Chapter 35 "Disappeared"

Disappeared!

A clear star studded night descended over the town and castle of Paramaribo. The first guest carriages rolled up the wide road to the castle. Liveried valets stood by with their storm lanterns to receive the festively dressed ladies and gentlemen. The inhabitants of the castle, were however, in a barely disguised state of unrest: since that afternoon the young lieutenant Bilg,about whom the whole town was talking, had disappeared without a trace. Larissa, who with her father had the job of greeting the guests, was constantly thinking about her friend, could barely keep her countenance.

Caprioli was having a chat with the ship and castle officers while waiting in the reception hall. They were all dressed in their finest dress uniforms, except Borromaus, the gunnery officer, who could not part from his pirates' costume. With a mocking twinkle in his eye he examined the finery of the ladies and gentlemen, pulled up his trousers, tightened his belt a notch and growled:

“Bah, what's good for life and death at see, is three times better than these groomed land lubbers!”

Caprioli left him with his opinion and kept quiet as Borromaus walked around captain Bull eye -balling him with his feathered hat, bright red sash, prancing like a fattened turkey with a peacock tail.

By and by the guests streamed in, passing the group in shy admiration, pointing out the count in whispers. Caprioli, a head taller than the rest, stood out with his nonchalant smile and quiet elegance. Pelegrin and especially Habakuk standing next to the count, were also duly admired. The stories told by the sailors and soldiers, by now heavily embroidered, had spread from the kitchens, to the servants quarters and from there to rooms of the guests and finally to every house in the town.

It took another half hour before the rest of the guests arrived.

The governor entered the dining hall with Larissa, greeted the assembly and introduced the adventurous seamen.

As much as Pieter van Groenhagen tried to show a cheerful front, he was angry that his big surprise for the evening wasn't happening. His suspicion was confirmed when the scribe brought him the officers certificate to sign and when he saw the young lieutenants' name:He was Capriolis' son! If Larissa suspected it or had actually been told by Bilg himself, he didn't know.

Servants, walked amongst the guests with appetite inspiring liqueurs and offered them in sparkling glasses.

Greetings between acquaintances, discussions and exchanges of news went on throughout the large hall. A group of inquisitive people had soon gathered around the officers, wanting to know more than the taciturn seaman and soldiers could tell them. Borromaus escaped angrily, stomping through the hall on his wooden leg, to a large window where hid hid behind a curtain looking down to the harbour at the ships. Their silhouettes and lights were easily distinguished against the dark night sky.

The governor took Caprioli aside.

“What do you think about Bilg...?” he asked with concern.

“An incomprehensible insubordination” answered the count with a voice in which disappointment, worry and strength competed.

“I don't believe that Cyps – an accident perhaps...?”

“Assumptions are useless, old friend, we can only send out a search party for him and wait. By the way, since we landed, Bilg is under your command, so it's up to you to judge him. Too bad about the young one, he could have gone far!”

The governor silently looked at his friend and turned to his other guests.

Caprioli smiled after him and twirled his monocle on its fine gold chain around his finger. Of course, he too was concerned about Bilg, but an unmistakable feeling told him that the boy was alright. Maybe one of the pretty young ladies of this strange land tempted him, maybe he was invited and the wine was too much for him, maybe...Assumptions! Caprioli was angry at himself.

What was important at the moment, that the governor had betrayed himself:his unrest proved that Bilg was just as important to him.

He strolled towards the castle commander, who in his gold bristling uniform, was in the process of explaining to a swarm of ladies surrounding him, what would have happened if the giant sea snake, didn't have such a special appetite for cannon balls and empty barrels.

The ladies, with pale faces and staring eyes held their hands over their mouths.

“You are here count...?”

Caprioli felt a slight touch on his elbow. He turned around and found himself looking at Scheitanoff.

“That's perfect!”said the fat little dawdler with a hypocritical laugh “ from what I hear your s... I mean, lieutenant Fa..., I meant to say Bilg:disappeared and is being searched for.”

“You're all I needed, Scheitanoff!” His eyes like lightening bolts. “Since when do you stutter...?

“Ha, ha – the liquor is burning my throat a bit.”

“It's burning you...? Caprioli had to laugh spontaneously.

“What business do you have with Bilg? Have you got your dirty hands in this...?

Scheitanoff raised his hands in defence.

“I...? How can you think that, Count, when I am always so concerned! I might be able to give you a hint though, you know that I have many connections.”

“I have no interest in your hints or connections! I am not interested in a dead lieutenant Bilg.”

“Who is talking about a dead Bilg!”

Scheitanoff almost screeched.

Caprioli looked at him side ways.

“So, you do have your dirty hands in this affair and Bilg is alive. That's all I wanted to know!”

The infernal excellency bit his lips. As if Bilg had never been mentioned he asked with undisguised viciousness:

“What if I were to introduce you to the assembly by your real name, count...?”

Blue lightening shot from narrowed eyes. Caprioli twirled the end of his goatee.

“A little black mail this time?”

“One does what one can, count.”

“What ever you like, it won't hurt me and it won't help you. In return I will inform the assembly of the real reason for your diplomatic mission here – I am afraid however, that you will hardly be able to increase your clientele here.”

“Well parried!” heckled Scheitanoff horsely.”

Caprioli coughed.

“Listen carefully Scheitanoff” The count emphasized every word, “Of course you know that I am leaving tomorrow morning. Your more or less bad jokes always amused me on the voyages, no doubt without them I would have been bored quite often. I suggest, let's say an agreement , only because I would like some peace from you:within five minutes, due to one of my jokes you will disappear from this hall and these surroundings and let yourself cool down for three months and spare me your presence. Should I not succeed...”

“Ha, ha,ha!” Scheitanoffs' insolent laughter interrupted him, “you need not add anything, this is too much fun! Within five minutes you say? Ha,ha,ha, great – agreed!”

At that moment Dona Escamolata, the daughter of the archbishop slid by.

“Could I have a word, my dear Baroness!” Caprioli stopped her with his most charming smile. The baroness stopped, happy to be addressed by the famous count.

Caprioli reverently kissed her hand. “May introduce the representative of the infernal, his excellency Natas Scheitanoff.” The baroness looked at the deformed figure, her eyes roaming over the round wrinkled head with the shark like eyes and extended her hand with a sweet/sour smile.

“An uncomfortable name!” she whispered silently to Caprioli, “where is this land of his...?”

“Oh, somewhere down there, it is very hot there”, answered Caprioli playfully toying with his monocle.

“Just as I thought unsympathetic people, don't you agree count” she added whispering.

Suddenly Scheitanoff chocked with a terrible cough, pressed a handkerchief to his mouth, spat and wheezed gasping for air.

“What is wrong with him suddenly...? asked the baroness astonished with pointed lips and eyebrows drawn up to a point like church windows.

“His excellency must have inhaled something not to his liking.” answered Caprioli with an amused grin.

Scheitanoff, bending down to kiss the hand of the baroness, must have inhaled the incense fumes lingering in her clothes.

“whoosh” and the representative of the infernal was gone.

“Madonna, how about that” the baroness said indignantly. She coughed slightly holding her crochet handkerchief to her nose. She wasn't afraid, as sudden disappearances of this type didn't seem to be unknown to her.

“I guess that's the custom down there” explained Caprioli “but I still took the liberty to introduce his excellency, because it is always useful to remember a face like that.”

“He would never be invited to my house!”

“He would hardly allow himself to visit you, dear baroness.”

“Hopefully that was the only impolite foul smelling person amongst your acquaintances, count.” she answered pointedly.

“Hasta la vista! - good by!”

“Hasta luego, baroness!” answered Caprioli with a deep bow.

She glided away, careful not to mix her exotic perfume with the invisible scent of Scheitanoff.

Caprioli followed her with his eyes rubbing his chin. Then he slowly returned to his companions.