Part 36 (1/2)

”Gorman,” he said, ”my friend Gorman. Once more we are alive. Many things happen. It is a hand of no trumps doubled and redoubled.

Gorman, I palpitate, I thrill. We arrive at the moment of destiny.

Behold destiny!”

Gorman, who was looking out of the window, saw the submarine, but did not for the moment recognize destiny. He agreed with the King that her arrival made a desirable break in the monotony that oppressed them.

But the situation did not strike him as equal in emotional value to a redoubled hand at bridge. The best he hoped for was some fresh company, a little news from the outside world and possibly a bundle of newspapers.

”Submarine?” he said. ”English or German, do you think? and what do you suppose she wants here?”

”English, pooh! By this time no English s.h.i.+ps are left on the sea. It is an under-water boat of the Emperor, and she comes to seek the petrol stored in the cave.”

”Liable to disappointment then,” said Gorman. ”That petrol's gone.”

”I know it,” said the King, ”therefore I say 'Behold destiny.' But I, Gorman, I laugh at destiny. I mock. I snap the finger and thumb of my hand. So.” He snapped the fingers of both hands with airy defiance. ”I am a king. I play a game until the end. I die game-playing. And Corinne will not grieve too much. On Salissa I think Corinne loves less than in Paris. Hurrah, Gorman. Hip, and hip, and hurrah, three times.”

Gorman was not impressed by this rhapsody. He was not yet sufficiently roused from the bad temper and depression induced by the sirocco to appreciate the King's exalted mood.

”I suppose,” he said, ”that Donovan will ask the captain to dinner. I hope to goodness he can talk English. There's a lot of news I want to hear.”

Donovan, sitting alone in his room, did not see the arrival of the submarine. It was Smith who reported the matter to him.

”Wars.h.i.+p of a belligerent nation?” said Donovan.

”Yes, sir; German, sir.”

”German or English,” said Donovan, ”it's the same thing. This is a neutral State and we haven't got any quarrel with either party.”

”Yes, sir,” said Smith. ”Quite so, sir. But, I beg your pardon. She's German.”

Donovan thought this over for a minute.

”I appreciate your feelings, Smith,” he said, ”and I don't deny that your situation might be an awkward one if this wasn't a neutral State.

But you're in the service of the Crown of Salissa now, and I reckon that any attempt to inflict punishment on you would be contrary to international law.”

”I'm sure you know best, sir.”

”That's as good as to say that your interpretation of international law is superior to mine. It may be. But the matter will have to come before the superior courts before anything's settled.”

”It's not that, sir,” said Smith. ”I'm not afraid of the law.”

”Oh,” said Donovan, ”you're inclined to think that the German captain may trample on the law?”

”Seeing as how you've no guns, sir, he might.”

”Smith,” said Donovan, ”just look out of that window and tell me what banner the Queen has flying from the flagpost. Old Glory, isn't it?”

”The American flag, sir. Yes, sir.”

”Well,” said Donovan, ”I guess that's good.”