Cæsar's Column: A Story of the Twentieth Century
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sums of money to swearas they did; that the jury was packed, the judge one of their tools,and even his own lawyers corrupted. After several years his son--whobore the same name as himself--Arthur Phillips--returned from theuniversity; and Jenkins told me that he had learned, in somemysterious way, that this was really the man who, out of revenge forthe wrongs inflicted on his father, was now the third member of theExecutive Committee of the Brotherhood, and had furnished them withlarge sums of money."
As this story progressed, listened to most attentively by all, Inoticed that one large man, flashily dressed, flushed somewhat, andthat the rest turned and looked at him. When Andrews stopped, thePrince said, quietly:
"Count, that is your man."
"Yes," replied the man spoken to, very coolly. "There is, however, notruth," he added, "in the latter part of the story; for I have haddetectives shadow young Phillips ever since he returned to the city,and they report to me that he is a shallow, dissipated, drunken,worthless fellow, who spends his time about saloons and running afteractresses and singers; and that it will not be long until he willhave neither health nor fortune left."
I need not say that I was an intent listener to everything, andespecially to the latter part of the spy's story. I pieced it outwith what Maximilian had told me, and felt certain that MaximilianPetion and Arthur Phillips were one and the same person. I could nowunderstand why it was that a gentleman so intelligent, frank andkindly by nature could have engaged in so desperate and bloody aconspiracy. Nor could I, with that awful narrative ringing in mycars, blame him much. What struck me most forcibly was that there wasno attempt, on the part of the Count, to deny the sinister part ofJenkins' story; and the rest of the Council evidently had no doubt ofits truth; nor did it seem to lessen him a particle in their esteem.In fact, one man said, and the rest assented to the sentiment:
"Well, it is a lucky thing the villain is locked up, anyhow."
There were some among these men whose faces were not bad. Underfavorable circumstances they might have been good and just men. Butthey were the victims of a pernicious system, as fully as were thepoor, shambling, ragged wretches of the streets and slums, who hadbeen ground down by their acts into drunkenness and crime.
"When will the outbreak come?" asked one of the Council.
"That I cannot tell," said Andrews. "They seem to be waiting forsomething, or there is a hitch in their plans. The men are eager tobreak forth, and are only held back by the leaders. By their talkthey are confident of success when the insurrection does come."
"What are their plans?" asked the Prince.
"They have none," replied Andrews, "except to burn, rob, destroy andmurder. They have long lists of the condemned, I am told, includingall those here present, and hundreds of thousands besides. They willkill all the men, women and children of the aristocracy, except theyoung girls, and these will be reserved for a worse fate--at leastthat is what the men about the beer-houses mutter between their cups."
The members of the government looked uneasy; some even were a triflepale.
"Can you come here Wednesday night next and tell us what you learnduring your visit to their 'Council of One Hundred'?" asked thePrince.
"Yes," replied Andrews--"if I am alive. But it is dangerous for me tocome here."
"Wait in the library," said the Prince, "until I am at liberty, and Iwill give you an order for the thousand dollars I promised you; andalso a key that will admit you to this house at any hour of the dayor night. Gentlemen," he said, turning to his associates, "have youany further questions to ask this man?"
They had none, and Andrews withdrew.
"I think," said the Prince, "we had better reassemble here onWednesday night. Matters are growing critical."
This was agreed to. The Prince stepped to the door and whispered afew words to Rudolph.
CHAPTER XV.
THE MASTER OF "THE DEMONS"
The door, in a few minutes, opened, and closed behind a tall,handsome, military-looking man, in a bright uniform, with theinsignia of a brigadier-general of the United States army on hisshoulders.
The Prince greeted him respectfully and invited him to a seat.
"General Quincy," said the Prince, "I need not introduce you to thesegentlemen; you have met them all before. I have told them that youdesired to speak to them about matters relating to your command; andthey are ready to hear you."
"Gentlemen," said the General, rising to his feet, "I regret to haveto approach you once more in reference to the pay of the officers andmen of my command. I fear you will think them importunate, if notunreasonable. I am not here of my own volition, but as the mouthpieceof others. Neither have I incited them to make these demands forincreased pay. The officers and men seem to have a high sense oftheir great importance in the present condition of public affairs.They openly declare that those they maintain in power are enjoyingroyal affluence, which they could not possess for a single daywithout their aid; and therefore they claim that they should be wellpaid."
The General paused, and the Prince said, in his smoothest tones:
"That is not an unreasonable view to take of the matter. What do theyask?"
"I have here," replied the General, drawing a paper from his pocket,"a schedule of their demands, adopted at their last meeting." Hehanded it to the Prince.
"You will see," he continued, "that it ranges from $5,000 per year,for the common soldiers, up through the different grades, to $25,000per year for the commanding officer."
Not a man at the Council table winced at this extraordinary demand.The Prince said:
"The salaries asked for are high; but they will come out of thepublic taxes and not from our pockets; and if you can assure me thatyour command, in view of this increase of compensation, will workwith increased zeal, faithfulness and courage on behalf of law, orderand society, I, for one, should be disposed to accede to the demandyou make. What say you, gentlemen?"
There was a general expression of assent around the table.
The commander of the Demons thanked them, and assured them that theofficers and men would be glad to hear that their request wasgranted, and that the Council might depend upon their valor anddevotion in any extremity of affairs.
"Have you an abundant supply of the death-bombs on hand?" asked thePrince.
"Yes, many tons of them," was the reply.
"Are they well guarded?"
"Yes, with the utmost care. A thousand men of my command watch overthem constantly."
"Your air-vessels are in perfect order?"
"Yes; we drill and exercise with them every day."
"You anticipate an outbreak?"
"Yes; we look for it any hour."
"Have you any further questions to ask General Quincy?" inquired thePrince.
"None."
He was bowed out and the door locked behind him. The Prince returnedto his seat.
"Gentlemen," he said, "that matter is settled, and we are safe forthe present. But you can see the ticklish ground we stand on. Thesemen will not rest satisfied with the immense concessions we have madethem; they will demand more and more as the consciousness of theirpower increases. They know we are afraid of them. In time they willassume the absolute control of the government, and our power will beat an end. If we resist them, they will have but to drop a few oftheir death-bombs through the roofs of our palaces, and it is allover with us."
"What can we do?" asked two or three.
"We must have recourse to history," he replied, "and profit by theexperience of others similarly situated. In the thirteenth centurythe sultan of Egypt, Malek-ed-Adell the Second, organized a body ofsoldiery made up of slaves, bought from the Mongols, who had takenthem in battle. They were called the _Bahri Mamelukes_. They formedthe Sultan's bodyguard. They were mounted on the finest horses in theworld, and clad in the most magnificent dresses. They were of our ownwhite race--Circassians. But Malek had unwittingly created, out ofthe slaves, a dangerous power. They, not many years
afterward,deposed and murdered his son, and placed their general on the throne.For several generations they ruled Egypt. To circumscribe their powera new army of Mamelukes was formed, called the _Borgis_. But the curewas as bad as the disease. In 1382 the _Borgi Mamelukes_ rose up,overthrew their predecessors, and made their leader, Barkok, supremeruler. This dynasty held power until 1517, when the Ottoman Turksconquered Egypt. The Turks perceived that they must either give upEgypt or destroy the Mamelukes. They massacred them in great numbers;and, at last, Mehemet Ah beguiled four hundred and seventy of theirleaders into the citadel of Cairo, and closed the gates, and orderedhis mercenaries to fire upon them. But one man escaped. He leaped hishorse from the ramparts and escaped