The Italian’s face at first showed an attempt to laugh the thing off, but its futility was so apparent and the soldier’s blade so pressing, that he speedily abandoned it and set to work to defend himself as best he could.
“Ah, my poor Capitano, it is enough,” he exclaimed in terror as, putting aside a thrust at his heart, he felt the blade pierce his shoulder. “I will confess!” he screamed, as the irresistible attack grew hotter. “I will give you—”
“Silence, you pest, you treacherous dog!” Ompertz cried, setting his teeth. “If you choose to play your murderous tricks on a stronger man you must be ready for the penalty.” And so, bearing down the Italian’s desperate defence, he ran him through.
Calosi fell with a gasping cry and had expired ere he touched the ground. Ompertz drew back his sword and wiped it on the dead man’s cloak, shaking his head with a troubled countenance as he sheathed it.
“I’d as lief this had not happened,” he muttered, “but it was necessary, and ’tis done. Well, my head can scarce be in greater jeopardy now than it was before, and at least this gives me a few hours’ start.”
Hastily he rolled the body into the ditch that ran under the park wall, where it lay concealed by the over-growing grass and weeds. “Well, there is one scoundrel the fewer walking the earth to-night,” he commented. “If I hang for this I shall leave the world a trifle better than I found it.” He effaced the blood marks from the path, and hurried on to the city.
As he gained the narrow streets his devil-may-care humour, which had been repressed by the events of the night, returned; he hummed a tune and strode along with his characteristic jauntiness. Once he stopped and seemed to debate with himself whether he should go on or turn back. “No; I must do it,” he said. “A good turn from a stranger is worth six from a friend; and, after all, my life is not of such wonderful value or surety that I need think twice about risking it.”
So, starting on again with a more purposeful gait, he soon arrived at the door of Ludovic von Bertheim’s lodging. As he looked up at the windows for a light, the man he sought came round the corner.
“Well met, Lieutenant,” he said with a military salute. “I came on my way to—who knows?—the gallows, probably, to give you a word of warning.”
“Come in,” Ludovic replied, and led the way.