But, nevertheless, it appeared that He could save them.
Just as the approaching sound of the fog-signal indicated that the vessel could now be scarcely a mile distant from the tower, the fog suddenly lifted, and the rays of the rising sun disclosed the outline of a ship of the line.
She immediately dropped her anchor. For, now that the fog had cleared, the seamen perceived the danger of their position, and arrested their vessel's course. And that not a moment too soon. She lay-to about a gunshot from the tower, and presently hoisted the Russian colours. In response, the Master of the tower at once saluted her by running up the corresponding flag.
The vessel's long-boat was now lowered. The Commodore, a midshipman, and four and twenty marines and seamen took their places. All were fully armed.
They steered for the entrance facing the sea. Although well concealed, they had soon discovered it with the aid of their powerful glasses.
They succeeded in making their way safely through all the rocks and breakers which threatened their approach.
The strangers were received at the lower door by an old, hunch-backed porter, who was, to all appearance, nearly stone deaf. The Commodore had to shout with all his might into the fellow's ears before he could be made to hear anything. Then he gave an answer of which not a word could be understood, for the old man spoke the purest Platt-Deutsch.
By means of signs, however, he at length gave them to understand that he was the only servant in the establishment, and that if the gentlemen would like to speak to any one they might go upstairs and see "Mynheer."
[Illustration]
The Commodore ordered his men to land, and the entire company then followed the old porter. At each door which they passed on their way the officer took the precaution of stationing two armed men. When he reached the observatory floor only the coxswain and the midshipman--the latter quite a lad--remained with him. But these were evidently more than sufficient. For the Master of the tower was quite alone in his study and had beside him no other weapons than those of science.
The Commodore saluted him in good French:
"You are the Master of this tower, I believe?"
"At present, indeed, I am."
"And for what purpose did you have it built, pray?"
The Master glanced sharply at his questioner.
"May I first inquire," said he, "what entitles you to ask such a question?"
"You shall hear," replied the officer. "You see, of course, by my uniform that I am Commodore on a ship of the line in the service of his Majesty the Tsar of all the Russias. The three-decker lying out there is my vessel the _St. Thomas_. Of late years an enormous number of ships have been lost in the Baltic, and that in the most mysterious circumstances. I have therefore received orders to stop and search every suspicious vessel on the high seas, as well as to make any investigations upon the coast which I may consider advisable. My name is Count Zeno von Ungern."
Surely the Master's features must long ago have assumed the repose of death itself not to have been convulsed with every evil passion at the very mention of that name--the worst passion of all being joy.
It was his brother who stood before him.
The two sons had never seen each other since their earliest childhood.
Zeno had visited his elder brother's house only in Feodor's absence at sea, while Feodor had never once appeared in the brilliant salons of the court. The elder brother, moreover, now looked much older than he really was. It was impossible, therefore, for Zeno to recognise him.
Feodor acknowledged his visitor's mission with a polite bow.
"I am delighted," he said, "to have this pleasure. My name is Baron Helmford."
"Ah!--a Swede?"
"My ancestors may have been so. I am from Friesland."
"And for what purpose do you live here?"
"I live here," answered the Master calmly, "mainly for scientific pursuits. There is, indeed," he added hesitatingly, "another reason as well, but one which, after all, I have really little reason to conceal from you."
"Why, then, do you not inform me of it at once?"
"Because a child might also hear it."
The Master here glanced significantly at the young midshipman who was also in the room.
"Oh, that is my son Paul," said the Commodore, with fatherly pride.
"He is anything but a child. He is a midshipman on his Majesty's ship the _St. Thomas_, and has already been through many a deadly fray."
"I do not doubt it. And yet, he can hardly be more than--ah!--thirteen years old?"
"That is, in fact, exactly his age."
"I also have a son," said the Master. "He is sixteen years of age, and he too has seen and heard many fearful things. But one thing, you know, he must not hear--tales in which a woman----"
"Ah! you are right," said the Commodore hastily. "If it is a question of that sort I need ask no more."
"Now, Commodore, if you wish it, I will myself show you all the rooms and passages in the building. Be good enough to accompany me."
Feodor led the way down the stone steps connecting one floor with another. The smallness of the rooms into which each story was divided easily made the stranger imagine that he was seeing the whole of the space between the walls, whereas he really saw only about two-thirds of it. A vertical partition, running from the vaults beneath up to the upper story, shut off a portion of the space. It was here that all the plundered treasure, ammunition and guns were carefully concealed.
Through this section a secret passage led down to the rooms in which the provisions were stored, and to the subterranean "chapel" in which the armed men were hidden, waiting for the signal to force their way by means of a trap-door into the upper portions of the tower.
The living rooms through which the Commodore was conducted had quite the appearance of such as might be used by some contemplative and learned recluse. They contained naturalists' collections, shell-fish and corals, antiquities, and book-cases filled with yellow-edged folios.
Presently the officer glanced out of a window in one of the rooms and saw away beneath him the flower garden with the asters and chrysanthemums blooming in the autumn sun.
"Ah!" he exclaimed; "that garden tells plainly enough that this tower has also a mistress."
"I am very sorry that I cannot conduct you thither, Count von Ungern,"
said the Master; "we should have to pass through the lady's boudoir."
"The lady is your wife, is she not?" inquired the Commodore.
"It is ill answering that question. Yes, and yet No."
"Ah! A secret, I perceive."
"Yes, Count. But to show you that the secret is in no way a suspicious one, I will make a suggestion. Where a man may not enter, a guest who is still a child may fitly enough be seen."
So saying, he opened a door and called:
"Alexander!"
In response, a tall sunburnt lad stepped from the adjacent room. His face betrayed much perplexity upon perceiving the strangers.
Feodor gently pushed him towards the younger youth.
"See," he said; "this is Count Paul von Ungern, a midshipman. Take him with you to see your mother; and be sure that you make good friends with each other."