Part 47 (1/2)
So the girl seated herself in the Emperor's chair, and after one or two attempts composed a telegram containing the good news, which she addressed to Richard Drury at his flat in Albemarle Street.
Presently the courier, a big, bearded man of gigantic stature, in drab uniform, was ushered into the Imperial presence, and saluted. To him, His Majesty gave the message, and ordered him to take it by the next train to Eydtkuhnen. Whereupon the man again saluted, backed out of the door, and started upon his errand. What, I wondered, would d.i.c.k Drury think when he received her rea.s.suring message?
Natalia's face beamed with supreme happiness, while the Emperor himself for the moment forgot his enemies in the pleasure which his niece's delight gave to him.
Again His Majesty, with darkening brow, referred to the brutal murder of his favourite brother, the Grand Duke Peter, saying:
”You will recollect, Trewinnard, the curious conviction which one day so suddenly came upon me. I revealed it to you in strictest secrecy--the ghastly truth which seemed to have been forced upon me by some invisible agency. It was my secret, and the idea has haunted me ever since. And yet here to-day my suspicion that poor Peter was killed by some person who feared what secret he might reveal stands confirmed; and yet,” he cried, ”how many times have I, in my ignorance, taken the hand of my brother's murderer!”
Colonel Polivanoff, the Imperial Marshal; my old friend, Captain Stoyanovitch, equerry-in-waiting, both craved audience, one after the other, for they bore messages for His Majesty. Therefore they were received without ceremony and impatiently dismissed. The subject the Sovereign was discussing with us was of far more importance than reports from the great military camps at Yilna and at Smolensk, where manoeuvres were taking place.
The Emperor turned to his private telephone and was speaking with Trepoff, the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Petersburg, when the Marshal Polivanoff again entered, saying:
”His Excellency General Markoff pet.i.tions audience of Your Majesty.”
Natalia and I exchanged quick glances, and both of us rose.
For a second the Emperor hesitated. Then, turning to us, he commanded us to remain.
”I will see him at once,” he said very calmly, his face a trifle paler.
Next moment the man whose dismissal in disgrace was already lying upon the Emperor's desk stood upon the threshold and bowed himself into the Imperial presence.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
”FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.”
That moment was indeed a breathless one.
The Emperor's countenance was grey with anger. Yet he remained quite calm and firm. He was about to deal with an enemy more bitter and more dangerous than the most relentless firebrand of the whole Revolutionary Party.
”I was not aware that Your Majesty was engaged with Her Imperial Highness,” the sinister-faced official began. ”I have a confidential report to make--a matter of great urgency.”
”Well, I hope it is not another plot,” remarked the Sovereign with bitter, weary sarcasm. ”But whatever report you wish to make, Markoff, may be made here--before my niece and Mr Trewinnard.”
He glanced at us suspiciously and then said:
”This afternoon the Moscow police have unearthed a most desperate plot to wreck Your Majesty's train early to-morrow morning at Chimki. I furnished them with information, and twenty-eight arrests have been made.”
”Indeed,” remarked his Imperial Master, raising his eyebrows, quite unmoved. ”Have you the list of names?”
In answer, the General produced a yellow official paper, which he placed upon His Majesty's table. Then, with but a casual glance, the Emperor took up his quill and scribbled some words across the sheet and handed it back.
Markoff glanced at the words written, then, much puzzled, looked at His Majesty.
”Yes,” the latter said. ”I order their immediate release. And, let me tell you, Serge Markoff, that this afternoon I have given audience to a very intimate friend of yours; your _agent-provocateur_, Danilo Danilovitch!”
The General's countenance went white as paper. Such a reception was entirely unexpected.
”Ah!” exclaimed His Majesty, with a bitter smile, ”I see what surprise and apprehension my talk with Danilovitch causes you. Well, I will not give utterance to the loathing I feel towards you--the man in whose hands I have placed such supreme power, and whom I have so implicitly trusted. Suffice it to say that he has revealed to me the ingenious manner in which plots have been formed in order to terrorise me, and your inhuman method of sending hundreds of innocent ones into exile, merely in order to obtain my favour.”