'I do not wonder that you are anxious,' he remarked, as he resumed his
seat in the easy-chair, still holding the sheet of paper in his hand.
'What have you discovered?' inquired Greif, with an incredulous smile.
'You are threatened by a great calamity, you and all who belong to
you,' replied Rex. 'I suppose you know it, and that is the reason why
you want to know the future.'
Greif's cheek turned slowly pale, not at the announcement, but at the
thought that this chance student perhaps knew of Rieseneck's existence,
and of all that his return might involve.
'Herr Rex,' he said sternly, 'be good enough to tell me what you know
of me and my family from other sources than that bit of paper.'
'Not much,' answered the other with a dry laugh. 'I barely knew of your
existence until I met you the other day, and I have not mentioned you
nor heard your name spoken since.'
'Why then, you can know nothing, and your figures cannot tell you,'
said Greif, not yet certain whether to feel relief at the protestation
of ignorance, or to doubt its veracity.
'Shall I tell you what I see here?'
'Tell me the nature of the calamity.'
'Its nature, or the cause of it?' inquired Rex, scrutinising the sheet
of paper.
'I suppose that they must be closely connected. Let me know the cause
first--it will be the surest test.'
Rex laid the paper upon his knee, and folded his hands, looking his
guest in the face.
'Herr von Greifenstein, this is a very serious matter,' he said, 'If I
tell you what I have just discovered, you will certainly believe that I
knew it all before, and that I am acting a comedy.
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