The major's face dropped at this. "You can go," he ordered.
"Wait a minute, guard. Tell Major Borsch about the telegram."
The man told his story succinctly; and it had an excellent effect upon the bully, and a whispered conversation followed between him and the man next him. I began to hope. The worst was over for the moment, apparently; and the next scene was likely to take place when we reached Osnabrück. What would happen there was on the lap of the gods.
The only thing that really mattered was to contrive somehow that Nessa should be allowed to continue the journey, and it wasn't impossible that Freibach might be able to see to that. He would be willing enough, because he had been very kindly treated by the Caldicotts in London. Moreover, he had got us into this mess and was obviously distressed about it.
The whispered conference at the other side of the carriage ended by the major jumping up and leaving the carriage, muttering something about not being able to breathe the same air with us, and then his companion turned to me.
"You will appreciate the seriousness of the position to us, Herr Lassen, and that we are compelled to investigate it," he said. His tone was somewhat curt, but more official than offensive.
"Certainly."
"We are to understand that Baron von Gratzen has employed you on a special mission, knowing that you are an Englishman?"
"I have already given you the facts, but of course I am not at liberty to explain to you all his Excellency's reasons. He would not have given me that authority otherwise."
"It is unfortunately too mutilated to be intelligible."