Sydney C. Grier

“ Life would have kept us apart; but there is nothing between us now. We stand here as man and woman—not Queen and servant any longer. And yet you are my Queen—and I am your servant—always—but now it cannot separate us. We have left our lives behind us. Tell me that you love me—just the one word.”
The overmastering passion with which he spoke stirred Ernestine, and she shook back her hair and looked at him with shining eyes. “My love!” she said, and hid her face again. “Death will be easier than life would have been,” she murmured.
“Oh, my God!” burst from Cyril. “Death now!” ”

“ That he—he, Cyril Mortimer, of all men—should have fallen in love, and that with a lady who had not merely done her utmost to testify her dislike to him, but who could, and doubtless would, ruin his career with a ruthless hand if she should gain the slightest inkling of the state of his feelings, was too utterly absurd. It must be that he possessed a double personality, and one self loved the Queen, while the other not only perceived how fatal to all his chances in life such an attachment would be, but actually disliked, despised, and disapproved of Ernestine and all her doings. ”

“ The Queen of Thracia a coward!” came in Cyril’s most sarcastic tones. “Look at Fräulein von Staubach, how bravely she keeps up. Will you be outdone by your dame d’honneur?”
“How dare you!” she cried angrily, but accepting his proffered help. “And you call yourself a gentleman!”
“Is it forbidden to a gentleman to interfere when he sees a woman trying to commit suicide?” he asked coolly. “If I can make her angry with me, and get her to argue, it will help us on,” he thought.
“You are unkind—cruel!” panted the Queen. “You won’t let me rest, although I can’t walk a step without agony. ”

“ Fräulein von Staubach, with the little King in her arms, found a welcome among the women of the first party, Paschics slouched with the gait of the professional vagrant into the ranks of the men of another, and Cyril and the Queen, rising slowly and painfully, as though scarcely able to walk any farther, found a place in the last. Cyril knew the temper of the Thracians too well to expect to be greeted with curiosity or even interest. ”

“ Then I will marry you next week, and we will leave Thracia—leave Michael to be happy. If you will give up office for me, I will give him up for you—if I can do it knowing that all is well with him. We love each other; we will live somewhere quietly, and forget politics. Am I not enough for you?”
“Good heavens, Ernestine, you would drive a man mad! Well, if you must have an answer, you are not enough, if Thracia has to be left to the Princess and to Scythia, and all my work undone.”
“Cyril, I have obeyed you, yielded to you, given up so much for you already. ”

“ Her chestnut hair hung in long braids from under a velvet cap studded with gold coins, and Cyril perceived to his surprise that it was possible, at any rate occasionally, for the woman with whom he had fallen in love to look astonishingly beautiful. As for Prince Mirkovics, he could only gasp with bewilderment, and seemed inclined to rub his eyes, either at the sight of the Queen in Thracian costume or of his own daughter in attendance on her. ”

“ With another assurance of his full intention of furthering her wishes, Cyril took his departure, laughing silently at the effective tableau which had crowned so opportunely the Queen’s argument.
“Either she is a different creature since Otto Georg’s death,” he said to himself, “or she is the finest actress I know. She used to be simply a jealous wife; at her husband’s death-bed she was a heroine of tragedy; and now she is nothing but a scheming little woman, who hasn’t art enough to conceal the fact that she is a schemer. What a creature of moods she must be! ”

“ She might overlook the past, but she was not likely to forget it.
“You have removed my chief anxiety, Mortimer,” said the dying King, grasping Cyril’s hand feebly. “I know now that you will watch over my boy and advise his mother, and that so far as it is in your power, you will be his friend as you have been mine.”
“I will,” said Cyril.
“I will thank you with my dying breath,” said the King, with fresh vigour. “You have outdone to-day all your previous kindness to me. Faithful friend that you have been, I can never reward you—all that I can do is to load you with fresh burdens. ”

“ This morning I received a note asking me to come to the Palace, as the Queen was anxious to see me. I went, and was received with some coldness by an elderly lady, who appeared to regard me with suspicion”—Cyril smiled as he imagined the reception which Baroness von Hilfenstein would accord to one whom she had been heard to call a Scythian fanatic—“but the Queen was most gracious—indeed, when I was alone with her she unburdened her heart to me. She loves you very deeply, Lord Cyril. Are you fully awake to the strength of her love?” ”

“ An involuntary smile crossed Cyril’s face when he found himself at the head of the board, with the Queen and her boy on either side of him, while at the lower end of the table, and on the same bench as the Queen, were Paschics and Fräulein von Staubach.
“What are you laughing at, Arthur?” asked the Queen.
“I was wondering what Baroness von Hilfenstein would say if she saw us now,” he replied.
“Oh, let us forget the Baroness for a little!” she said impatiently. “This is a picnic in a different world. We are quite another set of people, and it doesn’t signify to her what we do.” ”

“ It is not for Queen Ernestine’s sake that I ask you to pause here; it is for your own. This trial is bitter enough for her at the moment, but I think she will develop into a nobler woman under it. But your character must deteriorate under the influence of ambition—nay, it has deteriorated already. You would once—even when I first met you, I think—have shrunk from building your career on the foundation of twelve years of splendid misery for the woman who loved you. You may yet find yourself bartering for the chance of power your love for her itself. ”

“ Cyril trembled lest the old man should fling the child into the torrent; but as Fräulein von Staubach translated the Queen’s words, Giorgei’s face relaxed, and he turned from the window with something like delight.
“You and your child and your servants are safe with me, lady,” he said, “for trust begets loyal service. Without your trust I could not save you, for our only way of escape, if your enemies track you here, is a terrible one, which will demand the most complete confidence in me from all of you. ”

“ As the door was opened they had a glimpse into the room, and M. Drakovics turned to Cyril behind the chamberlain’s back with a glance that expressed unutterable things. The day was a cool one in early autumn, and a small fire was burning in the English grate, before which the Queen was sitting on the hearthrug, playing with the little King, while her mother looked on benignantly.
“At any rate,” observed Cyril in a low voice, for the comfort of his chief, “we serve a sovereign whom age can never wither, nor custom stale her infinite variety. ”

“ Will you do this?”
“No, madame, I will not swear. If you cannot accept the word of a man who has endangered his life in order to serve you, you must drag him down to destruction with yourself.”
She looked up in alarm, and caught sight of the repressed fury in his face. She gave a little gasp, and her eyes fell before his.
“Forgive me, Count. I do trust you. I will obey.”
Cyril’s heart leapt within him, but he betrayed no sign of exultation over his victory. His tones were sternly business-like as he said—
“Then, madame, I must beg of you to disguise yourself as an Englishwoman. ”

“ Not that it would be so long, and besides—— Oh, I know I disobeyed you, Cyril; but I was really frightened when I heard what Dr Danilovics said. I made Baroness von Hilfenstein go and question M. Paschics, and happily he was able to assure her that he thought the doctor was taking too gloomy a view of your case. That satisfied me, for I knew he could not say more, as she is not in our secret. But if it had been true what they said, nothing should have kept me from you. I would have come and nursed you; I would have refused to let you die. The world might know the truth, and welcome! ”

“ The plea did not sound as irresistible to Ernestine as it had done to her cousin, but she betrayed no impatience. “I don’t want to appear to cast a doubt on the sincerity of your love, dear boy,” she said, without showing any resentment at his tone, “but you know that it is not with kings as with ordinary men—there are so many things to think of. If you marry Lida, it will mean that some important changes have to be made, and perhaps some sacrifices. I don’t grudge making sacrifices for my boy—I think you know that, Michael?” ”

“ On the whole, Tant’ Amalie, I think it will be well if you leave the matter in my hands for the present.”
“You will allow Ernestine to talk you over,” said Princess Amalie suspiciously.
“You think that the honour of our order is not safe in my hands, I see. Well, if I promise to associate Sigismund of Hercynia with myself in the consideration of the matter, will that satisfy you?”
“My dear cousin, I would not presume to doubt you, but I am not unaware,” and Princess Amalie looked extremely knowing, “what an effect the sight of a pretty woman in tears produces on the firmness of most men. ”

“ You will take the responsibility of forming a Cabinet, I suppose, Prince?”
“I?” cried Prince Mirkovics, much perturbed. “I have never thought of such a thing, Count. I am not a statesman. I can only govern my district and vote with my leader. How should I face the diplomacy of Europe, to say nothing of the opposition of Drakovics at home? You are our leader. When we asked you to head our revolt, did you think that we intended to rob you of the honour of victory? We are all prepared to serve under you.” ”

“ Cyril glanced up, and saw distinctly a dark moving mass, showing clearly against the snow, coming over the crest of the pass. It could only be a crowd of men, and it was in the highest degree unlikely that such a body should be crossing the mountains with any object in view but that of pursuit, but the terror-stricken faces of the two women warned him to be cheerful.
“We shall be obliged to turn aside and interview old Giorgei, I see,” he said; “but there is no need to be frightened. These people may not be after us, and even if they are, it is quite possible we have not been seen. ”

“ You don’t—you can’t mean me to understand that you have only made—made use of me as a step to your own advancement—that you have never cared for me at all?”
“That is enough, Ernestine,” said Cyril bitterly, rising from his seat. “It is indeed generous and noble in you to taunt me with the difference in our positions. I thought that you believed me disinterested, if no more; but I see that I was mistaken. I will make no attempt to defend myself—how can I? It is quite true that at your entreaty I broke with Drakovics, and resigned office. ”

“ Oh, Count, have pity upon her! We can do nothing to comfort her, although our hearts are broken by the sight of her sufferings. She sits in the same place from morning till night, and neither weeps nor speaks. The Princess and the King have rallied her, upbraided her, threatened to give out that she has become insane, but nothing could rouse her until Baroness von Hilfenstein happened to hear that you had been released and were about to leave Thracia, and then she determined to make a last effort to communicate with you. You cannot refuse this one small favour. ”

“ Have women no idea of political morality, of duty to the country? Can you in cold blood imagine that I am likely to hand over Thracia, bound, to Scythia, after all I have done to strengthen her independence and give her a voice among the Powers?”
“But she says you have no choice,” faltered Ernestine.
“Who says?—the Princess of Dardania? That was the secret of your anxiety for me in your suggested compromise, was it? What is the dilemma into which she hopes to force me?” ”

“ Do you want to be like your Aunt Amalie?’ She knew that I had always a dread of Aunt Amalie, and that to become a canoness was the last thing I desired; and she went on, ‘I know perfectly well that the very idea of making a choice is an absurdity. Who could hesitate between the life of a canoness and that of a Queen? Your father might have just as well presented his Majesty to you without any fuss as your future husband, but they do things differently nowadays. ”

“ Look here, Cyril, I want you to chuck this Thracian job, and settle down at home, or go abroad in the Diplomatic Service, if you prefer it. I can’t bear your being mixed up with all this shady political business, and Nadia fully agrees with me. It’s not easy to put by much in these bad times, but we have never quite lived up to our income, and I can let you have ten or fifteen thousand pounds to start on to-morrow, if you’ll only become an Englishman again instead of a hybrid cosmopolitan. ”

“ Cyril gazed at her animated face and sparkling eyes in wonder, marvelling at the audacity and naïveté of the scheme. For a moment his heart warmed towards her; then he saw himself the butt of the world’s caricaturists, from San Francisco to Yokohama, and it hardened again. “My dear child,” he said, “we are not living in the Middle Ages. Drakovics would like nothing better than for us to carry out your plan. ”

“ I forget exactly what I said—I speak as it is given me to speak at the moment—but I noticed after a time that the young widow appeared very much affected, until, when I happened to say that ‘No love can look for happiness which is deliberately founded upon the misery of another human being,’ I saw that she was weeping bitterly under her veil. Before the end of the meeting her companion induced her to withdraw, and when the other people were gone, Lady Stratford came up to me. ‘Did you know that the ladies in black were the Queen and one of her maids of honour?’ she said. ”

“ I love her—as I have never loved any woman before. If she was not Queen—if she was a peasant-girl—I would marry her to-day, and look forward hopefully to living happy ever after. There would be some chance of it, too,” he added meditatively, “for you would never find her in the same mood two minutes together. One would have too much variety ever to be bored.”
“Please don’t talk like that,” the Princess looked pained. “The fact is, Lord Cyril, your love is willing to give, but not to receive. ”

“ There was a sudden movement of the footman’s arm, but Cyril was too quick for him. The right hand which had been hidden in the drawer came up suddenly, holding a revolver. “Throw up your hands this moment, and stand where you are, or you are a dead man!” were the words which smote upon the ear of the astonished Sergeivics, as he found himself covered by the weapon.
“You will not murder me, Excellency?” he faltered.
“Not on any account; but I shall have no compunction in killing you in self-defence. ”

“ Give up everything when his hand was even now grasping the prize, leave the field again to Drakovics when the day was his own at last, and for the sake of a woman? No, a thousand times no; although she was the woman he loved, and who loved him. After all, one must risk one’s queen in the game as well as one’s pawns. ”

“ I should be miserable if I thought you would be kept here always, Egerton.”
“Do you know that you are a very heartless person, Lady Stratford, and that to gratify your ambition you would like to send your husband into danger? But I shall have the consolation of insisting upon your accompanying me.”
“As if I would ever let you go alone! But that reminds me, Egerton, that it will be much better if I come with you to-morrow when you are smuggling Count Mortimer out of the city. It would look far more natural, for you scarcely ever use the large carriage without me.” ”