Knight Rupert: VIII

Chapter VIII.

In every deed of mischief he had a heart to resolve, a head to contrive, and a hand to execute.
-Gibbon

RODERIC ALGROMOND was at von Rimmel’s house that afternoon. Von Rimmel lived just outside the capital city, at the end of a lane bordered with old elm trees. His house was made of brick with a high wall all round it and an iron gate in front. Roderic Algromond had come to see von Rimmel to talk about their mutual enemy, Count Raymond Ratavarian.
Algromond was an impatient man. He had white hair and a white moustache which he bit when he was upset. He had been in the army and wore a military coat which he always buttoned up to his chin. When he was excited, as he often was, he looked as if he were being choked. He had a squarish face and cheeks that sagged like a bulldog’s, and when he was angry, which he was even oftener, his face turned a deep red.
Von Rimmel, who sat across the table from him, had white hair also and a white beard besides, but he was much calmer and only occasionally scratched his temple when he was thinking hard. He had a firm, kind face that looked as if it could be trusted.
‘He won’t come,’ Algromond was saying to him, ‘he is holing away in his castle and won’t come out and answer a man to his face.’
‘He hasn’t been to his castle for over a fortnight,’ said Captain Hergyll who sat nearby listening.
‘—Besides which,’ said von Rimmel, ‘he gains nothing by avoiding a meeting with us. He cannot get the kingdom on his own. No, Raymond Ratavarian will certainly arrive.’
As if to verify his words, a servant entered and announced in a deep voice,
‘Count Raymond Ratavarian!’
‘You see:’ said von Rimmel as the three men stood up.
Count Raymond entered calmly, bowed with studied politeness, and received von Rimmel’s formal greeting with a slight sneer. He often sneered at von Rimmel, sometimes to his face and oftener behind his back. Von Rimmel did not seem to notice the sneer and the men resumed their chairs around the table while the count took a fourth.
There was silence for several moments. Algromond and von Rimmel waited for Count Raymond to say something while the count seemed content to sit quietly and listen.
‘Well,’ said Algromond, breaking the silence, ‘I suppose you know what it is we want you for.’
‘I don’t,’ said Raymond.
‘We want to talk to you—about my servant being stopped on the road by masked miscreants who stole a letter from him.’
‘When was this?’ asked the count imperturbably.
‘Last night.’
‘I’m shocked to learn of it.’
‘Oh, and I suppose you don’t know anything about it?’ said Algromond.
‘Do you suspect me?’
Algromond opened his mouth to reply but von Rimmel intervened.
‘No, my lord, we wish to be perfectly fair in the matter. As the circumstances surrounding the episode cast some suspicion on yourself, we should be glad to hear your defence.’
‘I don’t see why any defence is needed,’ said Count Raymond haughtily. ‘Why should the affair cast suspicion on me? What would it profit me to stop your servant’ (looking at Algromond with disdain) ‘on the road, masked, and to seize his communication?’
‘Don’t pretend!’ said Algromond, his face growing redder and his collar tighter. ‘You knew the letter was for von Bülow.’
‘Why should that make me any more likely to steal it?’ asked the count, directing this question towards von Rimmel.
Von Rimmel did not reply, but looked at Algromond.
‘Never mind why,’ said Algromond warily. ‘The question is, did you do it?’
‘You are aware,’ said Count Raymond, ‘that purloining messages is not only illegal, but also a breach of honour. Therefore I resent your suspicion of me.’
‘Somebody did it,’ said Algromond, ‘and the evidence points to you.’
‘I contest that,’ said Raymond, glowering.
‘Then you maintain your innocence?’ interposed von Rimmel.
‘Of course!’
‘The act was not done by anyone under your employ, either?’
Von Rimmel bent the full force of his stern gaze on Count Raymond. He could be very stern when he chose to. Few men could meet his unwavering eyes and have the courage to tell an untruth or the luck to get away with it if they tried.
‘I don’t know whom you are talking of,’ said the count.
‘Your nephew, that’s who,’ said Algromond bringing his hand down upon the table with a thump. ‘That young blackguard Rupert. We know he’s the one who does all your dirty work.’
‘My nephew does what he pleases,’ said the count. ‘I’ve saved him from the consequences of his folly before, but I don’t see why I should be brought to account for his offences.’
‘He acts under your orders,’ said Algromond.
‘Can you prove what you say?’ asked the count sharply.
‘Well—’ began Algromond, somewhat taken aback.
‘I warn you not to make insulting allegations against me. I won’t be responsible for my nephew’s actions.’
And having disposed of all liability concerning his troublesome relation the count sank once more into his former mood of indifference.
‘I warn you all the same,’ said Algromond, resuming the offensive. ‘If I catch him skulking about I’ll have him arrested by the military police.’
‘Was this all you wished to speak to me about, my lords?’ asked the count impassively. ‘I had expected, from the importunity of your summons, something of material importance to emerge from our conference, but all I’ve heard so far are false accusations and weak threats.’
‘I don’t recall threatening you,’ said von Rimmel.
‘I should have said masked threats. You haven’t openly threatened me, but you’ve hinted enough at it. What did you really want me for?’
‘We wanted you to confess,’ said Algromond. ‘You have that letter, I’m sure of it.’
‘I already told you I don’t.’
‘I don’t believe it!’
‘No,’ said von Rimmel, seeing the two were about to fight. ‘We had another reason for asking you to come.’
‘Well?’ said Count Raymond crossly.
‘We wish to discuss your right to the throne.’
‘I have no wish to discuss that with you. Whatever discussion there is over it will be before the whole Council, not here in your house where it’s three against one.’
‘We ask you to relinquish your right entirely and not take it before the Council at all.’
‘Why should I?’ said Count Raymond in a voice that said, What makes you think I’m that stupid?
‘In the interests of the country—in order to avoid civil war.’
‘I’ll relinquish nothing. If Roderic Algromond has a better right than mine let him assert it, but if my claim is the rightful why do we sit here arguing, and why do you try to intimidate me with threats of civil war?’
‘Von Bülow is on our side,’ remarked Algromond as if in answer.
‘Well, what of that? Does that make me less likely to be right?’
‘Less likely to win, maybe,’ said Algromond with a dry cough that was his way of laughing.
‘I won’t be bullied by you and von Bülow,’ said Count Raymond. ‘You’re still a minority.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ said Algromond. ‘Von Bülow has the whole military police behind him.’
‘I hadn’t expected you to stoop to such measures, von Rimmel,’ said Raymond, which showed that he really had a good opinion of von Rimmel. ‘You’ll use the military police to force me to step down, whether I’m the rightful king or not?’
‘No, but von Bülow might. There is strong feeling on both sides and the people are getting impatient. If we drag things out too much longer, there will be bloodshed.’
‘Then why draw it out any longer?’ said Raymond. ‘You know my claim is the better one—both of you, but you won’t admit it.’
‘You won’t yield?’ asked Marshal von Rimmel, for the last time bringing the argument straight to the point.
‘Never.’
Scarcely had the count said this when a servant entered.
‘Von Bülow is waiting in the next room, my lord,’ he said to von Rimmel. ‘Another gentleman too.’
‘Thank you. Tell them to come in.’
‘The second gentleman says he waits to speak to Count Ratavarian.’
The count rose.
‘Very well. I am sorry to have taken up your valuable time, my lord,’ said von Rimmel, rising also and speaking to the count. ‘We have much to discuss with Baron von Bülow. I bid you good day.’
Count Ratavarian bowed coldly and left the apartment. He found, as he had expected, his nephew smoking in the adjoining room.
‘What are you doing here?’ he hissed in an undertone. ‘You fool! Do you want to be arrested?’
‘Who’s in there?’ asked Rupert, with a sharp glance at the door.
‘Whom do you think? Von Rimmel and Algromond, and von Bülow just joined them.’
‘Yes, I know about von Bülow—I just saw him go in. What are they doing in there?’
‘Throwing fresh obstacles in our way, what else? Where’s the letter?—For I know you’ve gotten it; Algromond treated me to a highly-coloured account of the affair.’
Rupert took a missive from his pocket and presented it to his uncle.
‘It was wasted effort if Bülow is here to talk terms with them,’ Rupert observed.
‘This will at any rate clarify matters,’ said the count, pocketing the paper with scarcely a glance at it. ‘You should have brought it to me at once. And where have you been all this time, anyway? I was looking everywhere for you yesterday.’
‘At the castle.’
‘The castle? What were you doing there?’
‘Carrying out my orders about Hergyll.’
The count gave a start.
‘Hergyll was there?’
‘Certainly.’
‘Doing what?’
‘Poking his nose around. He didn’t find anything.’
‘How do you know? Hergyll knows something, I think. He didn’t say a word the whole time I was here and he looked at me queerly. But come, we can’t talk anymore here. Meet me in my apartments at once.’

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