Part 33 (1/2)
Like an automaton the Professor turned and walked mechanically into the deck-saloon. Meanwhile the _Ithuriel_ started on her way towards the captive squadron. Before she reached it Volnow returned with a sheet of paper in his hand filled with fresh writing, and signed with his name.
Natas took it from him, read it, and then fixing his eyes on his again, said--
”That will do. I give you back your will. Now, do you believe?”
The Professor's body was suddenly shaken with such a violent trembling that he almost fell to the deck. Then he recovered himself with a violent effort, and cried through his chattering teeth--
”Believe! How can I help it? Whoever and whatever you are, you are well named the Master of the Terror.”
CHAPTER x.x.x.
AT CLOSE QUARTERS.
As soon as the captive war-balloons had been released, the _Ithuriel_ and her consorts, without any further delay or concern for the issue of the decisive battle which would probably prove to be the death-struggle of the German Empire, headed away to the northward at the utmost speed of the two smaller vessels. Their objective point was Copenhagen, and the distance rather more than two hundred and sixty miles in a straight line.
This was covered in under two hours and a half, and by noon they had reached the Danish capital. In crossing the water from Stralsund they had sighted several war-vessels, all flying British, German, or Danish colours, and all making a northerly course like themselves.
They had not attempted to speak to any of these, because, as they were all apparently bound for the same point, and, as the speed of the air-s.h.i.+ps was more than five times as great as that of the swiftest cruiser, to do so would have been a waste of time, when every moment might be of the utmost consequence.
Off Copenhagen the aerial travellers saw the first signs of the terrible night's work, with the details of which the reader has already been made acquainted. Wrecked fortifications, cruisers and battles.h.i.+ps bearing every mark of a heavy engagement, some with their top-works battered into ruins, their military masts gone, and their guns dismounted; some down by the head, and some by the stern, and others evidently run ash.o.r.e to save them from sinking; and the harbour crowded with others in little better condition--everywhere there were eloquent proofs of the disaster which had overtaken the Allied fleets on the previous night.
”There seems to have been some rough work going on down there within the last few hours,” said Arnold to Natas as they came in sight of this scene of destruction. ”The Russians could not have done this alone, for when the war began they were shut up in the Baltic by an overwhelming force, of which these seem to be the remains. And those forts yonder were never destroyed by anything but our sh.e.l.ls.”
”Yes,” replied Natas. ”It is easy to see what has happened. The _Lucifer_ was sent here to help the Russian fleet to break the blockade, and it looks as though it had been done very effectually.
We are just a few hours too late, I fear.
”That one victory will have an immense effect on the course of the war, for it is almost certain that the Russians will make for the Atlantic round the north of the Shetland Islands, and co-operate with the French and Italian squadrons along the British line of communication with the West. That once cut, food will go up to famine prices in Britain, and the end will not be far off.”
Natas spoke without the slightest apparent personal interest in the subject; but his words brought a flush to Arnold's cheeks, and make him suddenly clench his hands and knit his brows. After all he was an Englishman, and though he owed England nothing but the accident of his birth, the knowledge that one of his own s.h.i.+ps should be the means of bringing this disaster upon her made him forget for the moment the gulf that he had placed between himself and his native land, and long to go to her rescue. But it was only a pa.s.sing emotion. He remembered that his country was now elsewhere, and that all his hopes were now alien to Britain and her fortunes.
If Natas noticed the effect of his words he made no sign that he did, and he went on in the same even tone as before--
”We must overtake the fleet, and either recapture the _Lucifer_ or destroy her before she does any more mischief in Russian hands. The first thing to do is to find out what has happened, and what course they have taken. Hoist the Union Jack over a flag of truce on all three s.h.i.+ps, and signal to Mazanoff to come alongside. We had better stop here till we get the news.”
The Master's orders were at once executed, and as soon as the _Ariel_ was floating beside the flags.h.i.+p he said to her captain--
”Go down and speak that cruiser lying at anchor off the harbour, and learn all you can of what has happened. Tell them freely how it happened that the _Lucifer_ a.s.sisted the Russian, if it turns out that she did so. Say that we have no hostility to Britain at present, but rather the reverse, and that our only purpose just now is to retake the air-s.h.i.+p and prevent her doing any more damage. If you can get any newspapers, do so.”
”I understand fully,” replied Mazanoff, and a minute later his vessel was sinking rapidly down towards the cruiser.
His reception was evidently friendly, for those on board the _Ithuriel_ saw that he ran the _Ariel_ close alongside the man-of-war, after the first hails had been exchanged, and conversed for some time with a group of officers across the rails of the two vessels. Then a large roll of newspapers was pa.s.sed from the cruiser to the air-s.h.i.+p, salutes were exchanged, and the _Ariel_ rose gracefully into the air to rejoin her consorts, followed by the envious glances of the crews of the battered wars.h.i.+ps.
Mazanoff presented his report, the facts of which were substantially those given in the _St. James's Gazette_ telegram, and added that the British officers had confessed to him that the damage done was so great, both to the fleet and the sh.o.r.e fortifications, that the Sound was now practically as open as the Atlantic, and that it would be two or three weeks before even half the Allied force would be able to take the sea in fighting trim.
They added that there was not the slightest need to conceal their condition, as the Russians, who had steamed in triumph past their shattered s.h.i.+ps and silenced forts, knew it just as well as they did.
As regards the Russian fleet, it had been followed past the Skawe, and had headed out westward.
In their opinion it would consider itself strong enough, with the aid of the air-s.h.i.+p, to sweep the North Sea, and would probably attempt to force the Straits of Dover, as it has done the Sound, and effect a junction with the French squadrons at Brest and Cherbourg. This done, a combined attack might possibly be made upon Portsmouth, or the destruction of the Channel fleet attempted. The effects of the air-s.h.i.+p's sh.e.l.ls upon both forts and s.h.i.+ps had been so appalling that the Russians would no doubt think themselves strong enough for anything as long as they had possession of her.