"And therefore," he continued, ignoring Barbara"s pointed remark, "on the ground that they have broken the law of Russia the Czar requires the extradition of the two offenders, his grace the Duke of Bora, and the Englishman, Captain Paul Woodville."
"The latter at all costs, I presume," said Barbara, caustically.
A second smile went round the a.s.sembly; their eyes with one accord turned towards the soldier who had foiled the Russian arms at Taj.a.pore.
"Captain Woodville," continued Barbara, and none but Paul knew what pleasure it gave her thus to act as his champion, "Captain Woodville, though resident in Czernova, has not yet resigned the rights of a British subject, and therefore it will be more prudent on our part to wait till the English amba.s.sador at St. Petersburg shall have notified to us his will in this matter. Till such time the question of the duke"s extradition must likewise remain in abeyance."
Barbara"s finesse in throwing her difficulty upon the broad shoulders of the British representative drew a sour smile from Orloff, who knew full well that that potentate would never sanction the extradition of an English officer on the grounds alleged.
Orloff was not slow to perceive the triumph of the a.s.sembly. It was clear to him that so far in the course of his emba.s.sy matters between Russia and Czernova would have to remain _in statu quo_, inasmuch as the princess"s policy afforded no ground for quarrel. But Orloff had other arrows in his quiver, and he prepared to discharge them.
"The Czar would fain learn the meaning of the device on the new Czernovese coinage."
"What signification does his Majesty himself attach to it?"
"In his view the a.s.sumption of the arms of Poland implies a claim to the throne of Poland,--a claim at variance with his own lawful sovereignty over that realm."
"Count, tell us whose arms are those?"
And Barbara here directed Orloff"s attention to a part of the roof where hung a faded white banner, its centre embroidered with the figure of a double-headed eagle in black thread, a banner captured in old time from Russia, and therefore no agreeable sight to the eyes of a Muscovite general.
"They are the arms of Russia," replied Orloff sullenly, and wondering why he should be asked the question.
"Yet that double-headed black eagle was the arms of the Greek emperors of Constantinople," said Barbara. "If my armorial device implies an aspiration for the throne of Poland, then must the Czar be credited with an aspiration for the throne of the Sultan. Are the chancelleries of Europe to understand that such is his aim?"
Again the a.s.sembly smiled. Nicholas"s intention of seizing upon "the sick man"s inheritance" was strongly suspected at this time, but it would not have been politic on the part of Orloff to affirm it. A scowl stole over his face at this, his fourth defeat.
"As regards the arms of Poland," said Barbara, "I, as a descendant of Polish kings, have every right to use such arms upon my coinage."
"But has Czernova the right to issue a coinage of its own apart from the Russian currency? Is it permitted by the Charter of Catherine?"
"Marshal, cause a copy of the Charter to be brought."
"Oh! no, your Highness," said Orloff quickly, and interchanging a significant smile with the Duke of Bora, a smile noticed and understood by Zabern, "not a copy. We would see the original doc.u.ment itself."
Barbara stared hard at the speaker, having no suspicion of his sinister purpose in preferring this request.
"You would see the original doc.u.ment?" she repeated. "This is truly a singular demand. As the Charter was signed in duplicate, why not consult your own original, which, if history err not, was deposited in the archives of the Kremlin?"
"We would, if it were there; but seek as we may, we have never been able to find the alleged doc.u.ment!"
"Alleged doc.u.ment?" repeated Barbara, knitting her brows. "Did you say alleged?"
"Yes," retorted Orloff, with an insolent sneer that brought all the blood to Barbara"s face, and caused the more fiery portion of the a.s.sembly to half-draw their blades. "Yes; for the truth is," he continued, glancing defiantly around, "Czernova never had any such Charter as is commonly alleged. How the first so-called Prince of Czernova contrived to impose upon Russia the fiction of a Charter granted by Catherine is indeed inexplicable; nevertheless the council of the empire has received ample proof that such doc.u.ment has never existed."
Barbara"s lifted hand quelled the wrathful murmurs.
"And without such Charter," she said, "it necessarily follows that--will you finish the sentence for me, Count?"
"It follows that Czernova is as much a part of the Czar"s dominions as the rest of Russian Poland."
"Proceed a step farther, Count. Say that in reigning over Czernova I have become liable to a charge of treason in having usurped the authority of the Czar."
"His Majesty will permit you to plead ignorance."
"We commend his sweet graciousness. But I can claim the word of the Czar himself that I am the lawful ruler of Czernova, inasmuch as you, his chosen representative, have greeted me with the t.i.tle of "Princess" and "Highness." If you now deny what you have previously affirmed; if you now declare it to be treason to acknowledge me as princess--then you have caused the Czar to be guilty of treason against the Czar! Truly, Sir Envoy, you conduct your emba.s.sy in strange and perplexing fashion, and we would pray you to be more clear of speech. For as touching your allegation that the Charter never had existence, by your own mouth are you contradicted, seeing that you yourself have cited from that Charter the words of the Czernovese coronation oath. Are we now to understand that in your desire to exclude me from the throne, you did not scruple to quote from a mythical doc.u.ment?"
Surely no amba.s.sador can ever have blundered more than Orloff! He was evidently better qualified to bully a regiment or to preside at a knouting than to conduct diplomatic negotiations. Thick-skinned as he was, he felt the sting of Barbara"s remarks, and his great face reddened. He had thought to gain an easy victory over a young girl, whereas it was now clear that in this contest of the tongue, the princess was decidedly his superior. Zabern smiled grimly, much regretting that Katina was not present to be a witness of her enemy"s humiliation.
"In using the terms "Princess" and "Charter,"" said Orloff, "be it understood that my language was provisional."
"And so," said Barbara, with sovereign disdain curving her lips, "it would seem that for fifty years Czernova has been enjoying its freedom by virtue of false statements. Marvellous that during all this time Russia has never once raised her voice in protest! Truly it says but little for the wisdom of her statesmen in thus permitting themselves to be duped for a period of half a century! But we would draw the Czar"s attention to a decree of the Congress of Vienna, and worded thus: "The princ.i.p.ality of Czernova shall be governed according to the Charter granted by Catherine the Second; and Russia, Austria, and Prussia are herewith empowered to uphold the provisions of the same."
That Congress must have had reason for believing in the existence of the Charter, else how could they have spoken thus? In the face of that decree is the Czar so ill-counselled as to deny the existence of the historic Czernovese Charter?"
"That is his att.i.tude, and nothing but its production in my presence will set his doubts at rest."
"Marshal Zabern is the Warden of the Charter. He can quickly prove that there is such a doc.u.ment preserved in the Eagle Tower."
"Pardon me, your Highness, not in the Eagle Tower," observed Zabern.
"When your Highness appointed me Warden of the Charter, I had the doc.u.ment removed to--to--well, for obvious reasons I prefer to keep its place of deposit a secret. The doc.u.ment you refer to in the iron coffer of the Eagle Tower is a copy merely."
The natural unaffected way in which Zabern spoke almost imposed upon Paul himself. It certainly imposed upon Orloff. Never did human countenance change so quickly as did that of the envoy at this moment,--the moment of his antic.i.p.ated triumph.
The Charter in the Eagle Tower a transcript merely, and not the great original! Then his plot had resulted only in the destruction of a worthless doc.u.ment. Czernova stood as firm as ever!
Orloff"s mortification found a reflection in the face of Bora. Paul marked them both, and never did falsehood give him such pleasure as the falsehood told by Zabern.
"After such testimony on the part of the marshal," observed Barbara, "you will no longer doubt."
"Then I am to understand," said Orloff, "that you refuse to permit the Czar"s envoy to inspect the Charter?"
"The Czar exceeds his authority in making such demand," replied Barbara with dignity. "By the decree of the Congress of Vienna, Austria and Prussia are equally concerned in this matter of the Charter. They have not yet called its existence in question. To a joint emba.s.sy from the three Powers doubt not that we shall pay due regard."
Barbara"s att.i.tude in thus a.s.sociating the courts of Vienna and Berlin with that of St. Petersburg upon the point at issue was diplomatically correct, as Orloff very well knew. Unless the two other states should act in concert with Russia, the latter had no power to compel Czernova to produce its Charter. And it was quite within the range of probability that Austria and Prussia, from motives of political jealousy, would decline to co-operate in an affair from which Russia alone was to gain.
Therefore, reflecting upon all this, Orloff began to perceive that his plot for the destruction of the Charter, even granting that it had been successfully carried out, was by no means so decisive a blow as he had at first been led to suppose. Czernova might be without its t.i.tle to autonomy, but this difficulty remained--how were the Czar"s ministry to establish the fact?
A gleam of cunning suddenly appeared on the face of the envoy. He had solved the problem.
"Is it not a part of the coronation-ritual," he asked, "that the original Charter of Catherine shall be placed upon the altar, and that the ruler of Czernova with hand laid upon it shall swear to maintain its provisions?"
"That is so," responded the princess; "and we especially invite you, Count, to a seat in the chancel in order that you may witness the ceremony, and set your doubts at rest."
"I shall certainly avail myself of the privilege offered me," said Orloff with a peculiar smile, incomprehensible to Barbara, but perfectly understood by at least two persons present.
Fear fell upon Paul, if not upon Zabern. Though it might be easy now to equivocate, and to devise plausible excuses for withholding the Charter from the envoy"s view, yet on the great day of the coronation, the day that should be the brightest in Barbara"s life, the fatal truth would have to be revealed. How was it possible to replace the vital doc.u.ment that had been destroyed by fire!
"I have discharged my emba.s.sy," said Orloff, bowing.