“I know—a merchant-captain, much thought of by the Werbens. The Councillor spoke to me about him.”
Giraldi played with his watch-chain while he said these words in a careless, conversational tone, and looked up in astonishment when the Count exclaimed eagerly:
“Heaven forbid! What could I have to do with him! Herr Philip Schmidt is, as I learnt unfortunately too late, a cousin of that otherwise utterly insignificant fellow, who has, with incredible audacity, forced himself into the best circles; a man of no birth—”
“I beg your pardon; Herr Philip Schmidt then, to whom you went—”
“Is the contractor for the Berlin-Sundin Railroad, and is to build our line also—a successful man, fairly presentable, and immensely rich. Polite reception, as I expected, assurance on assurance of meeting my wishes; but his money was tied up in every possible undertaking; his new house had cost him fearful sums; he must keep a balance in hand for the contract for our new railroad, and—in short, scarcely better conditions than those of Lübbener. Now you see how easily I can raise the half million which you demand as an instalment.”
The Count pulled at his fair moustache; his pale blue eyes looked angrily at Giraldi. He made a motion to rise, but on a sign made by the latter with his white hand, remained sitting, as if rooted to his chair.
“I must again ask your pardon,” said Giraldi. “I thought I had made myself clear enough yesterday. I had forgotten that German ears are—I will not say duller than Italian, but different to them. I could otherwise have spared you an unpleasant morning; for what could be more unpleasant for a nobleman than to be obliged to deal with crafty men of business, still more when these men, as is apparent, are in collusion! I hope that with us you will be relieved from this and any other unpleasantness.”
“ ‘With us?’ With you?” asked the Count in the greatest astonishment.
“I must again say ‘we’ and ‘us,’ ” answered Giraldi, smiling; “for if I am myself only the manager, still the savings of an income of ten thousand thalers could not have increased to so large a sum without—what shall I say—some speculation by a lucky hand. For the last few years the money has been really lying idle, and I herewith offer it to the Count in the name of the Baroness.”
The Count stared at Giraldi; but the man’s dark eyes shone as calmly as before. It could not be a joke.
“In the name of the Baroness?”
“If it so pleases you.”
“The entire half million?”
“As it appears to us—this time I mean the trustees—that the payment of half the purchase-money at once is necessary for the better regulation of the property.”
“And the conditions?” asked the Count, after a short pause, with a somewhat hesitating voice.
Giraldi stroked his dark beard.
“We make really none, with the exception of one special condition, for the registration of the debt as a first mortgage on the property—which, as the Count knows, is quite free from debt—and the low interest of four percent, can hardly be called conditions, but rather natural securities, which the Count—”
“Certainly, certainly,” said the Count; “quite natural. And the special condition?”
“That the Count pledges his word of honour not to tell anyone, be they who they may, or even to hint from whom he has obtained the money.” Giraldi held out his hand with a pleasant smile. “It is the hand of a friend, not of a usurer, that we hold out to you.”
The Count was ashamed of his momentary hesitation. “There you have my hand and my word!” he exclaimed, laying his hand in that of the Italian. “I will speak of it to no one.”
“Not even to the Baroness,” continued Giraldi. “She wishes to be entirely unconcerned; that is to say, quite free. The Count will understand this womanly delicacy, not to say weakness.”
“Perfectly,” said the Count.
“Even her name—that is her particular wish—must not appear in any part of the transaction; so that the mortgage must be made out in my name. Do you agree!”
“Of course,” said the Count.
Giraldi dropped, with a friendly pressure, the hand which he had till then held in his, and leaned back in his chair.
“Then we are agreed,” he said. “I on my side consider myself fortunate in having delivered a nobleman, whose intelligence and energy had won my entire sympathy even before I had the happiness of making his personal acquaintance, from the unclean hands of these roturiers, and in having placed him in a position which, as it appears to me, confers on him that leading position in this affair which in every way is his right. I at least see the road quite clear before him. To raise the second half of the purchase-money—let us for the present fix the as the term—I say to raise the second half of the purchase-money cannot be the least difficult, as by that time you will have long ago sold the property to your associates for double the money; you must not on any account agree for less than two millions. And now, Count, if it is agreeable to you, allow me to conduct you to the Baroness, who is longing to make your acquaintance, as I am sure you will be happy to become acquainted with a lady whom no one can know without loving and honouring her.”
Giraldi had risen; the Count stood embarrassed and undecided.
“You will easily believe that I
