The
International Spy
BEING THE SECRET HISTORY
OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR
BY
ALLEN UPWARD
("_Monsieur A. V._")
AUTHOR OF "UNDERGROUND HISTORY," ETC.
M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY
CHICAGO NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1904, 1905, BY
THE PEARSON PUBLISHING CO.
COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY
G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY.
_Entered at Stationers' Hall._
The International Spy.
Made in U. S. A.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
PROLOGUE--THE TWO EMPRESSES 9
I. THE INSTRUCTIONS OF MONSIEUR V---- 17
II. THE PRINCESS Y----'S HINT 24
III. THE HEAD OF THE MANCHURIAN SYNDICATE 36
IV. THE CZAR'S AUTOGRAPH 45
V. A DINNER WITH THE ENEMY 54
VI. DRUGGED AND KIDNAPPED 63
VII. THE RACE FOR SIBERIA 71
VIII. THE CZAR'S MESSAGE 76
IX. THE BETROTHAL OF DELILAH 87
X. THE ANSWER OF THE MIKADO 96
XI. WHO SMOKED THE GREGORIDES BRAND 107
XII. THE SECRET SERVICE OF JAPAN 113
XIII. HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS 123
XIV. THE SUBMARINE MINE 130
XV. THE ADVISOR OF NICHOLAS II 139
XVI. A STRANGE CONFESSION 145
XVII. A SUPERNATURAL INCIDENT 159
XVIII. THE MYSTERY OF A WOMAN 169
XIX. THE SPIRIT OF MADAME BLAVATSKY 180
XX. THE DEVIL'S AUCTION 192
XXI. THE FUNERAL 199
XXII. A PERILOUS MOMENT 210
XXIII. A RESURRECTION AND A GHOST 217
XXIV. A SECRET EXECUTION 224
XXV. A CHANGE OF IDENTITY 233
XXVI. TRAPPED 240
XXVII. THE BALTIC FLEET 246
XXVIII. ON THE TRACK 256
XXIX. AN IMPERIAL FANATIC 264
XXX. THE STOLEN SUBMARINE 272
XXXI. THE KIEL CANAL 279
XXXII. THE DOGGER BANK 287
XXXIII. TRAFALGAR DAY 292
XXXIV. THE FAMILY STATUTE 300
EPILOGUE 308
The International Spy
PROLOGUE[A]
THE TWO EMPRESSES
[Footnote A: The author desires to state that this history should be
read as a work of imagination simply, and not as authentic.]
"Look!"
A fair, delicately-molded hand, on which glittered gems worth a
raja's loyalty, was extended in the direction of the sea.
Half a mile out, where the light ripples melted away into a blue and
white haze upon the water, a small black smudge, like the back of a
porpoise, seemed to be sliding along the surface.
But it was not a porpoise, for out of it there rose a thin, black
shaft, scarcely higher than a flag-staff, and from the top of this
thin shaft there trickled a faint wreathing line of smoke, just
visible against the background of sky and sea.
"It is a submarine! What is it doing there?"
The exclamation, followed by the question, came from the second,
perhaps the fairer, of two women of gracious and beautiful presence,
who were pacing, arm linked in arm, along a marble terrace
overlooking a famous northern strait.
The terrace on which they stood formed part of a stately palace,
built by a king of the North who loved to retire in the summer time
from his bustling capital, and gather his family around him in this
romantic home.
From here, as from a watch-tower, could be seen the fleets of
empires, the crowded shipping of many a rich port and the humbler
craft of the fisherman, passing and repassing all day long between
the great inland sea of the North and the broad western ocean.
Along this narrow channel had once swept the long ships of the
Vikings, setting forth on those terrible raids which devastated half
Europe and planted colonies in England and France and far-off Italy.
But to-day the scene was a scene of peace. The martial glory of the
Dane had departed. The royal castle that stood there as if to guard
the strait had become a rendezvous of emperors and queens and
princes, who took advantage of its quiet precincts to lay aside the
pomp of rule, and perhaps to bind closer those alliances of
sovereigns which serve to temper the fierce rivalries of their
peoples.
The pair who stood gazing, one with curiosity and wonder, the other
with an interest of a more painful character, at the sinister object
on the horizon, were imperial sisters. Born in the tiny sea kingdom,
they had lived to wear the crowns of the greatest two realms the
world has ever seen, two empires which between them covered half the
surface of our planet, and included one-third of its inhabitants.
But though sundered in interests they were not divided in affection.
As they stood side by side, still linked together, it was evident
that no common sympathy united them.
The one who had been first to draw attention to the mysterious craft,
and whose dress showed somber touches which spoke of widowhood,
answered her sister's question:
"I never see one of those vessels without a shudder. I have an
instinct which warns me that they are destined to play a dangerous,
perhaps a fatal, part in the future. What is that boat doing here, in
Danish waters?--I do not know. But it can be here for no good. If a
war ever broke out in which we were concerned, the Sound would be our
first line of defense on the west. It would be mined, by us, perhaps;
if not, by our enemy. Who can tell whether that submarine has not
been sent out by some Power which is already plotting against peace,
to explore the bed of the strait, with a view to laying down mines
hereafter?"
The other Empress listened with a grave countenance.
"I hope your fears are not well founded. I can think of no Power that
is ever likely to attack you. It is my nephew, or rather those who
surround him, from whom the signal for war is likely to come, if it
ever does come."
The widowed Empress bowed her head.
"You know what my hopes and wishes are," she answered. "If my son
listened to me there would be no fear of his departing from the
peaceful ways of my dear husband. But there are secret influences
always at work, as stealthy in their nature as that very craft----"
The speaker paused as she glanced 'round in search of the black
streak and gray smoke-wreath which had attracted her notice a minute
before. But she looked in vain.
Like a phantom the submarine had disappeared, leaving no trace of its
presence.
The Empress uttered an ejaculation of dismay, which was echoed by her
sister.
"Where is it now? Where did it go? Has it sunk, or has it gone back
to where it came from?"
To these questions there could be no answer. The smooth waters
glistened in the sunlight as merrily as if no threatening craft was
gliding beneath the surface on some errand fraught with danger to the
world.
"Perhaps they saw they were observed, and dived under for
concealment," suggested the second Empress.
Her sister sighed gently.
"I was telling you that that submarine was a type of the secret
dangers which beset us. I know, beyond all doubt, that there are men
in the innermost circle of the Court, men who have my son's ear, and
can do almost what they like with him, who are at heart longing for a
great war, and are always working underground to bring it about. And
if they succeed, and we are taken unprepared by a stronger foe, there
will be a revolution which may cost my son his throne, if not his
life."
There was a brief silence. Then the Empress who had listened to this
declaration murmured in a low voice:
"Heaven grant that the war is not one between you and us!"
"Heaven grant it!" was the fervent reply. And then, after a moment's
reflection, the widowed Empress added in an eager voice:
"But we--cannot we do something to avert such a fearful calamity?"
Her sister pressed her arm as though to assure her of sympathy.
"Yes, yes," the other continued. "We can do much if we will. Though
my son does not always take my advice, he has never yet refused to
listen to me. And in moments of grave stress he sometimes consults
me of his own accord. And I know that you, too, have influence. Your
people worship you. Your husband----"
The Western Empress interrupted gently:
"I cannot play the part that you play. I do not claim the right to be
consulted, or to give direct advice. Do not ask me to step outside my
sphere. I can give information; I can be a channel sometimes between
your Court and ours, a channel which you can trust as I fear you
cannot always trust your ministers and diplomatic agents. More than
that I should not like to promise."
"But that is very much," was the grateful response. "That may be
quite enough. Provided we can arrange a code by which I can always
communicate with you safely and secretly, it may be possible to avert
war at any time."
"What do you propose?"
"It is very simple. If any crisis comes about through no fault of my
son's--if the party who are conspiring to make a war arrange some
unexpected _coup_ which we could not foresee or prevent--and if I am
sure that my son sincerely desires peace, I can send you a
message--one word will be enough--which you can take as an assurance
that we mean to put ourselves right with you, and to thwart the
plotters."
The Western Empress bowed her head.
"I accept the mission. And the word--what shall it be?"
The other glanced 'round the horizon once more, and then, bending her
lips to her imperial sister's ear, whispered a single word.
The two great women who had just exchanged a pledge for the peace of
the world were moving slowly along the terrace again, when the
Western sister said, thoughtfully,
"I think I know another way to aid you."
The Eastern Empress halted, and gazed at her with eagerness.
"I know the difficulties that surround you," her sister pursued, "and
that the greatest of them all is having no one in your service whom
you can entirely and absolutely trust."
"That is so," was the mournful admission.
"Now I have heard of a man--I have never actually employed him
myself, but I have heard of him from those who have, and they tell me
he is incorruptible. In addition, he is a man who has never
experienced the sensation of fear, and his abilities are so great
that he has been called in to solve almost every problem of
international politics that has arisen in recent years."
"But this man--how can he be obtained?"
"At present he is retained in our secret service. I must not conceal
from you that he is partly a Pole by descent, and as such he has no
love for your Empire. But if it were made clear to him that in
serving you he was serving us, and defeating the designs of the
anti-popular and despotic clique at your Court, I feel sure he would
consent to place himself at your disposal."
The Eastern Empress listened intently to her sister's words. At the
close she said,
"Thank you. I will try this man, if you can prevail on him to come to
me. What is his name?"
"I expect you must have heard of him already, It is----"
"_Monsieur V----?_"
The second Empress nodded.
No more was said.
The two imperial figures passed away along the terrace, silhouetted
against the red and stormy sunset sky, like two ministering spirits
of peace brooding over a battleground of blood.
CHAPTER I
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF MONSIEUR V----
The great monarch by whose gracious command I write this narrative
has given me his permission to preface it with the following
remarkable document:
_Minute_: It is considered that it cannot but promote the
cause of peace and good understanding between the British
and Russian Governments if Monsieur V---- be authorized to
relate in the columns of some publication enjoying a wide
circulation, the steps by which he was enabled to throw
light on the occurrences in the North Sea.
_By the Cabinet._
In addition, I desire to state for the benefit of those who profess
to see some impropriety in the introduction of real names into a
narrative of this kind, that objections precisely similar to theirs
were long ago raised, and long ago disposed of, in the case of
Parliamentary reports, newspaper articles, society papers, and comic
publications of all kinds; and, further, that I have never received
the slightest intimation that my literary methods were displeasing to
the illustrious personages whom my narratives are intended to honor.
With this apology I may be permitted to proceed.
On a certain day in the winter which preceded the outbreak of war
between Russia and Japan, I received a summons to Buckingham Palace,
London, to interview the Marquis of Bedale.
I am unable to fix the precise date, as I have forsworn the dangerous
practice of keeping a diary ever since the head of the French police
convinced me that he had deciphered a code telegram of mine to the
Emperor of Morocco.
The Marquis and I were old friends, and, anticipating that I should
find myself required to start immediately on some mission which might
involve a long absence from my headquarters in Paris, I took my
confidential secretary with me as far as the British capital,
utilizing the time taken by the journey in instructing him how to
deal with the various affairs I had in hand.
I had just finished explaining to him the delicate character of the
negotiation then pending between the new King of Servia and Prince
Ferdinand of Bulgaria, when the train rolled into Charing Cross.
Not wishing any one, however high in my confidence, to know too much
of my movements, I ordered him to remain seated in the railway
carriage, while I slipped out of the station and into the closed
brougham for which I had telegraphed from Dover.
I had said in the wire that I wished to be driven to a hotel in
Piccadilly. It was not till I found myself in Cockspur Street that I
pulled the check-string, and ordered the coachman to take me to
Buckingham Palace.
I mention these details in order to show that my precautions to
insure secrecy are always of the most thorough character, so that, in
fact, it would be quite impossible for any one to unveil my
proceedings unless I voluntarily opened my lips.
The instructions which I received from Lord Bedale were brief and to
the point:
"You are aware, of course, Monsieur V----, that there is a
possibility of war breaking out before long between Russia and
Japan."
"It is more than a possibility, I am afraid, my lord. Things have
gone so far that I do not believe it is any longer possible to avert
war."
His lordship appeared gravely concerned.
"Do you tell me that it is too late for you to interfere with
effect?" he demanded anxiously.
"Even for me," I replied with firmness.
Lord Bedale threw at me a glance almost imploring in its entreaty.
"If you were to receive the most ample powers, the most liberal
funds; if you were to be placed in direct communication with one of
the most exalted personages in the Court of St Petersburg--would it
still be impossible?"
I shook my head.
"Your lordship should have sent for me a fortnight ago. We have lost
twelve days, that is to say, twelve battles."
The Marquis of Bedale looked more and more distressed.
"At least you can try?" he suggested.
"I can try. But I am not omnipotent, my lord," I reminded him.
He breathed a sigh of relief before going on to say:
"But that is only the preliminary. Great Britain is bound to come to
the assistance of Japan in certain contingencies."
"In the event of her being attacked by a second Power," I observed.
"Precisely. I rely on you to prevent that contingency arising."
"That is a much easier matter, I confess."
"Then you undertake to keep the war from extending to us?"
"I undertake to keep a second Power from attacking Japan," I answered
cautiously.
Lord Bedale was quick to perceive my reservation.
"But in that case we cannot be involved, surely?" he objected.
"I cannot undertake to keep you from attacking Russia," I explained
grimly.
"But we should not dream of attacking her--without provocation," he
returned, bewildered.
"I fancy you will have a good deal of provocation," I retorted.
"Why? What makes you think that?" he demanded.
I suspected that Lord Bedale was either sounding me, or else that he
had not been taken into the full confidence of those for whom he was
acting.
I responded evasively:
"There are two personages in Europe, neither of whom will leave one
stone unturned in the effort to involve you in war with Russia."
"And they are?"
Even as he put the question, Lord Bedale, as though acting
unconsciously, raised one hand to his mustache, and gave it a
pronounced upward twirl.
"I see your lordship knows one of them," I remarked. "The other----"
He bent forward eagerly.
"Yes? The other?"
"The other is a woman."
"A woman?"
He fell back in his chair in sheer surprise.
"The other," I repeated in my most serious tone, "is a woman, perhaps
the most formidable woman now living, not even excepting the Dowager
Empress of China."
"And her name?"
"Her name would tell you nothing."
"Still----"
"If you really wish to hear it----"
"I more than wish. I urge you."
"Her name is the Princess Y----."
Scarcely had the name of this dangerous and desperate woman passed my
lips than I regretted having uttered it.
Had I foreseen the perils to which I exposed myself by that single
slip I might have hesitated in going on with my enterprise.
As it was I determined to tell the Marquis of Bedale nothing more.
"This business is too urgent to admit of a moment's unnecessary
delay," I declared, rising to my feet. "If your lordship has no
further instructions to give me, I will leave you."
"One instant!" cried Lord Bedale. "On arriving in Petersburg you will
go straight to report yourself to her majesty the Empress Dagmar."
I bowed my head to conceal the expression which might have told his
lordship that I intended to do nothing of the kind.
"Your credentials," he added with a touch of theatricality, "will
consist of a single word."
"And that word?" I inquired.
He handed me a sealed envelope.
"I do not myself know it. It is written on a piece of paper inside
that envelope, and I have to ask you to open the envelope, read the
word, and then destroy the paper in my presence."
I shrugged my shoulders as I proceeded to break the seal. But no
sooner did my eyes fall on the word within, and above all on the
handwriting in which that word was written, than I experienced a
sensation of admiring pleasure.
"Tell the writer, if you please, my lord, that I am grateful for this
mark of confidence, which I shall endeavor to deserve."
I rolled up the paper into a tiny pellet, swallowed it, and left the
room and the Palace without uttering another word.