Pimpernel and Rosemary by Baroness Orczy (ebook reader 7 inch TXT) 📕

“So,” he said, “you imagined this little scheme for putting yourself right before your Government⁠—and before the world⁠—by getting the beautiful Uno to write glowing accounts of your marvellous administration of Transylvania, for the benefit of English and American readers? Is that it?”

“Well, wouldn’t you?” Naniescu retorted.

“Yes. But you are not succeeding, my friend,” M. de Kervoisin added with the suspicion of a sneer. “What?”

“I shall succeed in the end,” Naniescu rejoined. “With the help of my friend⁠—” But at this point he was silenced by a peremptory gesture of his friend’s hand.

“Sh!” de Kervoisin broke in quickly. “I shouldn’t mention his name⁠—not even here.”

“Oh, we are safe enough.”

“Walls have ears, my friend,” the other riposted, “even in this perfectly administered land. And our friend’s work would be futile if his identity was suspected. I introduced him to you as Number Ten. Number Ten let him remain.”

“I suppose I can trust him,” Naniescu mused. “You assured me that I could. But bah!” he added with a contemptuous shrug. “Can one trust those English?”

“You can trust this one,” Kervoisin retorted curtly. “He was the best spy we had during the war.”

“During the war⁠—yes! The man might think he was serving the entire Allied cause by serving you. But now! And here! Frankly, I don’t understand the man’s motive. He is rich, well born, and he is playing a terribly risky game for us, who are nothing to him.”

“He is not running terrible risks for you, my friend, don’t you worry,” de Kervoisin retorted with a mocking smile. “Though he may have reasons which we don’t know for hating the Hungarians, he certainly has none for loving you; and you are one of the Allies, and to a large section of the British public his work would not be called very heinous, seeing that it is in your service and directed against ex-enemies. However, let that pass. I attribute to Number Ten a very different motive for his actions than the mere desire of serving you.”

“And what is that?”

“Money, for one thing. He is not as rich as you think, and has extravagant tastes. But that is not all. I know the English better than you do, my friend, and I can tell you that Number Ten would just call his work sport; and for sport, adventure⁠—what?⁠—a certain type of Englishman will do anything, dare anything, risk everything. A hundred and fifty years ago they had their Scarlet Pimpernel, who gave the Revolutionary Government of France a deal of trouble at the time. Now they have their Number Ten. The same spirit animates this man that animated the other⁠—one for good, the other, perhaps, for evil. Just the spirit of adventure. A cycle of years has woven a halo of romance round the personality of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and to us Number Ten still appears as sordid, just a miserable paid spy in the service of an alien Government. But believe me that many Englishmen and even women will forgive him when they know him for what he is, because they will put it down to a love of adventure⁠—to sport, which is the only motive the English appreciate.”

He took his cigarette-case out of his pocket, carefully selected a cigarette, thrust it between his lips and lighted it. All the while Naniescu had remained thoughtful. “You may be right,” he said finally. His was not an analytical mind; he was quite content to accept de Kervoisin’s explanation of the mystery that had vaguely puzzled him; and, anyway, he did not care. Whatever motive animated the mysterious spy, the man was very useful, and in the matter of Philip Imrey and Anna Heves and of the obstinate lady journalist he had had one or two brilliant ideas.

De Kervoisin smoked on in silence for awhile, then he said:

“Our friend does not seem to be coming. I hope there has been no hitch.”

“There could be no hitch,” Naniescu asserted. “But it is two hours’ drive to Kis-Imre and two hours back here. Will you wait a moment?” he went on, and rose to his feet. “I’ll see if they’ve any news downstairs in the office. I told Number Ten to telephone from Kis-Imre when he got there.”

Downstairs in the office they had nothing definite to report. No message had come through from Kis-Imre. But even whilst Naniescu was storming and fuming, blaming his subordinates, who obviously were not responsible for the delay, a man wrapped, despite the heat, in a huge stained and worn military coat, and wearing a soiled képi, crossed the courtyard from the direction of the entrance gates towards the principal staircase of the house. Naniescu saw him from the window and ran out into the hall. He met the man just as he was entering the house, and at once greeted him with the greatest effusion.

“Is everything all right?” he asked hurriedly.

“All right,” the man answered curtly. “Of course.”

“Kervoisin is upstairs,” Naniescu went on. “Come and tell us all about it.”

He ran upstairs two at a time; the man in the military coat followed more slowly.

“Here is Number Ten,” Naniescu announced, as he ushered the man into the room where Kervoisin was patiently waiting and smoking cigarettes. Kervoisin rose at once, a word of welcome on his lips. But at sight of the man he paused and frowned, obviously mystified, until gradually his face cleared and he exclaimed:

“Bon Dieu! I should never have known you.”

“I do look a disgusting object, don’t I?” the man retorted. He shook hands cordially with Kervoisin; then he threw off his heavy coat and sank, obviously exhausted, into a chair.

“A cup of coffee?” Naniescu suggested.

“Thanks!” the other replied.

He drank the coffee, then took a cigarette from the case which de Kervoisin offered him. He looked a regular vagrant, with face and neck stained both with grease paint and with grime, his hands were soiled with motor grease, and his hair hung lank and matted into his