TWO REMARKABLE MEN
When the lights finally went up and the entertainment ended, perhaps
the most surprised, almost dumbfounded, man in the room was Jones. He
now had his first insight into the stupendous amount of work that had
been done by his friend, and was completely overcome by the seriousness
of the situation. He understood at last many things which had been lost
on him before, as for instance the insinuating remarks of the
Chancellor at their various conferences and why he had suspected the
Secretary of lying to him.
Jones wondered also if his own Government had purposely kept the
Embassy in the dark as to its relationship with Edestone. Not knowing
the whereabouts or even the ownership of this frightful instrument of
war, he was at a loss to know what he should say when certain pointed
questions which were inevitable were put to him.
He realized now for the first time that the German General Staff was at
work and would stop at nothing either to obtain the use of this great
monster of the air or, by seizing Edestone himself, control its
movements; that is, if Edestone and not the United States were
operating it.
He could not blind himself to the air of confidence that pervaded the
entire company, composed as it was of the highest men in the German
Government, and this led him to believe that they knew Edestone held
the key of the situation, and as long as they held him they occupied
the strongest position.
But why, he could not help asking himself, had Edestone been such a
fool as to put himself so completely in their power. Still, being a
very astute man, and having the greatest confidence in his old friend,
who he knew would do the straight thing in a strong position and the
wise thing if he found himself in a weak one, he awaited developments.
Edestone, who had walked over to the Secretary of Legation, leaned down
and said in a voice loud enough for the Emperor to hear:
“Will you please say to His Imperial Majesty that if there is any
question he would like to put to me, or if he would care to have me
repeat any of the pictures, I should appreciate the great honour.”
The Emperor, who was just waking up to the fact that he had in this
young American a very strong and clever man to deal with, was to a
certain extent at a loss to decide just how he would treat him.
Without waiting to have the request conveyed to him in due form, and
speaking directly to Edestone he said in an affable voice:
“I should like to see again the picture showing the working of the
bomb-dropping device, and I would like to have the film stopped exactly
at the moment that the projectile leaves the tube. I wish to examine
the action of the ejector.”
“I shall be most happy,” replied Edestone, “to run that film again very
slowly and repeat it as often as Your Majesty may desire. I can also
run it backward very slowly, but I cannot stop the machine that I am
using tonight without ruining the film, and I am quite sure,” he bowed
most respectfully, “that Your Majesty will not wish me to do that.”
“Stop that machine as I order you to do, and ruin the film if it is
necessary!” said the Emperor in his most commanding tone.
At last Edestone had the chance he had been looking for. He knew that
he was perfectly in his rights, and if he refused and the Emperor still
insisted upon his most unjust demand, it would open the eyes of his
country’s representative to the situation and the true attitude of the
German authorities. Besides, he was incensed at the wanton destruction
of other people’s property to satisfy the whims of this absolute
monarch.
“I am very sorry, Your Majesty, I cannot do that, and for state reasons
that it is impossible for me to explain.”
The Emperor turned perfectly livid. His face was painful to look at. He
tried vainly to speak, but could not. It was plain that he was
labouring under an emotion greater than his physical condition could
stand. His mouth worked and each hair of his moustache seemed to stand
on end, giving to his trembling lips an almost ghastly expression. He
was seized with a violent fit of coughing which on account of the weak
condition of his throat caused his doctor, without whom he rarely
moved, to step forward, as if alarmed, to his assistance.
General von Lichtenstein leaned over as if to restrain him and
whispered something in his ear, but this seemed only to infuriate him
the more, and he waved his Councillor aside.
The Acting Ambassador, a lawyer of ability, felt strongly the justice
of Edestone’s position in defending his property rights, and had he
been sitting on the bench instead of on the edge of a raging volcano
would have ruled in his favour. As it was, he watched with intense
interest this contest between these two remarkable men.
When the Emperor had recovered sufficiently to speak, in a way that
showed his uncontrollable rage was battling with an inherited physical
weakness, his voice, starting in a whisper, rose and broke, and, in his
violent efforts to control the convulsive spasms of his throat, turned
into a scream.
“Show that film!” he shouted, “and stop it where I command or I will
confiscate everything you have and throw you into prison.”
At this Jones rose quickly to his feet, a dangerous light in his eyes,
and he was about to speak, but General von Lichtenstein rushed over and
stopped him.
“His Majesty is beside himself,” he urged in a low voice. “He does not
mean what he says. When he is himself again he will regret the
indignity that he has offered your country and will make reparation.”
The Emperor had also arisen and was standing in the midst of as furious
and warlike a looking lot of men as had ever grouped themselves around
his wild barbaric ancestors, ready to pile their dead bodies about
their master and give the last drop of blood for his protection.
They looked as if they approved and only waited for the word to rush in
and avenge the insult to their beloved lord, and while waiting for this
word they stood and glared at Edestone with a look of absolute contempt
and undying hatred.
“Well, which shall it be?” said the Emperor, in a voice which was more
under control but none the less determined. “Will you stop your film?”
Edestone, who all this time had stood perfectly still looking at the
Emperor with eyes out of which had gone every vestige of deference and
respect, showed in every feature a fixed and determined but absolutely
cool defiance. The only time that his face had changed or his position
altered since he last spoke was when the Emperor was apparently
suffering, and then it had taken on an expression of deep pity and
sincere sympathy and he too had made a step forward as if to render
assistance.
This had quickly changed, however, when his glance caught the look of
hatred that was riveted upon him. Declining even to glance at the
Emperor, he addressed himself directly to the Secretary of Legation,
speaking in a perfectly clear voice, which was a relief after the
Emperor’s painful and rasping efforts.
“Mr. Secretary,” he said slowly, “I resent the insult to you, and
through you to our country, which you represent, but if I thought that
by complying with the unjust demands which the Emperor of Germany has
seen fit to make I could prevent war between the United States and his
country, I naturally would comply. When I see, however, that the
Emperor of Germany refuses to respect the rights of an American citizen
in the house of his Ambassador, I realize that the destruction of my
film will not save the situation.” He turned to the Emperor. “I regret
that I cannot comply with your commands. The matter is now between our
two Governments.”
The Emperor laid his hand upon his sword and made a movement as though
he intended to strike, at which every sword in the room flashed from
its scabbard, save only that of old von Lichtenstein, who pressing
forward laid a dissuasive hand on the Emperor’s arm.
“Don’t let him draw you on,” he whispered to his master; “this may be
some trick.” Then to the rest he said in a contemptuous tone: “Don’t
make fools of yourselves and make Germany ridiculous.”
The Emperor turned to the Secretary. “Sir,” he said in a voice
trembling with agitation, “you have heard the insult that has
been offered to my Imperial person, and if you do not deliver
this man over to my police, I shall at twelve o’clock tomorrow
night declare war against the United States of America, and until
that time”--threateningly--“I shall hold you personally responsible
for him.”
Edestone coolly took out his watch and noted that it was exactly
twenty-five minutes past eleven o’clock, a proceeding which almost
caused the Emperor to lose control of himself again, but he was once
more held in check by General von Lichtenstein.
“I know now that this is a trick, Your Majesty,” he declared.
The Acting Ambassador bowed slightly to the Emperor’s last attack. “I
shall report to my Government all that has passed,” he replied, “and
exactly what Your Majesty has just said, and I shall, as soon as I
receive an answer, report to Your Imperial Majesty.” He finished, and
stood waiting as if to force the Emperor’s immediate departure.
Then with scant formality, and showing by the unpardonable rudeness of
their behaviour the contempt in which they held all Americans, the
Emperor and his entire suite left the Embassy without taking the
slightest further notice of Edestone.