Part 16 (2/2)
When Maximilian did speak, his voice was very quiet--aggravatingly quiet, thought Malvine--but his eyes were even brighter than before.
It was a dangerous, rather than a pleasant brightness; and Malvine, who had no cause to fear its menace for herself, wondered what the light betokened.
”Miss de Courcy did speak of leaving earlier than she had expected,”
he said. ”But if she gave me reason to suppose it would be so soon, I certainly did not understand. I am sorry that there was bad news from England.”
So also was Malvine; but she began now to ask herself if the news alone had sufficed to s.n.a.t.c.h her guests so suddenly away.
”Is it long since they left Lynarberg?” the Emperor added.
”They went at about half-past seven this morning, before any one was up, except my husband and myself and the servants. By half-past eight they would have joined their companion, who remained at the Hohenburgerhof. Then there would have been a little packing to oversee, perhaps, and the Orient express is due in Salzbruck, I think, at precisely one o'clock. It is now”--she glanced half-apologetically at the watch in her bracelet--”it is now five minutes past twelve, so that in less than an hour the prettiest woman who ever came to Salzbruck will have vanished again.” And, as Malvine von Lynar spoke, she sighed.
The blood rushed to Maximilian's face. He had a choice between two evils. If he pursued and overtook the girl, he might persuade her to hear reason; at least, she would see that he was no laggard in love.
But to follow, to cut short the visit at Lynarberg, which should not have ended till next day, would be virtually to take the world into his secret. The Baroness would know; others would suspect. A month ago such a question (when yielding to inclination meant a humbling of his pride as man and Emperor) would have decided itself. But within these last days Maximilian had learned that his valued strength of will in the past had been ruled, more or less, by the limitations of his desire. Now, he wanted to do a certain thing more than he had ever wanted anything in the whole course of his life, and the question was mentally settled as quickly as it would have been a month ago; the only difference being that it was settled in the opposite way.
”Baroness von Lynar, you and I are old friends,” he said hastily.
”I value your friends.h.i.+p above all things, Your Majesty, and would keep it at any cost.”
”Then keep something else for me as well; a secret--though it may not be a secret long. You have seen me with Miss de Courcy. And you have guessed something, perhaps?”
”Women are ever quick to jump at romantic conclusions. But----”
”I am answered. A moment has come when I must choose between speaking frankly with you or leaving you to suspect what you will. I choose frankness. There's nearly an hour yet before the Orient express leaves Salzbruck, and you say Miss de Courcy is going with it. I can't let her go without seeing her again. I want--but you know what I want.”
”You want your horse and your aide-de-camp's horse saddled; you want to ride away now, at once, to catch the train before it leaves the station; and you want me to give some plausible reason which will account to every one for your sudden departure. Anything, so that it is not connected with Miss de Courcy. Am I right?”
”Absolutely. If I get off in a quarter of an hour, I can just do it.”
”I will slip into the house, Your Majesty, and send a servant at once to the stables. Captain von Loewenstein shall be summoned, and you can be on the road in ten minutes.”
”I'll go with you to the house, my friend.”
”Everybody shall be given to understand that you are called away from Lynarberg on pressing business, but that you expect to return in the afternoon. If you find it best _not_ to come, send a wire saying that you are detained. All will be deeply disappointed; but no one will guess the truth, and more than that, no one will talk.”
By this time they were at the house steps. Malvine flew in to give orders, while Maximilian waited, his eyes on his watch. Four minutes later Captain von Loewenstein, the Emperor's aide-de-camp (who had been in the act of proposing to pretty Baroness Marie Vedera), stood ready to receive his master's orders. Ten minutes more, and the two soldierly figures rode at a gallop out from the park gates at Lynarberg.
”We're going to the station, to catch the Orient express, Von Loewenstein,” said Maximilian. ”I have--promised myself to say good-bye to some friends.”
”Were you aware, Your Majesty,” asked the aide-de-camp, ”that the time-table has just been changed for the autumn? The Orient express leaves ten minutes earlier than it has during the summer.”
The Emperor used a strong word. ”Are you certain, Von Loewenstein?”
”Certain, Your Majesty. I looked out the time for my sister, who goes to Paris next week. The new table only came into use yesterday.”
”I'll kill my horse under me rather than lose the train,” said the Emperor. And he loved Arabian Selim well, as Von Loewenstein knew.
”We've just a chance of doing it without that, Your Majesty. It's scarcely five miles now.”
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