her.’
‘And what card would you pick for her, sir? The Queen of Hearts? “I am twenty-two years old”! Thirty-two, more like it—’
There came a stir and bustle at the door, and a tall, ramrod-stiff giant of a man, blond and blue-eyed, all but erupted into the room.The somnolent air of the study seemed to be agitated, as though the man had been accompanied by a blast of wintry air. And yet, Box realized , there was a stillness about this man, an air of calm command underlying a natural volatility.
‘Detective Inspector Box? I am Count Czerny. I flatter myself that I was the late Dr Seligmann’s closest confidant. I place myself at your disposal.’
Box was startled by Count Czerny’s faultless English. It held not the slightest trace of a foreign accent. True, he sported a short, trimmed beard, and wore a rimless monocle screwed into his right eye, but unless you knew the man’s name and nationality, you’d swear he was an English gentleman. Box was surprised to see that Czerny was no more than forty years old. He had assumed that old Dr Seligmann’s confidant would have been nearer to him in age.
‘Good day, Count Czerny,’ said Box. ‘Sit down, if you will. First, sir, I’d like to get clear in my mind your standing in Dr Seligmann’s entourage.’
Count Czerny thought for a moment before replying. He removed the monocle from his eye and slipped it into his waistcoat pocket. The absence of the monocle made him look even more English.
‘I was Otto Seligmann’s secret eye on the centre of Europe, Mr Box. As an Austrian subject, I was well placed to advise him on the close machinations of the dangerous war-parties in the lands of the Austrian Empire – in Hungary, in Bosnia, and in Serbia. All these things I know about through a network of contacts in the capitals of Central Europe.’
Count Czerny glanced across towards the window, where Sergeant Knollys was busy writing in his notebook. He frowned slightly, and then continued.
‘I am the successor to Dr Seligmann in his struggle for peace, and for a lasting coincidence of interests between the German and British Empires. That work will go on. But I am faced with tiresome difficulties . You have just seen Ottilie – Miss Seligmann – I think?’
‘I have, sir. A most attractive and personable young lady.’
‘Yes, yes. Maybe so.’
Count Czerny suddenly flushed, and banged a fist on the table.
‘But she is stubborn, and a vixen, and a selfish little baggage! She thinks of nothing but fashion, and parties, and how she will spend her uncle’s hard-earned money. I have been back from Town only half anhour, and already things have happened. Yes, they have happened.’
Count Czerny scowled, and bit his lip.
‘What kind of things have happened, sir?’ asked Box.
‘This morning – minutes ago, you understand? – I attempted to convey my horror of last night’s atrocity to Miss Seligmann. And what does she do? She quells me with a glance. If looks could kill, I, too, would be a dead man, now. “Czerny”, she says, “you are a fool. It is all in the past. This crusade, this politicking, it was my uncle’s hobby. It interested him. But now it is done. Go back to Germany”.
‘I was astonished, stunned. “But what of all the books and records in the library? Surely”,’ I said, “you will not abandon those?” “You may take them with you”, she said, “as long as you go!” Then she stamped her foot and stormed off. So I will do as she commands, and return to Germany. The work can go forward from there.’
Count Czerny clasped his strong hands together, and glanced at both men briefly. He seemed to be making up his mind to reveal some intimate secret.
‘Sergeant,’ he said, ‘will you please close that notebook for a moment? I am going to tell you gentlemen some sensitive information, which is best left unwritten – for all our sakes. Our household here at Chelsea is breaking up, and I must share this knowledge with
‘And what card would you pick for her, sir? The Queen of Hearts? “I am twenty-two years old”! Thirty-two, more like it—’
There came a stir and bustle at the door, and a tall, ramrod-stiff giant of a man, blond and blue-eyed, all but erupted into the room.The somnolent air of the study seemed to be agitated, as though the man had been accompanied by a blast of wintry air. And yet, Box realized , there was a stillness about this man, an air of calm command underlying a natural volatility.
‘Detective Inspector Box? I am Count Czerny. I flatter myself that I was the late Dr Seligmann’s closest confidant. I place myself at your disposal.’
Box was startled by Count Czerny’s faultless English. It held not the slightest trace of a foreign accent. True, he sported a short, trimmed beard, and wore a rimless monocle screwed into his right eye, but unless you knew the man’s name and nationality, you’d swear he was an English gentleman. Box was surprised to see that Czerny was no more than forty years old. He had assumed that old Dr Seligmann’s confidant would have been nearer to him in age.
‘Good day, Count Czerny,’ said Box. ‘Sit down, if you will. First, sir, I’d like to get clear in my mind your standing in Dr Seligmann’s entourage.’
Count Czerny thought for a moment before replying. He removed the monocle from his eye and slipped it into his waistcoat pocket. The absence of the monocle made him look even more English.
‘I was Otto Seligmann’s secret eye on the centre of Europe, Mr Box. As an Austrian subject, I was well placed to advise him on the close machinations of the dangerous war-parties in the lands of the Austrian Empire – in Hungary, in Bosnia, and in Serbia. All these things I know about through a network of contacts in the capitals of Central Europe.’
Count Czerny glanced across towards the window, where Sergeant Knollys was busy writing in his notebook. He frowned slightly, and then continued.
‘I am the successor to Dr Seligmann in his struggle for peace, and for a lasting coincidence of interests between the German and British Empires. That work will go on. But I am faced with tiresome difficulties . You have just seen Ottilie – Miss Seligmann – I think?’
‘I have, sir. A most attractive and personable young lady.’
‘Yes, yes. Maybe so.’
Count Czerny suddenly flushed, and banged a fist on the table.
‘But she is stubborn, and a vixen, and a selfish little baggage! She thinks of nothing but fashion, and parties, and how she will spend her uncle’s hard-earned money. I have been back from Town only half anhour, and already things have happened. Yes, they have happened.’
Count Czerny scowled, and bit his lip.
‘What kind of things have happened, sir?’ asked Box.
‘This morning – minutes ago, you understand? – I attempted to convey my horror of last night’s atrocity to Miss Seligmann. And what does she do? She quells me with a glance. If looks could kill, I, too, would be a dead man, now. “Czerny”, she says, “you are a fool. It is all in the past. This crusade, this politicking, it was my uncle’s hobby. It interested him. But now it is done. Go back to Germany”.
‘I was astonished, stunned. “But what of all the books and records in the library? Surely”,’ I said, “you will not abandon those?” “You may take them with you”, she said, “as long as you go!” Then she stamped her foot and stormed off. So I will do as she commands, and return to Germany. The work can go forward from there.’
Count Czerny clasped his strong hands together, and glanced at both men briefly. He seemed to be making up his mind to reveal some intimate secret.
‘Sergeant,’ he said, ‘will you please close that notebook for a moment? I am going to tell you gentlemen some sensitive information, which is best left unwritten – for all our sakes. Our household here at Chelsea is breaking up, and I must share this knowledge with
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