Cyril

“ One glance at her troubled face showed Cyril that something serious was in the air; but, in his usual teasing fashion, he talked continuously on indifferent subjects. When they came in sight of the house Philippa stopped short, in agony lest the opportunity should be lost.
“Uncle Cyril, I want to ask you something. Is the Princess a friend of yours? Usk and I always thought she had done something to injure you.”
“So she did, Phil. But is it your creed that once an enemy always an enemy? No? Then you see I too can be virtuous and overlook my enemies’ faults—sometimes.” ”

“ That’s where I fall short, I admit. Cyril is trying his hand at the driving process. He’s young and energetic. We shall see how it answers, and how long he sticks at it.’
‘Cyril is the most earnest young man you’ve ever had as a curate.’
‘I taught him myself, and I know what he’s made of,’ murmured the Vicar.
‘And there’s no denying that he has done good already, Clement. The schools are better attended, and there are more poor people at church on a Sunday evening.’
‘Since you have such a high opinion of Cyril, how is it that you have never thought of him as a husband for Beatrix? ”

“ Unlike some men, Cyril could feel a certain amount of pleasurable interest in his own misfortunes, as well as in those of other people, and his present difficulties would have given him the keenest artistic enjoyment, if it had not been for the danger of Ernestine’s betraying unintentionally the state of affairs. Nothing more could be done for the present, however, and he put aside the perplexities of his love-affair with his official clothes, and prepared to spend a pleasant evening at the British Legation, where he was the life of the party. ”

“ 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. ”

“ I didn't mean to sandwich a sermon to you between my remarks on Cyril, but your disdainful upper lip compelled that testimony. Let us leave you and your virtues alone. Cyril is weak. He's the weak pink type that may fall to women or drink or anything in fact where an opportunity is given him of being influenced by a stronger character than his own. At the moment he's being influenced by you to go to Confession, and say his rosary, and hear Mass, and enjoy all the other treats that our holy religion gives us. ”

“ The guide, with the gentlemen’s plaids strapped together, led the way cheerily, occasionally talking his vile patois with Julian and Mr Kennedy, or laughing heartily at Cyril’s “bad language”—for Cyril, not being strong in German, exercised a delightful ingenuity in making a very few words go a very long way. ”

“ There she sat, never looking up, sewing away as if for dear life, and acting as an effectual damper on the conversation of the rest, while Cyril was longing for a smoke with Louis and his father, and one or two of the latter’s stories, which were not altogether suited for ladies’ ears. All that Caerleon wanted was to be left alone with her, but she succeeded in baffling all his efforts, and Cyril waxed furious over her foolishness. Did she really imagine that by dint of coyness and coldness she could keep her lover from making her an open avowal of his feelings? ”

“ She paused for a reply; but as Cyril only bowed in acknowledgment of the favour, she found it impossible to remain silent. “I am quite convinced,” she went on, “that you care far more for politics than you do for me. If I died to-day, I believe your first thought would be how to get yourself made regent to-morrow.” ”

“ Cyril met their overtures in the same spirit, and his sole piece of revenge was to tell his entertainers at breakfast all the news of the last three days, as though they had only just arrived—a piece of pleasantry which brought to Mansfield’s face a passing gleam of satisfaction. Cyril took him to task for his lowering brow as they returned to the hotel, and told him that when the Countess von Hohenthurm was so condescending as to show an interest in a young man, it behoved that young man to be grateful, and to look it. ”

“ Mansfield cried angrily to Cyril, who had rallied him on his sour looks. “These people have the romance of the ages behind them, and the fulfilment of the prophecies just ahead, and they think of nothing but cent per cent!”
“You have been disillusioned, and you speak severely,” said Cyril, with great sweetness. “I am thankful I never took the trouble to set up ideals, when I see how other people suffer in seeing theirs overthrown. But why don’t you blame the tyranny of centuries, which has reduced the Jews to this lamentable condition? ”

“ If the future governor were married to an Orthodox princess, for instance, all would be well. A quaint idea is it not?”
Cyril considered the matter as gravely as if he had believed that the Emperor was really responsible for the suggestion. “I fear, madame, that it is only mentioned because it is impracticable,” he said. “How could the person you speak of aspire so high?”
“Ah, Count, all is fair in—other fine arts as well as politics. Hearts move faster sometimes than the pens of diplomatists.” ”

“ Cyril, who is to this day invoked, and prayed to as a saint, taught and practised the above Romish doctrine. He was bishop of Alexandria, in the year four hundred and twelve. There is not a Roman Catholic, who is not taught to pray to him; and, of course, they can have no objection to my giving him as authority. Whatever St. Cyril believed, is believed by Papists now. Whatever he did was right, and according to sound doctrine consequently as Holy Mother, the church, never errs, and never can err, it must be right now. Let us see what this saint has done and believed, in his time. ”

“ With men he was not quite so popular. Those who did not know him well regarded him as entirely a ladies’ man, while some few who had penetrated more deeply into his character were a little afraid of him, and half suspected him of hiding deep designs under a mask of frivolity. This was not the case, however. Cyril was fully conscious of his own powers of mind, but he had no scruple as to using them to smooth his path in society until some more important object should come in his way. ”

“ We are not like the people who have only one sleeping-room, and share that with the cattle—pigs, I call them.”
“Far from it,” returned Cyril. “But in England we should have given the guest-room to the ladies.”
“And put you and your servant in the worse room of the two? What a funny idea—to treat women better than men!”
And she broke into a long noiseless fit of laughter, during which Cyril tore a leaf from his pocket-book, and scribbled on it a message to the Queen:—
“Read this when none of the people of the house are with you. ”

“ In fact, I can see that he wants me as a companion even more than as a secretary.”
“You are very young,” said the Princess, and Caerleon laughed unfeelingly, for only that evening he had told Cyril that he looked so young and so innocent, with his pale face and thin hands, that all the ladies at the different ports would take him for a schoolboy. “You ought to have some one to take care of you.”
“Ah, if Miss O’Malachy had only a sister to take pity on me!” sighed Cyril. “But as it is, I must wait and grow older before I can venture on a wife. ”

“ Cyril, say that you don’t believe it.”
“Believe it? My dearest, the man doesn’t believe it himself. He wouldn’t have said it if he had been in his right mind, but he wanted to hurt you, and he said the first thing that came into his head, though he knows that no human being would credit it for an instant. ”

“ And if ever Cyril feels inclined to criticise what you’ve done, you can answer him back, ‘I know your heart as you know mine. In my place, I know you’d have acted as I did.’”
“Cyril and I are not absolutely identical,” Guy answered slowly, his eyes still fixed on Montague Nevitt’s. “Sometimes I feel he does things I wouldn’t do.”
“He has more initiative than you,” Nevitt answered, as if carelessly, though with deep design in his heart. “He acts where you debate. You’re often afraid to take a serious step. Cyril never hesitates. You draw back and falter; Cyril goes straight ahead. ”

“ Banish, the banker, I am hoping she will live in his house at Hampstead, and think a little more about her immortal soul.
Soame. Does Cyril seem at all interested in Miss Julia?
Lady Dol. Cyril has great elegance of mind, and is not very strong in the expression of his feelings one way or the other. But I may say that a deep attachment exists between them.
Soame. A man must have sound wisdom before he can appreciate innocence. ”

“ Then our engagement shall be made public, Cyril. You are going back to win success for me as well as for yourself, you know.”
“Do you know that every one will say I have sought your forgiveness for the sake of the added importance that marriage with you will give me? The world hasn’t very much confidence in me, Ernestine.”
“But I have. Do you know what I shall do when you are Prince of Palestine? I shall lay aside my crown for a coronet. The world shall see that your wife is prouder of being Princess of Palestine than Queen of Thracia.” ”

“ Mothers brought their children to look at Caerleon, for good luck, as they said, “that their eyes might see the King’s face”; old men came tottering up to touch his coat or his riding-whip, and to call down blessings on his head. It was all too absurdly medieval, thought Cyril, as the office-bearers of the little towns came hurrying to take the oath of allegiance to their new King, and the peasants crowded round to entreat him to raise an army to conquer Scythia, in which every man of them would enlist. ”

“ Cyril went on. “He is a purely English product, and fin de siècle at that. No other nation can rival his peculiar humour.” The King looked as though he, at any rate, found it difficult also to appreciate the bent of Mr Dickinson’s genius. “But the ‘Universe’ will have him on toast this time with a vengeance,” continued Cyril, cheerfully. “I suppose we may consider the little affair agreeably settled, sir? Perhaps I may remark that the sooner our application at Czarigrad is granted the easier we shall find it to deal with cases of this kind.” ”

“ Cyril will meet us to-morrow and talk it all over, and I’m not the least troubled about the result, either for you or for him. The same blood runs in all our veins alike. Whatever you propose, he’ll be ready to agree to. He’s the very best fellow that ever lived, and when he hears what I have to say about you, he’ll welcome you as a brother, and be as fond of you as I am.”
Next morning early they reached Plymouth Harbour. As they entered the mouth of the breakwater, the tender came alongside to convey them ashore. Guy looked over the bulwarks and saw Cyril waiting for him. ”

“ Educated in that world of practical industrial production as well as of religious exercise, which by its proximity to the great city accustomed monks to that world which they despised; entangled from boyhood in the intrigues of his fierce and ambitious uncle Theophilus, Cyril had succeeded him in the patriarchate of Alexandria without having felt a doubt, and stood free to throw his fiery energy and clear practical intellect into the cause of the Church without scruple, even, where necessary, without pity. ”

“ A fortnight elapsed before the council was opened: Cyril, like other prelates, employed himself in strengthening the cause he had at heart by earnest addresses. After waiting long for the arrival of John of Antioch and his attendant bishops, Cyril received a cordial letter from his brother patriarch, announcing that he had been travelling incessantly for a month, and hoped to "embrace Cyril" in five or six days more (Ep. p. 83) . There also arrived two metropolitans, who bore from him a message to the bishops requesting them to proceed with business if he were delayed. ”

“ Lady Caerleon hurried into the house, and the brothers were left together.
“I hope Usk will be able to see his way to it,” said Cyril. “Ernestine and I are quite foolish over this child Helene. Imagine my tearing across Europe just to get her what she wants!”
“I can’t understand even now how the Grand-Duke came to give in. One has always heard that his views on unequal marriages were so very strict.”
“I’m going to give you a tip,” said Cyril. “You mustn’t allow that it is unequal, on any account. Play the grand seigneur anglais for all you’re worth when you meet him. ”

“ Cyril stared. “Not unless you are speaking in parables, and alluding to political cards. They are spies of the Scythian Government, agents provocateurs, and so on. The O’Malachy is supposed to be travelling for his health, a pursuit which enables him to be pretty constantly on the move, and turn up just where his presence is required. Oh, he’s a fine old fellow! ”

“ If he does what I wish (pointing naturally and especially to the accusations, mention of which is cleverly omitted) , then he is no heretic! To give you a full idea of the plottings of Cyril as shown by his communication with his agents I must add a further quotation from the letter which occupies us. It is out of the last part of the Greek text which by ancient scholars [30] was held to be a supplement to the letter. Cyril says here [31] : I received and read the petition you sent me, which, after having received my consent, is purposed for presentation to the Emperor. ”