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〃Keep this track down to the rivergo southyou'll be in Italy in a
couple of hours。 Get rail at Feltre。 Money？ Yes？ Well！〃 He held
out his hand； Harz gripped it。
〃Give her up； eh？〃
Harz shook his head。
〃No？ Then it's 'pull devil； pull baker；' between us。 Good…bye； and
good luck to you！〃 And mustering his strength for a last attempt at
dignity； Mr。 Treffry gathered up the reins。
Harz watched his figure huddled again beneath the hood。 The carriage
moved slowly away。
XVIII
At Villa Rubein people went about； avoiding each other as if detected
in conspiracy。 Miss Naylor； who for an inscrutable reason had put on
her best frock； a purple； relieved at the chest with bird's…eye blue；
conveyed an impression of trying to count a chicken which ran about
too fast。 When Greta asked what she had lost she was heard to
mutter： 〃Mr。Needlecase。
Christian； with big circles round her eyes； sat silent at her little
table。 She had had no sleep。 Herr Paul coming into the room about
noon gave her a furtive look and went out again； after this he went
to his bedroom； took off all his clothes； flung them passionately one
by one into a footbath； and got into bed。
〃I might be a criminal！〃 he muttered to himself； while the buttons of
his garments rattled on the bath。
〃Am I her father？ Have I authority？ Do I know the world？ Bssss！ I
might be a frog！〃
Mrs。 Decie； having caused herself to be announced； found him smoking
a cigar； and counting the flies on the ceiling。
〃If you have really done this； Paul；〃 she said in a restrained voice；
〃you have done a very unkind thing； and what is worse； you have made
us all ridiculous。 But perhaps you have not done it？〃
〃I have done it；〃 cried Herr Paul； staring dreadfully： 〃I have done
it； I tell you； I have done it〃
〃Very well； you have done itand why； pray？ What conceivable good
was there in it？ I suppose you know that Nicholas has driven him to
the frontier？ Nicholas is probably more dead than alive by this
time； you know his state of health。〃
Herr Paul's fingers ploughed up his beard。
〃Nicholas is madand the girl is mad！ Leave me alone！ I will not
be made angry； do you understand？ I will not be worriedI am not
fit for it。〃 His prominent brown eyes stared round the room； as if
looking for a way of escape。
〃If I may prophesy； you will be worried a good deal；〃 said Mrs。 Decie
coldly； 〃before you have finished with this affair。〃
The anxious； uncertain glance which Herr Paul gave her at these words
roused an unwilling feeling of compunction in her。
〃You are not made for the outraged father of the family；〃 she said。
〃You had better give up the attitude； Paul； it does not suit you。〃
Herr Paul groaned。
〃I suppose it is not your fault；〃 she added。
Just then the door was opened； and Fritz； with an air of saying the
right thing； announced：
〃A gentleman of the police to see you； sir。〃
Herr Paul bounded。
〃Keep him out！〃 he cried。
Mrs。 Decie； covering her lips； disappeared with a rustling of silk；
in her place stood a stiff man in blue。。。。
Thus the morning dragged itself away without any one being able to
settle to anything； except Herr Paul； who was settled in bed。 As was
fitting in a house that had lost its soul； meals were neglected； even
by the dog。
About three o'clock a telegram came for Christian； containing these
words： 〃All right； self returns to…morrow。 Treffry。〃 After reading
it she put on her hat and went out； followed closely by Greta； who；
when she thought that she would not be sent away； ran up from behind
and pulled her by the sleeve。
〃Let me come； ChrisI shall not talk。〃
The two girls walked on together。 When they had gone some distance
Christian said：
〃I'm going to get his pictures； and take charge of them！〃
〃Oh！〃 said Greta timidly。
〃If you are afraid；〃 said Christian； 〃you had better go back home。〃
〃I am not afraid； Chris；〃 said Greta meekly。
Neither girl spoke again till they had taken the path along the wall。
Over the tops of the vines the heat was dancing。
〃The sun…fairies are on the vines！〃 murmured Greta to herself。
At the old house they stopped； and Christian； breathing quickly；
pushed the door； it was immovable。
〃Look！〃 said Greta； 〃they have screwed it！〃 She pointed out three
screws with a rosy…tipped forefinger。
Christian stamped her foot。
〃We mustn't stand here；〃 she said； 〃let's sit on that bench and
think。〃
〃Yes；〃 murmured Greta； 〃let us think。〃 Dangling an end of hair； she
regarded Christian with her wide blue eyes。
〃I can't make any plan；〃 Christian cried at last； 〃while you stare at
me like that。〃
〃I was thinking；〃 said Greta humbly； 〃if they have screwed it up；
perhaps we shall screw it down again； there is the big screw…driver
of Fritz。〃
〃It would take a long time； people are always passing。〃
〃People do not pass in the evening；〃 murmured Greta； 〃because the
gate at our end is always shut。〃
Christian rose。
〃We will come this evening； just before the gate is shut。〃
〃But； Chris； how shall we get back again？〃
〃I don't know； I mean to have the pictures。〃
〃It is not a high gate；〃 murmured Greta。
After dinner the girls went to their room； Greta bearing with her the
big screw…driver of Fritz。 At dusk they slipped downstairs and out。
They arrived at the old house； and stood； listening； in the shadow of
the doorway。 The only sounds were those of distant barking dogs； and
of the bugles at the barracks。
〃Quick！〃 whispered Christian； and Greta； with all the strength of her
small hands； began to turn the screws。 It was some time before they
yielded； the third was very obstinate； till Christian took the screw…
driver and passionately gave the screw a starting twist。
〃It is like a pigthat one；〃 said Greta； rubbing her wrists
mournfully。
The opened door revealed the gloom of the dank rooms and twisting
staircase； then fell to behind them with a clatter。
Greta gave a little scream； and caught her sister's dress。
〃It is dark；〃 she gasped； 〃O Chris！ it is dark！〃
Christian groped for the bottom stair； and Greta felt her arm
shaking。
〃Suppose there is a man to keep guard！ O Chris！ suppose there are
bats！〃
〃You are a baby！〃 Christian answered in a trembling voice。 〃You had
better go home！〃
Greta choked a little in the dark。
〃I amnotgoing home； but I'm afraid of bats。 O Chris！ aren't you
afraid？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Christian； 〃but I'm going to have the pictures。〃
Her cheeks were burning； she was trembling all over。 Having found
the bottom step she began to mount with Greta clinging to her skirts。
The haze above inspired a little courage in the child； who； of all
things； hated darkness。 The blanket across the doorway of the loft
had been taken down； there was nothing to veil the empty room。
〃Nobody here； you see；〃 said Christian。
〃No…o；〃 whispered Greta； running to the window； and clinging to the
wall； like one of the bats she dreaded。
〃But they have been here！〃 cried Christian angrily。 〃They have
broken this。〃 She pointed to the fragments of a plaster cast that
had been thrown down。
Out of the corner she began to pull the canvases set in rough； wooden
frames； dragging them with all her strength。
〃Help me！〃 she cried； 〃it will be dark directly。〃
They collected a heap of sketches and three large pictures； piling
them before the window； and peering at them in the failing light。
Greta said ruefully：
〃O Chris！ they are heavy ones； we shall never carry them； and the
gate is shut now！〃
Christian took a pointed knife from the table。
〃I shall cut them out of the frames；〃 she said。 〃Listen！ What's
that？〃
It was the sound of whistling； which stopped beneath the window。 The
girls； clasping each other's hands； dropped on their knees。
〃Hallo！〃 cried a voice。
Greta crept to the window； and； placing her face level with the
floor； peered over。
〃It is only Dr。 Edmund； he doesn't know； then；〃 she whispered； 〃I
shall call him； he is going away！〃 cried Christian catching her
sister's
〃Don't！〃 cried Christian catching her sister's dress。
〃He would help us；〃 Greta said reproachfully； 〃and it would not be so
dark if he were here。〃
Christian's cheeks were burning。
〃I don't choose；〃 she said； and began handling the pictures； feeling
their edges with her knife。
〃Chris！ Suppose anybody came？〃
〃The door is screwed；〃 Christian answered absently。
〃O Chris！ We screwed it unscrewed； anybody who wishes shall come！〃
Christian； leaning her chin in her hands； gazed at her thoughtfully。
〃It will take a long time to cut these pictures out carefully； or；
perhaps I can get them out without cutting。