Cost Price (8 page)

As we descended quietly, footfalls rang in the passage and then came Ferrers’ voice.

“This is the place, I am told, at which the carpet was found.”

No answer was made, and presently Ferrers went on.

“You asked to see this spot, which Mr Palin tells me you’ve seen before. Now that you’ve seen it again, is there anything else you want?”

“ I am investigating. I desire to be left alone.”

“In a house such as this, no stranger is left alone.”

“I am of the police.”

“That is why you were admitted. What else do you wish to see?”

“You would be obstructive!” spat the Boche.

There was a little silence.

Then—

“I asked you,” said Ferrers, coldly, “what else you wished to see.”

That he should ignore the German’s offensive charge was more than the latter could bear. At least, so it seemed to me, for the fellow burst out in a voice which was shaken with rage.

“Show me the hidden treasure for which these bandits came. They left alone your silver. They never entered a bedroom, in search of jewels. Your private safe was untouched. Why was that, Englishman? Because you know, as I do, they came for none of those things. They came for something greater – something which lies down here. Why did they want that carpet?”

“ If that is your theory,” said Ferrers, “you’d better ask them. I never heard of a treasure lying within these walls – and I don’t believe there is one. I can explain the carpet no more than anyone else. I’ve no idea why they moved it.”

“Because they required a carpet, to bring them to what they sought.”

“So you say,” said Ferrers. “You may be right. The position is simply this – that so far as I am concerned, there is nothing gone. The police were summoned, because a man was found dead – not because the house had been entered, for there had been no theft.”

“Why are you so sure there was no theft? Is your treasure still safe?”

I heard Ferrers expire.

“I have told you,” he said, “that there is no treasure here. If the thieves believed that there was, they made a mistake.”

“And I tell you that thieves make no such mistakes.” This was, of course, perfectly true: and I could not help feeling that the German had scored a point.

“As you please,” said Ferrers. “Perhaps they found the treasure and took it away.”

“Of that there was no indication.”

“So far as I understand, what indications there were are so many signposts pointing to nowhere at all.”

“That is because you are obstructive.”

For the second time Ferrers expired.

“You have,” he said, “been admitted – more than once: you have been allowed–”

“Allowed?”

“–allowed to visit the place you desired to see. I don’t call that obstruction.”

“Yet you refuse to disclose what it was the thieves sought.”

“I have told you,” said Ferrers, “I don’t know what they sought. I don’t know why they came, and I don’t know why they went. I don’t know why one was murdered. I don’t know anything.”

“Yet you withstand assistance. I find that strange.”

“You have offered me no assistance. All you can do is to say that there’s treasure here.”

“Which happens to be the answer to all that you are pretending you do not know.” I heard the man suck in his breath. “The day will come, Englishman, when–”

“I think,” said Ferrers, “that you had better withdraw. This is a private house in Austria – not a prison cell in Germany.”

“You would insult an officer of the Reich!”

“Not at all. I prefer your absence to your presence. I don’t put it higher than that.”

There was another silence.

Then—

“I go,” said the German. “I go, but I do not forget. One day I shall come back – and you will show me the place where the treasure lies.”

As the footfalls receded—

“You must give Friar best,” said Mansel. “We may have bruised his head, but, by God, he’s bruised our heel.”

That night, after dinner, we told Diana the truth. This seemed the best thing to do; for, if she were honest, such trust in her would grapple her to our cause; but, if she were running with Friar – well, we had told her nothing she did not know. Indeed, by my advice, we used her exactly as though she were one of us, concealing nothing at all, except, of course, how we had disposed of the gems.

“So there we are,” said Mansel. “The stable is empty: the stable door is shut: of its having been opened, there is, I think, no sign: all we have to do now is to get the horse out of the country.”

“All,” said Ferrers, and laughed.

“It mayn’t be so bad,” said Mansel. “But I think we should leave the castle on Thursday next.”

“The day after tomorrow?” said Olivia.

“I think so, my lady. Not that we want to go, but Time is not in our favour – he never seems to be. In spite of all the checks upon passports, the Boche may not know that we’re here. You see, at the moment, this isn’t Germany: and Austrian police staff-work is not too good. I’m afraid he’s bound to find out that we have visited you: but I’d very much sooner he watched an empty stable than that he shadowed us wherever we go. So if we could get a short start… Yes, I think we should go on Thursday. Our rooms will be waiting at Villach on Thursday night.”

“And Friar?” said Olivia.

“We shall know when he’s back all right. But, unless I’m much mistaken, it won’t be just yet.” He turned to Diana. “Where were you to address him?”

“C/o the Bank of Austria, Salzburg.”

“Would you like to wire him on Wednesday?”

“If you think it’s wise, Captain Mansel.”

“I think it’s natural. And later, perhaps, you shall write.”

“You’ll tell me what to say.”

“Of course. But I want you to remember, Diana, that if you come in with us, you must do as we say. You can’t play Friar on your own – he’s the very hell of a fish.”

“I swear,” said Diana, quickly.

“Will you stay on here for the present?”

“If Olivia and John will have me.”

“That goes without saying,” said Olivia.

“And what about me?” said Palin. “You must admit that I pull my weight as a clown. I showed the robber chief how to get at the jewels. That’s more than Columbine’s done: so give me another chance to make a fool of myself.”

“Your host was to blame,” said Mansel. “He never warned you that Punter was hereabouts.”

“I entirely agree,” said John. “ It wasn’t your fault.”

“I must confess,” said Palin, “that if you had told me that, I should have repaired to this mansion, armed the servants and had the drawbridge raised.”

“You can serve us best,” said Mansel, “by going back to your inn and standing by. I’m perfectly sure we shall need you: but when and how we shall need you, I cannot say.”

“It shall be done,” said Palin. “But I shall be very lonely. If Friar should come back for a night…”

“Keep him,” said Mansel, laughing. “And let me know. Our address is The Sickle at Villach, but keep it quiet.”

“And we,” said John Ferrers, “for whom you are doing all this, to save whose property you two are risking your lives, are to sit still here and let you lie out in the rain.”

“John,” said Mansel, “I don’t have to argue with you. The moment you leave the castle, they’ll know that the gems are gone. Though you stay here, they may suspect that they’re gone. But the moment you leave, they’ll
know
. And I don’t want them to know. I want to keep them guessing right up to the last.”

“And now,” said Olivia, rising, “Andrew shall play us upstairs. Jonah and Richard are abnormal, but Andrew and John are half-dead for want of sleep.”

Palin passed to the piano.

“It’ll have to be ‘Bohème’,” he said. “But that I can play when I’m tight.”

So, to the strains of Puccini, we went to our beds.

This, at a quarter past ten: and I must confess that, despite what Olivia had said, I liked the look of my sheets. I promised myself a good night… But Fortune ruled otherwise.

It was almost half past twelve when Mansel slipped into my room. Weary or no, I am a very light sleeper; and so I was sitting up, ready, before he spoke.

“Mansel speaking, William. Don’t show a light.”

“More trouble?”

“It might be. The Boche has come back.”

I sighed.

“Only a German,” I said, “would do such a brutal thing.”

“And he’s brought a posse with him. They’re searching the castle now.”

“My God, he’s hot stuff,” said I.

“He’s a cunning swine,” said Mansel, “and I’ll say he had me on. He deliberately gave us to think that he wouldn’t be back just yet; and he led us to see the wisdom of getting the treasure out as soon as ever we could. And then, within six hours, at dead of night he comes back. Good work, you know – you can’t get away from that. I mean, be honest, William. Had we not got the stuff out, after his visit this evening, I’ll lay any money we should have done it tonight.”

“So we should,” said I. “And have been caught out. And that would have been a party. What do we do?”

“We must leave it to Ferrers. I hope he goes off the deep end. But if they search the whole castle, we are going to be found. To withdraw would be worse than futile, for we couldn’t conceal the fact that these rooms have been occupied. But please expect a visit. The Boche is right up in the air.”

With that, he slipped out of the room, and Bell slipped in.

“It’s Bell, sir. Have you any orders?”

“Tell me the worst. Where’s Carson?”

“With Captain Mansel, sir.”

“Thank God,” said I. “They didn’t see him come out?”

“Oh, no, sir. He heard them drive into the courtyard and watched his chance.”

I might have known.

Bell deserved his name, for he was the soundest man with whom I have had to do. In times of stress he was my rod and my staff. He knew what I needed, before I knew myself: before I had time to call him, he was at hand: he set my life above his, because, perhaps, he knew that I set his above mine: he was the finest servant and true as steel. But Carson had caught from his master the precious trick of foresight. He could see the move that was coming, and take his place; so that, when the move was made, Carson was ready to meet it, however startling it was. Twice over, by such a manoeuvre, he saved my life – and when I made bold to thank him, he very respectfully said he was glad he was there. Working together, the two were incomparable: indeed, without their service, Mansel and I would never have taken the field.

“Well, that’s all right,” said I. “You’d better be found in bed. The Boche would not understand it if you were outside my door.”

“Very good, sir. You’ll ring, if you want me?”

“I promise I will.”

When Bell had gone, I lay down and closed my eyes; and since I was still very tired, I soon fell asleep.

Half an hour later, perhaps, somebody rapped upon the door.

I switched on the bedside lamp, propped myself on an elbow and cried “Come in.”

A plain-clothes man opened the door, shot a glance round the bedroom and then drew back for the Boche.

“Who the devil are you?” I said.

“I am of the police.”

“And what do you want at this hour in a private room?”

“Excuse me.” He drew himself up. “I bear with me a warrant to search this house.”

I put out a hand.

“I wish to see it,” I said.

The fellow turned to the Austrian, standing behind.

“Give me the warrant,” he said.

The thing was indeed a warrant, worded vaguely enough, authorizing the bearer to enter and search Hohenems.

“Very well,” I said. “We do things better in England, but let that go.”

“You are not in England,” said the Boche.

“No,” said I, “nor yet in Germany.”

“May I see your passport?”

“I suppose so.” I left my bed, took my keys from a table and opened the little dispatch case in which I kept such things. “There you are,” I said.

The German glanced at the passport and back at my case.

“I observe that you carry a pistol.”

“I carry a pistol whenever I travel abroad.”

“I see. Do you also carry a torch?” Remembering the lens which was missing, I felt rather tired. But I could not say no; for the torch lay beside the pistol, for him to see.

“I do.”

“Quite so. May I look at that torch?”

I put the thing into his hand.

As he turned it about, smiling, I could have broken his neck.

At last he looked up.

“Its lens is missing, Mr Chandos.”

“That’s quite true. I lost it a night or two back.”

“Where did you lose it, Mr Chandos?”

“In the older part of the castle. There’s no light there, and you have to watch your step.”

“Why were you there, Mr Chandos?”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Old places interest me. This is a ‘show place’, you know; the older part of the castle used to be shown.”

“Quite so.” He took a lens from his pocket and fitted it into the torch. “There! It is all right now. Strange that it should not have been broken. Did you use a carpet, too?”

“A carpet?” I said, frowning.

“Like the robbers, Mr Chandos…who came to look for the treasure…that wasn’t there.”

“Look here,” said I. “I don’t understand what you’re saying, but it is perfectly clear that you mean to be rude. And that I will not have.”

As the man recoiled, I took the torch from his hand.

“
Will
not?” he spat.

“Will not. I pass over your intrusion, because I know better than to expect manners from your race. But you have no shadow of right to molest, much less insult, a soul in this house.”

“I am of the police. I have my duty to do.” I looked the brute up and down.

“To define your behaviour as duty is to defile the word. Your duty is to succour the public – that’s why you’re paid. Not to locate possessions which one day you hope to steal.”

The fellow’s eyes burned in his head, and I saw the tide of scarlet rising into his face.

“Before we are done,” he said thickly, “you will regret those words.”

“Don’t you believe it,” I said. “You Boches always split on England, because we’re the better stuff.”