After ten long days, the Transsyldavian coach at last
rattled over the drive of Weezebeeke Castle again. The Lady of
the Castle, Anne-Christine, was glad to have completed her
journey without complications.
Should the Grand Duke of Transsyldavia have discovered
that she'd committed treason, she could have been arrested.
Even a meticulous customs officer could have inspected her
basket and discovered the Moscovic Glasswork of unspeakable
value.
Luckily, such misfortune had been avoided and Anne-Christine was now only a few steps from her front door. As the
coach halted in front of the entrance and the coachman opened
the little door for her for the last time, she pushed two
little linen bags filled with coins into his hands.
The coach drew away as the coachman joined the driver on
the seat. This was the first time, after such a long period,
that Anne-Christine thought she was finally alone. However
while searching for the key to the main entrance, her eyes met
those of a gentleman who appeared to be waiting for her.
She approached the front door and asked him:
"Is there something I can do for you, sir?"
The man tilted his huge top hat politely and answered:
"Perhaps,... perhaps there is, madam. My name is Govert
Gosseling and I am looking for a lady called Anne-Christine
van den Weezebeecke".
"Well, she's standing right in front of you, mister
Gosseling", answered Anne-Christine. "But unless it is a very
urgent matter, I beg you to return tomorrow, for I have had a
long and tiring journey behind me".
"I couldn't dispute such a request", said Govert
Gosseling. "Will it be convenient for me to return here
tomorrow early in the morning? In the meantime, I shall be
staying at 'The Little Swan' in Weezebeecke Village".
"Excellent!" said Anne-Christine, who had found her key
during the conversation and proceeded to open the door.
The following morning at about nine o'clock, Govert
Gosseling rang. Anne-Christine was prepared for him and she
had managed to make some coffee even though she still had no
servants.
"Well Mister Gosseling, what brings you here?" she asked
after she had showed him in.
"That is a long story, Madam", began Govert Gosseling.
"But I am here to reveal everything to you. It all started a
few weeks ago when I found a piece of a broken ancient mug on
the road. This little cup".
Govert presented her with an object from under his coat.
Anne-Christine knew it very well.
"That is one of Mister Pennickx's Attilla-cups", she said
at once.
"Ah, you recognise it. That is good", mister Gosseling
went on. "Perhaps then you will also know why I found it on
the road".
"Well, I broke one, gathered the pieces together and put
them in a dustbin. At that time I was a maid at Pennick's, you
know".
"Yes, I do know that", said Gosseling whilst averting his
attentions to the contents of the parlour of Weezebeecke
Castle from where he was sitting. "In the last few weeks
things have certainly changed a great deal".
"That is my business, mister Gosseling!" snapped
Anne-Christine fiercely. "Did you came here only to tell me
things I already know?"
Gosseling seemed startled by her outburst.
"No, no, certainly not. Would you allow me to proceed with my story?"
"With pleasure", said Anne-Christine who had regained her
composure.
"Well, I am an historian by profession and I found it most
unusual and wonderful of course, when I found a part of an
Attllla-cup on the road, as you can imagine. I asked
bystanders where this piece could possibly have come from.
They informed me that a cart carrying waste had passed by, not
long before and that this piece may have fallen off.
In all my excitement, I went to the wastedump and wandered
there for a while before finding a second piece. After
searching further I found even more remains, which all fitted
together and formed this little cup. I also found a great deal
of broken glass of which I shall speak later".
"Would you care for a cup of coffee?" asked Anne-Christine who
did not feel terribly comfortable with this unknown gentleman
whos piercing eyes seemed to look right through her from
behind the small spectacles.
"Yes, thank you, madam. That is most kind", said Govert
Gosseling, "Perhaps I've upset you with my sudden tale?"
"In that you are quite right", said the Lady of the
Castle. "But one gets used to these extraordinary things, so I
beg of you to continue".
"When I arrived home, I tried to piece the remains
together. This cup was the result, along with a number of
crystal drinking glasses and a decanter - cheap glassware
without any historical value-. The cup is quite a different
case. Normally such objects are not very valuable, but this
one is an exception. It bears unique inscriptions which
certainly make it one of a kind".
"What makes these inscriptions so unique?" Anne asked
inquisitively.
"Well, you see, most Attilla-cups obtained imprinted
characters in China. As one may expect, the bulk of them
obtained inscriptions expressing wishes of prosperity and
happiness. But these inscriptions are completey different. The
text describes something that was of an unequaled beauty in
Attilla's era. Some of the characters even mention a device
that could catch the sun".
"And do you have any idea of what this device may have
been?" asked Anne-Christine.
"I do have an idea, but I am not certain", the historian
said. "I imagine it was a glass object, perhaps more than one,
that could serve as a sun-glass. Real transparent glass was
hard to find in Attilla's days. Only in China did one master
the fine art of making glass, to a certain extent".
"And what do you want from me?" asked Anne-Christine.
"Please allow me to finish my story", said Govert
Gosseling. "I contacted a connoisseur of porcelain and
crystal..."
"Called Adrian Aardewerk", Anne ended his sentence.
"You certainly do know everything", Gosseling said as his
lips curled into a smile. "It was indeed mister Aardewerk whom
I contacted. He seemed to be a little embarrased by my
discovery. He told me that it was part of mister Pennickx's
inheritance and that he had seen more cups there. However, he
advised me to visit you first before going to mister Pennickx.
Without further discussion I followed his advice. I went to
Weezebeecke where I did not find you. But you are well-known
here in Weezebeecke, so I learnt much about you. For instance
how you, as a humble maid, managed to repossess this Castle
and how the Envoy of the Grandduke of Transsyldavia was also
interested in the Castle, but nevertheless, did not buy it.
People in the village knew that you were no longer in
Weezebeecke and they could estimate the day you had probably
left. I supposed you were on your way to Transsyldavia, so I
travelled here, taking twice the time, and added yet another
couple of days and simply waited for your return.
"Succesfully!", said Anne-Christine. "For now you've found
me here. However, you have still not answered on my question about what you want from me".
"How right you are", Govert Gosseling continued. "Of
course I do not wish to interfere with your private affairs,
but I did take the liberty of finding out some facts and I
came to the conclusion that you must most defenitely be the
only person who possesses all the information, as Aardewerk
suggested. Not only did you work for Pennickx, but you
presumably also have connections with the Grandduke of
Transsyldavia, who is renowned for his long lasting hunt for
the Moskovic Glasswork. What is more, close to the remains of
the Attilla-cup I found another crystal service that consisted
of the same number of pieces. Taking into account this and the
sudden increase in your standard of living..."
"That is enough, mister Gosseling", said the Lady of the
Castle, with an icy tone to her voice. "You display yourself
clearly as a man who lacks manners. You certainly look like a
gentleman, with your top hat, your cane and your pelerine, but
you are not. On the contrary, your interest is aimed at my
private life and I therefor implore you to leave this house
shortly".
"Well", the historian continued, "my intentions are not to
pry into your private life. It was simply a pure and sincere
love of science that drove me to your abode. However, my
conviction grew degree by degree that there must have been
more broken pieces than those on the road. One doesn't find a
combination of an Attilla-cup bearing remarkable inscribtions
and a mock Muscovic Service every day, does one? Especially
when the text can be explained as a revelation of the
existance of glasswork of unequaled beauty. You are indeed
right, that I may in no way or by no means interfere with your
private affairs, but on the other hand, co-operation could be
very profitable for both of us. I should like to make a
proposal".
"At last something concrete", sighed Anne-Christine, "This
is what I have been waiting for".
"This is what I ask of you", said the scientist. "I
request you disclose information about the remaining cups of
mister Pennickx. That is all I want to know".
Anne-Chrsitine thought carefully at length.
"These cups were in a chest, one of a few which were
inherited from mister Pennickx's uncle. On my very first day
he ordered me to clean the cups, and it was on this occasion
that I broke one. I threw it away, together with the glasswork
from another chest. This was broken over the next few days.
That's how it must have reached the waste dump".
"This hardly tells me anything new", Govert Gosseling
said, somewhat disappointed.
"My dear sir, I do know more, but I have no reason
whatsoever to share this knowledge with you until I know more
about your interest in this affair".
"I understand", said Gosseling, "and I will play a fair
game. The inscription reveals not only one treasure, but
speaks of others. These disappeared during the Battle on the
Catalaunic Fields, a battle which was lost by Attilla the Hun.
I believe that the location where this battle was fought must
be indicated on the other cups. It is in any case not written
on the one I have".
"Isn't that place known or recorded?" asked Anne-Christine.
"Where ?" asked the scientist. "We know that the battle
was fought close to the Marne in France. Two armies fought for
a whole night to gain possession of a hill, but history is
vague and the exact location was not revealed. The armies were
those of the Huns and the combined armies of the Romans and
the Visigoths. The latter won and Attilla finally retreated in
the direction of the Danube."
"So you are hoping that the exact place is revealed on the
remaining cups of mister Pennickx?" asked Anne-Christine.
"Indeed I am. Did you ever have the chance to examine them
carefully?" Gosseling inqiured.
"No, unfortunately not. They all passed through my hands
and I payed little attention to the inscriptions that I
couldn't decipher. So what are your plans when you find out
exactly where the battlefield is situated?" was her counter
question.
"Well, it is clear that the Muscovic Glasswork will not be
there anymore. It is common knowledge that Czar Wladimir gave
it to the Czarina, centuries and centuries after Attilla died.
The warrior himself or perhaps someone else must have been
able to bring it to safety from the battlegrounds. I feel
certain that the cups will reveal where the rest of the
treasure is burried. Perhaps even the cups and the Moscovic
Glasswork together will dissolve the mysteries of the
Catalaunic Fields. I do not know. But I am convinced that you
know more and that we may resolve this matter if you tell me
everything".
"You ask too much, mister Gosseling. By a remote
coincidence you got the impression, quite rightly so I may
add, that I know more of thes missing links.
However this alone does not put me under any obligation to
inform you. But I shall certainly try to help you in obtaining
the cups".
At these last words the historian's eyes started to
twinkle brightly.
She went on:
"It wouldn't work out, trying to buy the things. Pennickx
is always eager to emphasize that he doesn't lack a guinnea or
two. On the other hand, if we offer a larger amount, his
suspicion will be awakened and he will certainly know why the
cups mean so much to us. Besides this, Aardewerk has already
made him think that they are of little value. That is bad
luck. I think the best thing I can do, is to return to mister
Pennickx as his maid once again".
"Do you want to copy the inscriptions in that way?" asked
Gosseling.
"Perhaps I shall do that, but on the other hand it may be
better to steal them from him", was her calculated answer.
"We shall see when the time comes. First of all we shall
travel together to Aardewerk and Pennickx and then we shall
return to the Castle with the cups. There you can try to
decipher them most discretely".
"And you can keep an eye on me!" said the historian,
peeking shrewedly over his glasses.
A few days later Anne-Christine was standing on the steps
of Peter Pennickx's house. Gosseling had gone to his own
house. It was now more than a month ago since she had closed
Pennickx's door for the last time and she was anxious to know
whether he had acquired a new girl.
After gathering her courage, she rang the bell and
immediately heard the pattering of light footsteps
approaching. The maid opened the door.
"Yes?" the girl asked, whilst gazing with surprise to
Anne-Christine, who was dressed like a servant, as was
she.
"Is mister Pennickx present. I would like to speak to him.
My name is Joanne... at least that is what he used to call
me", said Anne-Christine.
"My name is Lisabeth", said the other girl. "Yes he is
home. I shall ask if he is willing to see you". And away she
went.
"Come along then". she said on her return. "You will have
to wait for a while. Mister Pennickx will be with you
shortly".
She showed Anne-Christine to a chair in the antichambre.
Anne sat down and waited for Pennickx to enter. Here she
noticed the cups standing on the cupboard, exactely as she had
placed them herself.
"How dare you return here?" said Pennickx perturbed as he stepped through the door. "Not only did you break your word
when you left so abruptly, but you also left me short of a
maid".
"I know, mister Pennickx", said the 'maid-to-be' humbly.
"On that day I was a little confused, I am afraid, but now
I've came back to try and amend my misdemeanours".
"That's good. I have learned to forgive sinners, although
it will not be easy in your case. You broke all my glasswork
and then vanished into thin air!"
"I will work for you, sir", said Joanne, "until I repaid
you completely".
"You owe me more than just money", grumbled Pennickx.
"Tomorrow, you can pay off your debt in a different way when
my banker visits me. It will take a miracle to put him in good
mumour and you could be very helpful indeed".
"Thank you, sir", said Joanne with a sigh of relief.
"You will have to share Lisabeth's room, as there is only
one room for servants", said Pennickx, before returning to his
work.
At this, Joanne headed for the kitchen where she began to
explain the general situation to Lisabeth.
"Just put your things in the room. The bed is big enough
for both of us", was her laconical answer.
Lisabeth got on with preparing the dinner and Joanne
started to polish the silver.
In the evening they served coffee and liquor to Penninckx,
who was still deeply occupied with his excessive bookkeeping.
He didn't feel very comfortable, whilst repeatedly performing
calculations that did not produce the desired result.
"You'd better go to bed. I shall need you more tomorrow
than I do now", he said, hardly looking up from his books.
Both girls bid him goodnight and retired to their room
together.
When Pennickx heard the door close, he freed himself from
his work and crept his servants' room. Inside, the girls had
lit a candle-lantern, which emitted a warm yellow glow.
Peering through the keyhole, he caught sight of Lisabeth
undressing for Anne-Christine, who must have already been
under the blankets, for he could not see her.
"Oh, how lovely and sweet you are", he heard Lisabeth say.
"May I make love to you?", she asked, as she slipped between
the linen sheets.
Pennickx enjoyed listening to the expressions of pure
delight and his imagination recreated the scenes behind the
closed door. After a few hours the lovegame finally ended and
it seemed that the two girls had fallen asleep in each others
arms. Pennickx tiptoed back to his office, where he continued
with his efforts, until the girls found him there the
following morning, still calculating.
"Coffee! And quickly please!" he said and Joanne and
Lisabeth instantaniously turned ready to flee to the kitchen
to supply him.
"I have to speak to Joanne alone", he added without
lifting his head.
Joanne therefore remained where she was standing and
waited until Lisabeth had closed the door behind her.
"Listen very carefully", began Pennickx. "This morning, my
banker will be coming to inspect my books and it would do no
harm to make him comfortable. I need his money and that is
where you could help. I want you to spill coffee over his
trousers when I give you a sign and then you can take him to
the kitchen. I shall write off your entire debt if you give
him his pleasure there".
"Is that not deceitful?" asked Joanne.
"No, no", said Pennickx, "I am just a little short of
cash, that's all. However such situations do not last long.
But bankers are suspicious people. Everything must be in order
and especially now in these hard times, when trade is
shrinking. They become nervous at the first sign of
inconsistency".
"Well, if that's all, I shall grant you this small favour
with pleasure", said Joanne.
"I'm counting on you. This is the plan: Lisabeth will stay
here until I light a new cigar. She will then instruct you to
serve the coffee and you will enter and proceed to topple the
tray into his lap. But it must appear to be an accident", said
Pennickx. "Now hurry back to work".
After an hour or so a knock was heard at the frontdoor. As
Lisabeth opened up, she could tell by his manner of dress that
he was the banker. She showed him directly to mister Pennickx'
office and then remained next to the entrance.
Peter Pennickx had cleaned his desk and shook hands with a
broad smile.
"Morning Peter, how's business?" asked the banker, Mr. van
Beuningen.
"Not bad, not bad at all. Take a seat, my good man." was
the answer and he pointed to a comfortable chair. "Equities do
not carry much value these days, and so it is a good time to
buy. They can only gain in value and that means money in the
pocket" he added.
"I presume this is why you want to borrow my money?" said
van Beuningen. "You are aware of our rule that we only lend
money to persons who have enough property to cover their debt?
You are already endebted to us more than you now own and I am
anxious to uncover whether your position is still stable. It
is not an unattractive prospect for us to fail to do business
with our customers who have more debts than property. In this
way we can obtain huge amounts of equities which, as you said,
can only rise in value".
Pennickx, on hearing these words could no longer force a
smile.
"Much depends on your balance-sheet", the banker continued
without flinching.
"I worked on it throughout the night and it is in good
order, pico bello. Don't worry. Here it is".
Pennickx handed over a long list of numbers which the
banker immediately started to examine.
"But would you not care for a cup of coffee and a cigar.
Then I should join you".
"Oh yes, thank you. It would make the job a little easier
for your writing is not very clear and it is going to take a
great deal of time".
"There is no need for that. It is all in good order", was
the last thing Lisabeth heard before fetching Joanne.
Joanne was ready to join the gentlemen, not dressed as a
servant, but in clothes that suited a Lady of the Castle. She
entered Pennickx's room saying: "I hope I'm not disturbing
you, gentlemen". The banker was surprised, rose from his seat
and kissed her hand, as usual.
"Anne-Chistine van den Weezebeecke", she said, "and you
are?"
"Henri van Beuningen" answered the banker.
"Well in that case I may be of assistance to you, mister
van Beuningen. That notes mister Pennickx has given to you are
fraudulent. His account contains nothing like the amount he is
trying to lead you to believe. To be precise, I took the
liberty of checking mister Pennickx's calculations when he was
otherwise occupied, last night. In my opinion the correct
amount resembles a thousand guineas in the red. Here are my
findings".
She handed the banker a neat list of numbers, showing a
negative sum.
"You are not cheating, are you Pennickx? For if so, I
cannot help you",the banker stated.
"He certainly is, mister van Beuningen", said
Anne-Christine. "But he can not help it". Forgery and treason,
these are characteristics inherent in his nature.
Nevertheless, I do want to help him find the right course. If
I could buy something from him for a thousand guinneas, he would be back in the black".
She looked around as if searching for something to
possess.
"Not too many valuables here, I am afraid. Most are
replicas and counterfeits. But I could give something for
those mugs over there. Not a thousand guinneas of course.
Unless.... unless he allows Lisabeth to accompany me to
Weezebeecke Castle. She herself would prefer that to staying
here".
"What do you think about this generous offer, Peter?"
asked the banker whilst examining his client.
"All right", said the latter in a sulty tone.
"Here is the money", said Anne-Christine who tossed a
small pouch of rattling silver onto the desk. After this, she
walked to the cupboard and piled the Attilla-cups into her
basket.
"Good day to you, gentlemen!" she said as she and Lisabeth
left, leaving two puzzled men behind.
"Weezebeecke bound!" exclaimed Anne-Christine when finally
sitting in the coach together with Gosseling and Lisabeth.
"Men! You can fool them over and over again!" she said feeling
pleased with herself.
"Not all of them", said Govert Gosseling, peeping over his
little glasses directly into her eyes. "Not all of them!"