"Since he is an agent of the British Treasury, he should be able to do so at comparatively short notice."
For a moment Pichegru remained thoughtful, then he said: "Time is of importance if I am to enter into this transaction. Should I delay my offensive for more than a few days, and it afterwards transpires that the Jew is unable to pay, I shall have lost my chance of joining forces with General Jourdan yet be no better off."
"How long can you give me?" Roger asked.
"For what?"
"Why, to go to Frankfurt and get the gold for you; or at least a written promise that in the course of a week or so it will be paid over to anyone you choose to nominate."
The General nodded. "That would certainly settle the question definitely. Frankfurt is near a hundred miles from here, but a light coach would get you there by tomorrow morning. The collection of the gold would require special arrangements; so for that I am willing to wait. But the day after tomorrow, at latest, I must have an assurance that it will be forthcoming."
"Barring accidents, I should be able easily to get back by then."
"That is unnecessary. One of my A.D.C.'s, a Captain Gusiot, is fully in my confidence. I will send him with you. He can bring me back the answer. If it is satisfactory I will send only two divisions against Heidelberg. That will be sufficient to prevent General Jourdan from suspecting that I have departed from our agreed plan, but insufficient to take the place. Unless the Austrians are bigger fools than I take them for, they will then be able to prevent our joining up, and a stalemate result which must last at least a month."
Roger knew then that, providing the money was forthcoming, he would have achieved the equivalent of a great allied victory; but he knew, too, that the final act yet remained to be played and that to play it he must now once more risk his head in Paris.
chapter xx
THE AFTERMATH OF THE REVOLUTION
Pichegru had spoken gloomily and it was evident that he was much troubled by this contemplated betrayal of his army's prospects of achieving another great victory: so Roger was careful to conceal the elation he felt at having won him over. Refraining from comment, he said quietly:
"As tune is of importance, the sooner Captain Gusiot and I set off, the better."
"I agree; but it would be preferable that you should not be seen together in this headquarters.
"There is no reason why we should be seen together at all until we are well out of the city. I have taken a room at the Drei Konige under the name of Bertrand, and Captain Gusiot can pick me up there. It is already dark and there will be no necessity for him to leave the coach; he can simply send in for me."
The General smiled. "I see you are well practised in discretion." Then, after glancing at his watch, he added: "It is now a quarter to eight Two hours should be enough forme to give Gusiot his instructions and for him to make his preparations. Be ready to join him in a coach at ten o'clock."
For a short time they discussed various political leaders in Paris, and the chances of getting them to combine in a coup d'etat; then they shook hands on their bargain, and Pichegru told his club-footed soldier servant to see Roger safely out of the Rathaus.
In his attic at the Drei Konige he changed from the imigri uniform back into his own clothes, repacked his valise and went downstairs for a meal. He had not long finished it when the coach arrived for him. Darkness prevented his seeing the man in it except as a vague figure, and as soon as he had taken his place with a muttered greeting, the vehicle drove out of the inn yard.
A reluctant but instinctive caution kept both men from speaking until they were clear of the town, and even then they made no mention of the business they were bent upon. For a while they discussed the war, then they settled down in their corners to doze as well as they could while the coach jolted its way through the night averaging some eight miles an hour.
For well over half the journey they travelled by the road along the right bank of the Rhine, which was in the hands of the French; and as they had an escort of hussars they were nowhere challenged.- But at about five in the morning they reached the fork road, the right arm of which ran north-east through Darmstadt to Frankfurt; and, as the territory they were about to enter was in a state of dubious neutrality, they decided that it would be best to dispense-with their escort
In the grey pre-dawn light Roger now saw his companion properly for the first time. He was a well set-up man of about thirty with flashing black eyes and a fine upturned moustache: and Roger was relieved to see he had taken the precaution, against failing in with the Austrians, of obtaining for himself a suit of ill-fitting but adequate civilian clothes. However, they encountered no Austrian troops, breakfasted heartily in Darmstadt and, soon after ten o'clock, crossed the bridge over the Main into Frankfurt,
Without difficulty they found the Judengasse, and the dwelling in it of the banker Bauer. It proved to be a sizeable mansion and above its door, as a sign, there hung a red shield. Roger and Gusiot went inside. The ground floor was in use as a counting-house, and when Roger told one of the young men there that he wished to see the banker in person, they were obsequiously bowed through to a private section partitioned off from the main office.
A Jew of about fifty, clad in the traditional cap and gown, rose to meet them. Keeping his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robe, he begged them to be seated and enquired their business. Roger produced the order and enquired if, when filled in for a million francs, it could be met
Bauer asked a moment's grace, went to a cabinet and compared the signature on the order with one he had there, then he said: "Nobleborn, no one could doubt that the British Treasury is good for a mere fifty thousand pounds; but in these troublesome times one does not keep such a sum in one's cellar. How soon do you require it?"
"How soon can you produce it?" Roger asked.
"Permit me, nobleborn, to consult my sons." Bauer replied; and, on Roger's nodding, he rang a handbell four times. In response three young Jews, the eldest of whom appeared to be only in his early twenties, came in. For a few minutes their father talked with them in the tongue of their race, then he turned to Roger and said:
"Nobleborn, if you will accept mainly marks and thaler, in four days' time we shall be prepared to meet your order with the equivalent of one million francs in gold."
Roger glanced at Gusiot and the Frenchman nodded. The formalities were soon completed, then the banker and his three sons accompanied them to the front door. The youngest, a stripling of eighteen, went out to the coach with them and said to Roger:
"Pardon me, nobleborn, but it is evident that you are a trusted agent of the English. Do you think there might be a future in England for a young man like myself?"
With the habitual kindness that was second nature to Roger, providing due respect was paid to him, he smiled, and replied: "Why not? We have Lloyd's House where more shipping is insured than anywhere else in the world, the India Company and the Hudson Bay. With the coming of the mechanical age Britain's own industries are booming, and loans for their expansion are always in good demand. On London's 'Change in these days many a fortune is being made by shrewd men within a few years."
"I thank you, nobleborn." The young Jew bowed low. "I have hopes of coming there to settle one day. Pointing to the red shield above their heads he added: "There are so many of us in the German States named Bauer that my branch of the family has decided to be known in future as the Rothschilds. Would you be gracious enough to remember that, and should I come to England put in a good word for me where you can, because our house, although not a very rich one yet, has done its utmost to meet your heavy demand upon it promptly."