“Rubinstein’s a strong player,” observed Vance. A new note of interest, which he strove to conceal, had come into his voice. “He’s one of the grand masters of the game. He defeated Capablanca at San Sebastian in 1911, and between 1907 and 1912 was considered the logical contender for the world’s title held by Doctor Lasker.[20] . . . Yes, it would have been a great feather in Pardee’s cap to have beaten him. Indeed, it was no small compliment to him that he should have been matched with Rubinstein. Pardee, despite the fame of his gambit, has never been ranked as a master.—Have you heard the result of last night’s game, by the by?”
Again I noted a faint tolerant smile at the corners of the professor’s mouth. He gave the impression of looking down benevolently on the foolish capers of children from some great intellectual height.
“No,” he answered; “I didn’t inquire. But my surmise is that Pardee lost; for when Drukker pointed out the weakness of his adjourned position, he was more positive than usual. Drukker by nature is cautious, and he rarely expresses a definite opinion on a problem without having excellent grounds for so doing.”
Vance raised his eyebrows in some astonishment.
“Do you mean to tell me that Pardee analyzed his unfinished game with Drukker and discussed the possibilities of its ending? Not only is such a course unethical, but any player would be disqualified for doing such a thing.”
“I’m unfamiliar with the punctilio of chess,” Professor Dillard returned acidly; “but I am sure Pardee would not be guilty of a breach of ethics in that regard. And, as a matter of fact, I recall that when he was engaged with the chessmen at the table over there and Drukker stepped up to look on, Pardee requested him to offer no advice. The discussion of the position took place some time later, and was kept entirely to generalities. I don’t believe there was a mention of any specific line of play.”
Vance leaned slowly forward and crushed out his cigarette with that taut deliberation which I had long since come to recognize as a sign of repressed excitement. Then he rose carelessly and moved to the chess table in the corner. He stood there, one hand resting on the exquisite marquetry of the alternating squares.
“You say that Mr. Pardee was analyzing his position on this board when Mr. Drukker came over to him?”
“Yes, that is right.” Professor Dillard spoke with forced politeness. “Drukker sat down facing him and studied the layout. He started to make some remark, and Pardee requested him to say nothing. A quarter of an hour or so later Pardee put the men away; and it was then that Drukker told him that his game was lost—that he had worked himself into a position which, though it looked favorable, was fundamentally weak.”
Vance had been running his fingers aimlessly over the board; and he had taken two or three of the men from the box and tossed them back, as if toying with them.