CHAPTER IV
AN AMAZING PROPOSITION
As I had said, it was no business of mine, and, having divulged mynews, I was in no haste to go about with it like a common gossip. ThatPrince Frederic of Hochburg was Mr. Morland, and that Miss Morland wasPrincess Alix, I was as assured as that I had identified in my patientthe well-known Parisian singer Yvonne Trebizond. But, having made thediscovery, I promised myself some interest in watching the course ofthe rumour. It would spread about the ship like fire and would bewhispered over taffrails, in galleys, and in stokehole. But, to mysurprise, I could observe no signs of this flight of gossip. No onecertainly offered me any communication on the subject, and I observedno curiosity and no surprise. The mess conducted itself withequanimity, and nothing was hinted of princes or of emperors, or ofmysterious secrets. No facts ever hid themselves so cunningly as theseobviously somewhat startling facts, and I wondered at the silence, butstill held my tongue.
Mademoiselle continued to give me trouble during the next day, but thatwas more in the way of unreasonable demands and petulance than throughhysteric exhibitions. She did not repeat her request to be landed,which was now quite impracticable, as we were well out in the Atlantic,but she referred to it.
"Where are we, doctor?" she inquired languidly, and I told her; atwhich she considered. "Well, perhaps it is worth it," she said andsmiled at me confidingly.
Of Mr. Morland I saw little, for he was shut in his cabin a great partof the day, reading or writing, and smoking without cessation. And hewalked regularly on the hurricane deck with his sister. Once Iencountered him in mademoiselle's room, and he nodded.
"She is getting well, doctor; is it not so?" he asked in a pleasantway, and exhibited a tenderness in his words and manner to mademoisellewhich I should not have associated with him.
Of his sister I saw even less, except in the distance, but her, too, Imet in her friend's room. Mademoiselle was talkative that day, thesecond of my attendance on her, and spoke of things with a terrifyingfrankness, sometimes in bad English, but oftener in her own tongue. Sherehearsed her sensations during sea-sickness, criticised Miss Morland,and asked me about Barraclough, whom she had seen passing by her windowonce or twice.
"Sir John," she said, speaking pretty broken English. "Then he isnoble. Oh, comme il est gentil, comme il est beau!" and as quickly fellto cross-questioning me on my parentage and history.
It was in the thick of this that Miss Morland made her entrance. I donot know if it be a confession of weak-mindedness, or even ofsnobbishness (I hope not), but the fact was that since I had discoveredMiss Morland's identity I did not judge her coldness and aloofness sohardly. I am disposed to think it was merely a reasonable attitude onmy part produced by the knowledge of her circumstances, and what I setdown as her trials. She bowed to me, and addressed some words tomademoiselle which, sympathetic in their import, were yet somewhatfrigid in tone. Mademoiselle replied laughing:
"You are very good, my dear, but I am progressing. We are sailing intothe land of romance and will find what we shall find there."
I lingered beyond what was necessary, and thus it happened that MissMorland and I left the cabin together. Outside she spoke: "Is there anylikelihood of a recurrence of the attack?"
"I don't think so," I answered. "But Mlle. Trebizond is a nervoussubject."
It was the look in her eyes that made me suddenly realise myindiscretion. A light flashed in them, almost as if she would havestruck me.
"Mlle. Chateray is almost well enough to dispense with a doctor'sservices," she said with an accent on the name.
"You must allow me to be the judge of that," I replied flushing. Shewas silent.
"Naturally," she said at last, and turned away.
The newspaper had stated that Princess Alix was sympathetic to herbrother's attachment, but was she altogether so? I could not butattribute her coolness and her reticence to some scruple. She walkeddaily with her brother, and it was evident that she was fond of him, orwhy was she here? But how much of personal prejudice and of privateconviction had she sacrificed on that pious altar?
I was sure that if the news of our passengers were bruited about at allI should hear of it from Lane, who was a gossip at heart; and as hesaid nothing I knew that Holgate had been silent--why, I could notconceive, unless Pye had gagged him. But in any case it appeared thatHolgate also could keep his own counsel and hold his tongue. That hecould speak I had yet to realise, as the astonishing narrative I am nowapproaching demonstrates.
It was the evening of our fifth day out, and the long swell of theAtlantic was washing on our port side, so that the _Sea Queen_ heeledover and dipped her snout as she ran. I had misgivings for my latepatient, whom I had not seen for the last thirty-six hours, althoughshe had made an appearance on the hurricane deck in a chair.
Holgate asked me to his cabin with his customary urbanity, saying thathe wanted a few words with me. Once the door was shut he settled downon his bunk and lit a cigar.
"Help yourself, doctor," he said.
I declined and remained standing, for I was anxious to get away. Helooked at me steadily out of his dark eyes.
"Do you know where we're going, doctor?" he asked.
"No," said I, "but I should be glad to."
"I've just discovered," he replied; "Buenos Ayres."
I told him that I was glad to hear it, as we should run into betterweather.
"I couldn't just make up my mind," he went on, "till to-day. But it'spretty plain now, though the old man has not said so. Any fool can seeit with the way we're shaping." He puffed for a moment or two and thenresumed: "I've been thinking over things a bit, and, if your theory iscorrect, Mr. Morland is to marry the lady at Buenos Ayres and probablymake his home there, or, it may be, in some other part of America. Acapital place for losing identity is the States."
I said that it was quite probable.
"But as the yacht's chartered for a year," pursued Holgate evenly, "theodds are that there's to be cruising off and on, may be up the westcoast of America, may be the South Seas, or may be Japan. There's agoodly cruise before us, doctor."
"Well, it will be tolerable for us," I answered.
"Just so," he replied, "only tolerable--not eighteen carat, which seemsa pity."
"Shall we strike for higher wages?" I asked drily.
"I've been thinking over what you said, doctor," said the thirdofficer, taking no heed of this, "and it's gone home pretty deep.Prince Frederic has cut himself adrift from his past--there's nogetting behind that. The Emperor has thrown him up, and there's no oneoutside a penny-a-liner cares two pinches for him or what becomes ofhim. He's done with. The Chancelleries of Europe won't waste their timeon him. He's negligible."
"Well?" said I, for I was not in the mood for a political discussion.
"Well, suppose he never turned up?" said Holgate, and leaned back andstared at me.
"I don't understand," said I. "I don't suppose he will turn up. As yousay, he's done for."
"I mean that the ship might founder," said Holgate, still holding mewith his eye.
I was perplexed, and seeing it, he laughed.
"Let us make no bones about it," he said, laying down his cigar."Here's a discarded prince whom no one wants, sailing for no one knowswhere, with his fortune on board and no one responsible for him. Do youtake me now?"
"I'm hanged if I do," I replied testily, for indeed I had no thought ofwhat the man was driving at. But here it came out with a burst.
"Doctor, all this is in our hands. We can do what we will. We'remasters of the situation."
I opened my mouth and stared at him. The broad swarthy face loomed likea menace in the uncertain light before us. It was dark; it wasinscrutable; a heavy resolution was marked in that thick neck, lowbrow, and salient chin. We eyed each other in silence.
"But this is monstrous," I said with a little laugh. "You have notbrought me here for a silly jest?"
"It's God's truth I haven't, doctor," he replied earnestly. "I
meanwhat I say. See, the prince carries away a million, and if the princedisappears the million belongs to those who can find it. Now, we don'twant any truck with dismounted princes. We're playing for our own hand.I know you take sensible views on these matters. I admit it makes oneblink a bit at first, but stick on to the idea, turn it round, andyou'll get used to it. It spells a good deal to poor devils like youand me."
"You must be mad," I said angrily, "or----" He interrupted me.
"That's not my line. I'm in dead sober earnest. You hold on to thenotion, and you'll come round to it. It's a bit steep at first to theeye. But you hang on to it like a sensible man."
"Good Heavens, man," said I, "are you plotting murder?"
"I never mentioned that," he said in another voice. "There are severalways. It don't do to take more risks than you want. A ship can be castaway, and parties can be separated, and one party can make sure of theboodle. See?"
"I only see that you're an infernal ruffian," I replied hotly.
His countenance did not change. "Hang on to it," he said, and I couldhave laughed in his face at the preposterous suggestion. "You'll warmto it by degrees."
"You are asking me to join in wholesale robbery at the least?" I said,still angrily struggling with my stupor.
"I am," he answered, and he leaned forward. "D'you think I'm enteringon this game wildly? Not I. I mean to carry it out. Do you suppose Ihaven't laid my plans? Why, more than half the men are mine. I saw tothat. It was I got 'em." He placed a large hand on my shoulder and hiseyes gleamed diabolically in his set face. "They'll do my bidding. Icommand here, sir, and damn your Captain Day. I'll take 'em to Hell ifI want to." I shook off his hand roughly.
"I may tell you," I said in as cool a tone as I could assume, "that Iam going straight on deck to the captain to retail this conversation.You have, therefore, probably about ten minutes left you forreflection, which I hope will bring you consolation."
Holgate got up, and without undue haste threw open the large port,through which streamed the clamour of the water.
"I guess I've misunderstood you," said he quietly, "and it isn't oftenI make a mistake." He lifted his lip in a grin, and I could see ahorrid tier of teeth, which seemed to have grown together like concretein one huge fang. "It is in my power, Dr. Phillimore, to blow yourbrains out here and now. The noise of the sea would cover the report,"and he fingered a pistol that now I perceived in his hand. "Outsideyonder is a grave that tells no tales. The dead rise up never from thesea, by thunder! And the port's open. I'm half in the mind----" Hethrew the weapon carelessly upon the bunk and laughed. "Look you,that's how I value you. You are mighty conscientious, doctor, but youhave no value. You're just the ordinary, respectable, out-of-elbowscrock that peoples that island over yonder. You are good neither forgood nor ill. A crew of you wouldn't put a knot on a boat. So that'show I value you. If you won't do my work one way you shall another.I'll have my value out of you some way, if only to pay back myself-respect. You're safe from pistol and shark. Go, and do what youwill. I'll wait for you and lay for you, chummie."
I stood listening to this remarkable tirade, which was offered in avoice by no means angry, but even something contemptuous, and without aword I left him. I went, as I had promised, at once to the captain,whom I found in his cabin with a volume of De Quincey.
"Well, doctor," said he, laying down the book, "anything amiss? Yourface is portentous."
"Yes, sir," I answered. He motioned me to a chair, and waited. "Isuppose you're aware, sir, that you have on board Prince Frederic ofHochburg and his sister," I began.
"Indeed, I'm nothing of the sort," said he sharply. "What on earth isthis nonsense?"
If I had not had such important information to lay before him I mighthave been abashed. As it was, I proceeded.
"Well, sir, it's a fact. Mr. Morland is the prince. I have known itsome days, and would have held my tongue but for imperative necessity.Mr. Pye knows it, and Mr. Holgate."
"This is most astounding," he began, and paced nervously about thecabin.
"I say Mr. Holgate because I come about him," I pursued. "He has justmade the most shameless and barefaced proposal, which amounts to a plotto wreck the ship and make off with the prince's property, which issupposed to amount to a great deal."
Captain Day sat down heavily. "Upon my soul, Dr. Phillimore," he said,"I shall begin to ask myself whether it is you or I who is mad."
"That is exactly the sort of question I asked myself a few minutesago," I replied. "And I've been able to answer it only on thesupposition that your third officer is an amazing scoundrel."
There was the pause of some moments, during which he studied my face,and at last he went to the bell.
"Very well," he said more calmly, "we can settle it one way, Isuppose." And when the steward appeared, "Ask Mr. Holgate to come to meat once."
He sat down again, fidgeted with his book, opened it, endeavoured toread, and glanced at me in a perplexed fashion, as if he distrusted hiseyesight; and so we remained without a word until a knock announcedsome one at the door, and the next moment Holgate, large, placid andrespectful, was in the cabin.
"Mr. Holgate," said Captain Day in his most particular voice, "I havejust heard the most remarkable statement by Dr. Phillimore. Perhaps youwill be good enough to repeat it, Dr. Phillimore," and he glanced askewat me.
I did so bluntly. "This man," I said, "has proposed to me within thelast ten minutes that I should join a plot to cast away the ship andseize the property of--of Mr. Morland."
Day looked at his third officer. "You hear, Mr. Holgate?" he said."What have you to say?"
A broad smile passed over Holgate's fat face. "Yes, sir," he saidcoolly, "it is just as Dr. Phillimore says, but the whole thing was amere spoof."
"I should be glad if you would explain," said Day icily.
"Well, the doctor's not exactly correct," said Holgate, still smiling,and he had the vast impudence to smile at me. "For what I proposed wasto seize the property of Prince Frederic of Hochburg, I think it is."
"Ah!" said Day, letting the exclamation escape softly through his lips,and he cast his nervous glance at me.
"You see, sir, the doctor has got some cock-and-bull tale into hishead," went on Holgate easily, "about Mr. Morland being PrinceFrederic, and the ladies I don't know whom, and so I suggested that,that being so, we should take care of the prince's millions for him,and get a tidy sum all round. I daresay it wasn't a very funny joke;indeed, I thought he would have seen through it all along. But Isuppose he didn't. The doctor's rather serious."
I started up. "Captain Day," said I, "this man lies. The proposal wasserious enough, and he knows it. Mr. Morland is Prince Frederic. Ishould advise you to ask Mr. Pye."
"So be it," said Day, with a gesture of helplessness, and thus Pye wassummoned to the strange conclave. Day took up his book again. "Pray sitdown, Mr. Holgate," he said politely; "this is not the criminal dockyet," which seemed to augur badly for my case.
The little clerk, on entering, fixed his glasses on his nose morefirmly with two fingers and cast an inquisitive look at us.
"Mr. Pye," said the captain, in his impeccable distant voice, "I aminformed that Mr. Morland is not Mr. Morland, but some one else, and Ihave been referred to you. Is this so?"
Pye glanced at me. "Mr. Morland is the name of the gentleman for whommy firm is acting," he said suavely.
"And not any one else?" said Day.
"Not according to my knowledge," said the clerk.
"Not according to his instructions, sir," I burst out indignantly. "Heknows the facts, I'm certain. And if not, I can prove my point readilyenough."
"The point is," said Day drily, "whether Mr. Holgate is guilty of theextraordinary charge you have preferred."
"Well, sir, it is material that I acquainted him with the identity ofMr. Morland in Mr. Pye's presence," I replied hotly, feeling my groundmoving from under me.
Day looked at Pye. "That is true, sir," said the clerk. "Dr. Phillimorestated i
n my presence that he had discovered that Mr. Morland was--Ithink he said Prince Frederic of Hochburg."
Day was silent. "I think this is pretty much a mare's nest," said hepresently, "and I really don't know why I should have been botheredwith it."
I was furious with Pye and his idea (as I conceived it) of legaldiscretion.
"Very well, sir," said I somewhat sullenly, and turned to go, when thedoor of the cabin opened and there entered Sir John Barraclough withhis customary _insouciance_.
"It seems, Sir John," said Day, in his ironic tones, "that not onlyhave I the honour of a distinguished baronet as first officer, but alsoa prince as cargo."
There was, as I had gathered, little love between the captain and hisfirst officer. Barraclough laughed.
"Oh, you've just tumbled to it," he said. "I wonder how. But it wasbound to leak out some time."
I never saw a man more astonished than Day. He leapt to his feet.
"Good God!" he said. "I seem to be the only one who doesn't know what'sgoing on in my ship. Is this part of the jest?"
Barraclough in his turn showed surprise, but it was Holgate spoke.
"Is it true, Sir John? It can't be true," he cried, opening his mouthso that the horrid tooth demonstrated itself.
Barraclough looked at Pye, who was mum. "I suppose this gentleman isresponsible for the news," he said.
"No, sir, I have said nothing," retorted Pye.
"I can't pretend to judge other professions than my own," said thecaptain stormily, "but I'm inclined to think I might have been takeninto the confidence. Think where it places me. Heavens, man, what am Iin my ship?"
"I think the--Mr. Morland perhaps had better answer that question,"suggested Barraclough with a little sneer. Day moved some papers with ahand that trembled.
"That will do then," he said shortly. "Good evening, gentlemen. I've nodesire to detain you any longer."
"But----" said I.
"Silence, Dr. Phillimore. I command this ship," he cried angrily, "orat least I'm supposed to. You can settle your differences with Mr.Holgate elsewhere."
I shrugged my shoulders and left the cabin, a very angry man. In hisvanity the fool had refused to consider my charge. And, yet, when Ilooked at this business more deliberately and from a little distance, Icould not deny that Day had some excuse. Holgate's story was remarkablynatural. The captain would judge of the third officer's incredulity byhis own, and would be therefore willing to accept the story of the"spoof." But then he had not seen Holgate's face, and he had not heardHolgate.
Even I was staggered by the turn things had taken, though infuriated bymy treatment. And it did me no good to see Holgate's face smiling at meas I went down the gangway.
"Oh, doctor, doctor, are you a Scotchman?" he whispered; at which Iwould have turned on him savagely, but held myself in and passed on andwas silent. I have always found the value of caution.
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