“You are ingenious.”
“Ingenious enough for that; do you see that little pile of white dust recently fallen on the upper stair?”
“Well?”
“Well, this person—whoever you may choose to consider her, an illustrious captive, or an old servant, who runs about the building at all hours—came here last night; not for the first time, but for the twentieth at least—to try and look through this wall. Or, stay—better yet! She knows there is a secret there—some invisible means of opening this invisible door—and she is searching, and feeling, and digging, to try and discover it. If we watch her to-night we shall find a clue to the mystery.”
“Upon my word, that is a good idea, and I accept it the more willingly because it relieves my mind of a real burden. Instead of being a seer of visions, I should then have seen a real person. I very much prefer to think it is so, although I am a little ashamed of myself for having had any doubts on the subject. However, Christian, I must tell you one thing frankly. I do not believe there is any prisoner here, for, in that case, there would have to be a prison and a jailer. Now this room was open on both sides when you arrived, since you came in by one door and went out by the other, and there is no one for a jailer except Stenson, who is honest and devoted.”
“But the baroness was certainly imprisoned here with more or less severity, and your honest Stenson was employed here then—”
“No, it has never been made to appear that there was any actual imprisonment; and even if it were so, Stenson was not master of Stollborg at that time. Now, when he alone has charge of it, for I presume you do not count Ulphilas as anybody—”
“Say what you like, M. Goefle, there is some mystery here; and whatever it is, whether great or trifling, I mean to solve it. But, great heavens, what am I thinking about! Time is passing, Puffo does not come back, and here I am amusing myself by inventing a romance when I ought to be thinking about the one I am to perform! I knew, M. Goefle, that when you made me eat, you would set me talking and make me forget my work!”
“Well, well, my boy, make your preparations, then. I promised to help you, you know!”
“You can’t help me, M. Goefle, I must have my assistant. I’ll go and look him up.”