Well, then, I"ll be Sir Galahad."
My jesting tone jarred on her nerves. She straightened in her chair.
"Monsieur is amused," she said coldly.
"And he asks a thousand pardons!" I cried contritely. "Command me,"
and I grew chilled and serious.
"You have heard that I am to wed Prince Ernst of Wortumborg?"
"Yes." I gnawed the ends of my mustache.
"Monsieur, it is against my will, my whole being. I have no desire to contribute a princ.i.p.ality and a wife to a man who is not worthy of one or the other. I refuse to become the King"s puppet, notwithstanding his power to take away my princ.i.p.ality and leave me comparatively without resources. I detest this man so thoroughly that I cannot hate him. I abhor him. It is you who must save me from him; it is you who must also save me my princ.i.p.ality. Oh, they envy me, these poor people, because I am a Princess, because I dwell in the tinsel glitter of the court. Could they but know how I envy their lives, their homes, their humble ambitions! Believe me, monsieur, as yet I love no man; but that is no reason why I should link my life to that of a man to whom virtue in a woman means nothing. He caused my mother great sorrow. He came between her and my father. He spoiled her life, now he wishes to spoil mine. But I will not have it so. I will give up my princ.i.p.ality rather. But first let me try to see if I cannot retain the one and rid myself of the other. Listen. To-morrow night there will be a dinner here. The King and the inner court will hold forth.
But they will cast aside their pomp and become, for the time being, ordinary people. The Prince will be in Brussels, and therefore unable to attend. You are to come in his stead."
"I?" in astonishment.
"Even so," she smiled. "While the festivities are at their height you and I will secretly leave and return to the city. We shall go immediately to the station, thence to France."
I looked at her as one in a dream. "I!--You!--thence to France?"
CHAPTER V
Hillars went to the sideboard and emptied half a gla.s.s of brandy.
Coming back to his chair he remained in a reverie for a short time.
Then he resumed his narrative.
The Princess looked up into my face and smiled.
"Yes; thence to France. Ah, I could go alone. But listen, monsieur.
Above all things there must be a scandal. A Princess elopes with an American adventurer. The Prince will withdraw his suit. The King may or may not forgive me; but I will risk it. He is still somewhat fond of me, notwithstanding the worry I have caused him. This way is the only method by which I may convince him how detestable this engagement is to me. Yet, my freedom is more to me than my princ.i.p.ality. Let the King bestow it upon whom he will. I shall become a teacher of languages, or something of that sort. I shall be free and happy. Oh, you will have a merry tale to tell, a merry adventure. You will return to your country. You will be the envy of your compatriots. You will recount at your clubs a story such as men read, but never hear told!"
She was growing a bit hysterical. As she looked at me she saw that my face was grave.
"Is there no other way?" I asked. "Can it not be accomplished without scandal?"
"No. There must be scandal. Otherwise I should be brought back and forgiven, and no one would know. In a certain sense, I am valuable.
The Hohenphalians love me; I am something of an idol to them. The King appreciates my rule. It gives him a knowledge that there will be no internal troubles in Hohenphalia so long as matters stand as they now do. Still, there are limits to the King"s patience; and I am about to try them severely. But monsieur hesitates; he will withdraw his promise."
"No, your Highness," said I, "I have given my word. As for the scandal, it is not for myself that I care. It will be a jolly adventure for me; and then, I shall have such a clever story to tell my friends at the clubs."
She saw that I was offended. "Forgive me, monsieur; I know that you would do no such thing. But let me explain to you. At the station we will be intercepted by two trusted and high officials at court."
"What!" I exclaimed; "do they know?"
"No; but I shall write to them anonymously, the note to be placed in their hands immediately we leave the premises."
I looked at the woman in wonder.
"But this is madness!" I cried.
"Directly you will see the method in the madness. Without their knowing there could be no scandal. They will try to stop us. You will over-power and bind them. There will also be several other witnesses who will not be partic.i.p.ants. Through them it will become known that I have eloped with an American. Oh, it is a well-laid plan."
"But, supposing I am overpowered myself, thrown into jail and I know not what?" All this was more than I had bargained for.
"Nothing of the kind will happen. Monsieur will hold a pistol in each hand when the carriage door is opened. You will say: "I am a desperate man; one of you bind the other, or I fire!" It will be done. You will spring upon the remaining one and I will help you to bind him likewise.
Oh, you will accomplish it well; you are a strong man; moreover, you are rapid."
I sat in my chair, speechless. Here was a woman of details. I had never met one before.
"Well, does monsieur accept the adventure or does he politely decline?"
There was a subtle taunt in her tones. That decided me.
"Your Highness, I should be happy to meet a thousand Uhlans to do you service. What you ask me to do is quite simple." I knew that I should lose my head in case of failure. I rose and bowed as unconcernedly as though she had but asked me to join her with a cup of tea.
"Ah, monsieur, you are a man!" And she laughed softly as she saw me throw back my shoulders. There was unmistakable admiration in her eyes. "And yet," with a sudden frown, "there will be danger. You may slip; you may become injured. Yes, there is danger."
"Your Highness," said I lowly, compelling her eyes to meet mine, "it is not the danger of the adventure or its results that I most fear." I was honest enough to make my meaning clear.
She blushed. "I said that I trusted monsieur"s honor," was her rejoinder. "Come," with a return of her imperiousness; "it is time that we were gone!" She drew on her cloak and dropped the veil. "I might add," she said, "that we will remain in France one hour. From there you may go your way, and I shall go secretly to my palace."
And the glamour fell away like the last leaves of the year.
I had to wake up the driver, who had fallen asleep.
"Where shall I say?" I asked.
"To your hotel. I shall give the driver the remaining instructions."
"But you haven"t told me," said I, as I took my place in the carriage, "how I am to become a guest at the dinner to-morrow evening."
"I spoke to the King this morning. I said that I had a caprice. He replied that if I would promise it to be my last he would grant it. I promised. I said that it was my desire to bring to the dinner a person who, though without rank, was a gentleman--one who would grace any gathering, kingly or otherwise. My word was sufficient. I knew before I asked you that you would come. Twenty-four hours from now we, that is, you and I, will be on the way to the French frontier. I shall be ever in your debt."
Silence fell upon us. I knew that I loved her with a love that was burning me up, consuming me. And the adventure was all so unheard of for these prosaic times! And so full of the charm of mystery was she that I had not been a man not to have fallen a victim. What possibilities suggested themselves to me as on we rode! Once across the frontier I should be free to confess my love for her. A Princess?
What of that? She would be only a woman--the woman I loved. I trembled. Something might happen so that she would have to turn to me.
If the King refused to forgive her, she was mine! Ah, that plain carriage held a wonderful dream that night. At length--too shortly for me--the vehicle drew up in front of my hotel. As I was about to alight her hand stretched toward me. But instead of kissing it, I pressed my lips on her round white arm. As though my lips burned, she drew back.
"Have a care, monsieur; have a care," she said, icily. "Such a kiss has to be won."
I stammered an apology and stepped out. Then I heard a low laugh.
"Good night, Mr. Hillars; you are a brave gentleman!"
The door closed and the vehicle sped away into the darkness.
I stood looking after it, bewildered. Her last words were spoken in pure English.