"I am a rich man," he said insinuatingly, "and my cellars are the best stocked in Weidenbruck—not excepting his Majesty's. You cannot help me that way."
Again there was silence, and slowly it was borne in on Von Hügelweiler that he was being tempted. The situation horrified him. However much he desired to win the King's Cup, he desired to win it fairly. On the other hand, he neither wished to offend his Commander-in-Chief nor ruin his prospects of success in the competition. He began to be angry with Fate for placing him in a dilemma, before he knew exactly what the dilemma was.
Suddenly the Commander-in-Chief sat bolt upright, and in a voice of great earnestness demanded:
"Von Hügelweiler, do you know that there is a firebrand in Weidenbruck?"
"Weidenbruck is a cold place, General, but it usually contains a firebrand or two."
"I know; but I speak of no common incendiary. Father Bernhardt is here."
Von Hügelweiler nodded.
"At number 42, Schugasse," he supplemented.
"You know that?" demanded the General eagerly.
"He passed me a quarter of an hour since. He was being followed, I think."