Part 22 (1/2)

”You have helped him downwards,” I put in.

”He needed no help from me, but----” he waved his cigar expressively and jerked his shoulders. ”And that brings us to chapter the second.

For our purposes here, a dipsomaniac with a love craze and the opium habit is no use. You are Colonel von Dreschler's daughter, and may know something of the Patriotic Hungarian cause----” he paused to give me a chance to speak.

”The movement in favour of independence, you mean?”

”I thought you would know it;” and he nodded as if it were of the most trifling consequence. ”Well, then, you will know that Karl became impossible. Yet he is the elder son and my father's heir; and some of us Hungarians are almost fanatics on the subject of succession.

Everything was in danger; and as he has always refused to be set aside in my favour, there was nothing to do except to make him legally impossible. Another surprise for you now”--he spoke as indulgently as if he had been throwing me a candy. ”The marriage with you became desirable; so Fate turns her wheel, you see; and I sent to New York to search for you, and we took infinite trouble in the vain endeavour to trace you. It was very unfortunate;” and he spread out his hands again.

I made no comment, but just kept my eyes on him, waiting for him to continue.

”Pardon me if I am personal again. You would have suited our purpose admirably. I suspected you were the daughter of Colonel von Dreschler; and as your father's reputation was--was what it was and is--Karl's marriage with you would have been absolutely fatal to his chances here.”

”My father's reputation was the result of vile treachery,” I cried indignantly. And I saw my blunder instantly in the start of satisfaction he gave, but instantly repressed. He smoked a couple of moments in silence.

”We will deal with that presently--but I thank you for that admission, although I am surprised you did not see the trap I laid to obtain it.

Your natural indignation, no doubt. Well, as we could not find you, we had to obtain an understudy--Madame d'Artelle.” His tone was contemptuous here. ”And I think, now, you understand chapter two. You must admit I have been frank; and my frankness is a tribute to your perspicacity.”

”You have no comments,” he said, still lightly and airily, when I did not speak. ”Very well, then, we'll go to chapter three. That concerns the future--and your part in it. What do you mean to do, or, in other words, why did you come here? You are an interesting problem. You may have come to try and clear your father's name; or to punish in some way the man who treated you so badly: clever and pretty women have done that before, you know. Or--and this I referred to as the really improbable motive--you may still wish to marry my brother. But whatever your motive and object, I pledge you my honour--the honour of the son of the Duke Ladislas and future King of Hungary--that I will help you to the utmost of my power. But you must also help me; and for your first object you must be content to wait a year or two, until my father's death.”

”And Gareth?” I asked, after a pause.

A frown darkened his face and his eyes clouded. He rose and took a couple of turns across the room.

”Would to G.o.d I could undo that business!” he cried, either with deep feeling or an excellent simulation of it. ”You can't understand what this is to me! I am not a man capable of deep love, but I care for Gareth beyond all women. It was a midsummer madness; and if I could repair the injury to her, I would. But the prospect of the throne is between us--and shall I give that up and wreck the whole of this great national movement for her? I would do anything else on G.o.d's earth for her--but that I cannot. It is impossible.”

”And her father?”

”I know what you mean. He would plunge a knife in my heart or send a bullet cras.h.i.+ng into my brain, if he knew. He is desperate enough for anything. But he must not know. You must never tell him.”

”You have the hardihood to do the wrong but lack the courage to face the consequences,” I exclaimed, bitterly.

”I was not thinking of that. I am not afraid of mere death, I hope,”

he cried contemptuously. ”I am thinking of the millions of Czechs, men, women and children, whose hopes of liberty are centred in my life.

Beside that, all else is as nothing.”

”It is a pity you did not think of this before.”

”A man is a man and will act as a man at times. I have done a wrong I cannot undo; and it only remains to limit its mischief.”

”A convenient code.”

”Where is Gareth?” he broke off.

”Not where you intended those miscreants of yours to place her.”

”Oh, so that was you also, was it?” he said, understanding. ”You are making yourself very dangerous. Do you persist in threatening me?”

”What if I do?”