“She moved away towards the door. And then, Excellency, I saw the Princess kiss the man. They separated on that. Her Highness hurried away, while the other lady took her companion to the door which I heard unfastened and locked again. That is all, Excellency. I had to stay there half-starved till morning, and when I got outside my hunger led to my arrest. After all, it was my duty to——”
Rollmar held up his hand with a silencing gesture. He was thinking rapidly, acutely, and what he wanted was facts not comments. Those he could supply shrewdly enough himself.
“So you never saw the man’s face?”
“No, Excellency. His face was never in the light.”
“Should you recognise his voice?”
“Possibly.” Ompertz felt it his cue to make himself indispensable.
For several minutes there was silence in the room. The Chancellor had motioned Ompertz to a chair, and himself sat plunged in such intense thought as, indeed, the information called for. Perhaps, had the airy swashbuckler had an idea of the part he himself was occupying in that busy cogitation he might not have sat quite so comfortably assured of his fortunes. However, expediency was on his side, and for the moment all was well with him.
The silence was oppressive, the atmosphere of the room heavy, the ticking of the great clock so monotonous that the soldier of fortune, whose night’s rest had been disturbed of late, could hardly smother a yawn. But he told himself he had played his trump card at the right moment and waited but to draw his winnings.
At length the long deliberation came to an end; the expedient had been determined on, and Rollmar spoke.
“I am glad to know, Captain von Ompertz, that you are fully alive to the importance and, above all, to the delicate nature of the secret which chance has revealed to you. It is fortunate, Captain von Ompertz, that it is to a man of honour that this compromising affair has become known.” Ompertz bowed, as accepting a deserved compliment.