“The lieutenant was indignant. He said, when he left us:
“‘The real mover in this business is perhaps of higher rank than we suppose. Politics is at the bottom of it. Christian Waldo must have some state secret.’”
“I give you my word that I have not,” replied Christian, who could not help smiling at the lieutenant’s simplicity.
“I do not ask you, Monsieur Christian,” replied the good and ingenuous Martina; “but I know that the lieutenant, the major, and Corporal Duff, swore that they would do their duty, and protect you, even if this should prove a signal offence to his lordship the baron. However, they thought the greatest prudence would be necessary, and they urged us to keep the whole matter a profound secret. They started on foot, well armed, and as quietly as possible, for they wanted to take the assassins by surprise, and get possession of their secret.
“‘Go on with the game,’ they said, ‘and try and prevent the others from observing our absence.’
“In fact, Margaret and I pretended to keep on playing, until the time came to separate and go and make our toilets for the evening; but, instead of thinking of dressing ourselves, we could think of nothing but of looking out of the window of my room, so as to try and see what was passing on the lake. But the fog was so thick that it was quite impossible. We could not even distinguish where Stollborg was. And then we listened with all our ears, for sometimes in these thick fogs you can hear the slightest sounds with perfect distinctness. But they were making such a tumult in the chateau, and outside the moat, with their fanfares and fireworks, that it seemed as if they were doing it on purpose, so as to prevent the noise of a quarrel or fight from being heard. And so the time passed; and then suddenly Margaret began to be frightened—”
“And you also, dear Martina,” said Margaret, in some confusion.
“It was you, dear friend, who made me so,” said the fiancée of the lieutenant, frankly. “At last, like two mad creatures, we started off with Peterson, persuaded that we should meet the major and his friends, and that they would restore our courage. We thought, too, as Peterson knows the country perfectly, and scarcely ever makes a mistake, that we should be able to guide them to the old chateau, if they had lost their way. We came on foot, and did not go much astray, except that we arrived at the side of the gaard, instead of succeeding in coming straight to the court. But Peterson said:
“‘It is the same thing; we can go in this way just as well.’
“And, in fact, here we are, without well knowing how we got here. But in all this time we have not met a single person; and now that we are a little more tranquil about you, I think we have reason to feel seriously uneasy about the major, and the other officers.”