Part 25 (1/2)
”Sir,” he stammered--”With every respect for your Majesty, I would rather lose my much-to-be-appreciated post with you than betray my friends!”
The King suddenly lost patience.
”By Heaven!” he exclaimed, ”Is my command to be slighted and set aside as if it were naught? Not while I am king of this country! What mystery is here that I am not to know?”
Gloria laughed outright, and the pretty ripple of mirth, so unforced and natural, diverted the monarch's irritation.
”Oh, you are angry!” she said, her lovely eyes twinkling and sparkling like diamonds:--”So! Then your Majesty is no more than a very common man who loses temper when he cannot have his own way!” She laughed again, and the King stared at her unoffended,--being spellbound, both by her regal beauty, and her complete indifference to himself. ”I will speak like the prophets do in the Bible and say, 'Lo! there is no mystery, O King!' I am only poor Gloria, a sailor's wife,--and the sailor has a place on board your son the Crown Prince's yacht, and he does not want his master to know that he is married lest he lose that place! Is not that plain and clear, O King? And why should I disobey my beloved in such a simple matter?”
The King was still in something of a fume.
”There is no reason why you should disobey,” he said more quietly, but still with vexation;--”But, equally, there is no reason why your husband should be dismissed from the Crown Prince's service, because he has chosen to marry. If you tell me his name, I will make all things easy for him, for you, and your future. Can you not trust me?”
With wonderful grace and quickness Gloria suddenly sprang forward, caught the King's hand, kissed it, and then threw it lightly away from her.
”No!” she said, with a pretty defiance; ”I kiss the hand of the country's King--but I have my own King to serve!”
And pausing for no more words, she turned away, sprang lightly up the rocks as swiftly as a roe-deer, and disappeared. And from some hidden corner, clear and full and sweet, her voice rang out above the peaceful plas.h.i.+ng of the waves:
”My King crown'd me!
And I and he Are one till the world shall cease to be!”
Stricken dumb and confused by the suddenness of her action, and the swiftness of her departure, the King stood for a moment inert, gazing up the rocky height with the air of one who has seen a vision of heaven withdrawn again into its native element. Some darkening doubt troubled his mind, and it was with an altogether changed and stern countenance that he confronted Von Glauben.
”Last night, Professor, you were somewhat anxious for our health and safety,” he said severely; ”It is our turn now to be equally anxious for yours! We are of opinion that you, like ourselves, run some risk of danger by meddling in affairs which do not concern you! Silence!”
This, as the Professor, deeply moved by his Royal master's evident displeasure, made an attempt to speak. ”We will hear all you have to say to-morrow. Meanwhile--follow your fair charge!” And he pointed up in the direction whither Gloria had vanished. ”Her husband”--and he emphasized the word,--”whoever he is, appears to have entrusted her safety to you;--see that you do not betray his trust, even though you have betrayed mine!”
At this remark Von Glauben was visibly overcome.
”Sir, you have never had reason to complain of any lack of loyalty in me to you and to your service,” he said with an earnest dignity which became him well;--”In the matter of the poor child yonder, whose beauty would surely be a fatal snare to any man, there is much to be told,--which if told truly, will prove that I am merely the slave of circ.u.mstances which were not created by me,--and which it is possible for a faithful servant of your Majesty to regret! But a betrayer of trust I have never been, and I beseech your Majesty to believe me when I say that the acuteness of that undeserved reproach cuts me to the heart!
I yield to no man in the respect and affection I entertain for your Royal person, not even to De Launay here--who knows--who knows--”
He broke off, unable through strong emotion to proceed.
”'Who knows'--What?” enquired the King, turning his steadfast eyes on Sir Roger.
”Nothing, Sir! Absolutely nothing!” replied the equerry, opening his eyes as widely as their habitual langour would permit; ”I am absolutely ignorant of everything concerning Von Glauben except that he is an honest man! That I certainly do know!”
A slight smile cleared away something of the doubt and displeasure on the King's face. Approaching the disconsolate Professor, he laid one hand on his shoulder and looked him steadily in the eyes.
”By my faith, Von Glauben, if I thought positively that you could play me false in any matter, I would never believe a man again! Come! Forgive my hasty speech, and do not look so downcast! Honest I have always known you to be,--and that you will prove your honesty, I do not doubt!
But--there is something in this affair which awakens grave suspicion in my mind. For to-day I press no questions--but to-morrow I must know all! You understand? _All_! Say this to the girl, Gloria,--say it to her husband also--as, of course, you know who her husband is. If he serves on Prince Humphry's yacht, that is enough to say that Humphry himself has probably seen her. Under all the circ.u.mstances, I confess, my dear Von Glauben, that your presence here is a riddle which needs explanation!”
”It shall be explained, Sir--” murmured the Professor.
”Naturally! It must, of course be explained. But I hope you give me credit for not being altogether a fool; and I have an idea that my son's frequent mysterious visits to The Islands have something to do with this fair Gloria of Glorias!” Von Glauben started involuntarily. ”You perhaps think it too? Or know it? Well, if it is so, I can hardly blame him overmuch,--though I am sorry he should have selected a poor sailor's wife as a subject for his secret amours! I should have thought him possessed of more honour. However--to-morrow I shall look to you for a full account of the matter. For the present, I excuse your attendance, and permit you to remain with her whom you call 'princess'!”
He stepped back, and, taking De Launay's arm, turned round at once, and walked away back to Ronsard's house by the path he had followed with such eagerness and care.
Von Glauben watched the two tall figures disappear, and then with a troubled look, began to climb slowly up the rocks in the direction where Gloria had gone. His reflections were not altogether as philosophical as usual, because as he said to himself--”One can never tell how a woman is going to meet misfortune! Sometimes she takes it well; and then the men who have ruthlessly destroyed her happiness go on their way rejoicing; but more often she takes it ill, and there is the devil to pay!