The World Masters

by George Chetwynd Griffith

  CHAPTER XVI

  That same morning, as it happened, Adelaide received a letter fromVictor Fargeau, dated from Paris, telling her, among other things,that the two alleged Polar expeditions would be ready to start in afortnight's time, and that he had been appointed to, as he put it, thescientific command of the French one. There had been a considerableamount of veiled friction between the French and Russian governmentsas soon as they had both been compelled to admit to each other thetrue object of the expeditions, and it was even suspected that theRussian government was secretly preparing a much more formidablescientific expedition of four vessels--including their celebratedice-breaker _Ivan the Terrible_, a vessel built in an English yard forthe purpose of breaking up the Baltic ice in winter, in order to keepthe ports free and the Russian Baltic squadron always serviceable.

  With such a vessel to lead it the Russian expedition would be quitecertain of reaching Boothia Land whatever the condition of the icemight be, because she would be able to clear a course for her consortsthrough it. All the probabilities were, therefore, in favour of theRussian squadron getting to Boothia Land first. If they did that, andwere successful in getting possession of the works, it was not verylikely that Russia would be inclined to share the dominion of theworld with the ally she had already bled so freely, and in this caseFrance would be once more robbed of the fruits of his father'sdiscovery.

  Soon after afternoon tea on the lawn of Clifford Vandel's bungalow,Adelaide said to Sophie, as they sat in their deck-chairs beside eachother:

  "I am given to understand that Russia is quite determined to reach thePole, if possible, in this next expedition."

  "The Pole?" laughed Sophie, with a swift glance under her half-loweredeyelids. "My dear marquise, surely you are joking with me a littleunnecessarily. Which Pole?"

  "Really, my dear countess, I am speaking quite seriously," shereplied, turning her head on her cushion, and looking at her companionwith somewhat languid eyes. "I presume, of course, it must be theNorth Pole--because I hear from a quite reliable source that yourgovernment is sending out the big ice-breaker--the _Ivan theTerrible_, you know; and that would hardly be necessary to get tothe other Pole, the one that you perhaps mean, unless, of course,they wished to make certain of getting there as quickly as possible."

  Sophie would have given a great deal to know the source of thisinformation, which had only reached her father a day or so before, butit was, of course, impossible for her to ask, so she contented herselfwith saying, in slow, careless tones:

  "Really, that is quite interesting. But then, of course, you know,when Russia takes anything like this in hand she generally does itthoroughly, and, of course, the ice may be late this year, as theycall it, crowded up in the narrow places I suppose; and in that case,of course, the French expedition will find it accommodating to have aship like that to break the way in advance--and out again ifnecessary. I suppose you have quite decided to take the trip acrossthe Atlantic on the _Nadine_?"

  "Oh yes; that is quite arranged. It will be my first visit toAmerica--that wonderful land."

  "America--wonderful? Well, I should say!" said Miss Chrysie, comingbehind them at this instant, and putting her hands on the backs oftheir chairs, "It's a pity you can't come too, countess. I guess Icould promise you both a pretty interesting time from Niagara rightaway to----"

  "Suppose we say the Magnetic Pole?" murmured Sophie, turning her headback, and looking up at her with a glance that was lazy and yet fullof challenge.

  "Well, yes, that might be interesting, too," replied Miss Chrysie,looking steadily down into her eyes. "Those works that the viscountand poppa are getting fixed up there, whatever they mean them for,must be something pretty wonderful, for they're spending quite a lotof money on them. It might not be impossible that we'll be going up tosee them some day, and if you'd come across, countess, I dare say Imight be able to show you round."

  "Really, that's more than kind of you, Miss Vandel; but I'm sorry tosay that my father's official duties demand his presence atPetersburg, and we absolutely must leave when the house-party at OrrelCourt breaks up; but excuse me, I see my father beckoning to me. Iwill leave you my seat, Miss Vandel."

  She got up, and walked away forward to where her father was standingnear the verandah. Miss Chrysie took possession of her seat, claspedher hands behind her head, stretched out her legs till a pair ofdainty pointed toes peeped from under the hem of her dress, and said,with a sidelong glance at Adelaide, and in a slow drawl:

  "Nice girl the countess, marquise, and very good-looking--very; but,somehow--well, perhaps you haven't noticed it, but I have--she seemsto have a sort of way of talking at you instead of to you, and alwaysmeaning just something a bit different to what she says."

  "It is quite possible," said Adelaide, slightly coldly, for Chrysie'swords were just a little too frank to please her taste; "but, you see,she's a Russian; and the daughter of a diplomat. All Russians of goodfamily are born diplomatists, and diplomacy, you know----"

  "Why yes," laughed Chrysie; "diplomacy is the whole art and science ofsaying one thing and meaning another, and getting the other fellow tobelieve that you're telling the ironclad truth when you are lying likeAnanias; and I guess the countess hasn't learnt her lessons verybadly."

  "In other words, Miss Vandel," said Adelaide, with a laugh that had anote of harshness in it, "you think the Countess Valdemar is, to putit into quite brutal English, a liar."

  "Why no," replied Chrysie, looking straight down at her shapely toes;"just a diplomatist, or, I should say, the daughter of one. But wedon't want to pull each other to pieces like this. What's the matterwith changing the subject? What's your idea, marquise, about these twoPolar expeditions being started off this year? Doesn't it strike youas just a bit curious that they should be going north up Davis Straitsjust when our Storage Works are getting finished? Shouldn't wonder ifthe countess gave herself away a bit when she spoke just now about theMagnetic Pole."

  This was a kind of diplomacy that was entirely strange to Adelaide,and for a moment or two she hardly knew what to say; then she replied,rather languidly:

  "Really, Miss Vandel, it is a matter that interests me very little. Ibelieve this is the proper time for setting out on Polar expeditions,and you know the Russians are very fond of making these journeys inthe interests of science and exploration."

  "Mostly exploration of what's going to be new Russian territory,"replied Miss Chrysie, with a snap of her eyes. "Ah, here's hislordship junior. Well, viscount, I've got to thank you for yet onemore just entirely delightful day!"

  Before Hardress could reply she turned another sidelong glance onAdelaide. In spite of all her self-control, Adelaide's cheeks flushedever so slightly and her eyes lighted up as Hardress pulled a chairtowards them.

  And she hated her frankly and cordially for it; for she was a girl ofabsolutely honest feelings, and just as straightforward andthorough-going in her hates as in her loves.

  "My dear Miss Vandel," replied Hardress, "it is quite the other wayabout; it is I who have to thank you for the pleasure of giving youpleasure."

  "After that," laughed the marquise, turning her lovely eyes full onhis, "let it never be said that an Englishman cannot turn acompliment."

  Chrysie noticed that Hardress flushed a little and dropped his eyesslightly under that bewildering glance, and she hated the marquisemore intensely than ever.

  "It was no compliment, I can assure you," he said, looking up atChrysie, "though what the marquise just said may have been. But, bythe way, I came to tell you a rather serious piece of news, marquise;and something that may perhaps influence your aunt's plans."

  "Ah, what is that?" said Adelaide.

  "Well, from the telegram my father has just received, which willprobably be in the papers to-night, there is going to be a tremendousmilitary scandal in Germany, which may have very grave results indeed,even to the extent of an European war. The detectives of the militarystaff at Berlin have discovered a sort of Teutonic Dreyfus--a you
ngfellow holding the rank of lieutenant, and employed as a sort ofmilitary under-secretary in the bureau of the Minister of War. To acertain extent it's the old story. He had ruined himself with gamblingand horse-racing, and, not content with that, had got involved with avery pretty and equally unscrupulous French variety actress, who bledhim with apparently more consistency than she loved him. The agents ofthe French secret service in Germany got hold of him and he soldhimself.

  "So far the story is commonplace--that sort of thing happens everyweek in all countries--but the extraordinary thing about this is thatwhen this young fellow was confronted with proofs, he not only made aclean breast of what he had done, but he told his chiefs that the manwho had been mostly instrumental in getting him into trouble, and had,in fact, introduced him to the woman who ruined him, was a brotherofficer--a staff-captain and military attache of a foreign court. Thisman, he confessed, had obtained, partly through him and partly throughhis own knowledge and other sources, a complete sketch of the Germanplans, both for invading France and resisting a French invasion,together with all the necessary details as to men, guns, transports,etc. Stranger still, a German staff-officer answering exactly to thedescription, resigned his commission nearly a year ago, and retiredinto private life. He was not a German, but an Alsatian. The Germansecret agents in Paris took up the scent, and found that this very manhad been in close communication with the Minister of War and appearedto be holding some confidential position in the service of theMinistry. Now Germany, it is rumoured, has demanded his extradition ona charge of treason and desertion; for it seems that his resignationwas never officially accepted, although he was allowed to go inconsequence of some family trouble which brought disgrace upon hisname. France has refused it, and--well, the situation may be describedas distinctly strained."

  "Well," said Miss Chrysie to herself, while he was speaking, "ifthat's not a pretty good sample of diplomacy, I've got a wrong idea ofthe word altogether." She had turned her head lazily on the cushionagain, every now and then glancing at Adelaide's face. Hardress had,of course, done the same repeatedly during his narrative, which he hadtold just as though he were telling some absolutely fresh piece ofnews to a couple of listeners who would only take an outside interestin it. Since her father's death Adelaide had given no sign that he hadtold her anything on his deathbed, or that she was aware of the truenature of the Great Storage Scheme. Now she kept her composureadmirably under the double scrutiny. Chrysie fancied that she changedcolour ever so little at the mention of the German staff-officer whohad resigned, and of the visits to the French Minister of War, butotherwise she gave no sign, she just sat and listened, every now andthen drawing the point of her parasol across the grass at her feet,and occasionally looking out over the water dotted with a multitude ofcrafts coming to an anchor after the day's racing. Certainly neitherof them found any reason so far to believe that the story had anythingmore than a general interest for her. When she spoke her voice wasjust as low and sweetly quiet as ever it was.

  "Certainly that is very serious news," she said, looking straight atHardress. "We know, of course, that there has been great tensionbetween the two countries for some time, and if France refuses to givethis man up there can hardly be anything but war; and yet if it istrue that France possesses all the German plans, Germany would be at aterrible disadvantage, for it would be impossible to change them atthe last minute. At any rate, I am very much obliged to you for yourearly information, viscount. Certainly I think it would be better formy aunt to remain in England for the present; and in that case, I amafraid it will be my duty to remain with her."

  "Not at all, my dear marquise," said Hardress, with an eagerness whichChrysie did not at all appreciate. "You know your aunt was a greatyachtswoman some years ago; she's a splendid sailor, and there's lotsof room on board the _Nadine_. Let her come to Canada with us. Thevoyage would do her all the good in the world. We can land you withMiss Vandel and Olive at Halifax, and you can have a delightful runthrough Canada and the States under my father's protection, while thepresident and I pay our visit to the Storage Works."

  "A thousand thanks, my dear viscount," replied the marquise; "butthat, of course, will be a matter for my aunt alone to decide. For mypart, I can only say that I shall be delighted if she says yes."

  "I sha'n't," said Miss Chrysie, with great emphasis, in her soul.

  Meanwhile another conversation on the same subject was going on inanother part of the lawn. A messenger-boy had about half-an-hourbefore brought the count an envelope containing a lengthy telegram;and it was when he had read this that he had beckoned to Sophie, andshe had scarcely joined him when one of the servants brought her anote which had been left by a man at the gate of the grounds. Theyleft the verandah where the count had been standing, and strolled downtowards the water.

  "Well, papa," said Sophie, "I saw you had a telegram just now. Anynews?"

  "News? Yes," said the count; "and very serious, too. Briefly, theGerman government has discovered everything about Fargeau--that is tosay, his treason and his connection with Ducros--and has demanded hisextradition from the French government. France, having got the plans,will, of course, refuse, and then there will be war--probably in aweek or two."

  "And Russia?" queried Sophie, looking up at him.

  "Russia, my dear, as you understand, will act as circumstancesdirect."

  At this moment the note was put into Sophie's hands. She opened it,read it, dismissed the servant, and said in a low voice:

  "Papa, here is even more serious news than yours. This is from myfriend the engineer. He tells me that the viscount has suddenlyaltered his plans; that the _Nadine_ is to be filled with coal toher utmost capacity, and all preparations made for crossing theAtlantic at full speed, instead of about twelve knots."

  "And she can steam twenty knots," said the count. "I'm afraid, my dearSophie, that completely upsets your nicely-arranged plan for arendezvous in mid-ocean. The _Nadine_ will be across the Atlanticbefore the _Vlodoya_ can get there, for her best is only aboutsixteen."

  "No, papa," said Sophie, "I've not failed yet. If my engineer is onlyfaithful, and that accident to the machinery happens, we shall getthem all the same. I will promise him anything and everything, and hewill be faithful. And then I have another plan."

  "Ah! And that?"

  "The marquise--she will be on board--she's a Frenchwoman, she lovesthis Hardress, and hates this American girl. Sooner or later she knowsthat it must be war to the knife between them, and better sooner thanlater, for they say that he is already half-betrothed to Miss Vandel.At the same time, Hardress is by no means indifferent to her ownfascinations. I will make her an ally--for the present, at least. Sheknows well enough that were the American conveniently disposed of shecould soon console the viscount for his loss. I will show her how shemay be got rid of, and how she, Adelaide de Conde, may marry the manwho may, as she believes, soon be master of the world. A clever womanwith a great end to gain will be of infinite service to us on boardthe yacht. At present she is half-hostile to us--for she has asuspicion that our expedition is meant to forestall the French one.Now I will make her wholly our friend by showing her how she may notonly gain the desire of her heart, but also ensure the success of theFrench expedition; for, after all, you must remember that we are boundto co-operate with them to a certain extent, for they at least havebeen clever enough to keep the specification of the works tothemselves, and till we get possession of them we can do nothingwithout Fargeau, even if we were masters of the works. Yes; I think,after all, Adelaide, since she must be either friend or enemy, will bea better friend than enemy: and friend she shall be before she sailson the _Nadine_."