British sympathies.”
“Where have you got him?”
“That’s my business.”
Isaacstein acknowledged the retort by a slight smile, his glance hadgrown hard and keen.
“The genuine article? I can’t stand for any funny business?”
“The absolute genuine article.”
“Straight?”
“Straight.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“You don’t seem to take much convincing?” said Anthony, looking curi-ously at him.
Herman Isaacstein smiled.
“I shouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t learnt to know whether aman is speaking the truth or not,” he replied simply. What terms do youwant?”
“The same loan, on the same conditions, that you offered to Prince Mi-chael.”
“What about yourself?”
“For the moment, nothing, except that I want you to come down toChimneys tonight.”
“No,” said Isaacstein, with some decision. “I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Dining out—rather an important dinner.”
“All the same, I’m afraid you’ll have to cut it out—for your own sake.”
“What do you mean?”
Anthony looked at him for a full minute before he said slowly:
“Do you know that they’ve found the revolver, the one Michael was shotwith? Do you know where they found it? In your suitcase.”
“What?”
Isaacstein almost leapt from his chair. His face was frenzied24.
“What are you saying? What do you mean?”
“I’ll tell you.”
Very obligingly, Anthony narrated25 the occurrences in connexion withthe finding of the revolver. As he spoke26 the other’s face assumed a greyishtinge of absolute terror.
“But it’s false,” he screamed out as Anthony finished.
“I never put it there. I know nothing about it. It is a plot.”
“Don’t excite yourself,” said Anthony soothingly27. “If that’s the case you’lleasily be able to prove it.”
“Prove it? How can I prove it?”
“If I were you,” said Anthony gently, “I’d come to Chimneys tonight.”
Isaacstein looked at him doubtfully.
“You advise it?”
Anthony leant forward and whispered to him. The financier fell back inamazement, staring at him.
“You actually mean—”
“Come and see,” said Anthony.
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1
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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3
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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4
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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5
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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6
conversant
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| adj.亲近的，有交情的，熟悉的 | |
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7
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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8
mentality
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| n.心理，思想，脑力 | |
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9
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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10
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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11
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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12
trademark
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| n.商标；特征；vt.注册的…商标 | |
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13
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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14
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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15
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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16
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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17
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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18
sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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19
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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21
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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22
eyebrow
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| n.眉毛，眉 | |
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23
concessions
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| n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权 | |
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24
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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25
narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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27
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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