FOR VALUE RECEIVED
There were exactly twelve people present when I entered the room and took
my place at the long table--six men and six women, Mr. de Valentin sat at
the extreme end, and as I entered his face grew dark with sudden anger.
He glanced quickly at Mrs. Van Reinberg, who, however, was whispering to
her husband, and declined to look. Then he half rose to his feet and
addressed me.
"Mr. Courage," he said, "this is a little private gathering between these
friends of mine and myself, to discuss a private matter in which we are
all much interested. Under these circumstances, I trust that you will not
think it discourteous if I ask you to withdraw. Your presence might very
possibly tend to check free discussion, and, I might add, would be a
source of embarrassment to myself."
I glanced towards Mrs. Van Reinberg.
"I am here," I said, "by the invitation of our hostess. If Mrs. Van
Reinberg asks me to withdraw, I should, of course, have no alternative
but to do so. I should like to say, however, that it would give me very
much pleasure to be admitted to your conference, and any advice I might
be able to offer as an impartial person would be entirely at your
service."
Mrs. Van Reinberg whispered for a moment with her husband, who then
leaned over towards me.
"Mr. Courage," he said, "I believe you to be a person of common sense. I
am not sure that I can say the same for the rest of us here. Seems to me
I'd like to have you stop; but there is one thing I think should be
understood. This is a private meeting of friends. Are you prepared, as a
man of honor, to give your word to keep secret whatever passes here?"
I was afraid that some condition of this sort would be imposed, but I was
ready with my answer.
"Most certainly I am, Mr. Van Reinberg," I declared, "with one
reservation, and that is that nothing is proposed which is inimical to my
country. I presume that I may take that for granted?"
"You may," Mr. Van Reinberg answered shortly. "We are not such fools as
to run up against the old country. On the contrary, Mr. de Valentin has
assured us that his scheme has a little more than the moral support of
your government."
Mr. de Valentin intervened with a little gesture of excitement.
"No!" he exclaimed, "I do not. I must not go so far as that. I do not
mention any government by name."
"Quite right," Mr. Van Reinberg assented, "but the fact's there all the
same. I guess you can stay where you are, Mr. Courage!"
Mr. de Valentin shot an evil glance at me, but he leaned back in his
chair with the air of a man who has no more to say. Mr. Van Reinberg, on
the other hand, cleared his throat and stood up.
"Well," he said, "we'll get to business. I've a word or two to say first
to you, Hickson, and my other friends. We've none of us been idlers in
the world. We started out to make money, and we've made it. We're
probably worth more than any other five men in the world. We can control
the finance of every nation, we can rule the money markets of every
capital in Europe. Personally I'm satisfied. I guess you are. It seems,
however, that our wives aren't. I'm sorry for it, but it can't be helped.
They want something that dollars in the ordinary way can't buy. This
scheme is to meet that case. It's my wife's idea--my wife's and Mr. de
Valentin's between them. I take it that if you go into it you'll go into
it for the same reason that I do--for your wives' sakes. I want to make
this clear, for I tell you frankly I think it's the biggest fool's game
I've ever taken a hand in. I'm proud of my name, if my wife isn't. If any
one got calling me Monsieur le Duc of anything, I guess my fingers 'd
itch to knock him down. If our wives, however, won't be happy till they
hear themselves called Madame la Duchesse, I suppose we've got to take a
back seat. Mr. de Valentin here says that he's the rightful King of
France. I know nothing about history, but no doubt he's right. He says,
too, that in their hearts the French people want him on the throne, and,
with money, he says he could find his way there. The bargain is, I
understand, that we find the money, and he establishes our wives well
amongst the aristocracy of France. He asks for twelve million dollars,
that is two millions each. If my wife asks me to, I shall put my lot
down, much as I should buy her the Czar of Russia's crown if it came on
the market, and she wanted it. It's for you to say whether you want to
come in. If you want to ask any questions, there's Mr. de Valentin. He's
come over to fix the thing up, and I guess he's prepared to give you all
particulars."
There was a little murmur of conversation. Mr. de Valentin rose to his
feet.
"My friends," he said, "Mr. Van Reinberg in his very plain words has put
before you the outline of my plans. It is not very much more that I can
tell you beyond this. The army and the navy are loyalists. I have friends
everywhere. They wait only for an opportunity. When it comes, all will be
easily arranged. Those who are indifferent I bribe. There is already a
great secret society in both services. One whole army corps is pledged to
me. Look, then, this is what happens. A great Power"--Mr. de Valentin
looked steadfastly at me--"a great Power one day makes a demonstration
against France. It is a bolt from a clear blue sky; for my country, alas,
is always preparing but never ready for war. The Press--I bribe the
Press, those who are not already my friends--is hysterical. It strikes
the note of fear, it attacks vehemently the government. The moment of war
arrives. All is confusion. I appear! I address the people of France; I
appeal to my fellow-countrymen. 'Put your trust in me,' I cry, 'and I
will save you.' The Power of whom I have spoken stays its hand. Its Press
declares for me. The government resigns. I march boldly into Paris at the
head of the army, and behold--it is finished. The people are at my feet,
the crown is on my head. Not a drop of blood has been spilt; but war is
averted, and a great, new alliance is formed. France takes once more her
place amongst the great nations of the world."
The man was in earnest beyond a doubt. The perspiration stood out in
little beads upon his forehead, his dark eyes were on fire, his tone and
manner tremulous with the eloquence of conviction. There was a little
murmur from the women--a soft whisper of applause.
"Monsieur," I said quietly, "you have spoken well and convincingly.
Pardon my presumption, if I venture to ask you one question. The Power of
whom you have spoken--is it England?"
He faced me bravely enough.
"Sir," he said, "you ask a question which you know well it is impossible
that I should answer. It is not for me to betray a confidence such as
this. But to those who are curious, I would say this. Which is the Power,
think you, most likely to play such a magnificent, such a generous part
in the history of the nations? Answer your own question, Mr. Courage! It
should not be an impossible task."
Six ladies leaned forward in their places, and looked at me with flashing
eyes. It was a suitable triumph for Mr. de Valentin. And yet I knew now
all that I desired. Dimly I began to understand the great plot, and all
that it meant.
Mr. Van Reinberg looked across the table.
"Well, Stern?" he asked.
"My husband's cheque is ready," the lady at his side answered quickly. "I
guess the Prince can have it right now, if he chooses."
"And mine!" five other ladies declared almost in a breath.
Mr. Van Reinberg smiled.
"Then I guess the deal is fixed," he remarked.
A dark-haired, little woman, sitting at my right hand, leaned forward
towards Mr. de Valentin. She wore a magnificent crown of diamonds and
sapphires, which had once graced a Royal head, and a collar of diamonds
which was famous throughout the world.
"I'd like to know," she said, "are we to choose our own titles? I've
fixed on one I want."
Mr. de Valentin rose in his place.
"My dear lady," he said, "that would not be possible. To Mrs. Van
Reinberg alone I have been able to offer the name she desired. That, I
think, you will none of you object to, for it is through Mrs. Van
Reinberg that you are all here to-night. For the rest, I have taken five
of the great names of France, of whom to-day there are no direct
descendants. It is for you yourselves to say how these shall be
allotted."
Five ladies looked at one another a little doubtfully. Mr. Van Reinberg
glanced at me, and there was a shrewd twinkle in his keen eyes.
"I should think you had better draw for them," he suggested. "Mr. de
Valentin can write the names down on pieces of paper, and Mr. Courage, as
a disinterested party, can hold the hat."
Mr. de Valentin shrugged his shoulders. His composure was not in the
least disturbed. Whatever he may have felt, he treated the suggestion
with perfect seriousness.
"If the ladies are agreeable," he declared, "I myself am quite
indifferent how it is arranged. As regards the money, I shall give to
each an undertaking to repay the amount in treasury notes within a year
of my ascending the throne of my country."
My neighbor in the diamonds was still a little disturbed.
"Say," she inquired, "what do these titles amount to anyway? What shall
we be able to call ourselves?"
"Either Madame la Comtesse or Madame la Marquise," Mr. de Valentin
answered.
"Madame la Marquise!" she repeated, "that's the one I should like."
"So should I!" nearly all the ladies declared in unison.
Mr. Van Reinberg laughed softly to himself. For the first time, he seemed
to be enjoying the situation.
"There's nothing for it but the hat, Mr. de Valentin," he declared.
Mr. de Valentin bowed.
"If every one is agreeable," he said stiffly, drawing a sheet of note
paper towards him and beginning to write.
No one seemed quite satisfied; but, on the other hand, no one had any
other suggestion to make. Mr. Van Reinberg leaned forward in his chair.
He was beginning, apparently, to take a keen interest in the proceedings.
"Of course," he said softly, "the names could be read out, and if any of
you took a special fancy to any of the titles, we could have a sort of
auction, the proceeds to go to the fund."
Mr. de Valentin turned towards him with a stony look. Only his eyes
expressed his anger.
"I presume that you are not in earnest, Mr. Van Reinberg," he said in a
low tone. "Such a course is utterly out of the question."
Mr. Van Reinberg scratched his chin thoughtfully. Mr. de Valentin
completed his task, and handed the slips of paper over to me.
"I shall ask Mr. Courage," he said, rising, "to distribute these through
the agency of chance. For myself, I will, with your permission, retire. I
will only say this to you, ladies, and to my friends. I hope and believe
that it will not be long before I shall have the pleasure of meeting you
under very different circumstances. You will be very welcome to the Court
of France. I trust that together we may be able to revive some of her
former glories, and I do believe that your presence amongst our ancient
aristocracy will be for her lasting good."
So Mr. de Valentin left the room a little abruptly, and I thought it the
most graceful thing he had done. I shook up the slips of paper, which he
had given me in a hat, and handed them round.
There was an intense silence, and then a perfect babel of exclamations.
"Marquise de Lafoudrè! My, isn't that fine!"
"Comtesse de St. Estien! Well, I declare!"
"Comtesse de Vinoy. Say, Richard, are you listening? Madame la Comtesse
de Vinoy. Great, isn't it!"
Mrs. Van Reinberg smiled upon them all the well-satisfied smile of one
whose guerdon is deservedly greater than these. The little dark woman
turned towards her abruptly.
"Tell us yours, Edith!" she exclaimed. "Don't say you're a Princess."
Mrs. Van Reinberg shook her head, unconsciously her manner was already a
little changed. She was, after all, a swan amongst these geese!
"We are to have the Duchy of Annonay," she answered. "I suppose I shall
be Madame la Duchesse."
Monsieur le Duc touched me on the shoulder.
"Here," he exclaimed in my ear, "let's get out of this!"