My arrangements were completed, and in spite of De Belleville's entreaty
that I should remain for at least another day, I was adamant in my
determination to leave Paris for England that night. In view of the
existing state of affairs there, it would be a truism to say that there
was much to be done before the assembling of Parliament; it behoved us
all, we knew, to put our shoulders to the wheel and to do our utmost to
help our country in her hour of need. Accordingly, the appointed moment
found me at the railway station, whither my servant had preceded me.
Williams is the best courier as well as the best servant in existence,
and when I reached the platform it was to find my compartment reserved
for me, my books and papers spread out to my hand, my cap and travelling
rug in readiness, and the faithful man himself on guard at the door. It
only wanted three minutes to starting time, and already the various
functionaries were busying themselves with intending passengers.
"It looks as if we shall have a full train, Williams," I said, as I
stood at the door gazing down the platform. "Let us hope we shall have a
good crossing!"
"The weather report is favourable, sir," he replied.
I returned to the other end of the carriage to look for my cigar-case
and was in the act of cutting a weed when I heard Williams' voice raised
as if in expostulation.
"I must beg your pardon, sir," he was saying in his curious French, that
no experience ever makes any better or any worse, "but this is a
reserved compartment."
"But, my good fellow, there is no more room in the train," said a voice
I instantly recognised. "Pray speak to your master and I am sure he will
not deny our request."
I walked to the door where this conversation was being carried on, to
discover the lady and the two men who have already figured so
prominently in my narrative, standing upon the platform.
"I am afraid we are taking an unwarrantable liberty in asking such a
favour from you," the elder man began, "but by our carelessness we are
placed in a dilemma. We omitted to secure a compartment, and now the
train is so full that we cannot procure seats. It is most necessary for
us to cross to London to-night, and unless you will go so far out of
your way as to permit us to share your carriage with you, I fear we must
remain behind. The train is about to start even now."
Though I had no desire for their company, courtesy forbade that I should
insist upon my rights. Nothing remained for it, therefore, but for me to
submit with as much graciousness as I could assume.
"Pray step in," I said. "It is the fault of the Railway Authorities who
should provide sufficient accommodation for travellers. May I ask which
seat you prefer, madame?"
With an expression of her thanks she chose the corner at the further end
of the compartment, and opposite the corner Williams had prepared for
me. Her companions followed her, and a moment later the train moved
slowly out of the station and our journey had commenced. That journey
will be remembered by two of our number, at least, so long as they can
recollect anything. I am not going to pretend that I felt at my ease for
the first part of it. Far from it. I fancy the Countess must have
noticed this, for she did not address me for some time, vouchsafing me
an opportunity of becoming accustomed to the novelty of the situation.
Then, feeling that it was incumbent on me to do the honours of the
compartment, I offered her her choice of papers. She chose one, and,
when she had opened it, assured me that I was at liberty to smoke,
should I care to do so. Her companions had also made themselves at home,
so that by the time our train ran through Ailly-sur-Noye we might have
been said to have been on comparatively intimate terms with each other.
"I have an idea that my father and I have had the pleasure of meeting an
old friend of yours lately," said the Countess, when the station to
which I have just referred was a thing of the past and we were speeding
on towards the sea.
"Really!" I replied, with some little astonishment. "Pray, who might
that friend be?"
"The Duke of Rotherhithe," she returned, and, as she said it, she neatly
folded the paper she had been reading and laid it on the seat beside
her.
"A friend of mine, indeed," I answered. "I fancied, however, that he
was yachting in the Mediterranean?"
"Exactly! He was! We met him quite by chance in Constantinople, and,
finding that we were anxious to reach Naples as quickly as possible, he
offered to convey us thither in his yacht. I remember that he spoke most
kindly of you."
"The dear fellow!" I replied. "We were at school together and afterwards
at the 'Varsity."
So easily impressed is the human mind by former associations, that the
mere fact that the Countess de Venetza and her father had lately been
the guests of my old friend, Rotherhithe, was sufficient to make me
treat them in an entirely different fashion to what I had hitherto done.
Until that time I had rather prided myself upon being a somewhat
sceptical man of the world, but, now I was giving splendid proofs of my
peculiar susceptibility. There was, however, a grain of suspicion still
lingering about me. I accordingly proceeded to indirectly question her
concerning my friend, and, as I noticed that she answered without
hesitation or any attempt at concealment, my doubts faded away until
they vanished altogether. We talked of the _Princess Balroubadour_ with
the familiarity of old friends; Rotherhithe's antipathy to those whom he
described as "foreigners" afforded us conversation for another five
minutes; while the Malapropisms, if I may coin a word, of his head
steward, were sufficient to carry us through two more stations without a
single break in the conversation. We discussed the various Ports of the
Mediterranean, ran up to Assuan in a _dahabiyeh_, and afterwards made a
pilgrimage to Sinai together. The Countess was a witty conversationalist
and, as I discovered, a close observer of all that went on around her.
Her father and cousin, beyond putting in a word now and again, scarcely
spoke, but seemed absorbed in their books and papers.
At last we reached Calais, and it became necessary for us to leave the
train. It was a beautiful evening; the sea was as smooth as glass, while
there was not enough wind to stir the pennant on the steamer's masthead.
"I am sure we cannot thank you enough for permitting us to share your
carriage," said the Countess as we left the train and prepared to go on
board the steamer. "Had it not been for your kindness, I fear we should
still be in Paris, instead of being well on our way to England."
I returned something appropriate to this remark, then, side by side, we
boarded the steamer.
"Since you have been yachting with the Duke of Rotherhithe," I said,
when we had gained the deck, "it is only fair to suppose that you are a
good sailor, Countess?"
"Oh, yes!" she answered, with a little laugh; "I am an excellent sailor.
But--forgive my asking the question--how did you become aware of my
identity?"
"I happened to hear your name at the hotel this morning," I replied. "It
was told me after I had restored the bangle you so nearly lost."
At this moment her father put in an appearance and caused a diversion by
enquiring after the safety of her jewel-case, which, it appeared, stood
in continual danger of being lost. A few seconds later the boat was
under weigh and we had said good-bye to French soil. As we left the
place of embarkation it seemed to me that my companion gave a little
sigh, and noticing that it was followed by a slight shiver, I enquired
whether she felt cold. She replied in the negative, though at the same
time she drew her furs a little closer round her.
"I wonder whether certain places affect you as they do me," she said,
when the French port lay well astern and we were heading for the white
cliffs of England. "It is strange that I never leave Calais without
undergoing a decided feeling of depression. I don't know why it should
be so; it is a fact, nevertheless."
"I hope it is not the thought of visiting England that causes it?" I
replied with an attempt at jocularity. "You have visited our country
before, of course?"
"Very often," she answered; "we have many friends in England."
"In the list of whom I hope you will permit me some day to number
myself?" I continued with an eagerness that was not at all usual with
me.
"I shall be very pleased," she returned quietly, and then looked away
across the still water to where a French pilot cutter lay becalmed half
a mile or so away.
An hour later we reached Dover.
Just as we were entering the harbour, the Countess's father approached
me and thanked me effusively for my kindness in permitting them to share
my carriage from Paris.
"But you must not let my generosity, such as it is, cease there!" I
replied. "I hope you will also share my carriage to London, that is to
say if the Countess is not already too tired of my society."
"It would be ungenerous to say so if I were," she answered with a smile.
"But if you, on your side, do not feel that we have trespassed too far
already, I am sure we shall be only too glad to accept your kind offer."
The Custom authorities having been satisfied as to the innocence of our
baggage, we took our seats in the carriage which had been reserved for
me. My indispensable Williams made his appearance with an armful of
papers, and then we started upon the last stage of our journey. When I
had handed the Countess a copy of the _Globe_, I selected a _Pall Mall_
for myself, and turned to the page containing the latest war news. From
what I found there, there could be no doubt that the situation was
hourly increasing in danger. There were complications on every side, and
the position was not rendered easier by the fact that a certain number
of prominent politicians were endeavouring to make capital out of the
difficulties of the Government.
"I suppose there can now be no doubt as to the probability of war?"
said Count Reiffenburg, looking up from his paper as he spoke.
"None whatever, I should say," I answered. "If the papers are to be
believed the clouds are blacker and heavier than they have yet been. I
fear the storm must burst ere long."
The Countess did not take any part in our conversation, but I fancied
that she was listening. Not feeling any desire to continue the
discussion with the younger man, I returned to my paper, leaving him to
follow my example. A few minutes later the Countess put down her
_Globe_, and sat looking out upon the country through which we were
passing.
"I see they have captured another notorious anarchist in Naples," I
said, after we had been sitting in silence for some minutes. "So far as
can be gathered from the report given here, the arrest is likely to
prove important in more respects than one."
"Indeed," said the Countess, looking steadily at me as she spoke. "The
police are certainly becoming more expeditious in the matter of arrests.
The only difficulty they experience is the finding of any substantial
crime against their victims when they have brought about their capture.
Pray, who is this particular man?"
"An individual rejoicing in the romantic name of Luigi Ferreira," I
answered. "It appears that they have been endeavouring to lay their
hands upon him for some time past. Until now, however, he has managed to
slip through their fingers."
"Poor fellow!" said the Countess, still in the same even voice. "I hope
it will not prejudice you against me, but I cannot help feeling a little
sympathy for people--however misguided they may be--who imperil their
own safety for the sake of bringing about what they consider the
ultimate happiness of others."
Then, as though the matter no longer interested her, she returned to the
perusal of her paper. Her cousin had all this time been drumming with
his fingers in an impatient manner, so I thought, upon the glass of the
window beside which he sat. For my own part, I scarcely knew what to
make of this young man. Though he did not show it openly, I could not
help thinking that he was jealous of the attention I was paying his fair
cousin. As the idea crossed my mind I remembered the previous afternoon,
when I had sat in the portico of the hotel, speculating as to the
nationality and lives of the people about me. How little I had thought
then that twenty-four hours later would find me seated with them in an
English railway carriage, discussing the fortune of another man with
whom neither I, nor they, for the matter of that--at least, so I then
supposed--had even the remotest connection.
It was not until we were approaching the end of our journey that I spoke
to my _vis-a-vis_ concerning her stay in London.
"We shall in all probability remain in London for some three or four
months," she said. "I hope, if you can spare the time, that you will
call upon me. I have taken Wiltshire House, by the way, and shall be
most pleased to see you."
I must confess that her announcement caused me a considerable amount of
surprise. All things considered, it was rather a strange coincidence,
for, only that morning, I had received a letter from my sister Ethelwyn,
who, as you are doubtless aware, is the Countess of Brewarden, in which
occurred the following significant passage (Ethelwyn, I might here
remark, is somewhat given to the florid style):--
"Existence is now altogether a blank! the dream of my
life--Wiltshire House--has vanished. Some rich foreigner has taken
it, and in consequence George (my brother-in-law) and I have
quarrelled desperately. He declares it is a good thing it is let,
as he couldn't think of it. He moreover avers that it would cost a
king's ransom to keep up. Nevertheless, I shall detest the
foreigner whoever she or he may be."
I can scarcely say how I derived the impression, but, until that moment,
I had not supposed my fair friend to be the possessor of any great
wealth. It was the more surprising, therefore, to hear that she was not
only a rich woman, but also that she was to be the temporary mistress of
one of the most beautiful and expensive dwellings in the Metropolis.
Needless to say, I did not let her become aware of the surprise she had
given me, but contented myself with thanking her and expressing the hope
that shortly I should be able to do myself the honour of calling upon
her.
"You won't allow your public duties to make you forget your promise to
come and see me, I hope," said the Countess, as we shook hands.
"You may be quite sure that I shall not," I replied.
"Then, _au revoir_, and many thanks for the kindness you have shown us."
"It has given me the greatest possible pleasure," I answered, and, as I
said it, I had a guilty remembrance of my uncharitable feelings that
morning, when I had discovered that my privacy was destined to be
disturbed. Yet so pleasantly had the time passed, that I felt as if I
had known the Countess for years instead of hours.
When I reached my house it was to find everything just as I had left it.
A cheerful fire blazed in my study, the latest evening papers lay, cut
and folded, upon a table beside my favourite chair; a subdued light
shone above the table in the dining-room adjoining, and everything
denoted the care and comfort which a master possessing good servants has
a right to expect. Having removed the stains of travel, and changed my
attire, I sat down to dinner, afterwards spent an hour skimming my
correspondence, then, to fill up the time, I ordered a cab and drove to
my favourite Club.
Though I had only been absent from England a short time, and had not
been further than Paris, I discovered that I had a vast amount of news
to hear. Men imparted their information to me as if I had that day
returned from Central Africa or the Australian Bush. Young Paunceford,
the member for Banford, for which place his father had sat before him,
was good enough to give me his views on the Crisis. His complaint was
that no one would listen to him, and, in consequence, he was only too
glad to find some one who required bringing up to date. That I happened
to be a Cabinet Minister as well as an old friend made no sort of
difference.
"By Jove, I envy you," he said, as he lit a fresh cigar. "I can tell
you, if you play your cards carefully, you'll be no end of a swell over
this business. Why on earth couldn't I have had such an opportunity?"
"For the simple reason that you know too much, my boy," said a man in
the Guards, who happened to be sitting near. "Haven't you heard that a
little knowledge is a dangerous thing? They know Manderville's safe on a
secret, so they gave him the job. What's the use of a secret unless
there's some mystery about it. By the way, talking of mysteries, what's
this about Wiltshire House? Somebody tells me that it has been let to
the prettiest woman in Europe. Do any of you know anything about her?"
Paunceford was as well informed upon this as upon all other subjects.
"Of course," he replied; "the news is as old as the hills. I heard it
from Bill Kingsbury, who was in the agent's shop, or office--whatever
they call it--when the business was being arranged. But it's all
nonsense about her being the prettiest woman in Europe. Hailed from
Jamaica, I believe; has to own to curly hair and to just one touch of
the tar-brush."
"Paunceford seems to know all about her," said another man. "He always
is well informed, however, upon any matter, whatever it may be. If
there's going to be a war the House ought to vote a sum sufficient to
send him out, in order that he may keep the Authorities posted on the
progress of affairs. You've missed your vocation, Paunceford; you'd make
an ideal War Correspondent."
"Too much imagination," said the man in the Guards; "military matters
must be taken seriously. But nobody has answered my question yet. Who is
this lady who has taken Wiltshire House?"
"I have already told you," said Paunceford sulkily. "I never came across
such a set of unbelievers."
"Elderly, coloured, and of West Indian origin?" said the Guardsman. "It
doesn't sound well."
I could stand it no longer.
"For goodness sake," I put in, "don't go about the town spreading that
report. I assure you Paunceford is, as usual, altogether out of it."
"How do you know that?" asked Paunceford suspiciously.
"Because I happen to have had the good-fortune to travel with the lady
from Paris to-day," I replied, with just that little touch of
satisfaction the position warranted.
"And yet you kept quiet about it," said another man. "Well, you are a
reticent beggar, I must say. Don't you know this has been one of the
mysteries of the town. My goodness, man, you shan't escape from this
room until you have told us all about her! Who is she? What is she? What
is her name? How much money has she? Above all, is she pretty?"
"She is the Countess de Venetza," I replied. "Italian, I should say;
rich--since she has taken Wiltshire House; and as for her personal
appearance--well, when you see her, you will be able to judge of that
for yourselves."
"Excellent!" said the Guardsman. "I prefer Manderville's report to
yours, Paunceford. Is she married?"
"A widow, I fancy," I replied.
"Still better! If she is kind to me I will make her reputation, and
Wiltshire House shall be the smartest caravanserai in London. Not
shooting in your wood, Manderville, I hope?"
"I wish to goodness you men wouldn't spend your time so much in
inventing new slang," I answered. "But some of you seem to have nothing
else to do. Now that I have satisfied your curiosity, I shall go home to
bed. The early bird catches the early news. In these days one lives for
the morning papers."
Paunceford saw another opportunity.
"Talking of morning papers----" he began, but before he had finished the
sentence I had left the room.
Being tired when I reached home I went straight to bed. Remembering my
experience of the previous night, I was determined that this one should
make up for it. To my disappointment, however, I discovered that, tired
though I was, sleep would not visit my eyelids. I was as wide awake when
I had been two hours in bed as I was when I entered my room. Once more,
as on the previous night, I was haunted with the remembrance of the
Countess's eyes; do what I would, I could not get them out of my mind.
Tired at last of tumbling and tossing, and thoroughly angry with myself,
and the world in general, I rose, donned a dressing-gown, and went into
the small study that adjoins my bedroom. The fire was not quite
extinguished, and with some little coaxing I was able to induce it to
burn again. Taking a book I drew up my chair, seated myself in it, and
tried to read. I must have done so to some purpose, for after a time I
fell asleep. Possibly it may have been due to the fact that I had had no
rest on the previous night, and that my mind was naturally much occupied
with the gravity of England's situation, and the part I had to play in
the coming strife; at any rate, my dreams were not only vivid but
decidedly alarming. I dreamt that I was in a transport _en route_ to the
Cape, and that the vessel struck a rock, and sank with all the troops on
board. There was no time to get out the boats, and, in company with some
hundreds of others, I was precipitated into the water. While we were
still struggling with the waves, a life-boat made her appearance, and,
to my intense astonishment, standing in the bows was no less a person
than the Countess De Venetza. What was stranger still, she carried in
her hand a heavy spear, or harpoon, with which, whenever a drowning man
approached the boat, she stabbed him in the back, laughing as she did
so. Then, by means of that wonderful mechanical ingenuity with which the
theatres of the land of dreams are furnished, the scene changed to a
lonely plain at the foot of a rugged mountain-range. A battle had been
fought upon it, and the dead and wounded still lay where they had
fallen. So real did it appear to me, that when I recognised here and
there the faces of friends, I found myself wondering what I should say
to their loved ones when I returned to England. Suddenly, in the weird
light, for the moon was shining above the mountain-peaks, there appeared
from among the rocks on the further side of the plain a woman, whose
face I instantly recognised. With stealthy steps she left her
hiding-place and descended to where the wounded lay thickest. In her
hand she carried the same spear that I remembered in my previous dream,
and with it she stabbed every man who remained alive. So terrible was
the expression upon her face as she did so, that I turned away from her
in loathing and disgust. When I looked again she was bending over the
body of a man who still lived, but who was bleeding from a deep wound
in his side. Picture my consternation when I discovered that he was none
other than the Guardsman who had been so persistent in his inquiries
that night concerning her. As I watched, for I was unable to move hand
or foot to save him, a low moan escaped his lips, followed by an appeal
for water. With the same expression of fiendish rage upon her face that
I had noticed before, she raised the spear, and was about to plunge it
into his breast, when with a cry I awoke, to find the sun streaming into
the room, and my respectable Williams standing before me.
"Good gracious, Williams, how you startled me!" I said. "What on earth
am I doing here? Ah, I remember! I could not sleep, so I came in to get
a book. I suppose I must have fallen asleep over it. What news is there
this morning?"
There was an air of mystery about Williams that I knew heralded the
announcement of some extraordinary information.
"Yes, sir," he said, "there is some important news. The papers do say
that 'War is declared.'"