'Oh no.'
'Or that he is ignorant at any time where he is?'
'No, but----'
'One moment!' the Chief Magistrate stopped her with a courteous gesture. 'Pardon me. In an instant, your excellency--to whom I assure you that the Court are obliged, since we desire only to do justice--will see to what my questions lead. I crave leave to put one more, and then to put the same question to your steward. It is this: Do you admit, Countess, that the Waldgrave Rupert was last night in the house with Tzerclas, Neumann, and the other persons inculpated?'
'Certainly,' my lady answered. 'I am so informed. I did not know that that was in question,' she added, looking round with a puzzled air.
'And you, my friend?' The Chief Magistrate fixed me with his small, keen eyes. 'But first, what is your name?'
'Martin Schwartz.'
'Yes, I remember. The man who was saved from the villains. We could have no better evidence. What do you say, then? 'Was the Waldgrave Rupert last night in this house--the house in question?'
'I saw him in the house,' I answered warily. 'In the hall. But he was not in the room with Tzerclas and Neumann--the room in which I saw the maps and plans.'
'A fair answer,' the Burgomaster replied, nodding his head, 'and your evidence might avail the accused. But the fact is--it is to this point we desire to call your excellency's attention,' he continued, turning with a dusty smile to my lady--'the Waldgrave steadily denies that he was in the house at all.'