"Cannot repay me!" exclaimed Herr von Strummin, as the colour grew still deeper in his red face. "But you told me that I could count upon it at any time." "Because I naturally supposed that you would not choose just the most unsuitable time. You know that I must pay off that mortgage to-morrow." "Why did you give notice to pay it off? It was most imprudent. I told you so from the first." "I wanted to save the interest; and if you can get back two million for one--in the meantime--of course--as things stand at present----" "You may be thankful that the directors have postponed the date of payment of the second instalment, which was due to-morrow." "Certainly," said the Count; "it is very kind of the gentlemen. I should have been in a terrible position; but it has not made my situation even now particularly pleasant. That confounded mortgage! My creditor is most disagreeably pressing; he says he must have the money back." "Perhaps it may now transpire who this creditor really is whom you make such a mystery about?" "I have given my word of honour----" "Then say nothing. It is all the same to me, moreover; and if you can pay half a million to-morrow to the gentleman in question, you can also raise my five thousand!" "I do not know yet whether I shall be able to pay!" cried the Count impatiently--"Lübbener--Haselow and Co.--I could not stand Lübbener any longer--unlimited orders to sell; but if to-morrow our shares go down still further--they stood the day before yesterday at forty-five----" "And yesterday at twenty-five!" "Impossible!" cried the Count. "Good heavens, man! have you never troubled yourself to inquire, then?" "I--I--my letters lately--the presence of the ladies here--there are so many claims upon me----" "So it seems," replied Herr von Strummin, taking a letter out of his pocket. "I got _my_ banker to write to me yesterday, as I saw what was impending, and have carried his letter about with me since this morning. I have already been over to Golm, too, to tell you of it." He unfolded the letter: "Sundin-Wissows were offered freely to-day at thirty-five; no buyers. They then rose to forty-five on large purchases. When it became known, however, that Lübbener himself was the buyer, merely to keep up the price, they fell rapidly, and closed at twenty-five! Please telegraph distinct orders whether to sell at any price. A further fall is inevitable.' There you have the whole affair." "It is certainly bad," murmured the Count.