Part 3 (2/2)
”Quite so--quite so!” said Lionel unco audience to such a love-scene was nant ”I see--I seeof course he would be immensely pleased--in fact, quite another man Well, you married him----?”
”The next day,” said the lady ”The Patriarch of Jerusale the city at the tiined would be a peaceful and happy life
”And it was happy Of course I now had as much freedom as I wished, and in a short while moved in the best European society in Constantinople
No hint of ot abroad: it was understood that I hadthe whole story and enjoining secrecy She replied affectionately, giving me at the same time the news of ested a visit, but various trifling incidents--such as influenza and a craze for Christian Science--continually postponed it until it was too late Lukos and I also proland, but that, too, never came about My little Lionel----”
The listener bounded in his chair Then, recollecting hiized
”--My little Lionel was born a year after our e He lived three weeks At the moment, I was stricken; but in a very short time I felt that he was fortunate The end came thus--
”A rave face
'My wife,' he said, 'you ht'
”'Why?' I asked
”He explained hurriedly It see with a foreign power against Great Britain Lukos had got wind of the negotiations and knew the policy was fatal He recognized that the interests of Turkey were bound up with those of England He resolved to foil the sultan's plans Two courses were open to him--a revolution and a new dynasty, or a disclosure of the plan to England Averse fro his country into civil war, he resolved to try the latter first After assiduous bribing he secured a draft of a secret treaty between the Porte and the other Power, but within twenty-four hours suspicion fell on hiht was iuise yourself as a _pustchik_ (water-carrier) and go on board our yacht at once,' he said Then, drawing a bundle of Cook's vouchers fro happens And this, too--it is the treaty If anything happens to lish Foreign Office I can not go with you now--there are duties to be done first--but I hope to join you If I do not coh anchor I shall have died for my country You will do this for the sake of Turkey?'
”My eyes filled with tears, but I knew that I could serve him best by obedience 'Yes, Lukos,' I said, and his eyes spoke his gratitude We embraced and parted
”I reached the yacht safely and found that stea passed like a heavy dream At half past ten Lukos had not come A quarter to eleven, and I was still alone At eleven o'clock I wept (for I had grown to love him well), but I was true to my promise and ordered the captain to start We reached Brindisi in due course, and there I deter the yacht back in the hope that it ht still be useful to my husband if by any chance he escaped I did this, and in a very short time found myself in London”
”And took a taxi to the F O?” said Lionel with interest Really, it was astory
”No,” said the lady ”The day I reached town a note was left at ed! It ritten in Turkish and ran, 'The day the British government receives your communication, that day your husband dies' There was neither address nor signature It proved that I and my schemes were known, but--it proved that ave ht yet free Lukos I have been working to that end for six land It is a slow business, this diplo hopes And now I think it is almost the time to strike”
”But you must be careful,” said Lionel anxiously ”With such a document----”
She smiled faintly
”Twice already they have made attempts” She opened a drawer in an escritoire near at hand Within lay a so armed Of course it is useless to approach the police--that would sign Lukos' death-warrant at once
”But to return and finish my tale As soon as possible I wrote toto involve her in my perils I explained as h politics, and begged her not to see ave the word She was puzzled, but obeyed She wrote back a loving letter, the most important feature of which was the news that ht hundred a year) could be drawn on at Coutts' Already a handsome sum was to my credit, for I had not required any ether So with this sum and Lukos' notes at my disposal I was in no need of money But I soon found that I needed a hobby to keep s e
”'A hobby' under such circumstances must sound curious: really, it is mere common sense The paths of diplomacy I discovered were very steep, the move possible and could think of nothing else, I had a great deal of ti andwas, for I had always had, like e Also, like ot to know a avein that, but what folloas really my one piece of luck In return for a consideration he allowedht later(The incident gave rise to a correspondence on the Banana Fall in one of the cheaper papers) I played the part that night, and, unlikepeople, my belief in er, rejoicing that he need not look for a new principal, plumed himself on his discernment, and 'boomed' me for all he orth
”Well, I was a success; but naturally I had to pay the price In this case the price was oing on the stage: it was a case of conscientious prejudice, and that is one of the stubbornest things on earth She had written daily letters of appeal, and all uh to say that there grew an estrangee,” said Lionel thoughtfully, ”how even the best can be obstinate I hope that time may----”
”That re off her sadness and glancing at the clock, ”I shall be on again shortly Will you do so for o out and get me a cab or a taxi Now, it is iether--there will probably be spies Oh, yes! I know it sounds absurd, but in this you uided by e-door