The Coming Conquest of England

A >> August Niemann >> The Coming Conquest of England


"I wish you success."

"Before going to Antwerp, whither M. Penurot is to accompany me
to-morrow, I should like to make a report to the Imperial Chancellor.
May I ask you to let me have a boat to-morrow morning to go to
Flushing?"

"Certainly. You can have any boat you like."

"Then I should like the steam pinnace."

"Perhaps you know whether the Chancellor intends to stay long at
Flushing?"

"I cannot say. In many ways Antwerp would certainly be a better place;
but he has gone to Flushing to make a demonstration."

"To make a demonstration?" repeated the Commander in a tone of
astonishment.

"The English, of course, know that he is there, and his presence at
Flushing is bound to strengthen their belief that our main base of
operations will be the mouth of the Schelde."

"Is it not surprising that our Chancellor is always at the centre of
operations, though he is neither a general nor an admiral?"

"We have seen the same before in the case of Bismarck. If we follow the
history of the wars of 1864, 1866, and 1870-71 we get the impression
that Bismarck was in like manner the soul of all the operations,
although his military title was only an honorary one."

"That is true; but the circumstances are essentially different. Bismarck
was a trained official, diplomatist, ambassador, before he became
Chancellor. His authority was great in military matters, independently
of the generals; but our new Chancellor comes from quite a different
sphere."

"But he has the power of a strong personality, and it is that which
turns the scale in all great matters. The fine instinct of the people
feels that the Emperor has chosen rightly, and the Chancellor's general
popularity insures him powerful support even against the generals.
Besides, everyone must admire his practical understanding and his wide
range of vision. Is not the occupation of Antwerp a fresh proof of it?
The rest of Belgium is occupied by the French army, but the Chancellor
has arranged with the French Government for us to hold Antwerp, since
our fleet is in the Schelde. And I am sure we shall never give it up
again."

The Commander shook his head doubtfully.

"You really think we shall be able to keep Antwerp without further
trouble?"

"We must, and shall, have Antwerp. Belgium and the Netherlands may
continue to exist, for we cannot with any justification annex them. But
the Netherlands and Antwerp will enter into closer political relations
with the German Empire for the sake of their own interests. Their
Governments are too weak to put down revolutionary movements in their
countries for any length of time. We are moving irresistibly towards
the formation of larger states. The fact that war in its attendant
manifestations is a means of promoting the union of peoples seems to me
to some extent to mitigate its cruelty."

"That sounds very fanciful, Herr major," said the Captain, turning the
conversation. "But what sort of information do you propose to send by
your agents to Dover?"

"I propose to confirm the Admiral in the idea that we intend to leave
the Schelde with the fleet and a number of our private companies'
steamers, and, with the support of the French fleet, to throw an army
across to Dover."

"I am surprised that the English have not even attempted to force our
positions. One is almost tempted to believe that the English navy is as
inefficient as the English army. If our enemies felt strong enough,
they would have appeared long ago before Brest, Cherbourg, Flushing,
Wilhelmshaven, or Kiel. Heligoland could not stop a fleet of ironclads
from forcing its way into the Elbe; it ought rather to be a welcome
object of attack for the English fleet. If I were in command, I should
set out against Heligoland with the older ironclads--Albion, Glory,
Canopus, Coliath, Ocean, and Vengeance. The little island could
hardly resist these six battleships for long, and the German North
Sea fleet--supposing one to exist--would be obliged to come out from
Wilhelmshaven to save its honour."

"The reason they do nothing of the sort is not so much the consciousness
of their own weakness, as the fact that they have no one whose genius
would be equal to the situation. Certainly, they have several capable
admirals, but there is no Nelson among them. Perhaps our war also would
have remained in abeyance, had not the Emperor discovered in our new
Chancellor the genius needed by the times. The wars against Denmark,
Austria, and France would hardly have taken place without Bismarck's
initiative. Even under a most wretched government which commits
the grossest blunders great states can exist for a long time; but
advancement, real progress is only possible through the intervention of
a strong personality."

"I am not quite of your opinion. I am convinced that it is economic
conditions that from time to time force on great revolutions. Do you
think, for instance, that the Russians would have conquered India if the
economic conditions of the natives had been better?"

"Certainly not. Even a great man must have the soil prepared on which to
prove his strength. And I think that our Chancellor has appeared on the
scene just at the right moment."

Heideck took leave of the Commander and retired to his cabin to draw up
a report and take a well-deserved rest.

When he sent for M. Camille Penurot on the following morning, he found a
striking alteration in him. That foppish gentleman no longer showed
the dejection of the day before, his dark eyes were bright and full of
confidence. By daylight, Heideck saw that his captive was a good-looking
man about thirty years of age, more like a Spaniard than a Netherlander.

He bowed politely to Heideck and then asked, with a certain amount of
confidence, "Pardon me, Herr major, if I serve the German Empire well,
may I count on an adequate reward?"

"I have already told you, M. Penurot, that we are prepared to pay more
than the English."

"Oh, that was not what I meant. You mustn't class me with Maaning
Brandelaar and people of that sort."

Heideck smiled.

"Will you be good enough to tell me, then, M. Penurot, with whom I am to
class you?"

"I am willing from this moment to devote all my energies to the cause of
the allies."

"Granted. But what are your wishes in the matter of reward?"

"I should like you to use your influence to obtain me the honour of an
order."

Heideck was unable to conceal his astonishment at this strange request.

"Such distinctions are, as a rule, only given in Germany for acts of
bravery or for services which cannot be adequately requited in hard
cash."

"What I am willing to do requires bravery."

"You are only going to help me to find out the spies in Antwerp."

"But they are dangerous people to make enemies of--people whose tools
would be capable of anything."

"Rest assured, M. Penurot, that your reward will correspond with the
services rendered. You know that I have no order to bestow, and besides,
I do not quite understand of what importance a decoration can be to
you."

"You rate my sense of honour too low, Herr major! But in order that you
may understand me, I will tell you a secret. I am in love with a lady of
very good family, and her people would be more ready to welcome me, if I
had an order."

"Then you have fixed your affections very high, I suppose?"

"That's as one takes it. In the matter of birth, I am in that painful
situation which is the inheritance of all children born out of wedlock.
My mother was a Spanish dancer, my father is the wealthy Amelungen. He
is fond of me and provides for me. It was he who bought the business in
Breskens for me. But his wife, who is English, has no liking for me."

"I understand you even less than before. If you have such resources at
your disposal, why on earth do you mix yourself up in such dangerous
undertakings?"

"Herr Amelungen wished it."

"So, then, he really is the guilty party?"

"For God's sake, Herr major, you won't abuse my confidence. I should
never forgive myself if anything I said were to harm Herr Amelungen."

"Do not be unnecessarily anxious. Nothing will happen either to you or
to Herr Amelungen, if you can induce him to change sides and help us for
the future instead of the English."

Penurot hung down his head and remained silent.

"And how about Herr van Spranekhuizen in Rotterdam?" continued Heideck.
"Of course he belongs to the league."

"He is my father's brother-in-law. His wife is an Amelungen."

"And what is the real reason why these two gentlemen, who I hear are
wealthy merchants, have undertaken to act as spies for England?"

"Oh, there is nothing so wonderful in that, Herr major. France has
occupied Belgium, Germany the Netherlands. Of course they are very
bitter about it."

"That may be. But well-to-do merchants are not in the habit of risking
their lives out of pure patriotism in such circumstances. As a rule,
only those people do that who have little to lose."

"I have already told you that my father's wife is English. For love of
her he does a great deal which certainly nothing else would induce him
to do."

At this moment Heideck, being informed that the pinnace was ready,
requested Penurot to accompany him on board. In the harbour of Flushing
he took leave of him for a while, with instructions to call upon him in
an hour at his office, having told him exactly where it was. He had no
fear that Penurot would attempt flight. He felt absolutely sure of this
gentleman.




XXVII

EBERHARD AMELUNGEN


On arriving at his office close to the Duke of Wellington Hotel, Heideck
found his staff extremely busy. One lieutenant was looking through the
French and German newspapers for important information; another was
studying the Russian and English journals. The last were few in number
and not of recent date, limited to those which had been smuggled across
from England by daring skippers and fishermen. There were several
despatches from St. Petersburg, containing news of fresh victories in
India.

The Russian army had pushed on to Lucknow without any further engagement
worth mentioning having taken place since the battle of Delhi. It seemed
as if the English were for the time unwilling to meet the enemy in the
open field. They apparently calculated that the heat and the enormous
length of their line of communication would prevent the Russians from
reaching the southern provinces in sufficient strength to overcome
an energetic resistance there. But Heideck no longer believed in the
possibility of such a resistance, concluding from the announcement of a
stream of reinforcements arriving through the Khyber Pass that all the
Russian losses would be speedily made up. In his opinion, practically
the only thing left for the English was to embark the remnants of their
army at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, and to get a portion at least of
their beaten forces safely out of India.

While he was in his office, despatches were continually arriving from
Wilhelmshaven, Kiel, Brest, and Cherbourg. The intelligence department
of the entire north coast was under Heideck's control.

Except for isolated naval engagements, the strategic position had, on
the whole, remained unaltered for months. Both sides hesitated to risk
a decisive battle. The English fleets did not venture to attack the
enemy's harbours; the combined squadrons of the continental Powers
seemed no more inclined to try their fortune on the open sea. Each was
endeavouring to get in touch with the other, waiting for the favourable
moment when his adversary's weakness might offer the prospect of
successful action.

"The risks these dwellers on the coast run are astonishing," said one of
Heideck's staff. "They cross the Channel in their fishing-boats and slip
by the warships. The man who brought the last English papers told me
that he passed close by them to give the impression that there was
nothing wrong. It needed considerable courage to risk that."

"But the enemy's spies are equally efficient. Yesterday, more by
accident than any merit of my own, I caught a herring fisher in the
mouth of the Schelde who was in English pay; I think I have hit on an
apparently important clue, which I intend to follow up in Antwerp, after
reporting myself to the Chancellor."

"He is no longer in Flushing. He has left for Antwerp with the Minister
for War and the chief of the General Staff; I am told he has matters of
importance to arrange with the chief of the French General Staff."

"Have you heard anything more definite as to the nature of these
matters?"

"Only that the question of further mobilisation is to be discussed.
Apparently, however, the six army corps, which we now have on a war
footing, are thought to be enough on our side. We are not waging war by
land; why then should the burden of a further mobilisation be imposed
upon the people?"

"Certainly, the sacrifices entailed by this war are enormous without
that; trade and industry are completely ruined."

"The only gainer by this universal conflagration is America. Since the
war broke out, the United States has supplied England with everything
she used to get from the Continent."

"Well, it will all come right in the end. Now, as there seems nothing
urgent for me to do here, it is time I went to Antwerp."

. . . . . . .

Eberhard Amelungen was unable to conceal his confusion, when an officer
in the uniform of the Prussian General Staff appeared at the door of his
private office.

Amelungen was a man about sixty years of age, a typical specimen of a
substantial, respectable merchant.

"I am somewhat surprised, sir," he said in measured tones. "What can I
do for you?"

Heideck introduced himself, and without wasting words told him the
reason of his visit.

"I have reason to believe, Herr Amelungen, that you hold in your hands
some, if not all, of the chief meshes of a widespread net of espionage.
And I think it would be to your interest to tell me the whole truth of
your own accord. We know so much already that presumably it will be of
little use to you to have recourse to lies."

Amelungen played with his penholder, but his hands trembled visibly, and
words failed him. His face had turned ashy pale, and Heideck could not
help feeling sorry for him.

"I regret that my duty obliges me to proceed against you," he continued.
"I can easily understand your motives. You are a Netherlander and a
patriot, and, as perhaps you do not quite understand the political
situation, the occupation of your country by a foreign power appears to
you an act of violence, which fills you with anger and hatred against
us. Therefore I think I may promise you that you will be treated as
leniently as possible, if you make my task easy by an open confession."

Eberhard Amelungen shook his head.

"I know nothing of what you charge me with," he said feebly. "You have
the power, and can do as you please with me. But I have nothing to
confess."

"Not if I tell you that my information comes from the mouth of your own
son?"

The merchant stared at the speaker with wide-open eyes full of anxiety.

"From the mouth of my own son? But--I have no son."

"Then M. Camille Penurot also was lying when he said you were his
father?"

"For God's sake be merciful! Don't torture me! What is the matter with
Camille? Where is he?"

"He has been caught spying. What will happen to him depends on your own
behaviour."

Eberhard Amelungen sank back in his stool in a state of collapse.

"My God! you don't mean to put him in prison? or to shoot him?"

"As you may imagine, his fate is not in my hands alone. But in this
instance my influence may perhaps be considerable, and it would
certainly have weight if I threw it into the scale in your favour and
his. Therefore I again ask you to consider whether, as things are, it
would not be best for you to be perfectly frank with me. Those who are
behind you can no longer protect you, and your only hope lies in the
leniency of the German authorities. Do not reject the possibility of
securing this leniency."

The merchant was evidently carrying on a severe struggle with himself.
After a few moments he raised his head, and in an altered, defiant tone
replied--

"Do what you like with me, I have nothing to confess."

Heideck then assumed a sterner, official demeanour.

"Then you must not complain if I begin to search your house."

"Do as you think fit. The victor can take what liberties he pleases."

Heideck opened the door and summoned two of the Berlin criminal police,
who at his request had been ordered to Antwerp on this affair with a
large number of policemen. Certainly he felt sure in advance that they
would find nothing, for Eberhard Amelungen would have been very foolish
not to have reckoned long ago on the possibility of such a visit, and
to have taken precautions accordingly. The Major, in bringing the
police with him, had thought more of the moral impression of the whole
procedure. His knowledge of men told him that it had its effect.

"One thing more, Herr Amelungen," said he. "About the same time as the
search begins here, another will take place in your private house. I
expect the report of those entrusted with it at any moment."

Amelungen breathed hard. He looked nervously at Heideck, as if trying
to read his thoughts. Then, after a brief struggle with himself, he
whispered--

"Send these men out, Herr major! I should like to speak to you
privately."

When Heideck had complied with his request, Amelungen continued,
speaking hastily, and bringing out his words with difficulty: "In me you
see a man who deserves compassion, a man who has been, entirely against
his will and inclination, compromised. If anyone is guilty in
this matter, it is my brother-in-law Van Spranekhuizen and a lady
correspondent of my wife in Brussels. Occasionally I have acted as
agent, when it was a matter of forwarding letters, or of handing over
sums of money to the Countess--to the lady; but I have never personally
taken any part in the matters in question."

"That statement is not enough for me. I do not doubt the truth of what
you say, but I must be informed of all the details before I can drop
further proceedings against you. Who is the lady you speak of?"

"A former maid of honour to the late Queen."

"Her name?"

"Countess Clementine Arselaarts."

"How did you come to know her?"

"She is a friend of my wife, who made her acquaintance last year when
staying in Brussels."

"And your wife is English?"

"Yes; her maiden name was Irwin."

At the sound of this name a flood of painful recollections rushed over
Heideck's mind.

"Irwin?" he repeated. "Has the lady by chance any relatives in the
British army?"

"I had a brother-in-law, who was a captain in the Indian Lancers. But,
according to the news that has reached us, he was killed at the battle
of Lahore."

The Major found it hard to control his excitement, but as if he had
already allowed himself to be too long diverted from his duty, he
hastily returned to the real subject of his examination.

"You said that you have handed over certain sums of money to Countess
Arselaarts. By whose order? and on whose account?"

"On account of the English Government and on the order of an English
banking house with which I have had business dealings for many years."

"Were the sums large?"

"Latterly, on an average about 10,000 francs a month."

"And how were they paid?"

"Sometimes I sent the amount in cash, often by cheque on Brussels
banks."

"Have you any evidence on the point--a receipt signed by the Countess?"

Amelungen hesitated.

"I strongly advise you to keep nothing back from me. So much is at stake
for you and your relatives who are involved in this affair that it is
of the utmost consequence that you should secure lenient treatment by a
frank confession."

"Well, then, I have some receipts."

"Please let me see them."

Amelungen pulled open a drawer in his writing-table, pressed a spring,
and a secret compartment at the back flew open.

"There they are!" said he, handing a small bundle of sheets of paper to
Heideck. But the Major's keen eye had noticed, as he glanced rapidly at
the compartment, that it contained some other papers, which he politely
but firmly demanded to see.

"They are private letters of no importance," objected Amelungen, "some
of my wife's correspondence, which she accidentally left in my office. I
don't know what they are about myself."

"Be assured that harmless private correspondence will not be abused. But
I must claim the absolute right to convince myself of the correctness of
your assertions by examining them."

The merchant could see that there was no chance of getting out of it,
and, visibly excited, handed the little roll over to Heideck.

The Major took it, without examining the contents more closely at once.

"You definitely assure me, Herr Amelungen, that you have nothing else
referring to this matter?"

"Nothing! I give you my word, Herr major."

Heideck got up.

"I charge you not to attempt to leave the town or in any other way evade
the German authorities. You will guarantee this not only as regards
yourself, but also as regards your wife; and you will further promise
me to break off at once all relations with the persons involved in this
espionage affair, unless at our order, or in agreement with us."

Eberhard Amelungen, whose powers of resistance seemed completely broken
in this painful hour, nodded assent.

"I promise both, Herr major!"

Heideck, having left a criminal official with instructions to keep
watch, repaired without delay to the office of Lieutenant-Colonel
Nollenberg, head of the intelligence department for Antwerp. He informed
him of the result of his conversation and examined the confiscated
papers in his presence.

A large number were letters from the Countess Clementine Arselaarts
to Frau Beatrix Amelungen, and their contents were harmless, with the
exception of a few expressions advising watchfulness and despatch.

But in a special envelope, sealed several times, there was a sheet of
paper, covered with close writing, which could not be read offhand,
since the letters were apparently jumbled together quite arbitrarily and
irregularly.

"A cipher!" said Heideck. "But we shall soon get to the bottom of it.
You have some capable interpreters at your disposal, and it might be a
good thing if they set to work at once."

He continued his examination, and suddenly the blood rushed to his
face, for in his hands he held a letter, the handwriting of which
he recognised at the first glance as Edith's. Its contents were as
follows:--


"DEAR BEATRICE,--As you see, I am again in England. You know that I
have returned a widow, and you can believe that my experiences have
been terrible. Your brother met an honourable death at Lahore; with the
utmost difficulty I myself succeeded in getting away from India under
the protection of Attorney-General Kennedy and his family. I should have
to fill a book if I were to tell you all the horrors of our journey.
But this is not the proper time to complain of the melancholy lot of an
individual. We are all strangers and pilgrims on earth, and must bear
the cross that is laid upon us.

"The immediate reason of my writing to-day is that I want your opinion
on a certain matter. When I arrived at my parents' house, I heard that
uncle Godfrey had died on the 16th of April. I do not know whether you
have already heard of this, as regular communication with the Continent
is interrupted. My uncle Godfrey has left a will, dividing his property
equally between you as his niece and my deceased husband. His property
was larger than my husband thought. After division, both you and my
husband would have had a yearly income of 5,000 pounds. Now your brother
has died without having disposed of his property. But my lawyer tells me
that, as his sole heiress, I can claim his share of the inheritance. To
arrange about this I have come here to Dover; for I found that I could
only get the letter forwarded to Antwerp with the assistance of Admiral
Hollway, who is charged with the protection of our coast. To my
surprise the Admiral informed me that your name was known to him, and he
willingly undertook to forward this letter to you. Now please consent
to uncle Godfrey's property being divided between you and me. I do not
believe you will have any objection, but I consider it a duty to obtain
your definite consent. I shall be glad to hear from you that you are
well.

"Yours truly,

"EDITH IRWIN.

"P.S.--In India I made the acquaintance of a German officer who rendered
me great service during the terrible times of the war and saved my
life more than once. He travelled with the Kennedys and myself on the
Caledonia to Naples. From there he went on to Berlin, while we
continued our voyage on a man-of-war through the Straits of Gibraltar to
Southampton. This officer is a Captain Heideck of the Prussian General
Staff. I should be thankful to you if you would find out where he is at
present. I am very anxious to know his address. For a time I am staying
in Dover. Letters addressed to Mrs. Jones, 7, St. Paul's Street, will
reach me."