"An uncomfortable arrangement, I should say. For my own part I will rely on my right arm and on my good sword. Fear not for me. But, dearest Barbara, will you not unmask, and let me see your face, if only for a moment?"
She shook her head tantalizingly.
"I would if I dared, but who knows what eyes may be watching me at this moment? There are Russian spies at this masquerade, so Zabern a.s.sures me. I must not be recognized in this guise. Ah! who comes here?" Paul felt her arm trembling upon his, as there moved slowly along the moonlit terrace a tall and stately figure robed in a monastic habit. His ca.s.sock was identical in its shade of gray with the nun"s gown worn by Barbara, and like hers, it was marked on each shoulder with a red cross.
Having reached the place where Barbara sat, the monk paused, surveyed her attentively for a moment, and then spoke,--
"May a brother claim a few words from a sister of the same order?"
"How know you that I am of the same order?"
"The "Transfigured" cannot be hidden from each other."
"Paul," she whispered, "I must speak with this man alone for a short time. Remain here."
The princess arose, and in company with the newcomer paced slowly to and fro along the terrace, repeatedly pa.s.sing Paul.
This proceeding on the part of Barbara was somewhat strange, but not altogether incomprehensible. Paul had learned that the word "Transfigured" was used by the patriots of Czernova in the sense of one who, from a state of despair as regards Poland, had pa.s.sed to a state of hope. Its English equivalent was "conspirator." The term naturally a.s.sociated itself with the Convent of the Transfiguration, and hence Paul concluded that this masked individual was a monk sent from that very mysterious monastery with some important message.
The conversation, of which he did not overhear one word, occupied about fifteen minutes, and ended by the monk pa.s.sing some papers to the princess, who immediately concealed them upon her person, an action performed so quickly that Paul almost doubted whether it had really taken place.
This transference of doc.u.ments accomplished, the monk glided quietly away, and the princess returned to the side of Paul.
Ere he had time to question Barbara on the nature of the interview, Paul saw with surprise a second masked friar making his way along the terrace. He was robed so precisely like the other that Paul at first thought it was the same individual; but a nearer view showed that he was of shorter and more ma.s.sive build. There could be no doubt that he, too, was bent on having an interview with the princess.
Was this sort of thing to last all night?
Barbara guessed his thoughts, and her teeth gleamed in a pretty smile beneath the silken fringe of her vizard.
"Patience, Paul," she whispered. "This is the second and last. There in the distance comes Marshal Zabern, and as I must have no secrets from you he shall act as my interpreter."
On the approach of the monk the same interchange of words took place, evidently a pre-arranged signal, and, as before, Barbara arose and joined in conversation with the new-comer.
A moment afterwards another figure came upon the scene whom, in spite of the mask and black domino, Paul recognized as Zabern.
The marshal sat down by Paul"s side and fixed his eyes upon the princess, who, a little distance away, was stooping over the bal.u.s.trade of the terrace, apparently engaged in the act of writing.
"What think you that the princess is now doing?" asked Zabern.
"One might fancy her to be setting down the name of a cavalier upon her dance-programme, but I suppose such is not the case?"
"Captain Woodville," returned the marshal impressively, "you are witnessing an event destined to change the map of Europe in the near future. The princess is signing a secret treaty with Louis Kossuth, the uncrowned King of Hungary."
Paul"s surprise and wonderment can be better imagined than described.
"The princess has signified to me her wish that you should be admitted to the circle of "The Transfigured;" and convinced as I am of your loyalty to her, I offer no opposition, knowing that if you should not altogether approve of our policy, you will at least keep our secret.
It is our custom to exact an oath from initiates--"
"I will vow upon the Four Evangelists--"
"Upon your sword if you must swear at all, as our Polish chevaliers of old when at church they recited the "Credo." Our initiatory oath can be dispensed with in your case. Your promise is sufficient. The word of a soldier should be sacred. You pledge yourself to secrecy?"
And when Paul had a.s.sented, the marshal continued,--
"Know, then, that Princess Natalie is at the head of a secret enterprise,--"conspiracy" would be the Czar"s word,--an enterprise for the liberation of Poland from the Russian yoke. The two monks are agents in this affair. The first is a Pole bringing doc.u.ments from the headquarters of the patriots at Warsaw. The second is a Hungarian from Buda charged with the secret treaty from Kossuth. The masquerade of to-night was held with a special view to their meeting the princess, no other way being so well suited to divert suspicion; for with spies all around us it behoves us to act with caution. The traitor Bora, at this moment in the ball-room, little knows what is happening only a stone"s-throw off."
"But what interest hath Hungary in this affair?"
"Hungary is herself preparing to revolt from the despotic rule of the House of Hapsburg. Next spring she will rise under Louis Kossuth, whose triumph is certain. Hungary will again take her place among the free nations of Europe. We in Czernova sympathize with the Magyars, but as matters are at present we dare not openly aid them with our army. Austria would cry to the Czar, and the Czar, availing himself of the opportunity, would lose no time in annexing Czernova. We are thus necessitated to give our aid in secret. Money is the sinews of war; we therefore lend the Hungarians money on the understanding that they in turn shall aid us when the day of Poland comes."
"And how much are you advancing?"
"One hundred and eighty million roubles; not paper money, mark you, but sterling gold in coinage and plate."
The vastness of the sum--thirty millions in English money--filled Paul with amazement.
"How has Czernova contrived to raise such a large amount?"
"But small part of it comes from Czernova. It represents the free-will offerings of Polish patriots throughout the world for a long course of years. n.o.ble ladies have given their jewellery, the peasant his kopek, ay, often his last kopek, to the good cause."
"And where is this treasure stored?"
"In the Convent of the Transfiguration. Yes," continued Zabern, "we aid Hungary, and Hungary will aid us when the great day of vengeance shall come."
"And when will that be?"
""Russia"s danger is Poland"s opportunity,"--that is the Czernovese motto. We are waiting till Russia shall be engaged in war with England."
"Is such war likely to occur?"
"It is a certain event of the near future. In the School of Naval Engineers at Sebastopol," said Zabern, beginning a statement, whose relevancy Paul failed at first to perceive, "is a complete representation of all the forts that line the Bosphorus with their towers and bastions, together with the most minute details respecting the creeks and currents of that famous strait; so that the Russian War Minister sitting at Sebastopol with these models before him could direct the whole plan of an attack upon Constantinople."
"Well?"
"Imperative orders have just been issued from St. Petersburg commanding the naval captains to study these models; lectures upon them are given daily to the naval cadets. Bearing in mind Alexander"s saying to Napoleon, "_Il faut avoir les clefs de notre maison dans la poche_," what inference do you draw?"
"That Russia is preparing to seize the Sultan"s dominions?"
"Precisely. Will England permit this?"
"Not while "Old Pam" is living."
""Old Pam"?" said Zabern, puzzled till Paul explained. "Ah! your grand Lord Palmerston, the friend of oppressed nationalities! Well, then, we shall soon have an Anglo-Russian war. Your gallant armies and fleets will be seen ere long off the sh.o.r.es of the Baltic and Euxine. My faith in the bravery of your countrymen enables me to prophesy that they will be victorious. And then will come the day of our triumph!"
The patriotic Zabern, whose days from boyhood had been spent in struggling for the freedom of his fatherland, was now fully convinced that success was at hand.
"Yes," he continued, his eye kindling with enthusiasm; "yes, in the hour of Russia"s humiliation, when her treasury is exhausted and her armies demoralized by defeat, there will be an upheaval of Poland; no feeble flash-in-the-pan this time, but a grand national uprising, north, south, east, and west. Little Czernova will be to the fore with her army of twenty thousand under Zabern; the Magyars of Hungary will pour across the border with Kossuth at their head; there will be a combination such as will compel Russia to part with the kingdom she wickedly stole fifty years ago. When I was born Poland was free; I shall die seeing her free again. And the princess--"