“What has Lotzen been doing to Moore?” he asked.
Armand nodded. “And in a particularly nasty way.”
“He isn’t bothered about Moore,” said Courtney. “He thinks he is safe from any one that isn’t of his station.”
“He doesn’t know the Irishman—Moore would kill him without a thought.”
“I’m not so sure,” said Courtney. “Moore is bred to respect for royalty; he would hesitate to use sword against one of the Blood except in defense.”
“Lotzen would best not bank much on that for immunity if he pursue d’Essoldé.”
“Well, so much the better; between you, the trick should be turned; though, as a matter of abstract justice, it’s your particular work.”
“And I shan’t shirk it,” said Armand—then he laughed—“on the whole, I’m something of a savage myself; Lotzen hasn’t got all of it for the family, it would seem.”
Courtney shrugged his shoulders. “We all are savages at the core—it’s only a question of the veneer’s thickness.”
“Of its thinness, I should say. However, now that you have saved my precious life, and dedicated me to care and prudence and to killing my enemies, we can get down to business. You had something to tell me.”
“I have told you,” said Courtney. “I wanted to show you that note and save your precious life.”
The Archduke picked up the paper, and read it again.
“May be the party who wrote this,” he said, “can help you answer the question I came to ask: what brought Lotzen to the Summer Palace, this afternoon; and, in particular, why did he go into the King’s library?”
Courtney lit a fresh cigarette and watched the match burn to a cinder.
“Isn’t your second question the answer to the first?” he asked.
“Doubtless; but what’s the answer to the second?”
Courtney shook his head. “I pass—unless you can give me some details.”
“Here’s everything I know,” said Armand. “Moore, as Adjutant to the Regent, occupies part of the King’s suite as his quarters. This afternoon, he went out, leaving open the corridor door of the library. A little later Mademoiselle d’Essoldé saw Lotzen come from the library—subsequently he met Moore and casually remarked to him that, as he passed his quarters, the door being open, he had taken the liberty of looking at His late Majesty’s portrait, which he wished to have copied.”