By Wit of Woman

by Arthur W. Marchmont

  CHAPTER XXIII

  A GREEK GIFT

  At dinner his Excellency was thoughtful and taciturn, and we had arather dismal meal. He noticed my dress when we met, however.

  "You have your clothes, then?" he said in his dryest manner.

  "Yes, my servant came to arrange the things I needed."

  "I don't wish to know," he exclaimed, promptly, with a glance whichshowed me that he understood I had not been idle.

  But after that he scarcely spoke. The girls chattered to me, chieflymaking fun of the new governess before her face in the most impudentmanner; but I was too busy with my own thoughts to pay much heed.

  Something had happened since the General and I had parted; and I wassure it concerned me; so I waited and watched until either he shouldtell me or I should find it out for myself.

  He sent the girls and their governess away almost before they hadfinished eating, and took me at once into the little salon where weusually played chess.

  "Is it a compliment to me that you have arrayed yourself so?" he asked.

  In that moment I seemed to guess what was in his thoughts. "It isperhaps a coincidence," I said with a smile.

  "Why a coincidence?" He was puzzled.

  "Because I had not expected to see any one but yourself."

  He nodded. "That instinct of yours always interests me."

  I had gone to the chess board and taken two or three pieces out of thebox. I put them back. "So we are not to play chess to-night. Who isit?"

  "No, there you are wrong for once. We are to play. I have spoken ofyour chess-playing powers to a very old friend of mine, and he iscoming to see us play."

  I shook my head. "Your Excellency means that the game is to be apretext. What is his name?"

  "I am not 'your Excellency' to you, Christabel. It is General vonWalther--an old comrade of mine."

  "I am getting interested in him already--an old comrade whoseunexpected visit made you so thoughtful during dinner that you couldscarcely speak a word. On my account, too. The only time you spokewas to express satisfaction that I was dressed well enough to receivehim."

  "You are building a palace with match boxes, Christabel. You hadbetter set the men."

  I set them and we began to play. I made two or three egregiously badmoves; and he did not notice them. The "old comrade" was evidentlystill absorbing his thoughts; and began to fill mine too.

  "Hadn't we better have something more like a real game when he comesin? It should at least look like serious chess," I said, and wasmaking some impromptu changes in the positions of the men when Generalvon Walther was announced.

  I shut down the smile which followed my first glance at him. It wastoo bad of his Excellency to try and deceive me. I had seen the "oldcomrade" before, however; and I was not likely to forget him. It wasDuke Ladislas himself.

  They both played up to the arranged parts, and of course I did my bestto help them.

  "Come in, old friend," said his Excellency, genially. "This is thechess prodigy. My old friend General von Walther, Miss Gilmore."

  "His Excellency always flatters me, General, because on one occasion Iwas lucky enough to beat him."

  "I am delighted to meet you, Miss von Dreschler," said the "general,"so occupied in giving me a sharp look that he did not notice he hadused the wrong name. "You are a great favourite of my old friend."

  I made an appropriate reply, and for some minutes we chatted aboutchess, and the weather, and what I thought of Pesth, and soon--anything except what he must have come to speak about; whateverthat was.

  Then I challenged him laughingly to a game; but I suppose he was inreality no player at all, for he got out of the challenge by saying hewould rather look on.

  So we went on with our game again and had made some half a dozen moves,when a servant came to say that Count Somassy, the Minister of Justice,wished to speak with his Excellency. He pretended intense regret forthe interruption to our game, begged us both to excuse him for a fewminutes, and then the "old comrade" and I were left alone. I knew ofcourse that this had all been arranged; and that we were now to come tothe real business of the meeting.

  "You are staying some time in Pesth?" he opened.

  "I scarcely know. You see I am a foreigner now, and an Americancitizen is never long away from the States without a heart ache."

  "You say 'now,'" he commented, as I had intended. I thought he wouldappreciate the word.

  "Yes. I am Hungarian by birth--but a naturalized citizen of the UnitedStates. Here, of course, I am only a girl; but at home, in JeffersonCity, Missouri, I am quite a person of importance. I inherited myuncle's fortune, and over there you know we reckon importance bydollars. You would be astonished at the consideration I receive in mytravels from all our representatives, consuls, and even ambassadors."

  This was not strictly accurate; but the point had to be driven homethat he could not play monkey-tricks with me. He did not like this anymore than I thought he would, and paused so long that I said: "Shall wenot have a game, General, while his Excellency is away? It looks as ifhis sudden appointment might last some time."

  I think he began to gather in that I was not quite fooled by the littleentertainment.

  "I think not, thank you. The fact is I wish to speak to you on somematters."

  "Connected with America?"

  "Well, not exactly. Rather of a private character."

  I froze instantly and was appropriately dignified. "I don't think Iquite understand. In Missouri we don't discuss our private affairswith strangers."

  "This is not Missouri," he said, dropping for the moment the "oldcomrade" tone and using the brief curt note of authority. As anAmerican citizen I resented the tone and rose.

  "I am not a school girl, sir, having a lesson in geography." It wasintentionally pert and flippant, and I made him a bow and moved towardthe door.

  "I am sorry. Pray forgive my manner. An old soldier, you know, dropsnow and again into the drill manner."

  "American women do not take kindly to drilling, General."

  "No, no, Miss Gilmore; you must acquit me of any intention to offendyou. I wish to speak to you seriously. Pray sit down again."

  I should have been intensely sorry to have ended so promising aninterview, so I sat down and stared stonily at him. He was one ofthose vulture-faced old men, with a large hook nose, a wide mouth, anda small square chin, which when he spoke suggested irresistibly themoving lower bill of the bird. He had dark, piercing, beady eyes,rather deep set under prominent eyebrows, and a waxen white forehead,rounded like a bird's poll.

  "I wish to speak to you about Count Gustav."

  "Yes?"

  "I am a friend of his and his family, and possess their confidence, andbeing also a friend of General von Erlanger's, I thought it would bedesirable for me to speak with you."

  "Yes?"

  "As a mutual friend, if I may say so, and an old man of long experienceof the world."

  "Yes?" I said again, maintaining the same stony stare.

  "Count Gustav has told me the facts, and as it is generally the case inthese exceedingly private and painful matters a solution satisfactoryto both sides can be found by a third disinterested person--where thereis a mutual desire to find one, of course--he deemed it best, and Iagreed with him, that I should see you and speak plainly and frankly toyou."

  This time when he paused I bowed merely and said nothing.

  "I may take it that you do desire some arrangement? You are silent,but I presume it; because I am convinced so charming a young lady asyourself could not harbour any personal malice against the Count. Thatwould be a monstrous thought. And further, you are so capable, soexceptionally capable and clever, that you cannot have disguised fromyourself that to attempt to harm a member of the Ducal family, whateverthe motive or supposed facts, would not only end in failure, but alsoin personal inconvenience, to use no stronger term, to the personmaking the attempt."

  I kept my eyes fixed
steadily on him; and my stare and silence began totell on his temper. I was rather glad to see that.

  Getting no reply, he made another long speech about his amiableintentions, my many excellent qualities, his extreme reluctance to seeme come to harm, the impossibility of my hurting Count Gustav, and thenecessity for an amicable settlement. But he made the threat a littlemore unmistakable this time--owing possibly to his anger at my stonyreserve.

  He paused, and we looked at one another in silence.

  Then as if he had done with preambles he said: "And now, what is it youwant? I invite you to speak frankly."

  "'Frankly'?" I repeated, with a nasty little accent on the word. "MayI put two questions to you?" He bowed and waved his hands. Like therest of him they were bird-like and suggested talons. "Do you come tome from Count Gustav or from the Duke himself?"

  "I speak for--both," he answered, not without hesitation.

  "Then please tell me what is behind your threat of 'personalinconvenience'? What do they intend to do, if I refuse to come to anarrangement? What _can_ they do to me?"

  "They are strong enough to frustrate any attack of the kind from you orany one else."

  "But what _can_ they do? You are a _mutual_ friend, you know,General;" and I gave him one of my sweetest smiles.

  "I have no hesitation in saying you might be in great personal danger,Miss Gilmore."

  "I have already reminded you that I am an American citizen."

  "You may take it from me that you will be prevented from taking anyaction of the hostile kind you contemplate."

  I smiled again. "I am not in the least frightened, General. I amsmiling because you come to me to speak about a mutualarrangement--when you have made up your mind that the only arrangementto be thought of is unconditional surrender on my part. And to forcethat, you threaten me with unspeakable penalties. We shouldn't callthat any sort of arrangement at all, in the States, but merely--pardonthe word--bluff."

  I was gaining my first point rapidly. He was getting very angry at myopposition and the way I put it.

  "I was prepared to find you a very daring young woman; but this thingshall not be allowed to go farther. You reckon on General vonErlanger's help; but he will be powerless here."

  I indulged him with a third smile. "You are not quite right there. Ihave done something else. Knowing the Duke's power and influence mightprevent his Excellency from protecting me, I wrote out an account ofthe matter and have arranged that--if anything unforeseen should happento me, to-night, for instance--it shall be placed to-morrow morning inthe hands of the American Consul. And even against the Ducal family, Iwill back my Government to keep its end up."

  I paused, but he had nothing ready to answer that with; so I continued:"I think you'll agree that that foresight of mine cancels your threat,and that we can start in again on equal terms."

  His talons having failed to grip me now gripped one another, and withconsiderable tension too. His right hand fastened like a vice on hisleft wrist.

  "I did not threaten you, I only warned you. What is it you want?"

  "In the first place, fair play--and it is not playing fairly for DukeLadislas to come to me in the disguise of a mutual friend."

  "You know me, then?"

  "As well as you know me. Inadvertently, when you entered, you calledme by my name--von Dreschler. You know, also, one of the objects Iseek--justice for my father's name. That it be cleared from the shameand disgrace foully and treacherously put upon it in the interest ofyou and your family--the responsibility for a deed of blood of which hewas innocent, but which you, or those promoting your interests,instigated, planned, and carried out."

  "'Fore God, you speak daringly, madam."

  "I speak the truth, my Lord, just as I demand to have justice done.Not demand only, but command it shall be done--for the power to commandhas been put into my hands by the perfidy and wickedness of your son,Count Gustav."

  I looked for an outburst from him in response; but none came. He satsilent, the right talon still gripping the left as though he wished itwere my throat.

  "I do not know with what motive you came to me," I said after a pause;"unless it was to try and frighten me into silence. But I will dealmore frankly with you than you with me. If you have come to offer meless than justice to my father's memory, we are only wasting time; andthe interview, painful to both, may as well end right now."

  "I offer you that and no less," he answered, and he loosed his wrist towave his hand as if with a gesture of compliance.

  It was my turn to be surprised now; but I was sceptical at so ready asurrender after his threats. "That is glad news, indeed. When willthe truth be made known?"

  "At once. I will see that it is done. As others have done, you havemisjudged me. I see that of course. I have been secretly deemed, Iknow, to have had some guilty connivance in the death of the youngCount Stephen; and in that, have had to bear the blame for the acts ofmy too zealous adherents. My family profited by their rashness; and sothe world held, as it will, that advantage and guilt went hand in hand."

  "I seek in that awful matter only justice for my father's memory.Restore his good name, and who else loses or gains, is nothing to me."

  "I pledge myself as to that. The facts shall be drawn up and madepublic; and further, I will interest myself to secure that the title heheld, Count Melnik, shall be restored to you, together with the estatewhich was confiscated. Full justice shall be done."

  "Thank God for that!" I exclaimed, intensely moved.

  "To-morrow, my son Gustav is to come here to you, and he shall bringwith him full confirmation in writing of what I have now promised you.On that I give you my word."

  I leant back in my chair overcome. The knowledge of what I had gainedmingled with the poignant regret that my dear father had not lived toshare the joy of his vindication brought the tears to my eyes. I couldnot speak, so mastering was the emotion.

  "I will leave you now, Miss von Dreschler," said the Duke as he rose."When we next meet you will be the Countess Melnik--not that I thinkyou will value such a title except for what it means--the fullrestitution of your dead father's honour."

  He held out his hand, and I rose and gave him mine in silence.

  When he had gone I sank back in my chair, elation at my success stillbattling with that vehement but useless regret that my father had notlived to see that night; and the battle was still being waged when hisExcellency entered.

  I dashed away my tears.

  "I have won," I said, smiling. "I am sure I owe it chiefly to you.The Duke has given me a solemn promise that my father's name shall becleared."

  I looked for a sign of congratulation; but instead, my old friendglanced at me slowly and very shrewdly, and moved on to his chair.

  "You are an excellent linguist, but probably do not know the deadlanguages, Christabel. There is an old tag of Virgil's for instance:'Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes'."

  "I know what that means, at any rate," I cried. "'I fear the Greekseven when bearing gifts.'"

  He turned and looked at me again very thoughtfully. Then nodding hishead he answered with slow emphasis; "It is possible to learn themeaning of it--even in Pesth."

  "You think this is a Greek gift?"

  "I think--we may still finish our game of chess, Christabel;" and hecame over to the board and examined the position of the men.