I fired this at him with all my lung power and tried to look even more angry than I felt, and shouted him down when he tried to interrupt me once or twice.
"If you don't behave yourself I'll have you put out of the carriage," I cried. "Do you imagine that Baron von Gratzen sent his confidential secretary to secure this compartment for me and this lady that we might be insulted by such a foul-mouthed brute as you? Ask your questions civilly, and I'll answer them; but don't imagine you can bully me."
That his three companions relished all this was apparent in their looks; but the effect on the bully himself was a sheer delight to witness. He tried to bluster, but he was frightened. The sting of my attack was the reference to von Welten's reservation of the compartment, and I promptly drove it home by asking Freibach to have the guard called.
He hesitated; the other man was his superior officer, of course, and looked to him. "He'll be able to confirm what I say," I added.
The major nodded and nothing more passed until the guard arrived.
"Herr von Welten, sir, and he told me that the compartment was to be strictly reserved for them by Baron von Gratzen's orders. I explained that the train was sure to be full; but he said that under no conditions was I to allow any one to enter it."
The major's face dropped at this. "You can go," he ordered.
"Wait a minute, guard. Tell Major Borsch about the telegram."
The man told his story succinctly; and it had an excellent effect upon the bully, and a whispered conversation followed between him and the man next him. I began to hope. The worst was over for the moment, apparently; and the next scene was likely to take place when we reached Osnabrück. What would happen there was on the lap of the gods.
The only thing that really mattered was to contrive somehow that Nessa should be allowed to continue the journey, and it wasn't impossible that Freibach might be able to see to that. He would be willing enough, because he had been very kindly treated by the Caldicotts in London. Moreover, he had got us into this mess and was obviously distressed about it.
The whispered conference at the other side of the carriage ended by the major jumping up and leaving the carriage, muttering something about not being able to breathe the same air with us, and then his companion turned to me.