A Maker of History. E. Phillips Oppenheim

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СКАЧАТЬ driver, who had been of course ludicrously over-paid, settled down in his corner, and announced his intention of seeing through to the end this most extraordinary and Heaven-directed occurrence. The innkeeper and his wife busied themselves with the breakfast, and Guy made remarks every now and then from his phrase book, which were usually incomprehensible, except when they concerned a further supply of beer. With a brave acceptance of the courtesies of the country he had accepted a cigar from the driver, and was already contemplating the awful moment when he would have to light it. Just then an interruption came.

      It was something very official, but whether military or of the police Guy could not tell. It strode into the room with clanking of spurs, and the driver and innkeeper alike stood up in respect. It saluted Guy. Guy took off his hat. Then there came words, but Guy was busy with his phrase book.

      "I cannot a word of German speak!" he announced at last.

      A deadlock ensued. The innkeeper and the driver rushed into the breach. Conversation became furious. Guy took advantage of the moment to slip the cigar into his pocket, and to light a cigarette. Finally, the officer swung himself round, and departed abruptly.

      "Dolmetscher," the driver announced to him triumphantly.

      "Dolmetscher," the innkeeper repeated.

      Guy turned it up in his phrase book, and found that it meant interpreter. He devoted himself then to stimulating the preparations for breakfast.

      The meal was ready at last. There were eggs and ham and veal, dark-colored bread, and coffee, sufficient for about a dozen people. The driver constituted himself host, and Guy, with a shout of laughter, sat down where he was, and ate. In the midst of the meal the officer reappeared, ushering in a small wizened-faced individual of unmistakably English appearance. Guy turned round in his chair, and the newcomer touched his forelock.

      "Hullo!" Guy exclaimed. "You're English!"

      "Yes, sir!" the man answered. "Came over to train polo ponies for the Prince of Haepsburg. Not in any trouble, I hope, sir?"

      "Not I," Guy answered cheerily. "Don't mind my going on with my breakfast, do you? What's it all about? Who's the gentleman with the fireman's helmet on, and what's he worrying about?"

      "He is an officer of the police, sir, on special service," the man answered. "You have been reported for trespassing on the State railway this morning."

      "Trespassing be blowed!" Guy answered. "I've got my ticket for the frontier. We were blocked by signal about half a dozen miles off this place, and I got down to stretch my legs. I understood them to say that we could not go on for half an hour or so. They never tried to stop my getting down, and then off they went without any warning, and left me there."

      "I will translate to the officer, sir," the man said.

      "Right!" Guy declared. "Go ahead."

      There was a brisk colloquy between the two. Then the little man began again.

      "He says that your train passed here at midnight, and that you did not arrive until past six."

      "Quite right!" Guy admitted. "I went to sleep. I didn't know how far it was to the station, and I was dead tired."

      "The officer wishes to know whether many trains passed you in the night?"

      "Can't say," Guy answered. "I sleep very soundly, and I never opened my eyes after the first few minutes."

      "The officer wishes to know whether you saw anything unusual upon the line?" the little man asked.

      "Nothing at all," Guy answered coolly. "Bit inquisitive, isn't he?"

      The little man came closer to the table.

      "He wishes to see your passport, sir," he announced.

      Guy handed it to him, also a letter of credit and several other documents.

      "He wants to know why you were going to the frontier, sir!"

      "Sort of fancy to say that I'd been in Russia, that's all!" Guy answered. "You tell him I'm a perfectly harmless individual. Never been abroad before."

      The officer listened, and took notes in his pocketbook of the passport and letter of credit. Then he departed with a formal salute, and they heard his horse's hoofs ring upon the road outside as he galloped away. The little man came close up to the table.

      "You'll excuse me, sir," he said, "but you seem to have upset the officials very much by being upon the line last night. There have been some rumors going about—but perhaps you're best not to know that. May I give you a word of advice, sir?"

      "Let me give you one," Guy declared. "Try this beer!"

      "I thank you, sir," the man answered. "I will do so with pleasure. But if you are really an ordinary tourist, sir—as I have no doubt you are—let this man drive you to Streuen, and take the train for the Austrian frontier. You may save yourself a good deal of unpleasantness."

      "I'll do it!" Guy declared. "Vienna was the next place I was going to, anyhow. You tell the fellow where to take me, will you?"

      The man spoke rapidly to the driver.

      "I think that you will be followed, sir," he added, turning to Guy, "but very likely they won't interfere with you. The railway last night for twenty miles back was held up for State purposes. We none of us know why, and it doesn't do to be too curious over here, but they have an idea that you are either a journalist or a spy."

      "Civis Britannicus sum!" the boy answered, with a laugh.

      "It doesn't quite mean what it used to, sir," the man answered quietly.

CHAPTER II

       Table of Contents

      AT THE CAFÉ MONTMARTRE

      Exactly a week later, at five minutes after midnight, Guy Poynton, in evening dress, entered the Café Montmartre, in Paris. He made his way through the heterogeneous little crowd of men and women who were drinking at the bar, past the scarlet-coated orchestra, into the inner room, where the tables were laid for supper. Monsieur Albert, satisfied with the appearance of his new client, led him at once to a small table, submitted the wine card, and summoned a waiter. With some difficulty, as his French was very little better than his German, he ordered supper, and then lighting a cigarette, leaned back against the wall and looked around to see if he could discover any English or Americans.

      The room was only moderately full, for the hour was a little early for this quarter of Paris. Nevertheless, he was quick to appreciate a certain spirit of Bohemianism which pleased him. Every one talked to his neighbor. An American from the further end of the room raised his glass and drank his health. A pretty fair-haired girl leaned over from her table and smiled at him.

      "Monsieur like talk with me, eh?"

      "English?" he asked.

      "No. De Wien!"

      He СКАЧАТЬ