登陆注册
15679900000016

第16章 CHAPTER I WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LIBRARY(3)

`Herr Greisengesang, since we have met,' said Otto, `let us talk.'

`I am honoured by his Highness's commands,' replied the Chancellor.

`All has been quiet since I left?' asked the Prince, resuming his seat.

`The usual business, your Highness,' answered Greisengesang; `punctual trifles: huge, indeed, if neglected, but trifles when discharged. Your Highness is most zealously obeyed.'

`Obeyed, Herr Cancellarius?' returned the Prince. `And when have I obliged you with an order? Replaced, let us rather say. But to touch upon these trifles; instance me a few.'

`The routine of government, from which your Highness has so wisely dissociated his leisure ...' began Greisengesang.

`We will leave my leisure, sir,' said Otto. `Approach the facts.'

`The routine of business was proceeded with,' replied the official, now visibly twittering.

`It is very strange, Herr Cancellarius, that you should so persistently avoid my questions,' said the Prince. `You tempt me to suppose a purpose in your dulness. I have asked you whether all was quiet; do me the pleasure to reply.'

`Perfectly -- O, perfectly quiet,' jerked the ancient puppet, with every signal of untruth.

`I make a note of these words,' said the Prince gravely. `You assure me, your sovereign, that since the date of my departure nothing has occurred of which you owe me an account.'

`I take your Highness, I take the Herr Doctor to witness,' cried Greisengesang, `that I have had no such expression.'

`Halt!' said the Prince; and then, after a pause: `Herr Greisengesang, you are an old man, and you served my father before you served me,' he added. `It consists neither with your dignity nor mine that you should babble excuses and stumble possibly upon untruths. Collect your thoughts; and then categorically inform me of all you have been charged to hide.'

Gotthold, stooping very low over his desk, appeared to have resumed his labours; but his shoulders heaved with subterranean merriment. The Prince waited, drawing his handkerchief quietly through his fingers.

`Your Highness, in this informal manner,' said the old gentleman at last, `and being unavoidably deprived of documents, it would be difficult, it would be impossible, to do justice to the somewhat grave occurrences which have transpired.'

`I will not criticise your attitude,' replied the Prince. `I desire that, between you and me, all should be done gently; for I have not forgotten, my old friend, that you were kind to me from the first, and for a period of years a faithful servant. I will thus dismiss the matters on which you waive immediate inquiry. But you have certain papers actually in your hand.

Come, Herr Greisengesang, there is at least one point for which you have authority. Enlighten me on that.'

`On that?' cried the old gentleman. `O, that is a trifle; a matter, your Highness, of police; a detail of a purely administrative order. These are simply a selection of the papers seized upon the English traveller.'

`Seized?' echoed Otto. `In what sense? Explain yourself.'

`Sir John Crabtree,' interposed Gotthold, looking up, `was arrested yesterday evening.'

`It this so, Herr Cancellarius?' demanded Otto sternly.

`It was judged right, your Highness,' protested Greisengesang.

`The decree was in due form, invested with your Highness's authority by procuration. I am but an agent; I had no status to prevent the measure.'

`This man, my guest, has been arrested,' said the Prince. `On what grounds, sir? With what colour of pretence?'

The Chancellor stammered.

`Your Highness will perhaps find the reason in these documents,' said Gotthold, pointing with the tail of his pen.

Otto thanked his cousin with a look. `Give them to me,' he said, addressing the Chancellor.

But that gentleman visibly hesitated to obey. `Baron von Gondremark,' he said, `has made the affair his own. I am in this case a mere messenger; and as such, I am not clothed with any capacity to communicate the documents I carry. Herr Doctor, I am convinced you will not fail to bear me out.'

`I have heard a great deal of nonsense,' said Gotthold, `and most of it from you; but this beats all.'

`Come, sir,' said Otto, rising, `the papers. I command.'

Herr Greisengesang instantly gave way.

`With your Highness's permission,' he said, `and laying at his feet my most submiss apologies, I will now hasten to attend his further orders in the Chancery.'

`Herr Cancellarius, do you see this chair?' said Otto. `There is where you shall attend my further orders. O, now, no more!' he cried, with a gesture, as the old man opened his lips. `You have sufficiently marked your zeal to your employer; and I begin to weary of a moderation you abuse.'

The Chancellor moved to the appointed chair and took his seat in silence.

`And now,' said Otto, opening the roll, `what is all this? it looks like the manuscript of a book.'

`It is,' said Gotthold, `the manuscript of a book of travels.'

`You have read it, Doctor Hohenstockwitz?' asked the Prince.

`Nay, I but saw the title-page,' replied Gotthold. `But the roll was given to me open, and I heard no word of any secrecy.'

Otto dealt the Chancellor an angry glance.

`I see,' he went on. `The papers of an author seized at this date of the world's history, in a state so petty and so ignorant as Grünewald, here is indeed an ignominious folly. Sir,' to the Chancellor, `I marvel to find you in so scurvy an employment. On your conduct to your Prince I will not dwell; but to descend to be a spy! For what else can it be called?

To seize the papers of this gentleman, the private papers of a stranger, the toil of a life, perhaps -- to open, and to read them. And what have we to do with books? The Herr Doctor might perhaps be asked for his advice; but we have no index expurgatorius in Grünewald. Had we but that, we should be the most absolute parody and farce upon this tawdry earth.'

Yet, even while Otto spoke, he had continued to unfold the roll; and now, when it lay fully open, his eye rested on the title-page elaborately written in red ink. It ran thus:

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 王源可惜没如果

    王源可惜没如果

    TFBOS中的王源是和莫安晓是一对恋人,可是徐佳雅的哥哥也喜欢莫安晓,徐佳雅的哥哥许帆威胁莫安晓和王源离开,不然就杀了王源。……五年后。莫安晓回来了,可是王源却在五年前出车祸失忆了,莫安晓该怎么办呢?
  • 重生之撩君心

    重生之撩君心

    上天垂怜重活一世看尝尽世间百苦浑身千疮百孔的两人如何相识相知到相爱注:本文不是复仇文主要谈恋爱顺手治小人(好吧,骗人的,原本想这样写,可是谁能告诉我,为什么渐渐写成了权谋!!!)
  • 神祗病毒

    神祗病毒

    “你是这个世界唯一的魔,也是这个世界独特的神。”
  • 君莫负

    君莫负

    在这个虚拟的世界里面,我们恐怕连自己用了多少真感情也不知道。
  • 琉璃岁月之霸道总裁呆萌妻

    琉璃岁月之霸道总裁呆萌妻

    一个没有结局的故事一次没有爱过的爱恋一个没有忘记的人
  • 上古世纪之骑士归来

    上古世纪之骑士归来

    当天阳踏足这个世界的时候,不是惊呆了,而是蹲在地上痛哭,是撕心裂肺的痛哭。而他的周围站着各种各样的人,他们有精灵,有兽灵,也有很像人类一样的人,他们有的穿着精美的盔甲,有的拿着巨大的斧头,有的拿着漂亮的弓箭等等各种各样的兵器。而这些人都好奇的看着这个身穿怪异衣服的年轻人,黄皮肤,黑眼睛,黑头发,有点像哈里兰族的人,蹲在地上哭的死去活来。就在此刻,一只白嫩的小手递来一个洁白的小手绢·······
  • 鬼眼神探

    鬼眼神探

    "私家侦探王统意外失去左眼,未料移植了来路不明的眼珠后,一睁开眼竟见到不该看见的“东西”……得知自己被人误植了妖眼的王统,莫名地被牵扯进人妖之战中,不但性感毒辣的蜘蛛女朱娘,与冷艳的收妖女警梅铃猛找他碴,就连已经“挂掉”的女鬼紫晴都一个劲地黏上他?现在王统成了活生生的“麻烦生产机”,方圆百里不是冒出“吸魂者”欲炼成禁术拿他来开刀,就是妖王将届重生之日,首选躯体就是他。"
  • 魔法纹身师

    魔法纹身师

    我不知道为什么这里的人们身上都有这样或那样的纹身。战士纹着各种武器防具。魔法师纹着各种法杖饰品。贵族身上会着这他们的家徽。皇帝身上会有真龙纹身。而平民身上会纹着各种工具。这纹身好像也在昭示各个阶级不可跨越的鸿沟。而唯一能使阶级产生流动的就是魔法纹身师。
  • 我爱你,永世为约

    我爱你,永世为约

    名流世家小姐以一个普通人的身份隐于国际一流大学,期翼着能够获得一份真挚的情谊,能获得救赎。无关身世背景,无关金钱利益。一个温润如玉,一个热烈似火,站在爱情的双叉路口,唐筱暖举足不定......当所谓的爱情在权势面前变得不堪一击,当昔日好友针锋相对处处刁难,当背叛、欺骗、污蔑纷纷而至......在这混乱的漩涡里,是继续沉沦还是勇敢转身?这条错误的路已快到尽头,如果我此刻转身,你是否还愿意拥我入怀?或......任我,步向深渊从此万劫不复。
  • 再造世界的100个奇迹(下)

    再造世界的100个奇迹(下)

    人类的历史,犹如一串华美的项链,是由无数大大小小的事件连接而成的。那一个个辉煌的瞬间,便是历史链条中璀灿的宝石与珍珠,它熠熠生辉,警示着后人。