When Pascale Auber is forced out of the airship of the evil Dr. Simpelstur, she finds herself rescued by a handsome Ruritanian diplomat, Theo von Hentzau. Pascale soon realizes that Theo is hiding something - something to do with the evil doctor, th...
"Yes, I heard that a Ruritanian saved your life," my boss said. He must have sensed my surprise, continuing, "You aren't the only agent who reports to me. Do you think the Ruritanian will be of much use?"
I shrugged. "He's rather young. His manner was a tad over-familiar, given that we had just met."
The boss tented his fingers, which I took as an indication to continue.
"I believe he works for the Ruritanian Embassy, so there's surely useful information of some sort to be got from him." I paused, waiting for a comment or some evidence that my boss was listening. When none was forthcoming, I awkwardly added, "He's invited me to join him for supper tonight at Delmonte's - he must be independently wealthy."
"Wealthy? What's his name?"
"Hentzau, he said. Theophilus von Hentzau. Goes by Theo."
"The house of Hentzau is ancient and well-respected, but – top shelf, third from your left, Auber. See the second book? Fetch it for me, would you?"
I stood up and brought the heavy volume to the boss, placing it on his desk. He swept aside the telegraph keys, pushing them to the corners of the desk, then opened the book.
He paged through it quickly, his meaty hands moving with surprising speed. It seemed to be a volume entirely concerned with the principal families of Ruritania. Here and there were pictures of a wide number of Ruritanian nobles, but the most common image was the dark hair and serious expression of the presumptive heir to the throne, the wicked Archduke.
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