Herr von Bersac no longer displayed the least interest in his
companions. Since he had dropped behind them, and was safe from Von
Salzinger's observation, the dreaming had passed out of his dark eyes.
They were alight with a keen interest, an interest almost excited, as
the wonders of the place revealed themselves to him. But the works and
their busy life had less effect than other things. His whole mind
seemed to be absorbed in the direction of the water, and the numberless
naval craft lying at their moorings. And out of all these his searching
eyes selected one type, a type he could not miss, a type which seemed
to be prevailing.
One of them lay so near inshore that he could observe its every detail
of outward construction. It was a curious, ugly vessel of strangely
vicious type. He recognized it at once as of the submersible pattern of
the vessel he had arrived at Borga in. But it was so huge. It was
heavily armored, as it lay there in light draught, high out of water,
and on its deck, in place of the simple conning-tower and surmounting
periscope, there was a central armored turret, while, fore and aft of
this, two other turrets bristled, each with a pair of 12-inch guns. He
had no time for a closer inspection as he was hurried along, but he
made a mental note that the vessel was a submarine dreadnought, and
that there were nearly fifty other such vessels lying about at their
moorings.
He seemed fearful of concentrating his observation too long in any one
direction. A furtive backward glance from the Governor promptly
diverted his attention. It almost seemed that he had no desire to
invite Captain-General von Salzinger's regard. No doubt he felt that,
though his uncle's nephew, he was still only admitted to Borga on
sufferance.
Finally they approached a high-walled enclosure with closed gates, and
a line of sentries guarding its entrance. Immediately he became
absorbed in the German characters of the large printed notice on the
gates. The notice was to the effect that all entrance to this place
without a Governor's permit was "verboten."
He became alert and watchful. Doubtless being the engineer responsible
for the success of the new U-rays lamp he felt that he must no longer
permit his interest to wander. He watched the square figure of the
military governor as he took the sentry's salute. He observed the
junior officer who promptly threw open one of the massive gates. Then
his whole attention became absorbed in what he beheld as, with his
companion, he passed within the enclosure.
It was a large dock. And moored at each of its three sides was a
submarine dreadnought of even greater dimensions than the one he had
seen mounting 12-inch guns.
The Prince turned to him.
"This, my Leder, is the place where we deal with the things, the secret
of which the world will never know, but the effects of which one day
our enemies will learn to dread."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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