Part 43 (1/2)
”I suppose,” the Amba.s.sador remarked, as he leaned back in his chair with an air of lazy content, ”that I am being accused of fiddling while Rome burns.”
”Every one has certainly not your confidence in the situation,” Dominey rejoined calmly.
”There is no one else who knows quite so much,” Terniloff reminded him.
Dominey sipped his drink for a moment or two in silence.
”Have you the latest news of the Russian mobilisation?” he asked. ”They had some startling figures in the city this morning.”
The Prince waved his hand.
”My faith is not founded on these extraneous incidents,” he replied. ”If Russia mobilises, it is for defence. No nation in the world would dream of attacking Germany, nor has Germany the slightest intention of imperilling her coming supremacy amongst the nations by such crude methods as military enterprise. Servia must be punished, naturally, but to that, in principle, every nation in Europe is agreed. We shall not permit Austria to overstep the mark.”
”You are at least consistent, Prince,” Dominey remarked.
Terniloff smiled.
”That is because I have been taken behind the scenes,” he said. ”I have been shown, as is the privilege of amba.s.sadors, the mind of our rulers.
You, my friend,” he went on, ”spent your youth amongst the military faction. You think that you are the most important people in Germany.
Well, you are not. The Kaiser has willed it otherwise. By-the-by, I had yesterday a most extraordinary cable from Stephanie.”
Dominey ceased swinging his putter carelessly over the head of a daisy and turned his head to listen.
”Is she on the way home?”
”She is due in Southampton at any moment now. She wants to know where she can see me immediately upon her arrival, as she has information of the utmost importance to give me.”
”Did she ever tell you the reason for her journey to Africa?”
”She was most mysterious about it. If such an idea had had any logical outcome, I should have surmised that she was going there to seek information as to your past.”
”She gave Seaman the same idea,” Dominey observed. ”I scarcely see what she has to gain. In Africa, as a matter of fact,” he went on, ”my life would bear the strictest investigation.”
”The whole affair is singularly foolish,” the Prince declared, ”Still, I am not sure that you have been altogether wise. Even accepting your position, I see no reason why you should not have obeyed the Kaiser's behest. My experience of your Society here is that love affairs between men and women moving in the same circles are not uncommon.”
”That,” Dominey urged, ”is when they are all tarred with the same brush.
My behaviour towards Lady Dominey has been culpable enough as it is.
To have placed her in the position of a neglected wife would have been indefensible. Further, it might have affected the position which it is in the interests of my work that I should maintain here.”
”An old subject,” the Amba.s.sador sighed, ”best not rediscussed. Behold, our womenkind!”
Rosamund and the Princess had issued from the house, and the two men hastened to meet them. The latter looked charming, exquisitely gowned, and stately in appearance. By her side Rosamund, dressed with the same success but in younger fas.h.i.+on, seemed almost like a child. They pa.s.sed into the luncheon room, crowded with many little parties of distinguished and interesting people, brilliant with the red livery of the waiters, the profusion of flowers--all that nameless elegance which had made the place society's most popular rendezvous. The women, as they settled into their places, asked a question which was on the lips of a great many English people of that day.
”Is there any news?”
Terniloff perhaps felt that he was the cynosure of many eager and anxious eyes. He smiled light-heartedly as he answered:
”None. If there were, I am convinced that it would be good. I have been allowed to play out my t.i.tanic struggle against Sir Everard without interruption.”