*CHAPTER III*
With as little impedimenta as possible, Mr. Neville and I bade au revoirto Paris, little thinking that we had made it our head-quarters for thelast time. Since then I have never stayed more than one night in thatcity, when passing through. I always feel glad that I saw as much of itas I could, for, to my mind, it is eminently a city to induce memories,and I like to look back on the jolly times I have had there.
We went by express to Nerane, the nearest stopping-place to the northernfrontier of Rudarlia, and drove in a cart to Melanov, that now famouslittle town; in those days it was not known at all well. We arrived asnight was falling, and it was too dark to see anything of the countrywhich on the morrow we were to enter. The cart deposited our shakenremains at the only inn the place possessed.
I was glad there was only one, for if there had been another, with thesame failings, Melanov should have ceased to exist, at least that iswhat I should have hoped. We had sent our luggage to Karena by train,and had with us just the necessities of life, in our knapsacks. Ourvisit excited an unreasonable amount of interest, but the innkeeper, afat, oily Greek, was obsequiousness itself, hovering round with a lookof cupidity and craftiness upon his most unprepossessing countenance.
Having removed traces of travel as well as we could, the next thing wasfood. This was rough and plentiful, with accent on the rough; but, inspite of having recently left Paris, we had managed to acquire healthyappetites and ate good dinners.
Having filled our pipes, we made ourselves as comfortable as the chairswould permit and started talking; but just as we began to warm up to oursubject--which I remember dealt with the use of aircraft in war--therewas a bang on the door, and in stalked a soldier.
"Good evening," I said.
"Good evening, messieurs. I must apologise for this intrusion, but asCommandant of this frontier, I always make a point of invitingtravellers to spend an hour or so with me, in order, if I may speakfrankly, to prevent myself becoming too much of a barbarian to associatewith gentlemen. I therefore beg of you to consider my poor quarters asyour own, at least the chairs there are in better repair than those youare sitting on."
"You are very kind," I said. "May I introduce Mr. Neville? My own nameis Stevens."
"And I am Colonel von Quarovitch. Now, since we know each other'snames, will you accompany me to what poor hospitality I can offer?"
We accepted his invitation with more pleasure than he could have anyidea of, for more reasons than one. I think, in my case, it was theknowledge I had already gained of those inhabitants of the inn who didnot pay taxes, and who seemed to like the taste of me.
The Commandant gave us some most excellent coffee. At first, I believe,he took us for spies, or at least emissaries of some foreign power; butafter a while his suspicions seemed to calm down, and soon we weretalking and laughing like good friends.
We informed him of our proposed trip, a thing to him undreamed of; butall Englishmen are mad, that is well understood, so he gave anexpressive shrug of his shoulders, and offered us any assistance in hispower.
He was a fine, rugged-looking man, with great fierce eyebrows and eyes,and I thought to myself that he should be a good soldier. There was,however, an undercurrent of deep resentment in his conversation whenspeaking of his country's affairs.
Looking upon us as passers-by, he no doubt felt safe in laying bare hisgrievances. I do not suppose for one moment that he would have donesuch a thing in the presence of any of his officers, or even civiliansof his own race. He was a grumbling old bear, and told us that he hadbeen in his present grade for eighteen years, and for twelve in thisplace, badly paid.
"His beloved Majesty needs all the money for his prostitutes," hegrowled. "There is no money for clothing or weapons for his army. Heream I, who have been in every fight for thirty years or more, wounded ascore of times, with only a few hundred men to guard a frontier, onstarvation pay; seeing men who have never smelt powder made generals,passed over my head simply because they have influence either throughtheir females or through money. And all the thanks I get for mydevotion to the monarchy is to be told that there are a hundredapplicants for my post if I request anything from head-quarters."
"Then your feelings are not over-kind to your King?" said Mr. Neville.
"King!" he roared. "He is no King of mine, usurper and assassin. Icontinue to serve in his army, because there is no one who can fill myplace here properly, and my country comes before my own feelings still,thank God. And yet," he continued almost wistfully, "I feel assuredthat, if war was declared to-morrow, some captain with influence wouldbuy my place, and I should be retired, as too old. Too old, by God! Iwho know every stick and stone for a hundred miles round, who wascreated Colonel on the battle-field by his late Majesty, God preservehis soul; I, who have studied war since I could read, who can yet marchthe stoutest man off his feet."
"But they couldn't retire you, Colonel?" I said inquiringly.
"Could they not, my young friend? Ah, you don't know to what we havefallen; not the people, they are as true and brave as ever, but thecourtiers, our rulers, rotten, degraded panders to a gross sensualist'svices; bah! they sicken me. Retire me they would without a thought, andI could take my nobility back to my own dilapidated castle, and feed iton the thousand pounds or so I have saved in thirty years' service."
"Is there not a great deal of discontent in the country?"
"Naturally! where do you find men who would not be discontented anddisgusted with underpay and insufficient food? The peasants, too, areground down with taxes, until they starve. One day some man, drivendesperate, will commit the crime of regicide, but perhaps it would notbe a crime in this case."
"Would that improve matters?" asked Mr. Neville.
"That I cannot say. The next heir to the throne is a cousin, withlittle Rudarlian in him; from all accounts he resembles the present manin tastes and habits. Ah! if only I had been in Karena twenty yearsago, with just the troops I have here, history would have been writtendifferently, and Rudarlia would have been another country, unlessMerlin's son had developed badly. As it was, I, with many moreLoyalists, had been sent by a hound of a Minister to the other end ofthe country; when we got back it was all over. The whole of thereigning family, father, mother, and son, had been assassinated; and thepresent man Ivan was King, he had been waiting near the frontier for theword to come."
"Had they no one to defend them?"
"Those who did were shot without scruple. You know the miscreant firedthe royal apartments, burning the bodies of the Queen and the CrownPrince; they were only recognised by the jewellery found on the charredremains."
"What a terrible crime it was!" I said.
Colonel von Quarovitch sprang to his feet.
"Crime!" he cried, shaking his clenched fists above his head. "Crime!God's curse on the authors of it, it has ruined my country."
We stayed only a few minutes after this, finally wishing him good night,and retired.
As we reached the inn, Mr. Neville and I looked at each other.
"Thank God for such men as that," said my companion.
His eyes were misty as he shook my hand, and turned away to his room. Idid likewise, but slept little, I was too excited, I imagine; to-morrowI was to enter Rudarlia, my own country.
My thoughts were extremely upsetting, the conversation we had had withColonel von Quarovitch had made me think a great deal.
Here was an elderly man, devoting his whole life to his country, withouthope of recompense.
His was an example of quiet heroism that set my blood on fire. Icompared his position with mine, I blushed inwardly at the comparison;of course so far I was not to blame, as I was not yet legally my ownmaster, but in a few months from now I should be; what then would mycourse be?
Should I remain in England, with everything a man could wish for, orcome here to Rudarlia, and exert myself to the utmost, in trying tocleanse the country of abuse?
Although I was young, I was not idiotic in my romanticism. I fullyrealised the futility of starting to wage war on a throne without agreat deal of assistance. Could I obtain sufficient following, was Icapable of directing the campaign? I would not use force, it would haveto be far more subtle; the Press must be won over first, and the naturalleaders among the people. Was it possible?
I turned and twisted in my most uncomfortable bed, finding the greatestdifficulty in concentrating my thoughts. There were so many conflictinglines of argument to be considered; dreams, and ambitions, rose-tinted,would confuse them.
I dreamed of a Rudarlia set high above the neighbouring countries ineverything, well governed, possessing a magnificent army, thoroughlytrained and equipped, faithfully paid, fed and clothed, returning for itall a loyal devotion--to whom?
There, my thoughts balked--to the present King Ivan? Impossible. Hisheir, according to Quarovitch, was little better. Who then? God knowsthe misery I experienced in that _cul-de-sac_; I could see no way out,except in the idea of a republic, and the thought of Rudarlia asanything but a kingdom was unthinkable.
The only foreign power to which we could turn in safety for a monarchwas England. No German princeling or Austrian Archduke would serve.Russia? As well ask a fox to take care of a chicken. Fool that I was,here was I, a stranger, imagining that I alone could save the country;there must be hundreds of brave men, far more shrewd than I, withinfluence and wealth, who had no doubt thought and even tried to do thesame thing, yet they had failed. That was my opinion when I reached theblank wall in my mind, yet I could not give in, some power seemed to beurging me to try other ways.
Morning came, and found me still puzzling, still without any loopholethrough which to squeeze to the help of my beloved country.
I say "beloved," for now that I was on the borders, only a few yardsinto Rudarlia, I felt surge over me an almost mad exultation, a thrillof passionate feeling, quite foreign to my nature; I felt that that dayhad marked a change in my life.
Any help that I could give must be a matter of time and the deepestconsideration; I would see what Mr. Neville and my parents said--and Mr.Smith too. I had forgotten him, had, I am ashamed to say, forgotten theoldest of my friends, and one who would doubtless be overjoyed to hearthat I was in Rudarlia.
He would help me, perhaps, in any way that he thought good.
Well, it would wait with many things until my majority.
While dressing I thought of my stepfather; what would he think, as anAmerican, would he advise a republic?
And then his advice flashed across me: "Spend money when you think goodwill come of it."
I had never followed his advice to any large extent, a hundred pounds orso at a time.
"I wonder," I said aloud, "whether this is an opportunity?"
It was a fresh idea, and I dawdled over my toilet, so as to have moretime for consideration.
Could I in any way help Quarovitch and his men: would he acceptfinancial assistance, not for himself but for the troops he commanded?
I must see him, I decided that there and then. It might be that Ishould have to divulge my nationality to him, what did it matter? Hewas an honest and honourable man, on that I would have wagered anything.So now, I could finish my dressing, and go down to my breakfast.
Mr. Neville was already in the room waiting for me; he looked at meintently as I entered.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
"No, very badly, the conversation of last night upset me, I think."
"H'm. Well, do you know it did me too, but for different reasons, nodoubt. Let us have breakfast, and talk." He seated himself and began."We had better stick to English, it's safer," he remarked. "One neverknows who can overhear. First of all, I propose to tell you why you didnot sleep, then, why I was likewise kept awake; if I am wrong tell me.You," he began decapitating an egg, "were engaged in thinking how you,as a Rudarlian, could help your country. You made and unmade manyplans, each one, however, was to your mind impracticable; am I right?"
"Quite right," I said.
"It was this knowledge of your thoughts that kept me awake," continuedmy companion. "I felt convinced that you would have glorious dreams,which would break like glass before reason. I knew that you wouldfinally decide to abandon any active policy at present, meaning toreturn to it in the near future. Now I know something of these things;and the anxiety for your future kept me from slumberland."
"How on earth did you know what I was thinking, are you capable ofthought reading, even when the thinker is absent?"
He laughed.
"I wish I were. No, it is only the result of logic, first, and theknowledge I have of you, secondly. When you put a young man likeyourself before the picture displaying the ruin of his country, it isnatural for him to feel obsessed by the desire to reconstruct thecrumbled edifice. I fancy I could also guess the chief obstacle in yourvarious lines of argument."
"I should not be surprised," I said, laughing.
"Was it not the choice of a ruler?"
"Yes."
"Well, I don't wonder that you were brought to a halt, it has puzzledme, too, a great deal; but we can discuss that on our journey. You havequite decided to go over the mountains?"
"Oh yes, if you are agreeable; it will be much more interesting andexciting."
"Very well, but we shall want a guide."
"The innkeeper will know of one, I'm sure."
"I'll ask him."
Our sleek host, looking more evil by daylight than I had anticipated,knew just the man for us, the perfect guide: a mountaineer, strong,honest, and intelligent, he would send for him at once.
"I wonder," I said, "whether our host is an authority on honesty."
Mr. Neville laughed.
"The same thought struck me; but, as we are armed, I don't think thereis anything to fear."
"Well, he won't be here for some time yet; and I want to ask youropinion on a serious matter."
"Fire ahead, Victor."
I then proceeded to lay bare my plan with regard to Quarovitch; Mr.Neville listened in silence.
"It is rather an extraordinary proposal," he said.
I remember that we were both silent for a considerable time after thatand then he said suddenly:
"I agree with you about Quarovitch; he is, I should say, a mosthonourable man, but would he accept the trust? You would have to tellhim that you were a Rudarlian, even then it remains to be seen whetherhe will consent to receive, from a civilian, the money that should comefrom his government. I cannot say, although personally, in his place Ishould."
"Then," I cried joyfully, "you think I can do it, you advise it?"
"I leave it to you, partner," said Mr. Neville, smiling.
"Oh, bother bridge, I feel that I shall never play again with anypleasure; can't you ever declare?"
"Not on this hand. I should say, however, that you might make it notrumps; you have the three aces--health, wealth, and enthusiasm."
"But the kings are against us, with perhaps the fourth ace."
"And that is?" asked my companion.
"Luck," said I, "but I'll risk it."
"How much do you propose offering him?"
"Five thousand; that should last until I come again."
"Always look ahead," said Mr. Neville, but he would say nothing moreabout the sum I had named.
A few moments after this, the host returned; with him was a man, asplendid looking fellow, with the free bearing and controlled muscles ofa mountaineer.
I spoke to him in Rudarlian, telling him that we wished for a guide overthe mountains; did he know of a way other than the main road? Yes, hedid.
Was it possible to work down by that route into the plains? Yes, itwas. Would he be content with so much? Yes, he would. What would benecessary for the trip? He informed us that we must take food anddrink; if we had luggage, a pony to carry it. That was all as far as hecould suggest.
"What do you think, Mr. Neville?" I asked in English.
"H'm. He looks like a brigand, but then they mostly do to English eyes;I think I should engage him."
I did. He would, he assured us, see about a pony, and all the necessarythings we needed, if we cared; also we must provide ourselves with rugs,for the night.
"Indeed," said I, "why did you not mention that before?"
"I did not know that your Excellencies proposed starting at midday."
This had only been mentioned just before, so that the answer seemedgood; but I could not help feeling a slight anxiety, as the host was soextremely unprepossessing. I almost wished that we had askedQuarovitch.
I gave Piotr, as the man was called, the necessary instructions, biddinghim wait for us with his purchases at the inn; then we walked along tothe low, whitewashed building, used as the barracks.
From Melanov, little could be seen of Rudarlia, though the place washigh up, as the main road twisted round the side of an eminence,blocking the view. There was nothing therefore to look at, as the onestreet was empty save for a stray dog or so.
My thoughts were in a turmoil, as we strolled along. How was I tobroach the subject to the Colonel? Perhaps he would give me an opening.
He was seated at a table by the only window in the room; as we entered,a subaltern saluted and passed out.
"Ah, messieurs, I am glad indeed to see you," said the Colonel, risingfrom his chair, and warmly shaking our hands. "I hope my outburst lastevening did not alarm you, you must forgive an old man, who finds itdifficult to keep his temper sometimes."
"You did not alarm us at all, it was most justifiable."
"In fact," chimed in Mr. Neville, "so much so that it induced my friendhere to come to you this morning, to ask for a half-hour or so of yourtime."
"Delighted, delighted; but I do not see the connection between the two."
"Then," said I, feeling desperately uneasy, "I must explain, if you willgive me permission."
"Please take a chair, and make yourselves as comfortable as thesequarters permit."
He pulled his own chair round as we seated ourselves, and held out a boxof cigarettes to us.
"I cannot offer you cigars like the ones I smoked last night," he saidapologetically.
"Now," he continued when we had lighted them, "an hour, or two hours, asyou will."
"I don't think it will take long, at least I hope not. You willremember saying last night that the present government in Rudarlia leftthe army in an almost necessitous state, almost without clothing andfood?"
"That is so," said Quarovitch, with a perplexed look.
"It struck me," I said, after a moment's hesitation, "that a man likeyourself, with a certain sum of money, might do a great deal toalleviate such conditions among the men under your command."
"So he might, but I thought I made it sufficiently plain that I waswithout private means."
"You did; therefore, I have come to offer them to you, or rather to askyou to accept for your troops a sum of money from me."
He looked from me to Mr. Neville, with an inquiring lift of hiseyebrows.
"No," I said, smiling, "I am not mad, but I am intensely interested ineverything Rudarlian; and, if you could see your way to be banker foryour troops, you would place me enormously in your debt."
"It is impossible, of course," he said quietly. "Rudarlia is in a badway, I admit, but her army cannot be paid by an Englishman or any otherforeigner. I thank you for your offer, but it is impossible."
He rose from his seat as though to terminate our conversation. He wasangered, hurt too, by what he no doubt looked upon as an unwarrantableintrusion on my part; I felt that he looked upon me as one who had takenadvantage of his outburst of the previous evening.
"One moment, Colonel, before you decide," I said. "You feel, no doubt,that my offer is almost, if not quite an impertinence; believe me, Ianticipated that view, I have therefore to confess to misinforming you.I am not an Englishman; although brought up there, I, like yourself, ama Rudarlian. This is my first visit to my country since my babyhood;now you see why your words yesterday had so much effect upon me."
He looked at me a trifle suspiciously.
"Stevens is not a Rudarlian name," he said.
"No," broke in Mr. Neville, "but Stefan is, I believe."
"So! you have astonished me, monsieur. You were taken away as a baby,you say?"
"I think so, I am not quite sure."
"If you will pardon my interrupting, Colonel," said my companion, "butMonsieur Stefan knows little of his birth or childhood. There arereasons, grave reasons, why he should remain in ignorance until hismajority in a few months' time. I, however, give you my word that he isa Rudarlian by birth."
"I did not doubt it, monsieur. I was staggered for the moment at theidea of anyone making such a proposal; even now, that I know him to bemy countryman, I do not see my way to accept his offer."
"May I ask why?" I said despondently. "I had hoped so much to dosomething for our army."
"Think, Monsieur Stefan, how could it be explained that I, a pennilessman, had accepted money to pay my troops? They would say immediatelythat my nest was feathered too, and what reason do you suppose would beaccredited to the gift? Why, to buy their loyalty."
"Who for?" I asked quickly.
Colonel von Quarovitch looked puzzled.
"H'm! That is rather difficult to answer; they would say, most likely,that you were the emissary of Russia, Austria, or Bornia; most probablythe latter, since they are our neighbours."
His argument was certainly sound; and I searched my brains for asolution.
"Don't you ever speculate, Colonel?" I asked.
"Eh?"
"I thought you had invested a certain sum, a little while ago, in somerubber company."
"Eh?" he said again.
Mr. Neville chuckled.
I continued:
"So at least I understood; five hundred pounds, I think it was, theyrose ten points or so, giving you the handsome profit of five thousandpounds."
He still looked at me inquiringly; but suddenly he smiled grimly, andstared for a few minutes out of the window. Then, slowly, he drew apiece of paper and a pen towards him, and looked up.
"What did you say the name of the rubber company was, monsieur?"
I had won. In a boyish impulse I seized his hand and shook itviolently.
"Hurrah! I was so afraid that you would continue in your refusal."
He laughed outright.
"I have never known anyone so anxious to part with money before, and,monsieur, I was desperately anxious that you should think of a way out;it means so much to my men. As it is, I shall become almost toopopular, thanks to you."
For the next hour we discussed ways and means. I was to write home, andinform my stepfather of what I had done; and he was to send a letterwith a draft to Quarovitch, purporting to come from a banker. Thespending of the money, I would have nothing to say about, and told himso.
"You know what the men require, I don't, I leave it therefore entirelyto you. Do as you think best; and mind you keep up your investments,for when I come again, in a little while, God willing, you must have hadanother lucky stroke of business."
"I will keep an account of every penny, to await your return."
"Which will be waste of labour, Colonel, for I shall put it in the fireunread; you have quite enough to do, to spend the money, withoutclerking."
His stern old face twitched, and he said huskily:
"God bless you, until your return, Monsieur Stefan."
Our interview had lasted longer than we had expected; and we had tohurry, to get back to the inn at the time appointed.
We found our guide to be, waiting, with a small shaggy horse, laden withour properties; he saluted as we hurried up.
"I have everything your Excellencies require," he said.
He would have proceeded to tell us how clever he had been in hisbargaining, but we cut him short; and I went into the inn to settle ouraccount. I sent a boy to fi
nd the host and then entered the dining-roomto wait for him. I walked to the window and looked out, deep inthought.
"A deliberate cut," said a voice behind me.
I swung round.
"Carruthers? Well, I'm damned!"
"Judging by this inn, I should say you were; but how goes it, old chap?"
"How in the world did you get here?"
"Boat, train, and horse; but I'm waiting for you to say that you arepleased to see me."
"Pleased? You bet I am; why, there is nothing could have pleased memore; but how did you know where to find us?"
"Your mother gave me your probable route, so I chanced it. I have threemonths' leave, and I'm going to enjoy my little self."
"Good! Now, look here, we are just going to start on a tramp to thecapital: are you game to come now, or shall we postpone it?"
"I'll come right away. I've only a bag, and I'll leave that here to beforwarded."
"It can go on our transport animal--they call it a horse--fetch it whileI settle up; Mr. Neville is outside."
It was the final touch to my happiness to have Carruthers with us; Mr.Neville, too, was delighted. There was such a tremendous lot to telleach other: all the multitude of happenings of the last two years.
The path along which we were travelling was only a bridle track at mostand led us by a zigzag route up the mountain. We had too much to do, inseeing that we put our feet on firm ground, to talk, and as there waslittle beside rock to look at we did not make any great delay. It washard work, though; how the horse managed some parts beats me altogether.Our guide Piotr kept ahead at a steady pace. Just as it was gettingdusk, he stopped.
"This will be a good place to halt, Excellency."
"Very good."
I walked a little farther and turned a corner, Rudarlia lay in front ofme. I was glad that my companions had stayed behind, for my heart wasbeating ridiculously, and there was a mist in front of my eyes. I stoodthere alone, and drank in the beauty of the vast panorama stretchedbefore me, the failing light made for mystery, and full of exultation Istretched out my arms as though to embrace it all, murmuring to myself:
"My country! my country!"
Victor Victorious Page 3
