"Nonsense," I began.
"No, it"s true as gospel," he went on. "Our paths separated forever at the Palace, last night. You are a Royal Highness and the possible heir to the Throne. And I am an elderly American diplomat--here, to-day; gone to-morrow."
"You need several good stiff drinks," I interrupted.
He waved aside my banter. "I give you a toast," he went on, pouring a measure for each of us. "The Princess Dehra--and another like her."
"And may you find that other," I cried.
Then we drained our gla.s.ses and flung them into the grate.
I was tremendously astonished at this revelation of Courtney"s feelings--feelings which I had never even suspected. And, I fear, I had the bad taste to stare at him. For he turned abruptly and walked to the window, and stood, for a moment, with his back to me. I drew on my gloves and hitched up my sword (I was wearing the undress of a general officer) and waited.
"Of course, you understood, last night, that there were no papers for you to sign," he said, as he came slowly back to the table.
"Surely," I laughed.
"What I wanted was the opportunity to tell you that our secret service will be at your command, and that I have given instructions to report to me anything that may be of use to you--particularly, touching Lotzen and his intimates."
"You are more than good, old chap," I said, and we shook hands hard--for the toast was still in mind.
"Present my compliments to Her Highness," he called after me.
I went back to the doorway. "And give mine to The Other Like Her, when she comes," I said.
"She will never come, Armand; she will never come. I am just an old fool." Then he laughed. "Your love-making at dinner tables didn"t use to affect me."
"You never followed any of them by a moonlight ride with a pretty girl," I answered.
"At least, never with one as pretty as Lady Helen," he amended.
I was getting surprises with a vengeance.
"Is it possible you have just discovered she is pretty?" I exclaimed.
He smiled frankly. "No--but it may be I"ve just discovered how pretty."
"And she"s more than pretty," said I, "she"s thoroughbred."
He studied me for a moment. "I have often wondered--and now I wonder more than ever--why you--why you never---- You understand."
I nodded. "Yes," said I, "I understand and I rather reckon I would, if it had not been that, a year before I ever saw the Lady Helen, I had ridden with the Princess Dehra, alone, in the Palace forest, for an hour."
At last, I saw Courtney"s cold face show genuine surprise.
"And you made no effort then to prove your cousinship?" he exclaimed.
"No," said I.
"You let her go; and--and you a Dalberg and a soldier! You don"t deserve her--she ought to go to Lotzen--to Casimir--to any one but you.
Why, you drivelling idiot, do you realize that, but for the chance of my having lugged--yes, that"s the word, lugged you here you would now be doing childish problems in cement and stone in some miserable little Army department headquarters over in America?"
It was delicious to see Courtney roused, once in his life. Choking back my laugh, I answered:
"You have not put it half strongly enough. You may be a fool, as you say--there"s no doubt that I"ve been a colossal one."
"You ought to be in an asylum for weak-minded instead of in that uniform," he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.
"But, thanks to you, I"m in the uniform and not in the asylum," I answered.
"Pray G.o.d you have sense enough, now, to keep in the one and out of the other," he retorted.
"Amen, Courtney, old man," said I, "Amen!"
Then I sprang away and into saddle--waving my hand to him as he came hastily to the door to stay me.
XII
LEARNING MY TRADE
The next month was the busiest of my life--not excepting those at the Point. I was learning to be Royal, and I was starting a generation and a half behind time. My hardest task was in meeting the n.o.bility. I had been bred a soldier and had despised the politician--secretly, however, as is necessary for the Army officer in America; but no rural candidate at a Fall election ever worked harder to ingratiate himself with the people and to secure their votes, than did I to win favor with the Lords and high officers of State. And, with it all, I could feel no a.s.surance of success--for they were courtiers, and I had not yet learned to read behind their masks; though, here, Bernheim was invaluable. Indeed, he was a wonder. I have yet to find him miss his guess.
There were constant Cabinet meetings to attend, at which my views were expected; and this entailed a study of conditions and policies absolutely new to me. Then, I was delegated frequently by the King to represent him on occasions of ceremony; and, for them, I needed careful coaching. In fact, there were a thousand matters which occupied me to exhaustion. And, through it all, I was trying to get familiar with the organization and administration and methods of the Valerian Army, so as to be fitted to discharge the duties of my high rank. I confess this was my most congenial labor. If I might have been simply a soldier Archduke, I think I would have been entirely satisfied.
After a few weeks I had taken up my residence in the Epsau Palace--one of my recent inheritances--and there maintained my own Archducal Court.
It was a bit hard for me to take myself seriously and to accept calmly the obsequious deference accorded me by everyone. I fear I smiled many times when I should have looked royally indifferent; and was royally indifferent when I should have smiled. I know there were scores of instances when I felt like kicking some of the infernally omnipresent flunkeys down the stairs. But I did not; for I knew that the poor devils were doing only their particular duty in the manner particularly proper.
Yet, there were compensations, so many and so satisfying, I never, for a moment, considered a return to my former estate. I was--I admit it--enamored of my rank and power; and, it may be, even of that very obsequiousness and flattery which I thought I despised. I know there was a supreme satisfaction when I pa.s.sed through the saluting crowds in the Alta Avenue. It became almost elation when I rode upon the parade ground to take the Review and the March By.
During this month, I had seen the Duke of Lotzen very frequently. I had sat beside him at the Council table; I had dined with him formally as the new Archduke, and informally as his cousin. And, on my part, I had repaid his courtesies in kind. He had been thoughtful and considerate to me to an exceptional degree, but, at the same time, without undue effusiveness. In a word, he had treated me with every possible attention our rank and consanguinity demanded.
Even Courtney could find nothing to criticise in Lotzen"s behavior; nor had his secret agents been able to detect anything _sub rosa_.
"However, all this proves nothing one way or the other," he remarked one day, as we sat in my inner library. "If he intend the worst sort of harm to you he would begin just as he has."
I nodded.
"I suppose His Majesty knows of Lotzen"s courtesies to you?"
"And is immensely gratified. Bernheim tells me the Duke never was in higher favor than at this moment," I answered.
"Exactly--and, therefore, the less likely a change in the Law of Succession. He uses you to play against you."
"And I am helpless to prevent it," said I.
"I may not refuse his civilities nor appear to question their intent."