CHAPTER XXTHE SECOND WARNING
“Mydear Dorothea, surely you are not the one person in the Court who has failed to observe the King’s state of mind. I thought you had better opportunities than any of us for knowing the truth.”
Dorothea shrank back and trembled, lifting her eyes helplessly to the scornful face of the speaker.
The bitter feelings of jealousy towards Dorothea which had been nursed in the breast of Gertrude von Sigismark for so long, had at last found utterance. Emboldened by the disclosure made to her by the Chancellor on the day before, to expect the momentary downfall of the King, to be followed by the dismissal from Court of her young rival, she no longer thought it worth while to place any restraint on her feelings, nor could she resist the pleasure of being the first to crush Dorothea with the news of her royal lover’s fate.
But Dorothea had no thoughts to give to the taunts of her enemy. Her whole mind was absorbed in anxiety on behalf of the King.
“I do not believe it!” she cried passionately. “His Majesty is perfectly well. I will go and ask the Princess if what you say is true.”
And before the dismayed Gertrude could stop her, Dorothea, flushed and weeping, went in and fell on her knees before her mistress.
“What is the matter, my child?” inquired the Princess, her stern face relaxing with sympathy.
“Oh, Madam, is it true what they are saying?” the girl faltered out. “Do people really think that the King is going mad?”
Hermengarde’s face instantly grew black.
“Who has been telling you that?” she demanded, so wrathfully that Dorothea was frightened afresh.
“The Lady Gertrude von Sigismark said so,” she responded, trembling.
She did not add anything as to Gertrude’s ill nature towards herself, but Hermengarde was quick to perceive what had taken place.
“The vain, insolent minx!” she muttered between her teeth. Then, speaking more gently, she replied to Dorothea—
“I am ashamed of Lady Gertrude. Her jealousy completely blinds her. You must pay no attention to what she says. I have seen for some time that she was irritated at the friendship the King and I have shown you, but I did not think she would dare to indulge her ill feeling in such a manner. What she has said is high treason, and I shall rebuke her severely for it, and so will the Chancellor. As for you, my dear child, depend on me. Whatever happens, always remember that Hermengarde of Schwerin-Strelitz is your friend, not because the King admires you, but inspite of it.” She stooped to bestow a caress on the agitated girl, and then added, “Now go, and tell the Lady Gertrude I desire her attendance immediately. And be careful not to breathe a word of this to any one else.”
She dismissed Dorothea, who found Gertrude outside and conveyed Hermengarde’s message to her. Gertrude received the summons in silence, and sullenly proceeded into the presence of the Princess, feeling no slight dread as to her reception. Her dread was amply justified, and before she re-emerged she was made to feel that it would have been better for her to have bitten her tongue than made her ill-timed display of spite.
But, as the Princess feared might be the case, the incident did not end there. A few hours after, Dorothea, wandering in the gardens by herself, came upon Johann Mark.
Her first impulse was to turn and avoid him, as she had done ever since their quarrel on the night of the ball; but the next moment she made up her mind to sacrifice her own personal feelings in the interests of Maximilian. She therefore walked straight up to her cousin, and at once began—
“Cousin Johann, I have something very serious to tell you about the King. He is in danger.”
Johann had assumed an air of some severity on the first appearance of his cousin, which he altered into condescension on her coming up, as he thought, to make friends with him. But directly he heard whatshe had to say, all thoughts of their quarrel were forgotten.
“What is it?” he cried anxiously. “Do you mean the Socialist demonstrations?”
“No. I have not heard anything about Socialists. It is something far worse than that. Johann,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “tell me, have you ever heard it rumoured that the King was going mad?”
He started back in alarm. The very suggestion which had been made to him a short time before by Maximilian’s most intimate friend and favourite! Was it possible that Dorothea, too, had been infected by the base fear?
“Certainly not!” he exclaimed indignantly. “He is as sane as any man in Germany. Do you mean to say that you have dared to suspect such a thing?”
“Oh, no!” protested Dorothea, earnestly. “Never for one instant have I thought of it. But—and that is why I wanted to consult you—I am afraid the King has enemies who think that his mind is giving way, and who reckon on his not being allowed to reign much longer.”
Johann smote his breast
“Infamous, infamous!” was all he could say at first. “But who are these enemies?” he added, turning quickly to his cousin.
“I do not know. I know nothing beyond the fact that some one spoke to me this morning, almost threatening me with what I have said, as if it were certain to come to pass.”
“Who was it that spoke to you?”
“I hardly know whether I have a right to say.”
“You must. For the King’s sake, Dorothea!”
“Well, it was the Lady Gertrude von Sigismark.”
“Von Sigismark! The Chancellor’s daughter!”
Johann ground his teeth together. That name revealed all. He pondered for a minute.
“I understand everything now,” he said at length. “You have done the greatest service in telling me this; Heaven grant it may not be too late. This is evidently some plot to dethrone the King, because he has dared to take up the cause of the people. And I am responsible for this! It is the result of my coming to Neustadt! Well, I must save him; that is all. There is not a moment to be lost. I will warn him at once, and as soon as I have put him on his guard, I will go to Mannhausen, and expose the whole plot to the people.”
Dorothea stood listening intently, her cheeks flushed with admiration for the young man’s energy and resolution.
He noticed her emotion, and a new thought occurred to him.
“But, Dorothea,” he said inquiringly, “surely you must have come to love the King at last, since you are so much concerned about him?”
She dropped her head quickly.
“No, Johann. You do not understand me. I shall never love him. I wish you would see that I am just what you are to him, a devoted friend, and nothing more.”
“Then it is true,” pursued her cousin, feeling his way delicately, “that there is some one else?”
“Yes,” said Dorothea, blushing, “it is true.”
“And do you still object to tell me who it is?”
Dorothea looked at him gravely.
“Some day perhaps I shall tell you,” she said. And she turned hastily and ran away, leaving Johann with a sense of disappointment which he could not quite analyse, and which continued to trouble him in the midst of his anxieties about the King.
His first step was to return to the palace, where he made his way straight to Maximilian’s apartments. On the threshold he was met by Karl.
“Tell his Majesty I ask to see him immediately,” he said abruptly.
“His Majesty has given strict orders that he is not to be disturbed by any one,” was the glib answer.
Johann stamped his foot.
“Go at once, and tell his Majesty that I ask to see him on a matter of life and death.”
“Wait here then, and I will try what I can do.”
Karl disappeared and was absent for a minute, during which the republican impatiently paced the corridor.
Karl returned, looking obstinate.
“His Majesty is very sorry, but he cannot possibly receive you.”
Johann darted a look at the minion which made him quail.
“Go and tell the King that I demand an audience in the name of the people.”
“I dare not.”
Johann drew back and made a sign which the other had seen him make once before on a memorable occasion. He submitted at once.
“Well, I will try again; but I warn you it will be useless.”
He again went inside. After a somewhat longer absence he came back, and said stolidly—
“His Majesty cannot see you now. You can come later in the day.”
“I will not wait. Go back, and tell his Majesty that one hour is worth his kingdom.”
Karl withdrew, shaking in every limb, and Johann waited, breathing hard, and with the sweat breaking out on his forehead.
When Karl came back this time he was no longer alone. Auguste Bernal accompanied him, looking pale and concerned.
The composer drew Johann aside, and whispered in his ear—
“Herr Mark, I implore you not to come in to the King just now. He is extremely ill, so ill in fact that I fear the least excitement might produce a terrible paroxysm. You understand. I dare not let this be known to a soul except yourself.”
Johann’s face became ghastly as he listened. He searched the other’s face as if he would read his very heart; but finally he bowed his head and went away, with his limbs trembling beneath him.
Hardly had the sound of his footsteps died awaywhen Maximilian’s voice was heard from inside, sounding calm as usual—
“Does any one want to see me, Auguste?”
Bernal and Karl exchanged dark glances, and the former hastened back inside.
Hermengarde’s sentinels had done their work.
Johann lost no more time. He hastened to the stable, ordered a horse to be saddled instantly on the King’s business, and galloped off at full speed towards the distant railway station.
As he drew up to the top of the hill which separated the enchanted valley from the outer world, he saw a State carriage, drawn by four horses with postilions, drive rapidly through the archway which guarded the royal demesne, and come swinging down past him towards the Castle. Hardly had he gained the gateway himself than another similar carriage drew up, a person closely wrapped up leant out of the window and gave a password to the officer in charge of the gate, and this carriage followed on after its predecessor. Behind, at a little distance, Johann could see a third carriage rolling swiftly up the long road which led from the station.
He checked his horse under the archway, and asked with affected carelessness of the officer—
“Who was that man who spoke to you from the carriage?”
The officer looked at Johann, and appeared to recognise him. His position in the King’s favour had hitherto naturally led to deference on the part of theunderlings of the Court. But on this occasion the officer’s manner was brusque almost to rudeness.
“That was the Privy Councillor von Layern, Herr Mark. Ride on, if you please; I have no instructions to stop you.”
Johann started violently, and his horse gave a plunge. He pulled the rein to turn round.
“Stop!” cried the officer, noticing the action. “I have instructions to prevent your returning, unless you give me the password.” And he deliberately drew a revolver.
Johann gave a groan, and setting spurs to his horse, dashed madly on down the road. As he did so the third carriage came up, halted a moment, and then rolled on beneath the frowning gateway, and was lost to view.
Johann had been seen to leave the Castle by Bernal. Satisfied that the coast was now clear, he repaired to the presence of the Princess Hermengarde, whom he found anxiously awaiting an intimation that the Privy Council was in session.
As he entered her apartments, Prince Ernest went out, looking strangely disturbed.
His mother had just taken the same step with regard to him which the Chancellor had been rash enough to take with regard to Gertrude. But Hermengarde had delayed imparting the secret till the last moment, and it was indispensable that her son’s mind should be prepared before the conspiracy actually took effect.
Knowing his fondness for Maximilian, she dared notgive the boy any idea of the motives which were really at work in her mind, but spoke to him as if his cousin’s madness were a fact which she had been forced reluctantly to believe in by convincing medical testimony. Ernest received the terrible revelation with a strange passiveness. At first he seemed hardly to understand the full meaning of the disclosure. When he had taken it in he hung his head as if ashamed, and without offering any comment, stole out of his mother’s presence.
Wearing a dazed surreptitious look, he went on through the rooms which formed the Princess’s quarter of the Castle, and calling his favourite dog to accompany him, made his way round by a back staircase to Maximilian’s apartments.
Here he was interrupted, as Johann had been, by the vigilant Karl. But the Prince brushed him aside.
“I want to see my cousin,” he said. “I know all about it. My mother has just told me. I will see that you are not blamed.”
And Karl not daring to oppose physical resistance, the lad thrust his way past him into Maximilian’s cabinet.
He found the King seated at a table, with a map of Franconia spread out before him, into which he was sticking pins with various coloured heads. Maximilian looked up, and smiled pleasantly at his cousin’s entrance.
“Why, Ernest, how is it that you have come in so quietly? Surely there is some one outside?”
“Yes, Karl Fink is there; but I told him to let mepass.” The boy stared strangely at his cousin, and added naïvely, “What are you doing with those pins?”
Maximilian was rather amused by the lad’s coolness.
“Look here, and I will show you,” he said. “You see these pins with red heads; they are to mark all the large towns and villages. The small blue pins show where there are railways running already, and these yellow ones I am using to mark out the routes where I think there ought to be new railways made.”
“But why?”
“Because I have found out that there are a lot of men in my kingdom who have no work to do, and I want to give them a chance of earning their bread, and at the same time benefiting the country at large by giving the farmers better means of sending their produce to the markets. You see, Ernest, a king ought not to spend all his time in enjoying himself, as I have been doing till lately; he ought to study the wants of his people, and care for them.”
The boy regarded him with a puzzled air.
“But is this really true?” he asked doubtfully. “Are these things really for what you say? I thought perhaps they were only things to play with.”
Maximilian laughed.
“I see you have a very poor opinion of my character for business,” he returned jestingly. “But, unfortunately, I have found it does not do to be always playing; and you will find that out, too, if you ever come to the throne.”
He stopped, and fidgeted for a moment under theboy’s steady, disconcerting stare. His nerves seemed to be affected by some influence in the atmosphere, and he shivered slightly.
“Why do you look at me like that, Ernest?” he demanded petulantly.
The lad’s expression became gravely sorrowful.
“Because I want to see what it is like to be mad!”