The room was large and dimly lit. Domiloff, beside himself with anger,
saw only Ughtred's tall figure in resplendent uniform, standing
beneath the great carved mantelpiece. He addressed him fiercely.
"How is this?" he exclaimed. "How came you here? What is the meaning
of it?"
Ughtred looked at him for a moment gravely; then turned to Reist.
"Who is this person?" he asked. "Why does he address me in this
fashion?"
Reist looked from one to the other with a faint smile.
"Permit me to present to your Highness," he said, "Monsieur, the Baron
Domiloff, the representative of Russia in Theos."
Domiloff was white with rage.
"But it is a farce, this!" he exclaimed, fiercely. "Prince Ughtred and
I are not strangers. I demand an explanation, sir."
"An explanation of what?" Ughtred asked.
Domiloff was beside himself. His black eyes burned like live coals,
his cheeks were pallid almost to ghastliness, the muscles of his face
were twitching.
"Of your presence here, sir," he exclaimed. "Of your flight from the
palace, of your speech to the people. It was only an hour ago that you
declared yourself ignorant of the language. It seems that your
statement was false!"
"Baron Domiloff is suffering, perhaps, from some hallucination,"
Ughtred said, quietly. "I have never, to the best of my belief,
exchanged a word with him in my life. As to my flight from the palace,
I have never yet entered it; nor do I propose to do so until I enter
it as King of Theos."
Domiloff's senses were blinded with passion. The broader stature of
the Prince, his more military bearing and different accent were things
of which he took no note. He never once questioned the identity of the
man whom he was addressing so fiercely.
"Your Highness will deny next," he exclaimed, "that you travelled with
me from the frontier, that your word is pledged to sign a treaty with
Russia."
Ughtred shrugged his shoulders slightly.
"The duties of a minister plenipotentiary," he remarked, "are, I
believe, arduous. Baron Domiloff is suffering, without doubt, from
overwork. It is unnecessary for me to remark that I reached here on
horseback in company with my friend Reist, and that my word is pledged
to sign nothing--least of all a treaty with Russia."
Domiloff was absolutely speechless with passion. Brand came out from
the shadows amongst which he had been loitering, and faced the
Russian.
"Do you know," he said, amiably, "I believe that I can clear up this
little misunderstanding. Baron Domiloff is obviously mistaking you,
Prince Ughtred, for me."
Domiloff turned upon him swiftly.
"And who, sir, are you?" he asked, harshly.
"Walter Brand, journalist--the _Daily Courier_, you know."
Domiloff caught up the lamp which stood on the long oaken table, and
looked steadily from one to the other of the two men. When he set it
down there was a queer, bitter, little smile upon his lips. The moment
was one of unspeakable humiliation to him. He, a seasoned diplomatist,
trusted by his master, feared and respected everywhere, had been
befooled and outwitted--by an Englishman!
"I beg to offer my tardy congratulations to your Highness," he said,
bowing to Ughtred. "My mistake was an unpardonable one. Yet this
gentleman is, perhaps, also of the family of Tyrnaus? The resemblance
is certainly remarkable."
"Mr. Brand is not connected in any way with my family," Ughtred
answered. "The resemblance between us is merely a coincidence--to
which it seems I owe my presence here, Baron Domiloff."
The Russian remained silent. He stood with bowed head, awaiting the
storm.
"It appears," Ughtred continued, "that by proxy I was drugged and
detained upon the frontier by your orders. For these doings I shall
certainly, when the proper moment arrives, demand an explanation."
Domiloff raised his eyes for a moment. His expression was inscrutable.
"When the time comes, your Highness," he said, "I shall be prepared to
satisfy you."
He passed from the room without any formal leave-taking. Reist looked
after him thoughtfully.
"An enemy! Well, at least we are forewarned. Prince Ughtred, there
will be no rest for you now, or, I fear, for many days. Domiloff has
gone without doubt to the barracks. We must forestall him. I have
ordered fresh horses to be brought to the door. Marie, some wine! We
are thirsty! Wine from the King's cup!"
A servant, whose livery seemed but a slight modification of the native
dress, brought some dust-covered bottles. Marie, with her own hand,
unlocked an oaken cabinet, and produced some quaint horn cups,
emblazoned in gold, with the Reist arms. One larger than the others
she set before the Prince.
"They were a present," Reist said, "from Rudolph the Second to my
great-grandfather. The cup you have is called the King's cup. No one
who is not of Royal birth has ever drunk out of it. Permit me!"
He filled it to the brim, and Ughtred, who was thirsty, raised it
gladly to his lips. Reist and Brand waited.
"To Theos and her King," Reist said, gravely. "This is our ancient
toast. May her sons be ever brave, her rulers wise, and her soil
fruitful! God save the King!"
They drank together. Marie stood at the head of the table, her dark
eyes full of silent fires, her fingers nervously twitching. Ughtred
turned towards her.
"You, too," he said, "must drink with us. Nay, I will have no refusal.
You will honour me."
He held his cup towards her. She shook her head.
"Not from the King's cup," she said. "See, I have a goblet here."
But Ughtred was insistent.
"I have the weakness of my forefathers," he declared, "and I am
superstitious. It will be for my good fortune, and the good fortune of
Theos. You shall drink with me from the King's cup."
A spot of colour burned in the girl's cheeks. She drew back. A swift
glance passed between brother and sister. It was Reist who answered.
"Your Highness," he said, gravely, "in this little corner of the earth
we hold hard to all our old traditions, and for more than a hundred
years--ay, since first that cup was fashioned, none have drunk from it
save only those of the royal House, and----"
He hesitated. Ughtred waited for him to continue.
"And their betrothed."
Ughtred started. Marie looked downwards, and the deep colour mounted
even to her forehead. There was a moment's silence. Then the spirit of
obstinacy which had been kindled in Ughtred prevailed.
"I take upon my own shoulders," he said, smiling, "all the evil that
may come of it, and I pray, Countess Marie, that you will honour me by
drinking from my cup."
She lifted her head, and the eyes of brother and sister met once
more--a single electric moment. Ughtred was conscious of little save
of a masterful desire to have his own way. His blue eyes were filled
with a compelling light. Perhaps, too, a little admiration was
apparent in his bronzed, handsome face. Marie took the cup, and
raised it to her lips.
"I drink," she murmured, "to the welfare of Theos, and to her King!"
There was another brief but curiously intense silence. Reist was
standing apart with folded arms and absorbed face--Brand, too, had set
down his cup, and was watching Marie. Ughtred had an uneasy feeling
that what he had regarded merely as an act of courtesy had become a
sacrament. The entrance of a servant was a relief to them all.
"The horses, your Grace," he announced, "are at the side door. The
people are lining the way to the barracks."
Reist roused himself quickly.
"Your Highness is ready!" he exclaimed. "There is not a moment to
lose. We shall know now how deep is the corruption which Domiloff's
gold has caused."
Ughtred drained his cup and stood up.
"I am ready!" he declared.