It was four o'clock in the morning. A bitter wind had risen and was
wailing around the "Golden Swan," interspersed with heavy storms of hail
which rattled on roof and windows. Outside the tempest shrieked and was
accompanied by a vast, humming, harp-like noise as it flung itself
against the lattice-work of the towers and vibrated over Richmond like a
chorus of giant AEolian harps. Arthur and I sat in the shabby
sitting-room, which had been the theater of so much emotion that night,
and stared at each other with troubled faces.
There was a little pattering noise, and Bill Rolston came in, closing
the door carefully behind him.
"He wants you to go up to him, Sir Thomas. You told me to use my own
discretion. Since we carried him up and I gave him the bromides, I
haven't left his bedside. I talked to him in his own language, but he
wouldn't say a word until I threw off every disguise and told him who I
really was and who you were also."
"But, Rolston, you may have spoiled everything!"
He shook his head.
"You don't know what I know. Now that he's aware you are of his own
rank, and that I am your lieutenant, his life is absolutely your
forfeit. If you were to tell him to commit suicide he would do it at
once as the most natural thing in the world, to preserve his honor. He
is your man from this moment, Sir Thomas, just as I am."
"Then I'll go up. Arthur, you don't mind?"
"Mind! I thought I brought a bomb-shell into your house to-night, and so
I have too, but to find all this going on simply robs me of speech.
Meanwhile, if you will introduce me to this Asiatic gentleman who speaks
such excellent English, and whom, from repute I guess to be Mr. William
Rolston, I daresay we can amuse ourselves during the remainder of this
astonishing night. And," he continued, "if there is such a thing as a
ham upon the premises, some thick slices grilled upon this excellent
fire, and some cool ale in a pewter--"
I left them to it and went upstairs to my chamber. It was lit with two
or three candles in silver holders--I had made the place quite habitable
by now--and lying on my bed, covered with an eiderdown, his eyes
feverish, his face flushed, lay the Mandarin.
His eyes opened and he smiled. It was the first time I had seen the
delicate, melancholy lips light up in a real smile.
"What's that for?" I said, as I sat down by the bedside.
"You are so big, and strong, Prince," he replied, "and large and
confident; and your disguise fell from you as you came in and I saw you
as you were."