by Louis Tracy
CHAPTER XII
THE STORM BREAKS
The King reached his temporary residence hot and tired after anexhausting day. It chanced that at a meeting of the Ministry, which heattended late in the afternoon, the question of Beliani's appointment asMinister of Finance came up for settlement. It was not determinedwithout some bickering, and an undercurrent of dislike if not ofpositive hatred of the man quickly made itself apparent.
The Serb and the Greek differ in most essentials. The one is by habitand training a good soldier, a proverbial idler, an easygoing optimistendowed with genial temper and a happy-go-lucky nature, capable indeedof extremes, yet mostly inclined to the tolerant indifference thatleaves things as they are; the other, whose martial qualities havevanished in the melting pot of time, has developed the defensive traitsthat come to the aid of all races who can no longer maintain their causein the tented field. The Greek is the usurer of the East. He wins hisway by using his subtle wits, and the less adroit people on whom hepreys soon learn to regard him with distrust that often culminates inpersonal violence in those half-civilized communities where law andorder are not maintained with a heavy hand.
The Kosnovian Ministry, of course, consisted of men of a much highertype than the rude peasantry that made up the bulk of the nation. But atheart they were anti-Greek, and some among them retained lively memoriesof Beliani's methods when he was in power a decade earlier. No onedisputed his ability, yet none, save the King, had a good word for him.It was recognized, however, that under the new dominion hisopportunities for peculation at the expense of the public would be fewand far between.
Alexis III. had already made his influence felt in each department ofState. He was ready to listen to every man's grievances, and to adjustthem if possible; he held the scales evenly between the bureaucracy andthe people. The official element knew full well that it had nothing tofear from the King's anger if a disputed action could be justified,while those traders and others who had occasion to deal with any of thegreat departments were beginning to understand that they need not dreadthe vengeance of an executive against whose exactions they had cause tocomplain.
After some discussion, therefore, a guarded sanction was given toBeliani's appointment. It was probable that each man in the Council hadalready been approached in the Greek's behalf, and that the protestsuttered were rather by way of safety valves in view of possiblecriticism in the future than intended to exclude this dreaded candidatefrom office.
The matter might have ended there for the moment had not the Presidentof the Assembly given a somewhat maladroit twist to the discussion whenthe King mentioned Beliani's efforts with regard to an Austrian loan.
"That, at least, we should oppose most bitterly," said Nesimir. "We ofthe Balkans should never accept favors from the hand of Austria. Ourtrue ally is Russia, and any outside aid received by Kosnovia shouldcome from Russia alone."
Alec had learned the value of patience with mediocrities such as SergiusNesimir. He never argued with them. He contented himself with pointingout the facts, and left the rest to time; for he had soon discoveredthat the weak man talks himself into agreement with the strong one.
"I would remind you that in this matter we are merely entering into anordinary business arrangement," he said. "I have heard of no concessionsattached to the loan. We are merely going into the money market like anyother borrower, and will undertake to pay such reasonable interest asthe lenders deem compatible with the security we offer."
"I think your Majesty will find that Austria will impose her own terms,"persisted the President.
"Why do you harp on Austria in this connection?" asked the King."Monsieur Beliani spoke of Viennese bankers. They are not Austria. Thisloan is not so much a matter of State as of sound finance."
"I hope your Majesty is right in that assumption," was the stubbornanswer; "but I have reason to believe that, under certain contingencies,not only would Russia assist us in this respect, but she would at oncetake steps toward recognizing your Majesty's accession to the throne."
"Contingencies!" cried Alec, forced for the nonce to maintain thediscussion. "What are they? What is the difference between yoursuspected Austrian terms and your Russian contingencies?"
"In the first place, your Majesty, Russia is anxious to consolidate thegood feeling that exists among the Slav nations by following a settledpolicy in the matter of railway communication. Your Majesty's ownprojects favor the Russian proposals, whereas Austria will surelystipulate that any money of hers expended on railways shall be devotedto her rival plans. In the second----"
The President paused and looked round among his colleagues as though toseek their encouragement. He knew he was about to utter words of daringsignificance, and his nerve failed. An appreciative murmur ran throughthe room. It seemed to give the stout President a degree of confidence.
"Well?" said the King, who noted the glance and the hum of approval, andwondered what lay behind it all.
"The really vital question before us to-day is your Majesty'smarriage," exclaimed the other, paling somewhat, now that the fatefultopic was broached.
"I agree with you," said Alec, smiling. "Its importance to myself isself evident; but I fail utterly to see how the appearance of a Queen inDelgratz will affect our political relations with our neighbors. I donot propose to borrow money from Austria to pay for my wife's weddingpresents."
Nesimir was long in answering. He seemed to be waiting for some othermember of the Council to take part in the discussion; but each man satsilent and embarrassed, and it was incumbent on their leader to declarehimself anew.
"It is far from my thoughts to wish to give any offense to your Majesty;but I am constrained to tell you," he said, "that there is a growingsentiment among all classes of your subjects that when you look for aconsort you should seek her among our kith and kin."
"Am I to understand, then, that the lady whom I am about to marry hasnot found favor among you?"
Alec spoke quietly; but there was a ring of steel in his voice thatmight have warned a bolder man than the President. His stern glancetraveled round the Council table; but he saw only downcast and somberfaces. One thing was abundantly clear,--this attack on Joan waspremeditated. He wondered who had contrived it.
"It is not that the lady does not command our favor," declared thespokesman, very pale now and drumming nervously with his fingers on theedge of a blotting pad. "Those of us who have met her are charmed withher manners and appearance, and our only regret is that Providence didnot ordain that her birthplace should be on the right side of theDanube."
"Oddly enough, I was born in New York," interrupted Alec, with a touchof sarcasm that was not lost on his hearers.
"Your Majesty was born a Delgrado," said the President, "and if MissJoan Vernon could claim even the remotest family connection with one ofthe leading houses of Kosnovia, Montenegro, or even Bulgaria, every manhere would hail your Majesty's choice in a chorus of approval."
"Since when has the supposed drawback of my intended wife's nationalitycome into such prominence?" demanded the King sharply.
"Since it became known that your Majesty meant to marry a lady whoseavowed object in coming to Delgratz was to follow her occupation as anartist."
Stampoff's harsh accents broke in roughly on a discussion which hadhitherto been marked by polite deference on the part of its originator.
"What! are you too against me, General?" cried Alec, wheeling round andmeeting the fierce eyes of the old patriot who sat glaring at him acrossthe Council table.
"Yes, in that matter," was the uncompromising answer. "We feel that ourKing must be one of ourselves, and he can never be that if his wifediffers from us in race, in language, in religion, in everything thatknits a ruler to his subjects."
Alec arose with a good natured laugh. "Monsieur Nesimir spoke ofcontingencies," he said, "and the word seems to imply that counterproposals to those of Monsieur Beliani have already been put forward.Has the Russian Ambassador been conducting negotiations with
myMinisters without my knowledge--behind my back, as it were?"
"There is no taint of Muscovite intrigue about my attitude!" exclaimedStampoff with a vehemence that showed how deeply he was moved. "I havegiven the best years of my life to my country, and I am too old now tobe forced to act against my principles. Every man in this room is aSlav, and we Slavs must pull together or we are lost. I, at any rate, amnot afraid to register an emphatic protest against my King's marriagewith a lady, no matter how estimable personally, whose presence inDelgratz as our Queen would be a national calamity. If I speak strongly,it is because I feel so strongly in this matter. The rulers of Statessuch as ours cannot afford to be swayed by sentiment. When your Majestyweds, you ought to choose your wife among the Princesses of Montenegro.Had I the slightest inkling of any other design on your part, I shouldhave stipulated this before we left Paris."
"Ah," said Alec thoughtfully, "it is too late now, General, to talk ofstipulations that were not made. And, indeed, one might reasonably askwho empowered you to make them?"
"God's bones! who should speak for Kosnovia if not I?"
"Your patriotism has never been questioned, General," said Alec with afriendly smile; but Stampoff was not to be placated, being of the fierytype of reformer who refuses to listen to any opinion that runs counterto his own.
He too rose and faced the Council. "What has palsied your tongues?" hecried. "You were all ready enough to declare your convictions before theKing arrived. He is here now. Tell him, then, do you approve of hisproposed marriage--yes or no!"
Heads were shaken. A few cried "No." Alec saw clearly that he could notcount on the support of one among those present. He did not shirk theissue. He determined that it should be dealt with at once if possible.If not, he had already decided on his own line of action.
"I am sorry that in such a matter, affecting, as it does, the whole ofmy future life," he said, "I should be so completely at variance withwhat is evidently the common view of my trusted friends in this Council;but I cannot forget that, for good or ill, I am King of Kosnovia, whileyou may rest assured, gentlemen, that no consideration you can urge willprevent me from marrying the lady of my choice. Of course, it isconceivable that my kingship and my marriage may clash. In that event Ishall take the consequences of my action; I must even justify myself tothe Assembly, if need be. It is well that the President should have mademe acquainted with the views you all hold with such apparent unanimity.It is also well that you should be aware of my decision. Very often,when men think they have reached absolute disagreement, a way opensitself unexpectedly whereby the difficulties vanish. In this instance,certainly, it is hard to see how any solution of our dispute can beattained that shall satisfy both you and me.
"I shall marry Miss Vernon, probably within a fortnight. I shall marryher, gentlemen, even though it costs me my throne; but I would remindyou that we in this room are not Kosnovia. Let us keep our heads andguard our tempers. If an appeal is to be made to the nation, let it beby votes rather than by swords. I have never deviated from my fixedprinciple that I would sooner pass the remainder of my life poor andunknown than obtain an hour's extension of my rule by spilling the bloodof an unoffending people. But I ask from you the same concession that Iam willing to make myself. Until deposed, I retain the privilege of aKing. Is this matter to be regarded as a test of ministerial confidence?Do all you gentlemen resign your portfolios?"
The President, agitated and stuttering, sprang to his feet. "For mypart," he declared, "I expressed my views in an informal manner."
"Yes, yes," agreed several voices. The turn given to the discussion byAlec was quite unforeseen and far from their liking.
"It has ever been your Majesty's wish that we should state our opinionsfully and freely," continued the agitated Nesimir. "I, for one, was onlyanxious to make known to you the sentiments that obtain currency in myown circle. I may be wrong. Delgratz is not Kosnovia----"
"Rubbish!" shouted Stampoff, hammering the table with a clenched fist."That which has been said here to-day will be heard openly in thestreets of the capital to-night. To-morrow it will be preached far andwide throughout the confines of the country by every man who has itswelfare at heart. This marriage must not take place, I say! I came herefrom exile with the King and was prepared to give my life to establishhim on the throne. I am prepared now to offer the same poor sacrifice ifit will save my beloved land from a catastrophe--and this proposedmesalliance is nothing less!"
A curious thrill convulsed the Council. Every Serb there was stirred bythe General's bold avowal; but Alec stilled the rising storm by a calmannouncement:
"I suggest that we defer this discussion till to-morrow morning," hesaid. "It has found me unprepared, and, if I am not very much mistaken,many of the gentlemen here did not anticipate that the question would beraised to-day in its present acute form."
It was evident that the majority of ministers favored the adoption ofthe King's proposal; but Stampoff scowled at them angrily and drownedtheir timorous agreement by his resentful cry:
"God's bones! Why wait till to-morrow?"
Then, indeed, Alec was stung beyond endurance. "Perhaps, in thecircumstances, General," he said, "it would be advisable that you shouldabsent yourself from to-morrow's Council."
"Not while I am Minister for War!" came the fiery response.
"That is for you to decide," said the King.
"Then I decide now! I resign!"
"Excellent! By that means you salve your conscience; whereas I hopestill to retain the friendship of Kosnovia's most faithful son byrefusing to accept your resignation."
A shout of applause drowned Stampoff's vehement protest, and Alec seizedthe opportunity to hurry from the Council chamber. He did not try toconceal from himself the serious nature of this unexpected crisis,though he was far from acknowledging that the people at large attachedsuch significance to his wife's nationality as Stampoff and the othersprofessed to believe. Puzzle his wits as he might, and did, he failedutterly to account for Stampoff's uncompromising tone. The old Serb andhe were the best of friends. He had taken no single step without firstconsulting the man who had been his political tutor since his boyhood.Even when he ran counter to Stampoff's advice, he had always listened toit eagerly, and he invariably took the utmost pains to show why he hadadopted another course.
Till that day there had never been the shadow of a breach between them.How, then, was the War Minister's irreconcilable attitude to beexplained? Was Cousin Julius pulling the strings in some unrecognizedmanner? Was Beliani a party to the scheme? These questions must beanswered, and speedily. Meanwhile, by hook or by crook, he must keep allknowledge of the dispute from Joan's ears until after the wedding.
In the palace courtyard a man standing near the gates tried to pass thesentries when the King arrived. He was instantly collared. Undersized,poorly clad, and poverty stricken in appearance, he was hustledunmercifully by a stalwart Albanian policeman until Alec's attention wasdrawn to the scuffle.
A white despairing face became visible for a moment, and a choking voicecried, "Save me, your Majesty! I am John Sobieski!"
"Sobieski!" thought Alec, ordering his carriage to stop and alightingquickly. "That is the Polish hotel waiter of whom Felix spoke to me somefew days ago. He said the man had done his best to bring assistance; buthis efforts were frustrated by some stupid blunder here, and he thoughtsomething ought to be done for him. I promised to attend to it; but thething slipped my mind."
By this time he had reached the policeman, who, assisted by a soldier,was dragging the protesting waiter to the guardroom.
"Release that man!" he said.
The man saluted, and the trembling Sobieski fell on his knees on thepavement.
"Oh, get up," said the King, who felt a special aversion to such adisplay of abasement. "Recover your wits, man, and tell me what youwant!"
"I ask protection, your Majesty," murmured the desperate Sobieski. "Mylife is in danger. I came here to see Monsieur Poluski; but they told mehe was
not at home. I have been turned out of my situation; so I havenowhere to go. If I am found wandering in the streets to-night, I shallbe killed."
"At any rate, you seem to be thoroughly frightened," cried Alec with areassuring smile. "Take charge of him," he said to the pandur, "and havehim sent to my bureau in five minutes!"
The bureau in question was that apartment on the first floor overlookingthe courtyard, in which Alec had preferred his claim to the throne ofKosnovia to the perplexed President of the embryo Republic. It wasthere, too, that Felix Poluski had spoken those plain words to PrinceMichael Delgrado, and its situation was so convenient for the King'sdaily comings and goings that he had utilized it temporarily as anoffice and private audience chamber.
At the top of the stairs he happened to catch sight of Pauline, Joan'sstaid looking maid. Though he obtained only a casual glimpse of her, hefancied that she was distressed about something, and it occurred to himafter he was in the room and the door was closed that perhaps she wishedto give him a message. Bosko, the taciturn Albanian whom he had nowdefinitely appointed as his confidential attendant, was standing nearthe table with a bundle of documents that demanded the King's signature.
Realizing that the Frenchwoman would meet Bosko in a minute or two whenhe went out with the signed papers, and could then make known her wishto speak to the King if such was her intention, Alec bent over the tableand began to peruse several departmental decrees hurriedly. He made it arule never to append his name to any State paper without mastering itscontents, and one of the palace guards brought in Sobieski before Alechad concluded his self imposed task. As it happened, the various itemswere mere formalities, and when he wrote "Alexis R." for the last time,Bosko and the soldier left the room, and the frightened little Polefound himself alone with the King.
"Now," said Alec kindly, "tell me what you want and why you are soafraid?"
Sobieski at once plunged into a rambling statement. He spoke theKosnovian language with the fluent inaccuracy of his class; but Alec'salert ears had no difficulty in following his meaning. His story wasthat several customers of the cafe had denounced him to the proprietoras a spy in the King's service, while some of them went so far as tocharge him with responsibility for the deaths of those thirty-oneheroes of the Seventh Regiment whose bodies had been found on the stairsand first floor landing of the hotel. His master had no option but todischarge him, and Sobieski felt that he had good reason to fear thathis life was in danger. Alec pooh-poohed the notion; but the timidlittle waiter was so woebegone that the King pitied him.
"Tell me exactly what you did on the day of the revolt," he said. "Youcame here, I understand. How was it that no one listened to you?"
"Oh, they did, your Majesty," protested Sobieski. "Your Majesty's ownfather brought me into the hall and kept me there nearly five minutes.He did not believe a word I said, and was very angry with me forbringing such an alarming story to the palace. At last, by good fortune,Monsieur Nesimir appeared; but even then I should have been taken awayin custody if Monsieur Poluski had not caused me to be released."
Despite its sinister significance, Alec could not choose but credit thisamazing statement. He wondered why Felix had not told him the facts indetail afterward; but he knew that the hunchback's mind worked instrange grooves, and it was probable that his silence was dictated bysome powerful motive. In any event, the incident was an unpleasantreminder of certain nebulous doubts that he had striven to crush, and itwas better that this scared rabbit of a man should not remain inDelgratz and become the victim of some vendetta which might bring thewhole odd story into prominence.
"You want to leave the city, I take it?" said he after a thoughtfulpause, in which he took a slow turn up and down the room.
"I dare not remain here any longer, your Majesty. I came to-night to askMonsieur Poluski to be good enough to give me money to take me toWarsaw."
"I think," said Alec, smiling, "he promised you, in my name, thewherewithal to buy a cafe."
"I fear I did not earn my reward, your Majesty," stuttered the other.
"Are cafes dear in Warsaw?" said the King, unlocking a drawer andproducing roubles to the equivalent of five hundred dollars. "Here, thissum should give you a fresh start in life. All I ask in return is thatyou shall keep a still tongue about your recent share in local events."
Poor Sobieski's gratitude grew incoherent, especially when the Kinghanded him over to the care of the attendant who had brought him to thebureau, with instructions that he was to be taken to the railway stationand safeguarded there till the departure of the next train that crossedthe frontier.
By that time the dinner hour was long past. Alec was disinclined for aheavy meal; so he went to his private suite, where he changed hisclothes, contenting himself with some sandwiches, which he ate in ahurry and washed down with a glass of red wine.
Coming down stairs about an hour later, he passed the smoking-room. Thedoor was open, and he saw that the men had already ended dinner. He wasabout to enter the music salon, to which his mother and Joan usuallyretired with the President's wife and daughter, when he met Pauline forthe second time, and the Frenchwoman now approached him with the samemarked nervousness in her demeanor that he had noticed when he saw herstanding in the lobby.
"May I have a word with your Majesty in private?" she asked.
He was surprised; but again he believed she was probably bringing amessage from Joan. He threw open the door of his office. "Come in here,"he said. "What is it?"
She held out a letter, and he saw that her hand shook. "Mademoiselleasked me to give you this, your Majesty," she said. "I was to take carethat you were alone when you received it."
"Something important then," he said with a laugh.
Crossing the room to the table on which stood the lamp by whose light hehad scribbled "Alexis R." on the papers intrusted to Bosko, he openedthe envelop, which bore in Joan's handwriting the simple superscription,"Alec," and began to read:
MY DEAR ONE:--When Pauline gives you this, I shall have left you forever. I am going from Delgratz, and I shall never see you again. I cannot marry you--but oh, my dear, my dear, I shall love you all my life! Try and forget me. I am acting for the best. Do not write to Paris or endeavor to find me. If it is God's will, we shall never meet again. I can scarcely see what I am writing for my tears. So good-by, my Alec! Be brave! Forgive me, and, in the years to come, try to forget our few days of happiness together.
Yours ever,
JOAN.
He stood there stricken, almost paralyzed with the suddenness of theblow, wondering dumbly why Joan's hand should have inflicted it. Thefrightened Frenchwoman dared not speak or move. She watched him withthat impersonal fear so readily aroused in one of her class by theterrifying spectacle of a strong man in his agony. At last he movedlistlessly, as though his limbs had just been released from the rack. Heheld the letter under the lamp again and read it a second time, word forword. He seemed to be forcing himself to accept it as truth. This youngKing, so valiant, so resourceful, so prompt in action and judgment,could devise no plan, no means of rescue from the abyss. After aninterval that neither the man nor the woman could measure, he turned hisstrained, staring eyes on the shrinking Pauline.
"Have I ever done you any harm?" he said in the low voice of utmostdespair.
"Me, monsieur?" she gasped. "You harm me? No, indeed, I was only tooproud to think my dear mistress should have won such a husband."
"Then you will answer my questions truly," he went on, his eyesdevouring the woman's homely features as though he would fain seek somecomfort therein.
"Oh yes, indeed, monsieur. Ask me anything. It is not that I have muchto tell. Mademoiselle said, 'Give this letter to the King himself. Letit touch no other hand.' That is all, monsieur. She was weeping when shewrote it. Monsieur Poluski told me what to do to-morrow about my ownjourney. See, here are my tickets."
"Poluski!" said Alec, and the words came dully. "Has he too betra
yedme?"
"He has gone with my mistress," sobbed Pauline. "It is not that theyhave betrayed you, monsieur; for mademoiselle looked like to die, and Ihave never seen any one more disturbed than Monsieur Poluski. He ravedlike a maniac when I asked him for one word of explanation."
"But what does it mean, woman? Do you understand what has happened? Mypromised wife has fled, bidding me not to dream of seeing her again, andwith her has gone one of the few men alive in whom I had confidence.What is that but betrayal?"
"I do not profess to understand the ways of courts, monsieur," saidPauline, gathering a little courage, since the King appealed to her as afellow mortal. "But in your case I do not think I should blameMademoiselle Joan. She did not go because she had ceased to love you,monsieur. Sometimes a woman can love a man so well that she will leavehim if she thinks it is for his good."
A light broke in on the darkness. Was Joan the victim of some deadlyintrigue such as had sullied too often the records of the Kosnovianmonarchy? How strange it was that he should come from that eventfulmeeting of the Cabinet and receive within the hour Joan's patheticmessage of farewell! He stood and thought deeply again for many minutes,striving to conquer his laboring heart and throbbing brain, exertingmanfully all his splendid resources of mind and body. Then he turned tothe trembling Frenchwoman and said with almost uncanny gentleness:
"You have done what your mistress asked, Pauline. Come to me to-morrowbefore you go, and I will reward you for your faithful service. Leave menow; but tell none what has happened. I must have time to think, and itwould help me if no other person in this house but you shares with methe knowledge of mademoiselle's departure."
Pauline went out, glad of her dismissal, yet sobbing with sympathy. Alecbegan to pace the length of the long dimly lighted room. Back and forthhe went, thinking, knitting his brows in fierce effort to subdue hisstunned faculties. By degrees the sad significance of Joan's words andactions during their visit that morning to the New Konak began toestablish itself. He saw now that she was bidding farewell to her dreamof happiness, deliberately torturing herself with a burden of memories.Even their parting kiss must have given her a twinge of direst agony;for the one thing he would never believe of Joan was that she hadsacrificed him to some feminine whim, made him the sport of a woman'scaprice.
She had been driven from him! By whom? He must discover that, and hegloated with almost insensate rage at the thought of strangling with hishands the wretch who had done this callous deed. Physical passionmastered him again, and it was not until he realized the folly of merelydreaming of vengeance that he forced himself anew into a semblance ofcalm. He knew that a man blinded with rage could not deal sanely withthis problem of love and statecraft. At first he thought of questioningindividually each person who, by the remotest chance, might beresponsible for Joan's flight. But not only did his impatient heartspurn that slower method of inquisition; but he realized that he wasmore likely to discover the truth by gathering instantly in one room allthose persons whose self interest pointed to his undoing. Somehow,Sobieski's disjointed narrative aroused a dreadful suspicion that wasnot to be quelled.
He summoned an attendant. "Ask Prince and Princess Delgrado to comehere," he said. "Send to General Stampoff and tell him that the Kingurgently desires his presence. I believe that Monsieur Beliani and CountJulius Marulitch are in the smoking-room with Monsieur Nesimir. Askthose three gentlemen also to join me."
The attendant saluted and withdrew. Alec examined the door to make surethat the key was in the lock. Hardly conscious of his own purpose, helooked about for a weapon. In the place of honor, above the fireplace,hung the sword given him by his father in the Rue Boissiere. It evokedbitter memories, and he swung on his heel with a curse, going to thewindow and staring out into the night. His brain seethed with strangeimaginings, and his breast was on fire. The sight of that ridiculoussword lying in its sheath of velvet and gold seemed to reveal thehollowness of life, its mock tragedies, its real agony of tears. All atonce the impulse seized him to look at the bright steel. With a savagelaugh he sprang back across the room and took down the sword. The bladeleaped forth at his clutch, and he kissed it in a frenzy.
"You weep, my Joan," he cried. "I know that you weep; but your tempter'slying heart shall shed drop for drop!"
