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must be genuine, and when he cools off he will realize that he wasn't quite
a gentleman. Maybe he'll want to beg Tecumseh's pardon and have another try for the
duquesa.
Lanny decided that this would be interesting; so he sat down and wrote a note to be mailed
in Dieppe:
My dear Sir Basil:
I am truly sorry that the seance turned out to be so disturbing. I want to assure you that I am
not telling anyone about it. I have seen many inaccuracies appear at sittings, and I have no
interest in spreading them. You may count upon me in this.
Also he wrote a note to Rick, as follows:
I wish you would see if you can find someone to do a job of research for me; that is, go
through the records of Old Bailey prison during the 1870's and see if there is an entry of a
prisoner by the name of Sahar, or Zahar, or Zaharoff. I enclose check for ten pounds to start it
off, and if you will let me know the cost from time to time, I'll send more. Please say nothing
about this, except to the dependable person you employ.
It wasn't going to be so easy to keep quiet about that afternoon's events. Beauty's curiosity had
been aroused, and Irma's also. Fortunately Lanny had time to get over his own excitement,
and to let Madame get over her bad feelings. He told his family that he had tried an
experiment with someone who was interested, but the tests had not been conclusive, there
were certain matters which had to be looked up, and then a second test might be made; he
would tell them all about it later on. This was far from satisfactory, but he stuck to it, and
pretty soon there were other seances, and other matters to talk about. Every now and then
Beauty or Irma would say: "By the way, whatever became of that Dieppe affair?" Lanny would
answer: "It hasn't been settled yet."
From Zaharoff he received no reply.
XI
The trim white Bessie Budd steamed away—or, to be exact, was propelled by crude oil, burning
in a Diesel engine. At Bremerhaven the owner and his younger son were waiting, both proud
and happy—the latter especially so, because he was a father and his fatherhood was new and
shiny. How Freddi adored that gentle, sweet wife, and how he shivered with delight while gazing
upon the mite of life which they had created! Nearly three months had passed since he had
seen them both, and a newborn infant changes a lot in that time. The other Robins, including
Bess and the nursemaid, stood by when Freddi came aboard, sharing his happiness, of which he
made quite a show, not being an Anglo-Saxon.
They all had a right to share, because this lovely infant was a prize exhibit of their dairy farm,
so carefully supervised. Both father and grandfather had to certify themselves free of all diseases
before they came on board, and there were to be no contaminating kisses, no demoralizing
pettings, pokings, or ticklings. Wash your hands before you permit an infant to clutch your
finger, for you can observe that the first thing he does is to convey your collected germs to his
mouth.
Freddi had worked tremendously hard all year, and had got himself the coveted title of
doctor. He was a handsome fellow, not quite so tall as his brother, but having the same large
dark eyes and serious expression. He lacked Hansi's drive—he was never going to be a famous
man, only an earnest student and teacher, a devoted husband and father. Not so Red as Hansi
and Bess, but nearer to Lanny's shade; he still had hopes of the German Social-Democrats, in
spite of the timidity and lack of competence they were displaying. Freddi had said that he was
studying bourgeois economics in order to be able to teach the workers what was wrong with it.
Already he and a couple of his young friends had set up a night school along the lines of
Lanny's project in the Midi. A non-party affair, both the Socialists and the Communists took
potshots at it, greatly to Freddi's disappointment. The workers were being lined up for class
war, and there was no room for stragglers between the trenches.
Johannes had bad news for them. Business conditions in Germany were such that it was
impossible for him to set out across the Atlantic. He wanted them to go without him, and
the rest of the Robin family were willing to do this because of the promises they had made. But
the Budds knew that the purpose for which the yacht existed was to get Papa away from
business cares, and they knew that the Robins would have a hard time enjoying themselves
without him. Beauty talked it over with Lanny and his wife, and they agreed not to accept
such a sacrifice. Irma would be sorry to miss seeing her mother, but, after all, it was easier to
transport one stout queen mother across the ocean than to put a whole establishment ashore on
Long Island. Irma said she really didn't have much pleasure in any sort of social life when
she had to keep within four-hour time limits and have Miss Severne look grim if she came in
hot and tired from any sort of exercise. Irma's smart young friends would all laugh at her and
make jokes about cows. So it was better to stay on the yacht, where no explanations or
apologies had to be made and where Rahel backed you up by her good example. "Jewish
women seem to be much more maternal," said Irma. "Or is it because she is German?"
XII
It was decided that the Bessie Budd would loaf about in the North Sea and its adjoining
waters so as to come back quickly and take its owner aboard whenever he was free. There
would be regattas during the summer, and concerts and theaters in near-by cities and towns; art
galleries to be visited—yes, one could think of worse ways of spending two or three months
than on a luxury yacht based on Bremerhaven. The ship's library included Heine's
Nordseebilder, also musical settings of some of these poems. Rahel would sing, Freddi would
tootle, Hansi would scrape and scratch, Lanny and his sister would rumble and thump,
Marceline would caper and prance, and Irma and Beauty and Johannes would raid the
orchestra for a fourth hand at bridge.
The Bessie Budd steamed, or was propelled, to Copenhagen, where the party inspected the
royal palace and attended a performance at the royal theater—the latter being comfortably
within the young mothers' time limit. Lanny studied the sculptures in the Thorvald sen
museum. Many interesting works of man to be seen, but not many of nature in these low, flat
islands and inlets, once the haunt of fishermen and pirates. Having loaded themselves up with
culture, they returned Johannes to Bremerhaven, and then set out behind the Frisian islands,
visiting Norderney, where a hundred years previously an unhappy Jewish poet had written
immortal verses. Sei mir gegrusst, du eiviges Meer!
Back to port, where the owner of the yacht joined them again, bringing with him a large
packet of mail. Included was a letter from Rick to Lanny, as follows:
With regard to your request concerning the Old Bailey, these records are not available, so I had
a search made of the criminal reports in the Times. Under the date of January 13, 1873, appears
an entry numbered 61: "Zacharoff, Zacharia Basilius, agent pledging goods intrusted to him for
sale." In the Times of January 17 appears a column headed "Criminal Court," beginning as
follows: "Zacharia Basilius Zacharoff, 22, was indicted for that he, being an agent intrusted by one
Manuel Hiphentides of Constantinople, merchant, for the purpose of sale with possession,
among other goods, 25 cases of gum and 169 sacks of gall of the value together of £ 1000, did
unlawfully and without any authority from his principal, for his own use make a deposit of the
said goods as and by way of pledge."
Rick's letter gave a summary of the entire account, including the statement: "Subsequently,
by advice of his counsel, the prisoner withdrew his plea of 'Not Guilty' and entered a plea of
'Guilty.'" Rick added: "This is interesting, and I am wondering what use you intend making
of it. Let me add: Why don't your spirits give you things like this? If they would do so, I would
begin to take them seriously!"
BOOK TWO
A Cloud That's Dragonish
6
Deutschland Erwache!
I
THE autumn storms begin early on the North Sea, and judging from his text the poet Heine
had stayed to witness them. The storm rages and whips the waves, and the waves, foaming with
fury and leaping, tower up, and the white water mountains surge with life, and the little ship
mounts upon them, hasty-diligent, and suddenly plunges down into black wide-gaping abysses
of flood. О sea! Mother of beauty, arise from the foam! Grandmothers of love, spare mine!
But when you are running a floating dairy farm you cannot take chances of your stock's
becoming seasick; you must put them on dry land before the equinoctial season and learn
about storms from the pages of a book. Hansi and Bess had a concert tour, Freddi was going to
apply the economic knowledge he had gained, and Lanny wanted to examine some pictures
which might come on the market. Lanny, his wife, his mother, and her husband were urged to
confer distinction and charm upon an oversized Berlin palace. "What else did I buy it for?"
argued the proprietor.
To Lanny the young wife said privately: "Do you think it is a good thing for us to be
associating with Jews all the time?"
The husband smiled. "You can meet anybody you want in that house. I assure you they will
come."
"Maybe so; but won't they think there must be something wrong with us?"
"I assure you, my dear, they all know exactly what you are worth."
"Lanny, that's a horrid view to take of people!"
"You can save yourself a lot of unhappiness by taking my word about Europe. I have lived here
most of my life." Lanny might have added: "Remember Ettore!" But he rarely permitted himself
to mention the dashing Italian duca with whom she had once fancied herself in love.
"But, Lanny, we have been living off the Robins for nearly five months! Am I never going to
spend any of my own money?"
"If your conscience worries you, give Freddi a good check for his new school. Nothing will
please Johannes more."
"But if he wants that done, why doesn't he do it himself?"
"I think he may be afraid to; it would make too many enemies. But if you do it, he will have
an alibi."
"Is he really that much of a coward, Lanny?"
The young husband chuckled. "Again I tell you, take my word about Europe!"
II
The German-Jewish money-lord had several of his guest-suites opened up, dusted, aired,
and supplied with fresh flowers. He would have had them redecorated if there had been time.
The one assigned to Irma and Lanny had a drawing-room with a piano in it; also a bedroom,
dressing-room, and bath for each. Each dressing-room had a clothes closet which was almost a
room and would hold all the imitations of Paris costumes which the couturiers of Berlin might
persuade Irma to purchase. She didn't have gold bathroom fixtures and Lanny didn't have
silver—one had to go to America for styles such as that; but they had drawings by Boucher and
Fragonard, Watteau and Lancret on their walls, and Lanny knew these were genuine, for he
and Zoltan had purchased them and divided a ten per cent commission. Irma found that
rather embarrassing, but Lanny said: "It was what enabled me to dress properly while I was
courting you!"
Next door to their suite was one for the baby and the dependable Miss Severne. Feathers had
been telegraphed for, and was on hand to take charge of Irma's affairs: writing her letters,
paying her bills, keeping track of her appointments. Johannes had provided an English-
speaking maid, ready to serve her from the moment of her arrival; indeed, he would have
ordered a baby giraffe from the Hagenbeck zoo if he had thought that would have added to her
happiness.
Feathers had only to telephone to the steward's office downstairs and a car would be at the
door in a minute or two. There were theaters, operas, concerts, and cabaret entertainments for
every sort of taste, high or low. The palace was in the fashionable district, convenient to
everything, so the two young mothers had no trouble in keeping their schedules; lying back in
the cushions of a limousine, they had time to recover from any excitement and thus avoid
displeasing the head nurse. Their babies, being so well cared for, rarely cried at night, and,
anyhow, that was the night nurse's affair. In the early morning hours this nurse would steal
into Irma's bedroom, bringing Baby Frances for her first meal, and Irma would suckle her
while still half asleep. Oh, yes, modern science can make life pleasant for those fortunate ones
who have the price! Fond dreamers talk about making it that way for everybody, but the
daughter of a utilities magnate would repeat an ancient question: "Who will do the dirty
work?" She never found out who would, but she knew quite certainly who wouldn't.
Each member of the visiting party had his or her own idea of happiness. Miss Severne
inquired concerning the English church in Berlin, and there she met persons near enough to
her social station so that she could be happy in their company. Mr. Dingle discovered a New
Thought group with a lecturer from America, and thus was able to supply himself with the
magazines he had been missing. It is a fortunate circumstance about Christian Science and
New Thought publications, that dealing with eternal truths they never get out of date. The only
trouble is that, saying the same things, they are apt to become monotonous. Undeterred by
this, Mr. Dingle began escorting Madame to a spiritualist church; they knew only a few words
of the German language, but the spirits were international, and there were always living
persons willing to help two foreigners.
III
The great city of Berlin, capital of the shattered Prussian dream. Triumphal arches, huge
marble statues of Hohenzollern heroes, palaces of old-time princes and new-time money-
lords; sumptuous hotels, banks that were temples of Mammon, department stores filled with
