He flinched at the blunt question very slightly and then smiled. “Certainly not. I am not so foolish. You have come to convince yourself and we wish to help you do this. There is, of course, some disaffection in certain regiments; but on no considerable scale. No man knows the feeling of the army as a whole better than Colonel Petrosch. And you can speak to him freely. He is the better man for you to see, perhaps, because he is not by any means a friend of the Court.”
I remembered the name as one which had been given me by my Austrian friends in Vienna; and having thus obtained what I wanted, I got rid of my visitor as soon as possible.
As soon as he had gone I looked up the note I had made about this Colonel Petrosch and was surprised to find him described as a man with a strong grievance against the Government, having considerable influence in the army, and believed to be using that influence against the Throne.
This looked as though he were the very man I sought, and I resolved to go to him at once. But I was to have a stroke of good fortune in that matter. I was ready to start when my servant, Buller, came in.
“There is a rough-looking fellow asking for you, sir, and says you sent for him. But I thought I’d better tell you first. I told him you were busy and that he had better write.”
“What name?”
“I couldn’t catch his name, sir. I can’t understand the language; but it sounded something like Crash.”
I laughed. “Karasch, Buller. Bring him up at once; and be very civil to him. He wishes to be your fellow-servant.”
Buller’s features were at that moment a study. Well-trained servant though he was, and correct and phlegmatic as an Englishman could be, it was now beyond his power to conceal the dismay and disgust he felt at the prospect.
“Yes, sir,” he stammered at length and turned to go.