CHAPTER XII
KUHLHAFEN
The old fortress of Kuhlhafen stands a milestone on the path of Time.Its vast walls have endured and survived the ravages of a thousandstorms driving in off the sea. Its gloomy might still rears itselfsilhouetted against the grey skies of the Baltic upon its lofty settingof wood-clad hills. Its dull, unlit eyes still gaze down upon the broadwaters of the shallow, silted harbor from which it takes its name. Andwith it all it haunts the primitive mind of the simple fisher folkbeneath its shadows with the grim romance of the days of martialbarbarity which have endured within its walls.
No one would have associated modern significance with this survival ofthe ages. Yet it was sedulously kept in repair. It still retained itssplendid furnishings, and all the relics of its antiquity. Furthermore,all the invention of modern days had been applied to add to itsconvenience. And it was solicitously cared for by the retainers of theprincely house to which it belonged.
The peasants of Kuhlhafen knew every detail of its history. Its martialstory was part of their lives. Oh, yes. The information was handed downfrom father to son, and was told with all that care for fantasticdetail in which the primitive mind never fails to indulge itself.
The owner? Of course. It was Prince Frederick von Berger. Did they nothave to pay for the tenancy of their miserable hovels to his steward,who lived in the castle itself? Oh, yes. He was a great man--a verygreat man. This was only one of his estates, and one which he nevervisited. One could not blame him. It was scarcely attractive to a manwho owned a palace in Berlin. Then the storming of the cruel Baltic,which robbed them of comrades every year. Who would live on its bitter,desolate shores unless tied there by the stress of existence? No, henever came, they would tell the enquirer with a shrug. A man whoenjoyed the friendly patronage of the supreme War Lord had no call tovisit Kuhlhafen, even though the whole of the countryside belonged tohim.
This was the spoken attitude of the people towards their over-lord.Maybe, deep in their hearts, other feelings prevailed. But these poorfolks had been bred to the discipline of an iron Prussian rule, and itis just possible that they had no power to think or feel otherwise thanauthority taught them.
But had these simple fisher-folk been less absorbed in the struggle fortheir frugal existence; had they sufficient initiative to go seek outinformation for themselves; had they, in fact, been human rather thanPrussian peasantry, they might have discovered that their over-lord wasa different person from the ease-loving creature of wealth they sofondly supposed.
They would indeed have found that it was by no means his habit to spendidle days in the gilded courts of Berlin. On the contrary, it seemedsuspiciously as if it were his lot to have to work very hard indeed.Work which even the cleverest amongst the fishers could never havehoped to achieve.
Frederick von Berger was by no means an ordinary man. Amongst even hisintimates he was something of an enigma. These knew that he occupied anexalted position in official life. They knew he was on the best ofterms with the Supreme War Lord. This was all patent enough. But thenature of his work was doubtful. His name never appeared in theofficial lists, although it was understood that he was entitled to therank of "General" placed before his name. Nor did he attempt to offerthe least enlightenment on the subject.
But then he was a silent, even morose, man. He was harsh; a man devoidof any lighter side to his nature. There were even some who looked uponhim as a sort of restless evil spirit whom it was very much best toavoid. But, like most men of genuinely strong purpose, public opinionleft Frederick von Berger cold. He came and went as it suited him quiteregardless of anything but his own objects, and he never failed toavail himself of every ounce of the power which the favor of the Germanmonarch endowed him with.
Kuhlhafen, however, was not kept up in its present condition withouthaving uses in its princely owner's scheme of things. Although thehumble fisher-folk remained in ignorance of anything that went onwithin its austere precincts, it was not so much abandoned by theirover-lord as they believed.
Thus it was that, one night, long after the village had been wrapped inslumber, a powerful automobile, with blazing head-lights, flashedthrough its single main street, and passed on up the heights towardsthe dour silhouette above. Later, a second automobile passed over thesame route. And, with the coming of the second car, there was a tumultof bustle raised amongst the resident staff at the castle.
Later on still, there was even a stranger happening. A single white eyeflashed out its searching rays from the sea and settled its focus uponthe castle. Then, as though satisfied with its inspection, it turnedits gaze upon the surface of the restless waters, and discovered asmall motor-driven boat heading towards the fishing-quay of thevillage. Then, as though in answer to a signal, the blackness of thecastle hill was lit by a pair of eyes less dazzling than the eye fromthe sea, and an automobile made its way towards the quay for which thelittle sea-boat was heading.
The great secret council-chamber of Kuhlhafen possessed all the air ofa dungeon or crypt. It suggested no other for its original purpose. Butas long as the present house had ruled within its walls this greatunderground apartment had been known as the secret council-chamber. Itwas probably the oldest portion of the whole castle, for it certainlydated back to the days somewhere before the earliest occupation of theterritory by the Romans.
One or two significant additions had been made since the great dungeonhad been converted to the dignity of a council-chamber. Down the lengthof the low-roofed hall, between the central aisle of piers supportingit, a long iron-bound oaken table filled up the major space. This wasflanked by a number of leather-seated chairs belonging to a similarperiod, and of equal crudeness of manufacture.
Table and chairs formed the complete furnishing of this drearyapartment, whose only beauty lay in the simple antiquity of itsarchitecture and the characteristic chiselling of the grey piers whichsupported its quartered roof. For the rest, in the dim recesses beyondthe rays of the lamplight on the table, there were to be found thewrought-iron sconces upon the walls, which had once doubtless served tosupport the light of blazing torches. And further, still more remotefrom the light, lost in the dusky corners, were an array of instrumentswhich had survived the years, and whose evil purpose there could be nomistaking.
At the head of this long table sat a man with almost snow-white hairand a moustache of similar color, carefully trained with a sharp,upward turning of the pointed ends. His was a handsome face ofconsiderable refinement. But it was deeply lined, even beyond hisyears, and the thin lips, drooping markedly downwards at the corners ofhis mouth, gave his whole expression something of tragedy.
On his right, at the side of the table, the single lamp-light shiningfull upon his harsh features, sat Frederick von Berger, the absoluteantithesis of the man at the head of the table. Here was cold strengthand even ruthlessness, not one whit less than the harsh surroundings ofthe council-chamber in which he sat. The cold eyes of the man possessednot one single lurking shadow of warmth. He was perhaps forty-five, andthe iron mould of his plain features, and the tremendous air ofphysical strength about his body, all added to the impression that herewas the direct descendant, untempered with the blood of gentler races,of those savage forbears who had wrested place and power for themselvesfrom amongst their people by the sheer weight of the sword.
These two men had remained seated in conference for some time. Themanner of the man at the head of the table was silent, even morose.Frederick von Berger did most of the talking, and this fact, combinedwith his marked air of deference, gave some indication that his guestwas some one of extremely unusual importance.
After a while Von Berger rose from his seat and was swallowed up in theshadowy remoteness of the room. His companion remained seated, leaningback in his chair, gazing after him with deep, cold, introspectiveeyes. His preoccupation was marked, and the drawn lines of his handsomeface gave some clue to the importance, and even urgency, of his visitto these outlands of northern Prussia.
When
Von Berger returned he was accompanied by another, who, as he camewithin the radiance of the lamp, revealed the angular, erect figure ofthe Captain-General of the great arsenal of Borga. The moment he camewithin view of the solitary figure at the head of the table he haltedabruptly in perfect military salutation. His whole attitude underwent amarked and deferential change. His usual air of arrogant authorityseemed to have dropped from him like a cloak. It was a perfect exampleof the effect of the Prussian system.
The man at the table nodded faintly. It was the signal Von Berger andhis companion awaited. They approached. Von Berger took his originalseat, but Von Salzinger remained standing.
Von Berger waited. Then the man at the head of the table bestirredhimself.
"Go on," he said sharply. And at once the Prince turned upon theCaptain-General.
"The complaint is a serious one, Herr Captain-General. It is soserious, and affects such deep interests, that, as you see, it isdeemed inadvisable to place it before a military tribunal. But it isalso felt that the complaint in itself is not all; that there is othermatter of even greater importance lying behind it. Thus you have beensummoned to make your explanations--here."
The cold eyes of the man were turned from Von Salzinger upon a documentlying on the table. Just for a moment his hard voice ceased fromstirring the echoes of the vaulted chamber. But it was only for amoment. The next he was reading from the paper before him.
"It appears that on Prince von Hertzwohl's last visit to Borga, when hewas conveying thither his relative, his most important engineer, forthe rectification of certain defects in his new light, you displayedtowards him the gratuitous discourtesy of refusing the Prince'sguarantee of his relative, and sought to submit the man to theinterrogatory customary where there is some doubt of a visitor'scredentials. The Prince, somewhat naturally, refused to submit to suchan indignity, and left the arsenal. Whereupon you persisted in yourattitude, and even went so far as to endanger the Prince's valuablelife by opening the secret batteries upon his vessel--a course whichwas utterly unwarranted in view of the Prince's identity and position.It is necessary that you should now state your story of this affairwithout any reservations."
"The Complaint is a Serious One."]
Von Berger's charge was coldly formal. It was also distinctlythreatening in its final pronouncement. The arrogant Von Salzinger wasbitterly forced to the reflection that he might expect small enoughmercy if he failed to convince with his explanation. That whichdisturbed him more, however, was the identity of at least one of themen to whom he must explain. He had counted on a military tribunal,where his rank and the nature of his office would count. He felt thatthese things would by no means count here.
But he dared not display any misgiving. He knew the value of promptnessand brevity, with, at least, one of his audience. So he replied--
"In every detail the complaint is accurately outlined. But it avoidsentirely Prince von Hertzwohl's offence."
"Offence?"
The interrogation came sharply from the man at the head of the table,who was almost lost to Von Salzinger's view behind the bulk of theoil-lamp which lit the scene.
"It was his right, just as it would have been your right, sir," VonSalzinger replied daringly, "to submit to the discipline of the place,a discipline which has been ordered by those who have a right to ordersuch things. The complaint must come after obedience, not after opendefiance of Berlin's most imperative orders. That is the case of Princevon Hertzwohl. I could not have acted otherwise than I did in theinterests of our greatest of all State secrets."
The man at the head of the table nodded in seeming approval at therobust vindication. Von Berger gave no sign. His eyes never left theangular figure of the Captain-General.
"But you threatened his life--by your action in the matter." VonBerger's words came without emotion. The hard eyes were unchanging.
"I submit that it had been better for the State had I more thanthreatened it."
"How do you mean, sir?"
The man at the head of the table was sitting up. His eyes were angrilyalight.
For a second Von Salzinger flinched before this display. He recoveredhimself swiftly, however. He knew he dared not lose a second in such acrisis.
"Your pardon, sir, if my manner should seem rough. I feel strongly. Ifa man in Von Hertzwohl's position refuses to obey the laws he is fullycognizant of, then, I say, he has reason--grave reason for so doing."
"You imply?"
Again it was the question of the man at the head of the table.
"He dared not have his--nephew interrogated, sir."
"And if he dared not?" It was still the same speaker.
Von Salzinger shrugged.
"There can only be one interpretation, sir."
"You mean--betrayal of Borga's secrets."
"Yes, sir."
The man at the head of the table turned to Von Berger with a smile thatnever reached his eyes.
"Tell him," he said imperiously.
"Your contention loses all its apparent force in the light of--facts,"said Von Berger coldly. "Agents have been set to work upon the matter.From the moment of Von Hertzwohl's complaint, in justice to you asBorga's commandant, the closest secret enquiries have been made. On theoccasion of Hertzwohl's visit to your command his nephew did accompanyhim. This nephew is certainly his most trusted engineer, and is theactual inventor of the U-light. There is no shadow of doubt about thesematters. Your suspicions are groundless and cannot be accepted in yourdefence."
Von Salzinger was taken aback at the concise refutation of hiscarefully elaborated suspicions. He began to see the fabric he hadconstructed tumbling about his ears. He had been the victim of his ownspleen, he knew, and his suspicions had had no sound foundation.
He stood flushed and silent. Then the man at the head of the tableunconsciously came to his rescue.
"Show him," he briefly ordered Von Berger.
The latter picked up a photograph--a mere rough print--and handed it tothe troubled Von Salzinger.
"That is Herr von Bersac, the Prince's nephew. It was taken three daysago, without the man being aware of it. That is the man who visitedBorga with his uncle."
Von Salzinger had taken the picture in his hands, and his eager eyesscrutinized it carefully. A moment later he handed it back, and anintense look of triumph had replaced the embarrassment of a momentbefore.
"That is not the man to whom Von Hertzwohl displayed the secrets ofBorga. It is not the man I sought to have interrogated. The man whoposed as Hertzwohl's nephew was a tall man of magnificent physique. Notslim like that youth. He was a man of nearly forty, with fair, curlinghair and dark eyes, and the face and general figure of an--Englishman."
"Englishman?"
The man at the head of the table started up. The passionate hatredflung into his echo of the other's word sent a wave of rejoicingthrough Von Salzinger's heart.
"I am morally certain, sir," he added.
Quite abruptly Von Berger had become completely thrust into thebackground. The other had taken entire possession of the scene. Hebegan to pace the stone-flagged hall with hasty, uneven steps.
"If I thought it could be so," he cried, with a sudden wave ofintemperate heat. "Oh, if I believed it were!" He raised one clenchedfist above his head and shook it in dire threat. The other arm remainedunmoved at his side. The passionate eyes were flashing a cruel, almostinsane fire as he strode the echoing stones. The others were held inappalled silence in face of his paroxysm.
In a moment he turned fiercely upon the Captain-General, standingbeyond the table. There was no longer any dignity or restraint in him.The hectoring nature of the man was caught in the passion of themoment, and his innate brutality must find an object upon which to ventitself.
"I tell you, if the secrets of Borga have been betrayed there shall besuch a reckoning as shall stagger our country from end to end. From thehighest to the lowest those responsible shall pay to the uttermost. Ofall the world--an Englishman! Gott in Himmel, it is unthi
nkable!"
He glared for a silent moment into the abashed face of Von Salzinger.Then he went on more calmly--
"I tell you you are wrong. Damnably wrong--somehow. Hertzwohl dare notbetray us. No money in the world would buy him. We have proved him ahundred times. English gold to buy Hertzwohl?" He laughed derisively,but there was no conviction in his manner. "You understand, sir, youare wrong--utterly wrong. The matter shall be cleared up. You shallconfront Von Hertzwohl. And if lies have been told, God help the liars."
The two men stood eye to eye across the table. Von Salzinger hadrecovered under stress of emergency.
"I could ask no better, sir--if it were in the best interests of thesecrets of Borga. But is it? I could give you the names of a number ofmy junior officers in Borga, all of whom encountered this--nephew ofHertzwohl. And without reference to me, there is not one of them butwould deny the identity of that nephew they saw in Borga with theidentity of the original of that picture. If the liar is to be punishedI have no fear, sir. But would it be in the best interests of Borga todeal hastily with the matter?"
"Explain!" The man went back to his seat at the head of the table. Hisharsh demand warned his hearers of the storm still raging within him.
But Von Berger took up the reply.
"I see the Captain-General's point, sir," he said. "If Hertzwohl isconfronted it means his vindication or immediate punishment. If secretshave been betrayed such a course will not serve us. This Englishman VonSalzinger speaks of will still possess them, and--be _free to act uponthem_. We must recover those secrets, or _make them useless to theirpossessors_. Then we can deal with those responsible for Borga."
Von Salzinger listened to the cold words and eagerly awaited the replyof the man at the head of the table. But none was forthcoming, for heseemed to be lost in moody contemplation of the whole affair. Thereforethe Captain-General seized his opportunity.
"That is how I see it, sir," he said eagerly. "I submit, with alldeference, that I be nominally punished as though I had seriouslyoffended. What is that punishment? Degradation? Degradation andretirement from the service of the Fatherland. It will satisfyHertzwohl, and put him off his guard. He will have no suspicion, and Ishall be free to work. If I am placed on the Secret Service and sentto--England, it should not be impossible to discover all we want toknow and nullify the effects of the treachery. Those concerned can besilenced. We can be guided by developments. And----"
"The harm is done, man! You talk of nullifying. You talk like a fool.There can be no undoing the harm done."
The hoarse passion of the man at the table was in every word he spoke.The gleaming eyes were full of the burning fire of unrestrainedferocity.
But the cold tones of Von Berger once more dropped like ice upon akindling fire.
"It will be the better course, sir," he said. "We do not yet know thefull position. That must be perfectly established before we canestimate the damage."
But the other seemed absorbed in his own imagery of the matter.
"An Englishman! Gott!"
Von Berger turned abruptly to Von Salzinger.
"Leave us. I will call you when ready. Remain within call."
The authority was unmistakable. The Captain-General might have been theveriest conscript for the courtesy displayed. He left the great chamberwith no outward sign, but with storm sweeping through his heart.
Beyond the door he reviewed the situation. His position was by no meansenviable, but it was not without possibilities. He realized now thatthe hand of Fate had pointed through the whole affair. He knew that hehad had no suspicion of Hertzwohl in Borga. A thought of treachery hadnever entered his head. Hertzwohl had piqued him. He had seriouslyoffended him, as, long ago, this same man's daughter had offended hispride. He had intended merely to retaliate through his officialcapacity, and now through these trivial pettinesses a deadly plot hadbeen revealed. He had answered the summons to Kuhlhafen intending todefend himself by casting suspicion upon Hertzwohl, and his defence hadturned out to be the true estimate of the matter. Well----
But his reflections were cut short by the summons to return to thecouncil-chamber. Von Berger held the iron-studded door for him toenter, and, as he passed within, he closed and carefully secured it.
Then he came back to his place at the table, and his companion signedfor him to proceed.
He faced the waiting officer.
"Captain-General von Salzinger, you are to be degraded from your rankand office. You will be relieved of command at Borga at once. You willthen report to the Foreign Office, where you will receive sealedinstructions. On receipt of these instructions you will proceed toLondon without delay. When you have completed the work allotted to youin England--satisfactorily--you will receive your reinstatement. Thatis all."