The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett (good story books to read txt) 📕

will not permit it. Because you will not be able to present a clean sheet to them. Because this Sampson Levi will never lend you a million.”

“Explain yourself.”

“I propose to do so. You were kidnapped⁠—it is a horrid word, but we must use it⁠—in Ostend.”

“True.”

“Do you know why?”

“I suppose because that vile old red-hatted woman and her accomplices wanted to get some money out of me. Fortunately, thanks to you, they didn’t.”

“Not at all,” said Aribert. “They wanted no money from you. They knew well enough that you had no money. They knew you were the naughty schoolboy among European Princes, with no sense of responsibility or of duty towards your kingdom. Shall I tell you why they kidnapped you?”

“When you have done abusing me, my dear uncle.”

“They kidnapped you merely to keep you out of England for a few days, merely to compel you to fail in your appointment with Sampson Levi. And it appears to me that they succeeded. Assuming that you don’t obtain the money from Levi, is there another financier in all Europe from whom you can get it⁠—on such strange security as you have to offer?”

“Possibly there is not,” said Prince Eugen calmly. “But, you see, I shall get it from Sampson Levi. Levi promised it, and I know from other sources that he is a man of his word. He said that the money, subject to certain formalities, would be available till⁠—”

“Till?”

“Till the end of June.”

“And it is now the end of July.”

“Well, what is a month? He is only too glad to lend the money. He will get excellent interest. How on earth have you got into your sage old head this notion of a plot against me? The idea is ridiculous. A plot against me? What for?”

“Have you ever thought of Bosnia?” asked Aribert coldly.

“What of Bosnia?”

“I need not tell you that the King of Bosnia is naturally under obligations to Austria, to whom he owes his crown. Austria is anxious for him to make a good influential marriage.”

“Well, let him.”

“He is going to. He is going to marry the Princess Anna.”

“Not while I live. He made overtures there a year ago, and was rebuffed.”

“Yes; but he will make overtures again, and this time he will not be rebuffed. Oh, Eugen! can’t you see that this plot against you is being engineered by some persons who know all about your affairs, and whose desire is to prevent your marriage with Princess Anna? Only one man in Europe can have any motive for wishing to prevent your marriage with Princess Anna, and that is the man who means to marry her himself.” Eugen went very pale.

“Then, Aribert, do you mean to convey to me that my detention in Ostend was contrived by the agents of the King of Bosnia?”

“I do.”

“With a view to stopping my negotiations with Sampson Levi, and so putting an end to the possibility of my marriage with Anna?”

Aribert nodded.

“You are a good friend to me, Aribert. You mean well. But you are mistaken. You have been worrying about nothing.”

“Have you forgotten about Reginald Dimmock?”

“I remember you said that he had died.”

“I said nothing of the sort. I said that he had been assassinated. That was part of it, my poor Eugen.”

“Pooh!” said Eugen. “I don’t believe he was assassinated. And as for Sampson Levi, I will bet you a thousand marks that he and I come to terms this morning, and that the million is in my hands before I leave London.” Aribert shook his head.

“You seem to be pretty sure of Mr. Levi’s character. Have you had much to do with him before?”

“Well,” Eugen hesitated a second, “a little. What young man in my position hasn’t had something to do with Mr. Sampson Levi at one time or another?”

“I haven’t,” said Aribert.

“You! You are a fossil.” He rang a silver bell. “Hans! I will receive Mr. Sampson Levi.”

Whereupon Aribert discreetly departed, and Prince Eugen sat down in the great velvet chair, and began to look at the papers which Hans had previously placed upon the table.

“Good morning, your Royal Highness,” said Sampson Levi, bowing as he entered. “I trust your Royal Highness is well.”

“Moderately, thanks,” returned the Prince.

In spite of the fact that he had had as much to do with people of Royal blood as any plain man in Europe, Sampson Levi had never yet learned how to be at ease with these exalted individuals during the first few minutes of an interview. Afterwards, he resumed command of himself and his faculties, but at the beginning he was invariably flustered, scarlet of face, and inclined to perspiration.

“We will proceed to business at once,” said Prince Eugen. “Will you take a seat, Mr. Levi?”

“I thank your Royal Highness.”

“Now as to that loan which we had already practically arranged⁠—a million, I think it was,” said the Prince airily.

“A million,” Levi acquiesced, toying with his enormous watch chain.

“Everything is now in order. Here are the papers and I should like to finish the matter up at once.”

“Exactly, your Highness, but⁠—”

“But what? You months ago expressed the warmest satisfaction at the security, though I am quite prepared to admit that the security, is of rather an unusual nature. You also agreed to the rate of interest. It is not everyone, Mr. Levi, who can lend out a million at 5½ percent. And in ten years the whole amount will be paid back. I⁠—er⁠—I believe I informed you that the fortune of Princess Anna, who is about to accept my hand, will ultimately amount to something like fifty millions of marks, which is over two million pounds in your English money.” Prince Eugen stopped. He had no fancy for talking in this confidential manner to financiers, but he felt that circumstances demanded it.

“You see, it’s like this, your Royal Highness,” began Mr. Sampson Levi, in his homely English idiom. “It’s like this. I said I could keep that bit of money available till the end of June, and you were to give me an interview here before that