"Then you do love me? Only love grips like that."
"Don't I love all my brothers of the Guard? You wear the dress of my
brothers. Please, go on."
"At the last instant something gave me strength--the thought that the
Queen must be saved. I clutched at the levers, I got control of the
ship, swung upwards grazing a hanging cornice of green ice, then
turning in long circles slowly down, drove my ship into a pineclad
slope, and, I think, fainted. When I came to again I was lying
beside a camp fire under the shadow of the woods, and far aloft,
right up in the full glory of the day, one great white mountain shone
against the sky. Some dozen or so of men were sitting round the
fire, and I heard them in fierce argument. Several maintained that
by my dress I must be an officer of her Majesty's Bodyguard, others
by portraits they had seen in the newspapers, by my ship the
_Experiment_, and by documents found with me, swore that I was Brand.
Then one--a man dressed in deerskin, who seemed to have
authority--said that he knew well I was one of the Queen's
Blackguards. He knew all about it--had not the last mail brought a
letter from his brother newly appointed to that very regiment?
"There was something familiar in the man's face, and presently when
he came over to render me some small service, I said I knew his
brother, Trooper Browne."
"How strange!"
"Such small coincidences have changed the history of the world. Mr.
Browne told me that I had been lying in the camp for more than a
week, delirious and raving of the Queen. He and his partners were
mining rubies--they shall not lack rubies while I live. They were
like women in their gentleness, and in their care I gained strength
day by day until at last I was able to sit with them by the camp
fire, to tell them of the Queen's desperate peril. I need not tell
you they were loyal men--they were Canadians and burning to serve
with me. Then the day came when I had strength to climb the hill
path to where I had left my ship. The miners brought up provisions
from the camp, and, crowded on board the _Experiment_, we sailed,
fourteen men--not many for the conquest of the world."
"But with your terrible etheric power!"
Brand laughed. "The _Experiment_ was not so very terrible. For
armament we had three shotguns, eight axes, a sword, and our
pistols--that is until we raided a town and got some rifles. Our
next necessity was a modern etheric ship able to ram, to defend
herself, and to destroy explosives. We found the _Revenge_ at
Denver, in charge of state officials who had the audacity to deny my
ownership. After a fight, we got possession, only to find ourselves
in a steel prison with neither food nor water. The crew of the
_Revenge_ had been dispersed, her engines were disabled, we were
attacked by federal troops, and on the fourth day when we were half
dead with thirst and hunger, a battery of artillery opened fire.
There were only eight of us left when we got the _Revenge_ afloat.
She was riddled with shell fire, her splintered sides gaping open,
her cabins all in flames, and the shells were screaming past. She
rolled till we thought she would turn over, the engines were rocking
loose in their bed, she fluttered once as though she were foundering,
and my men came about me waiting for the end. I told them of the old
_Revenge_, and how Sir Richard Greville fought a great Spanish Fleet,
his courage against their galleons--and how he died breathing the
name of his Queen. Could we not fight the new _Revenge_ for
Margaret? They sang the National Anthem while I was testing for
strains, and they stopped the singing to cheer when I said the
_Revenge_ would live.
"Denver will never forget the _Revenge_. I held the city to ransom.
The officials must find me my own seamen and engineers, provisions,
water, yes, and salute your Union Jack, or I swore I'd not leave one
man alive in their streets. They did not know I was helpless."
Margaret's eyes were growing moist as she listened, and when she
turned away her head lest he should see her--
"Don't turn away," he cried, "I can hardly hear myself speak for this
roaring sound in my ears. I've gone stark, staring mad with love,
and I can't bear it if you turn away."
"You must not talk like that," said Margaret, and her white hand
stole out within his reach. "Go on, sir," she added stiffly, and he
went on.
"We found this ship, the _Coronation_, at Chicago, and the wreck of
the _Revenge_ fought a squadron of electric battleships before we
captured our prize. With the _Coronation_ I reduced Chicago to
terms, then, manned and equipped, set out to find me a fleet. Ship
after ship I found in the American cities, captured, manned,
provisioned, and drilled them for war. I wonder I ever lived through
that delay, knowing that the League had invaded England, that London
was besieged, that any moment news might come--that I was too late."
He pressed the back of her hand against his lips. "I had command of
the air, and nineteen etheric ships of the line when at last I left
America. At Lyonesse I embarked ten thousand men, advanced on
London, and saw the Royal Standard still floating above the towers of
the Palace. I destroyed the Siberian Fleet; didn't you hear the
explosion of their battleships, my royal salute to the Flag? And
then with a landing party I entered the Palace at last, groping
through the smoke and the darkness, trying to find the throne-room,
wild with fright lest I should be too late. Oh, say that you love
me, Margaret!"
"I am your prisoner," she answered, softly.
"Prisoner of war."
"Prisoner of love," he cried.
"Prisoner of love," she looked into his eyes. "I was such a prisoner
long, long ago. What else, do you think, kept me alive, save that I
hoped you would come back again. Indeed, I do love you. Go, dear,
or I shall cry."
So Brand was sent away knowing that he had conquered all the world,
and that the world is the shadow of God, being made of love.
* * * * *
A chair of state was set in the saloon of the _Coronation_, a guard
of honour drew up to receive her Majesty, then entered the masters
and engineers of Brand's etheric fleet, the seven Canadian
frontiersmen, and the seventeen men who remained of the Queen's
Blackguards. Two of these, Trooper Hylton and Trooper Browne, being
badly wounded, were borne in on stretchers. Then her Majesty
entered, wearing the uniform of the Guard for the last time, and the
American led her to her seat.
Brand presented his officers and the Canadians, and then our Lady
spoke to us.
"Officers of the Fleet, and you, gentlemen, from the Province of
Yukon, and you, my dear brothers of the Guard--we have been down into
the valley of the Shadow of Death, and we have come back to the
living World, humbled by the pitiful compassion which has spared us.
Our Empire was threatened with dishonour, with enslavement and
vassalage to Russia--and millions of our people have given their
lives to save us from that shame. Millions have died to save our
English freedom, and I speak for all our dead when I say that never
while the earth endures shall our Liberty be threatened again. We
are given the mastery of the air, and we will use that mastery to
make sure that no earthly power shall ever rise up again against our
freedom, or against our British peace. For you, whose valour has
saved our fallen Empire, I bear such love and gratitude--oh, how can
I find words of thankfulness! I am beggared of love, bankrupt in
gratitude, because I never can pay my debts to you. My life shall be
the proof that Margaret does not forget, but for the present I beg
you hear me by deputy."
So the Queen ceased, and when much noise and waving of swords had
ended, the Master, standing at her right hand began to read these
words:--
"Master Mariners of the Etheric Fleet, her Imperial Majesty has
been pleased to grant to your ships, the white Ensign, and every
honour becoming vessels of war. Your Commodore takes flag rank
as Admiral of the Fleet. Commanding officers take rank as
Captains, First Engineers as Fleet Engineers; and to your
officers and seamen, is given their equivalent naval rank with
pay and pension dating from the time of first entry on board an
etheric ship, and arrears in full of all the pay which would have
been earned in the Imperial Navy.
"Admiral Watson is created a peer of the United Kingdom, and the
Captains and Fleet Engineers will receive the honour of
knighthood.
"To the gentlemen of the Yukon contingent: Her Majesty bestows
upon Frederick Browne, a peerage, and creates the rest of you
knights. Funds will be granted for the proper maintenance of
these dignities.
"To the lords and gentlemen of the Guard: Those of you who
engaged as servant orderlies, will receive the honour of
knighthood and funds for the maintenance of your dignities.
Those who engaged as troopers of the Guard, her Majesty desires
to speak to you, stand forward!"
Out of two hundred gentlemen of the Guard, many were on detached
service, but there stood forward: Sergeant Branscombe, Corporal du
Plessis, Corporal de la Rey, Troopers Lord Ludford, Sir Marshall
Poynte, George St. Leven, Patrick Burke, and Alexander Barrie;
Trooper Browne and Trooper Hylton were wounded.
"My brothers," said our Lady, "beyond all accidents of rank and
sorrow we have been so drawn one to another in perfect trust and
faith, that I am sister to you rather than Queen. I thought once,
that being made Queen I must give up everything that was dear to me,
no longer be able to trust a friend, but always live separate, lonely
and miserable. But when in my bitter need you were still loyal, and
when my weakness leaned upon your strength, I learned that where love
is there can be no solitude. So even in our last extremity, when we
fought side by side, while we prayed for death, it was your love
which kept my faith alive and gave me some poor courage. I was
almost worthy at last to be your comrade--and we are comrades still."
Our Lady never knew how the words burnt. Ours was no brotherhood or
comradeship, we were not creatures of wood or stone, passionless, but
made of flesh and blood which did her worship, for we were men, and
she a woman beyond any accident of rank or sorrow. So our great
Sovereign Lady spoke to us, and we, with cast down eyes and shame in
our hearts, made ready to do her obedience.
"I have no rewards to offer you, my brothers, you never worked for
reward, and you would ask of me nothing but the glory of serving the
Empire. You shall serve as my hands serve me, you shall be my hands
bearing my whole authority each in your province, you shall be
treated as I am treated, with every observance due to kings, you are
created Viceroys, you are given power to use my signature, to execute
my justice. You are each granted one or more of these etheric ships
under your sole command. Each in your province, you will take such
Lyonesse ships as you can find, man and equip them for purposes of
state.
"Sergeant Branscombe, I make you Viceroy of Russia, to conquer the
Russian Empire, capture the head of the Government and bring him
prisoner to me, disarm all troops, destroy all vessels of war, blow
up all arsenals and report to me.
"Corporal du Plessis, you have heard what I said to the Viceroy of
Russia, I create you Viceroy of Germany. Capture the Emperor, disarm
his Empire, and report to me.
"Corporal de la Rey, I create you Viceroy of France. Capture the
President, disarm the Republic, and report to me.
"Trooper, Lord Ludford, I create you my Viceroy in the New World. Go
to the President of the United States and, with all delicacy and
courtesy, offer him our sympathy and help. With his consent, destroy
the enemies of the Republic, and deliver their leaders to him as
prisoners of war. Send help to the Viceroy of Canada.
"Trooper, Sir Marshall Poynte, I create you Viceroy of the
Mediterranean States. Destroy all hostile armaments and restore the
British peace.
"Trooper St. Leven, I create you Viceroy of Delhi. You will find
India in flames from end to end, and our Government in desperate
need. Crush down all insurrection, punish the rebels and mutineers,
and where mercy would seem like weakness, make our justice terrible
enough to ensure against any fear for our people. You will find
Prince Ali of Haidar reigning at Delhi. Hang him and make
proclamation that he is punished as a Russian spy. The Russian
invasion you will turn back. You will in all else obey the orders of
the Viceroy of India.
"Trooper Burke, I create you Viceroy of the China Seas. Destroy all
hostile armaments, and restore peace throughout your jurisdiction.
"Trooper Barrie, I create you Viceroy of Africa. Subdue all forces
hostile to our Empire, annexing their territories, and restoring our
peace.
"Trooper Browne and Trooper Hylton, you are both created to the rank
of Viceroy, and will be commissioned as soon as your wounds are
healed.
"Viceroys of the Guard, I believe in my heart that this was long ago
foretold, this war of all the nations--is it not the Armageddon? And
afterwards it is written, that the devil shall be chained up for a
thousand years. 'There shall be no more war.' What if it be true?
Peace for a thousand years, the Millennium--the reign of Christ! Did
you ever notice that our flag--see, hanging here above our heads--the
Union Jack--does it not bear three crosses? On Calvary there stood
three crosses. You will carry this flag, my brothers, and it shall
fly over all lands and seas throughout the world--the holy symbol of
the last Crusade, and the founding of the New Jerusalem. It was to
be no city built by human hands, but fallen from Heaven--the Planet.
The length and the breadth, and the height of it are equal, for it is
the round world. There shall be no night there, for the sun shines
from everlasting to everlasting. This Earth is a city eternal in the
heavens where the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. My knights, I send
you out upon this quest to bring peace to the whole earth. Avenge
justice, but be merciful, and in wielding your power be very humble.
For every act of yours, my people will hold me responsible, for every
mistake I shall be judged. Do not let me be brought to judgment for
any ruthless abuse of power, or any act of unchristian vengeance. I
have placed my honour in your keeping.
"And when you have restored peace, your power ends, you come back to
be citizens of the Empire, obedient as I am to the laws and customs
of my people. I am only Queen by their election, not by any
authority of my own. In this time of weakness and peril it was my
duty to rule, to see that policy was marred by no divided counsels,
to stand at the brunt of danger. So soon as there is peace and
safety, I shall deliver back my sovereignty into the hands of those
who gave it to me, to the great, free Electorate, my masters, my
judges, my kings whom I serve. If they are pleased with me I am
still Queen, but not of my own right, only in their love. The only
throne of Britain is in the hearts of the British, the only sceptre
is the defence of Liberty.
"These are the terms of your service--and so, my dear brothers, I
commend you to God's keeping."
When she had said that, our Lady rose from the throne and her face
became radiant with a new loveliness and glory such as we had never
dreamed of. She had forgotten us, her servants, and men-at-arms, and
with a great royal gesture, reached out her right hand to Brand,
Master of Lyonesse. She never said a word, but stood looking down
upon him, as kneeling, he took her hand in his, and pressed his lips
to her fingers with a reverent kiss.