as may be imagined, we returned to von lindheim’s in a very different state of mind from that in which we had set out. our friend’s surprise at seeing szalay, whom he had already looked upon as a dead man, was only equalled by his delight. but we realized that szalay’s providential escape had only increased the danger of the situation. no time was to be lost now in forming a plan of escape. we agreed that it must be effected that morning, before rallenstein might have time to set his emissaries of death on our track. both the result of the duel and the pretence of illness would give colour to a precipitate move from buyda. as a dying man, von lindheim was to be conveyed to a country house he had at sch?nval, some twenty miles from the capital. and indeed, if he was really to die, he would prefer that the blow should fall there; and in that stronghold we felt we might turn at bay and at least gain time, if flight out of the country, too dangerous now, should subsequently seem feasible. then came the question—what was to become of poor szalay? he stood in equal danger. we could not, for humanity’s sake, leave him to his fate. if we did he would most assuredly be a dead man within twenty-four hours. but how to get him away under the lynx eyes of rallenstein and his creatures? after many plans we decided upon doing the best we could to disguise [pg 63]him as a servant, and so taking him down to sch?nval with us.
he was a fair-faced man with reddish hair and beard. we made him shave, blackened his hair and eyebrows, found some paint and gave his complexion a ruddy tinge; then we dressed him in an extra suit of pabst’s, and flattered ourselves the disguise would pass even under count furello’s eye. anyhow, when he finally saw himself in the glass he hardly recognized his own identity, and behind his effective mask began to take courage. but it was an anxious time for all of us. i was too concerned for the awful peril in which my friends stood to appreciate fully the adventurous side of the business. fighting against these underhand methods of assassination was not quite to my taste. still, the danger was real enough, and that had to be met.
having come to a decision, we sent hastily for dr. rothmer. after our anxious vigil von lindheim looked pale and drawn enough to support his pretended symptoms. when we mentioned his desire to be taken to his country home, the doctor, as we foresaw, strongly objected to any such move. he was not going to lose fees if he could help it.
we appeared rather to fall in with his views, intending all the same to make a start when he had gone, and simply mentioning the matter for the sake of plausibility. von lindheim lay groaning, with a stimulated quick respiration and signs of collapse in which we had coached him. the doctor looked grave, shook his head at the difficulty of combating ptomaine poisoning, and finally, having impressed upon us the patient’s extremely critical state, went off, promising to send another draught, which might relieve the symptoms.
no sooner had he left us than we began to prepare for our flight. we had settled that the first part of [pg 64]the journey should be made by road, for the reason that by railway we should be more open to observation. so we proposed driving to a country station about eight miles distant, and then catching a train to our destination.
the move was carried out successfully; at least without hindrance. half an hour sufficed to make our preparations and have a roomy carriage at the door; our pseudo-invalid was borne out and laid in it, szalay, in his new guise, helping in the work. so we started, leaving the faithful pabst to answer inquiries; our departure and manner of travelling being plausible enough.
so far as we could tell, our move had been quite unobserved. the street was comparatively deserted, as it would be at that early hour, and as we drove off and got clear of the city, we congratulated ourselves that, so far, we had given the slip to the jaguar, and at least had a good start of any pursuit. it was a bright morning, and as we rolled along over the country roads lined with dew-sparkling hedges, the gloom of the situation seemed to have lifted with that of the night. the brilliancy of the day seemed to give the two despairing men a new zest for life, and with that came courage. even poor szalay could discuss his position calmly and more hopefully; we could have laughed at the absurd alteration in his appearance but for the thought that he had taken a man’s life that day. we presently slackened our pace, that we might arrive at the wayside station just when the train was due. this we hit off very successfully, and carried our invalid tenderly, with anxious faces, into an empty compartment. no other passengers were at the station, with the exception of a couple of old market women, and we felt sure they were genuine. an attentive guard found us a carriage and assisted us, rather officiously, it seemed; but then first-class [pg 65]passengers were rare at those little stations. at each stoppage he came to look after us, and at the end of the short but tedious journey, he helped us out and bustled about us with rather more assiduity than was agreeable. however, before we were able to leave the station for sch?nval we had seen him whistle the train off and depart with it.
“i didn’t quite like that guard,” von lindheim said as we drove away.
i reasoned with him against his uneasiness.
“ah, you forget,” he answered, “our railways are state property. the man may very well be in the chancellor’s employ.”
“anyhow,” i said, “he is miles away by this.”
“and here we are at home,” he exclaimed with a sigh of relief. “safe so far.”
