He got up and softly went over to her dressing-table. God! what a collection of curious and charming objects! Scent-bottles, lipsticks, little boxes, creams, every possible sort of toy. Here was woman’s trade: eyes, smiles, strong and disturbing scents—His mutilated fingers passed trembling over all these fragile and mysterious objects; he experienced a sort of irritation and excitement, as if they were touching something which was forbidden.
She came back into the room wearing a leather coat and cap. She was pulling on a heavy pair of gloves. “Get ready,” she said in a colourless voice, “we’re going.”
“Where?”
“Where you like. Get together what you need, but quickly, quickly!”
“What does this mean?”
“Don’t waste time asking questions. You mustn’t remain here, you see? They won’t let you go. Are you coming?”
“For … how long?”
“Forever.”
His heart began to thump. “No … no, I won’t go!”
She came up to him and kissed his face. “You must,” she said quietly. “I’ll tell you when we’re once outside. Come to the front of the castle, only quickly, while it’s still dark. Now go, go!”
He went back to his room as if in a dream, collected all his papers, his priceless and endless notes, and quickly looked round. Was that all? “No, I won’t go,” flashed through his head, and leaving the papers where they were he ran outside. In front of the castle was standing a throbbing car with the lights turned off; the Princess was already at the wheel. “Quickly, quickly,” she whispered. “Are the doors open?”
“They are,” answered the sleepy chauffeur in a hoarse voice, pulling down the hood of the car.
A shadow appeared from the back of the car and stopped in front of them.
Prokop stepped up to the open door of the car. “Princess,” he said in a hoarse voice, “I’ve … decided that I’ll … give up everything and stay.”
She was not listening. Inclined forwards, she was staring attentively at the spot where that shadow fused with the darkness. “Quickly,” she said suddenly, seized Prokop by the arm and pulled him into the car beside her. A single movement and the car had begun to slide forward. At that moment a light appeared in one window of the castle and the shadow sprang out of the darkness. “Halt!” it cried and threw itself in front of the car; it was Holz.
“Out of the way,” cried the Princess, closed her eyes and opened the throttle full. Prokop raised his hand in horror; there was an inhuman roar and the wheels lurched over something soft. Prokop was about to spring out of the car, but at that moment it swung round the corner of the drive, so that the door slammed to by itself and the machine hurled itself into the darkness. With horror he turned round to the Princess. He could scarcely recognize her with her leather cap, bent forward over the wheel. “What have you done?” he cried.
“Quiet,” she said sharply through her teeth, still inclined forward. He caught sight of three figures in the distance on the white road; she slowed down and drew up close to them. It was the military guard. “Why are your lights off?” asked one of the soldiers. “Who are you?”
“The Princess.”
The soldiers raised their hands to their caps and drew back. “The password?”
“Krakatit.”
“Please put on your lights. Who have you with you, please? Your pass, please.”
“One moment,” said the Princess calmly and went into first speed. The car simply jumped forward; the soldiers were only just able to get out of the way. “Don’t shoot,” cried one of them, and the car flew into the darkness. They went round a sharp corner and continued almost in the opposite direction. Two soldiers approached the car.
“Who’s on duty?” she asked coldly.
“Lieutenant Rohlauf,” answered the soldier.
“Send for him!”
Lieutenant Rohlauf came running out of the guardhouse, buttoning up his uniform.
“Good evening, Rohlauf,” she said amicably. “How are you? Please let me out.”
He stood still respectfully, but looked doubtfully at Prokop: “Delighted, but … has the gentleman a pass?”
The Princess smiled. “It’s only a bet, Rohlauf. To Brogel and back in thirty-five minutes. You don’t believe me? Don’t make me lose my bet.” Stripping off her glove, she gave him her hand from the car. “Au revoir, yes? Look in some time.” He clicked his heels and kissed her hand, bowing deeply. The soldiers opened the barrier and the car moved off. “Au revoir!” she called back.
They whirled along an endless avenue. Now and then there flashed past the light of some human habitation; in a village a child was crying, behind a fence a dog became excited at the dark, flying car. “What have you done?” cried Prokop. “Do you know that Holz has five children and a crippled sister? His life is worth five times as much as yours and mine! What have you done?”
She did not answer. With knitted brows and clenched teeth she was watching the road, raising her head higher every now and then to see better. “Where do you want to go?” she asked suddenly at a crossroads high above the sleeping countryside.
“To hell,” he said through his teeth.
She stopped the car and turned round to
