Part 49 (1/2)
”What you have to say, say quickly,” Vasilici went on ”The death of good comrades lies at your door, and punishment is swift here We move too rapidly to burden ourselves with prisoners”
”I will be brief,” said Maritza ”For a long tih a servant of hers, one Jules de Froilette By him you have been told to expect a certain token from her Majesty, upon the receipt of which you were to sweep down upon Sturatzberg, join yourselves with those who espoused her cause in the city, and set her alone upon the throne of Wallaria That token was brought to you by Captain Ellerey”
”It is a lie,” Vasilici burst out, ”and you know it He delivered the golden cross, the sign of your house, if indeed you be the Princess Maritza as you say”
”Captain Ellerey brought the Queen's token,” Maritza went on quietly, as though there had been no interruption, ”and delivered it as he supposed He was as astonished to see the golden cross as you were”
”Then you--”
”Yes, I changed them There is the proof” And she tossed the sealed box carelessly into Vasilici's hands He cut it open quickly, while dead silence reigned around him, and then held up the bracelet of e you accuse yourself,” cried the brigand, standing at his full height ”Now, hear your punishment”
”Wait!” said Maritza; ”there is more to tell”
Absolute as he had proclailanced at those about hi that they were inclined to hear all the Princess had to say, waved his hand for her to continue The fact that the chief was not quite so strong as he said was not lost on Maritza
”It is true that I changed the token,” she went on, not addressing herself especially to Vasilici, ”and if I had a hope that there ht be men loyal to me in these hills, for so this miserable scoundrel De Froilette has toldit
De Froilette never told you that there was a time when he espousedto me to-morroere it in his own interests to do so; he has never explained what is to follow your devotion to the Queen Rewards, place, honor, he has promised them all; yet on the frontier at thisthis De Froilette's word to enter Wallaria and secure every benefit which you have pledged yourselves to fight for”
”The proof! The proof!” shouted many voices
”What proof can I carry of such a scheme? Send for De Froilette on some pretext or other and question him, or send to the frontier and spy upon the army that waits there You have the Queen's token; I have delivered it Go out and 's ar, if you will, but remember this: if you win your way to the city, if you succeed in overthrowing the present Govern Queen Elena alone upon the throne, you will not have advanced the cause of your country one step You will be forgotten as soon as your work is done, and be under the firht your enemies' battle for them and sold yourselves into slavery You will have played into the hands of this French his own ends only, who cares nothing for Wallaria, whose reward lies ready for payment in Russian coffers, who is as false to Queen Elena and to you as he has been to er crowd as Maritza stopped abruptly, and those sitting and standing near Vasilici turned to one another and whispered together Whatever hopes lay in the hearts of these men, selfish hopes for the most part, perhaps, yet with some patriotisainst De Froilette was not entirely a surprise There were nized that her words were not without weight While they still whispered, and even grew quarrelsome over their opinions, she rose fro watching events,” she said, raising her voice a little and obtaining instant attention ”There are ht, some because they have learnt that Wallaria isof the nations
Are there not here about me many who love their country, who have fled from tyranny to the freedom of these hills, not to defy just laws, but to withstand oppression? I tell them that Queen Elena's promises are valueless I tell the, discounted and guarded against by the Ministers of foreign poho rule the King I tell them that the token of the bracelet of medallions has no power to help them to freedoht point to the golden cross and tell then of this country's salvation; but Vasilici, who stands for chief aht stand here and cry to you that he is no chief worthy to lead an arht it is to lead, who has the power to win success; but men who boindy words are no countrymen of mine, and I scorn to tee for yourselves and choose There stands Vasilici, a brigand, King of these hills; and here stand I, Maritza, Princess, daughter of Wallarian kings, co you of her own free will I proe is in the mind of God only; but this I do prohting in the midst of you Choose, therefore, Maritza or Vasilici”
The stroke was a bold one Bravedown such a challenge to a hold It appealed in aelse she could have done would have appealed, and she enhanced the force of her words by her apparent indifference as to what their decision ht be She resumed her seat as abruptly as she had risen from it, and beckoned Anton to approach her
”Princess!” There was reverence in his tone as he bowed before her
”Listen,” she said quickly ”You marked well the e ca them, and for the present we are safe, perhaps, but the issue is doubtful If they decide to holdshort ofme their leader, take the first opportunity to escape back to Sturatzberg as swiftly as you can, and tell them what has happened in the hills Wherever there is a man who loves me, tell him the story, tell Countess Mavrodin, tell Captain Ellerey if he be in the city Give me but a score of ladly add their voices to such an acclamation Tell them that”
No shout, not a e Those who hated her rew a shade e, but he was quick to note that the Princess had not appealed altogether in vain He did not turn to those about him at once and mock her pretensions It was not the moment to assert an authority which he well knew some of those with him in the hills resented For a tis on all sides; he had to determine on some counter-stroke Suddenly he turned toward Maritza--
”Princess,” he said, ”I love a courageous foe All here shall be your judges, not I”
”I an froands gathered together and listened eagerly to this counsel and to that There were many who, like Vasilici, had taken to the hills e and for ransoht sit upon the throne in Sturatzberg, and a these there was a certain resente into the councils, that the organization was in danger of growing into a political one What rewards in the city could compensate for the loss of their freedo enough to make it possible for Vasilici to break with his other followers The chief kneas the ti demands, and these he well kne to use He listened to the counsel of others, and he advised, and gradually there arose a large majority in the camp to whose decision the minority bowed because their opinions were subtly provided for