More intrigue from Scheitanoff
Confused by the
sudden change in his fortune, Bilg left the castle and wandered
blindly, fleeing from people to the end of this small town. He wanted
to be alone with his thoughts. After hours of aimless walking, he
wanted to get back to the castle, but found himself in a narrow lane
with no idea which way to turn. He didn't see anybody he could ask
for directions.
“Well, young
man, a bit lost? That can happen to experienced people to!”
He heard, coming from a hoarse voice in a dark corner.
Frightened, Bilg
took a step backwards. He knew that voice...! From the darkness the
short legged form of Scheitanoff slowly appeared.
“Why so afraid,
lieutenant Bilg? I am only half as bad as people make me out to be, I
could even be a very good friend, if you were a bit friendly with
me,”
Bilg backed up
more and raised his arms defensively. “Leave me alone, go away, I
don't want anything to do with you!” he stammered.
“Not so fast
young man” answered Scheitanoff with a secret enticing voice, “You
will soon think differently - you are actually expected!”
“Expected....?
Where am I expected and by whom?” Bilg answered concerned.
“Over there in
the pub!”
Scheitanoff
pointed at the dark depth of the gateway with his thumb over his
shoulder.
“My friends
don't go into dives like that!”
Bilg became angry.
“Don't be so
impetuous my young friend, there really is a little person waiting
for you in there, that you know really well, a little witch, sweet as
can be!” He snapped his fingers with pleasure.
“You lie!”
shouted Bilg. “You are a lying rascal!”
Scheitanoff looked
at him sadly with his shark eyes.
“You do me an
injustice, young man...!”
Bilg abruptly
turned away from him.
“Bilg!” he
heard someone call at that moment
“Bilg!”
Bilg stared and
stopped. That's not possible. Did Larissas' high voice call him...?
“Well, what did
I tell you!”
The wrinkled mouth
twisted into a wide grin.
Bilg walked a few
quick steps forward and tried to penetrate the darkness with his
eyes. A weak hardly noticeable strip of light betrayed a not
completely closed door.
He groped a bit
further, found a door knob and found himself standing on the
threshold of a harbour pub. The saloon was almost empty. A fat waiter
was dosing at the bar. A half drunk sailor sat in one corner, with a
glass of rum, staring at nothing and and strumming a wistful melody
on his guitar.
“Bilg!” he
heard a low almost whispering voice. His eyes followed the sound.
At a table, in the
darkest corner, he thought he recognised a figure by the flickering
oil lamp. A stuffed crocodile hung from the smoke covered ceiling
above her. With a beating heart he approached the table – and stood
before Larissa!
“My God what are
you doing here? How did you get here..? he stammered.
The girl smiled.
“I was waiting
for you, because I absolutely have to speak to you alone!”
She moved over and
Bilg sat down mesmerised.
“But how could
you know that I would be here? I got lost!”
He looked at her
beautiful shimmering teeth.
“The yearning,
Bilg – I am a woman... and beside that Paramaribo is my home.”
The waiter,
curious, came waddling over to ask what he wanted. He pointed at the
rather large tin mug standing in front of Larissa. The waiter also
brought him a mug of 'Malvasier' and disappeared behind his bottles
at the bar.
“Well Bilg,
isn't this a wonderfully secret and quiet spot for words that only
concern us?” Continued Larissa.
Bilg had still not
recovered and stared into his mug. During the whole voyage, he ever
only saw Larissa with one glass of wine and even that one she only
sipped at like a bird.
He took a tiny
sip. The heavy wine went like a fire storm through his body.
“Don't you like
me any more, Bilg?” he heard Larissa saying.
He looked at her.
“Why do you
ask...?”
Yes those were
Larissas' beautiful black eyes – but they didn't have the sheen
that he became to love so much on the ship.
“Well...” she
insisted.
“On the ship you
knew it and didn't have to ask me!” he answered with quivering
lips.
She gently placed
her hand on his – for the first time.
“I have to be
completely sure now, vida mia, amor mia – my life, my love –
completely sure, before I ask my father.” She breathed.
He had never heard
her speak Spanish, except with Borromaus.
“What do you
want to ask him...?”
“Oh, if he will
let us get married, muy amor mio!”
He wanted to pull
his hand away, but couldn't.
“Not now, Bilg –
but in a few years – but I have to know if I can wait for you”,
she continued in a whisper.
He stared at her
hand, something was strange about it.
“Where is that
beautiful ring you always wore on the “"Fantoma"” and
never took off?” he asked.
“Oh, that
one....? I had it taken to the goldsmith, the stone needed
polishing.”
Why did he never
notice that Larissa had such hands:long, pointed and crooked fingers,
with nails that almost looked like claws; they reminded him of spider
legs.
Larissa slid so
close to him that he could feel the heat of her arm.
“Can I tell my
father...?” she returned tenderly to her question.
Bilg pouted in
defiance.
“First I have to
find my father!”
Larissa laughed
loudly.
“You're looking
for your father; and yet he was on board the "Fantoma" for
all of the long voyage – you spoke with him uncountable times!”
Aghast he looked
at the girl next to him. She moved closer to him. He couldn't evade
her.
“Do you know who
uncle Cyps actually is...?” she crooned.
“Count Caprioli?
Your godfather but ...”
“Yes, but what
is his real name?”
In Bilgs' head the
world started to turn.
“Does he have
another name...?
“Yes, the same
as yours!”
Bilg lent away
from her.
“Leave my father
out of this, Larissa!”
His throat and
lips were dry from anger and confusion.
Larissa smiled
with a mischievous look in her eyes.
“His name is
Cyprian Amadeus Count Fantoroso, and you were born on his estates.”
“Larissa, if
that's true, how come you didn't tell me on the ship?”
“Could you prove
without papers that you are a count Fantoroso? Du you really think,
that uncle Cyps would have recognised his missing son, in a slippery
cabin boy?”
“But I became a
lieutenant without papers, Larissa.”
She laughed.
“Yes, because I
explained everything to my father before, other wise, uncle Cyps
could never have bought the officers certificate from him.”
“And what proof
do you have...?
“More than
enough, Bilg: your nature, your special awareness, your usual caution
and bravery. When count Caprioli trusted you with the command of the
"Fantoma", you accepted it so naturally – but above all,
your knowledge of the Fantoroso castle and the family. We spoke about
it often enough.”
Bilgs' head sank
and his hands shook. He closed his eyes, unable to utter another
word. Dark dream shadows surrounded him. His thoughts formed images -
happy ones, terrifying, unreal images that swirled and danced around
him.
When after some
time he looked up again, rubbed his eyes - he was alone.
Frightened he
jumped up.
“Waiter...!”
The fat waiter
shuffled over.
“Your order
lieutenant...?”
“Where is the
lady that I was talking to?”
“The lady? She
left a long time ago, Sir.” wondered the waiter. “You fell asleep
and I didn't want to disturb you. Your one of the crew of the
"Fantoma" are you not?”
Bilg rubbed his
head. “I fell asleep...?”
The waiter knew
not to show surprise at the unusual behaviour of his guest.
“Well, why
shouldn't you have nodded off? I am sure you must be very tired from
the efforts of your long voyage – one hears so much about the
adventures of the "Fantoma".”
Bilg looked into
the mugs in front of him: Larissas' was empty, his own almost
untouched.
“Can you give me
directions back to the castle, waiter?”
“I'll send a
servant to show you the way lieutenant, you wouldn't find it on your
own”
he answered
officiously.
“What time is
it?”
“Oh, by the time
you get there the sun will almost be up.”
Bilg threw a coin
on the table.
“Call the
servant waiter, I have to get to the castle quickly.”
The fat one
shuffled away in servitude.
The servant, whose
back was bent from the burden of his years, guided him through the
dirty streets.
“One says, that
your count is a magician, Sir” He said, trying to start a
conversation.
“Nonsense...!”
protested Bilg.
But the old one
didn't let go:
“The young lady
who spoke with you, is she also part of his party? I saw her – she
is not from here.
A sutler maybe, or
something like that...?”
The dry voice of
the old one sounded, as if it came from far away – as if the wind
carried it to his ears in loud and then low wisps. Bilg didn't pay
attention – his thoughts were with Larissa.
“It was the
governors' daughter” he said, without really knowing whether he
answered a question or not.
The old one
chuckled mockingly and mischievously.
Bilg tried to
recognise the dark form of the servant – terrified he stopped in
his tracks. Scheitanoff..?
But it was too dark to see any more than the sharp outlines of the
man next to him.
A cool gust of wind almost blew off his hat – sand crunched lightly
under his feet.
Behind the last house, shimmered the undulating line of the beach.
The servant stopped and raised his arm:”there...! he said.
A sneering chuckle followed that word.
“was it really Scheitanoff...?”
Bilgs' eyes searched the emptiness.
The servant was gone – as if the wind had blown him away.
About two miles away, high above the town, he saw the festive and
inviting shimmering of the castle windows.
Bilg got under way.
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