There was another blare of trumpets and a fresh call for the Queen.
"Come, Minna; you must come," I said firmly; and I myself unmasked, drawing the attention of many in the room upon me by this act.
But the girl at my side made no movement. She had ceased to tremble, however, as I found when she put her hand on my arm.
"Everything will be ruined, Minna, if you do not come," I said, and in my excitement I touched her domino, as if to draw it away.
A low soft laugh was the answer I got.
I looked up in the deepest astonishment. I began to fear I knew not what. A glance at the secret mark on the domino told me there was no mistake. The little red cross on the shoulder next me was distinctly visible. But an instant later I knew what it all meant.
The mask was slipped off, but instead of Minna the face of Clara Weylin met mine with a look of exasperating mockery in the insolent, triumphant eyes.
[Ill.u.s.tration: INSTEAD OF MINNA, THE FACE OF CLARA WEYLIN MET MINE.]
For the moment I was like a man bereft of his senses.
CHAPTER XVIII
AFTER THE ABDUCTION
"This is my revenge, Herr Fischer."
The words were spoken in an angry, taunting voice, quite loud enough for many people round us to hear, and they looked at us in the broadest astonishment.
They recalled my scattered wits.
"Captain von Krugen, what is the meaning of this?" I demanded in a quick, stern tone of the man who was staring in abject helpless bewilderment at the woman who had thus tricked us so cleverly.
"I am absolutely at a loss----" he began; but I cut him short.
"You have betrayed your trust, sir, and G.o.d alone knows what the consequences will be."
Meanwhile the cries for the Queen Minna were growing in volume and echoing all around us, and I saw the Baron Heckscher look across at me.
The men about the throne had unmasked. I thought rapidly. It was no use wasting time in reproaching or abusing the woman who had fooled us. We were in a mess which might ruin not only my scheme, but the whole of us.
While the people were still shouting for the Queen, I hurried back to where Praga was standing, and in a few words told him what had occurred.
"She is the devil. I feared something. I"ll----"
"Don"t waste time. We have one strong card yet, and must keep possession of it. You are still true to me?" I asked.
"As true as death, I"ll show----"
"Then you must do this. Return at once to Friessen with all possible speed--you and Captain von Krugen. Take the duke away anywhere, and lodge him in a place of safety. If neither of you can think of a better place, carry him to Gramberg; but one of you will probably know of some place where he can be kept as a hostage. If I cannot hold him prisoner our last hope is gone."
"She will never say----"
"I trust no woman again in a thing of this sort. Put him where she cannot tell any one where he is. You will have to ride all the way, I expect. No matter. Take the best horses in the stables here and ride them to a standstill, if necessary. You must go at a hand-gallop the whole way: or perhaps you can get a special train to Spenitz. Anything, but for G.o.d"s sake go--and at once. You can deal with the woman afterward."
I called up von Krugen, and gave him the hurried orders.
"Remember at any cost to keep him a prisoner, and let me know where he is."
These were my last words to the two, and spoken with almost fierce earnestness. As I turned from them I beckoned Steinitz to me.
"I am going to speak to that woman in a dark domino. When I leave her watch her as you would watch the devil, and let me know where she goes and to whom she speaks."
I went back to Clara Weylin.
"Will you give me an interview presently?" I asked, very quietly, adding significantly, "It will be safer."
"I am not afraid of you," she replied scornfully.
"It will be safer," I repeated.
"I don"t wish to speak to you."
"It will be safer," I said for the third time; and then I crossed the room to where the men cl.u.s.tered about the throne were waiting for me.
"Where is the Countess Minna?" asked Baron Heckscher; and he could not restrain the evidence of his feeling of triumph.
"I regret that the Countess Minna von Gramberg is unable to be present.
Baron Heckscher has known for some hours that this would be the case." I said this loudly enough for those about us to hear, and a glance into the man"s face told me that he knew of my sudden disappointment, and was enjoying his triumph supremely. I kept out of my voice and manner all signs of alarm or anger, and added quietly to the baron, "You had better announce her indisposition, and stop this clamor."
On seeing me cross to the throne those who were leading the chorus took up the cry for Minna with redoubled energy.
"I will not answer for the effect of the disappointment," he said.
"Yet you will have to," said I, with a look he could not fail to understand.
"I don"t understand you," he returned hotly.
"I will not fail to make my meaning quite plain," I retorted. "And you may not find the course so clear as you think."
"What message shall I have announced?"
"That the Countess Minna von Gramberg accepts the high mission to which she is called, but that to-night she is too unwell to be present," I answered; "and let the message be given at once."
"We can"t do that," he replied, seeing my object--to bind him to this public acceptance of the throne by Minna. "She must be here in person to make that possible."
"If that is not done and at once," I cried, going close to him and speaking the words between my teeth, "I myself will proclaim the fact that the man who was here a minute since was not the King, but your dummy, and that the whole thing is a farce got up by you and these gentlemen. You will then have to bring back the King himself, and you can judge as well as I how he will view the acts that have been done here to-night, and reward the actors."
"You dare not play the traitor in that way!"
"Dare not? I dare do more than that," and I clipped my words short as I whispered them into his ear. "I dare stand up now and tell the whole story of your double treachery, for I know it all: and, by G.o.d! if you thwart me any farther I"ll make my words good to the last letter."