A DECLARATION OF WAR
THE following morning the Kaiser, after a long conversation with
General von Bernerstauf, sent for the Franconian Chancellor, and was
closeted with him for nearly an hour. At the close of the interview,
which was kept secret from the whole Court, Von Sigismark took his way
with a deeply anxious air to the Princess Hermengarde’s apartments.
Shortly afterwards the departure of the Kaiser was announced. He was
accompanied by Maximilian to the railway, but a visible change had
come over his demeanour towards the King, and they parted on far less
cordial terms than they had met on the day before.
The next day or two the Court was occupied in settling down after the
festivities. Hermengarde noted, with some apprehension, that the King
had ceased to pay open attention to Dorothea, and she went so far as
to sound her delicately on the subject. But Dorothea, considering
Maximilian’s confidence as sacred, refused to say anything definite to
her mistress about what had passed.
Still she revealed enough to make the Princess fear for the success
of her plans founded on the King’s infatuation for Dorothea, and she
consequently sent for the Chancellor time after time, and held long
conferences with him which led to no immediate result.
Things might have remained in this position for some time, had not the
catastrophe suddenly been brought on by the action of the revolutionary
party in the capital.
Emboldened by the release of all the prisoners arrested the previous
week, and by the rumours which began to gain ground that the King
had been induced by Johann to interfere in their favour, the leaders
of the agitation suddenly issued a manifesto calling upon the whole
of the working classes throughout Franconia to hold simultaneous
demonstrations in Mannhausen and all the other large towns of the
kingdom, on a certain day, to demand various points in the Socialist
programme. The moment a copy of this manifesto was brought to the
Minister of the Interior he set off in haste for Seidlingen, to lay it
before the Chancellor.
The electric wire had already conveyed some intimation to the Count of
the events transpiring in Mannhausen, and Herr Moritz found his chief
in a state of the utmost alarm and dejection.
“It has come at last,” he said, “as we might have anticipated. If we
let this demonstration take place it is all over with the government.
These men are deliberately challenging us, and any appearance of
weakness on our part will be the signal for open rebellion.”
“I fear you are right,” responded the younger Minister. “I have reason
to know that the state of feeling in Mannhausen is most dangerous. The
law-abiding classes are fast becoming terrorised. They hear on all
sides that the King is in sympathy with the revolutionists, and they
are losing all confidence in the protection of the government.”
“We must see the King at once,” said the Chancellor, “and insist on his
authorising us to prevent these meetings by force. Failing that--”
He hesitated and glanced at his colleague.
“Whatever action you may decide upon, Herr Count, you may rely upon
my support,” said the other, eagerly. “I even think it right to let
you know that his Majesty has sounded me to ascertain if I should be
willing to replace you in the Chancellorship, and that I informed him
that I could not listen to any such proposals.”
The old Chancellor clenched his hands with rage.
“God in Heaven! And this is the man whom I have been trying to save all
this time! That is how he repays my devotion, is it! Come, it is time
to act.”
And he led the way out of the room and towards the royal cabinet.
At this very moment, as it happened, the King was engaged with Johann
and Bernal in discussing the revolutionary manifesto.
Johann had come, full of confidence, to enlist the King’s sympathy for
the demonstration, but had found his efforts strenuously, and even
bitterly, opposed by Auguste, who insisted that the Socialists were
not justified in seeking to force Maximilian’s hand, and that it would
be a fatal mistake on the King’s part to appear to yield to violence.
Maximilian, whose keenly sensitive nature was still smarting from the
taunts to which he had listened at the Socialist meeting, considered
himself bound in honour not to offer any official resistance to the
revolutionists. He listened to his friend’s remonstrances at first with
mildness, but finally became impatient, and closed the discussion by
saying, in impatient tones--
“I have passed my word, and I cannot go back from it. If these men
think they can help on their cause by such means better than by waiting
for me to act, they are entitled to their opinion, and I have no right
to withstand them. As Herr Mark told me that day in the gallery, I must
either accomplish something myself, or stand aside for those who will.
I have not succeeded in doing anything up to the present, and this is
the natural result.”
“I am sorry you take such a view,” responded the musician. “I have
given you my advice, the advice, not of a politician, but of a personal
friend whose only aim is your own good. I hope you will not live to
regret having refused to listen to me.”
And with these harsh words he went out of the cabinet, leaving
Maximilian much distressed. Immediately afterwards the two Ministers
were announced.
“Now we shall have a tough fight of it,” remarked the King with a
sigh, to Johann, “but you will see I shall not give way.”
The Ministers were shown in, and respectfully greeted their master.
Johann, the Chancellor noticed with a contemptuous nod; his colleague,
not at all.
“I think I know what you have come about, gentlemen,” said the King,
trying to assume an air of cheerful indifference.
For answer the old Count slowly unfolded the manifesto, and laid it in
front of Maximilian.
“Yes, I have just been hearing about this. The working men are going to
hold some meetings to discuss the very topics which I put before you
the last time we held a consultation. There is nothing very formidable
in that.”
“Pardon me, Sire,” said the Chancellor, gravely, “but my colleague
and I regard it as most formidable. We regard it, and it is intended
by the promoters to be regarded, as a declaration of war against your
government. If successful it will be undoubtedly, as we are informed,
followed up by an outbreak of armed rebellion.”
“Oh, come, gentlemen, I think you take it too seriously. It will be
time enough to deal with the armed rebellion when it comes. This is
simply a question of peaceful demonstrations, such as I understand are
permitted in every other country of Europe, except Russia.”
“I greatly fear you have been misled as to the character of these
meetings, Sire,” answered the Count, with a hostile glance towards
Johann, who sat listening with a confident smile which irritated the
Minister beyond measure. “My colleague here, who has this minute
arrived from Mannhausen, tells me that the utmost terror prevails
there, and the citizens are in daily expectation of a revolt. Your
Majesty, I am certain, would not wish to hear that your capital was in
flames, and the dwellings of your loyal subjects given over to pillage
by a ruffianly mob.”
Johann made an impatient movement. The King checked him by a gesture
full of dignity.
“Moderate your language, if you please, my lord Chancellor. I have
already had to make that request to you once; do not let me have to
do so again. It is you who are really responsible for this manifesto.
Had you lent a more willing ear to the proposals of Herr Mark, and
allowed it to be seen that my government was preparing measures for the
removal of social grievances, we should never have heard of this. But
you raised objections, you asked for delay, you assured me that there
was no real discontent among the people; and, as a consequence, these
people have had to take action for themselves. And now,” continued
Maximilian, raising his voice, and speaking with a sternness which
fairly cowed the old Chancellor--“and now you come to me, and tell me
in effect that all your former assurances were untrue, and that the
capital is seething with discontent, and about to break out in open
revolt against you. I cannot trust you, sir. You have misled me, and I
will bolster you up no longer. If you have no better plan for meeting
the just complaints of my subjects than breaking up peaceful meetings
and cramming the gaols with prisoners”--here he included Herr Moritz in
an angry glance--“then in Heaven’s name let them rebel! God helping me,
I will not interfere. You may retire.”
The two Ministers arose, pale and trembling, and withdrew without a
word.
Johann advanced towards Maximilian.
“Sire, you are worthy to be a king! I release you from your parole.
Henceforth I trust you as I would myself.”
Once outside the door the Chancellor and his colleague stood still,
gazing at each other in consternation.
“You are right,” murmured Herr Moritz at length. “It is time to act.”
“And I will act,” was the answer. “Come this way.”
And he led his colleague into the presence of the Princess Hermengarde.
As soon as she caught sight of their grave and anxious faces,
Hermengarde knew that the decisive moment for which she had so
impatiently waited was come at last. Concealing her gratification as
decently as she could, she received the two Ministers graciously,
and gave orders that no one should be admitted to interrupt their
conference.
Von Sigismark came directly to the point.
“We have come, Madam, under a sense of the heaviest responsibility
to inform you that, in our opinion, his Majesty, King Maximilian is
no longer capable of governing. In the interests of the dynasty and
of the Kingdom of Franconia it is necessary that his person should
be put under restraint, and a regent appointed to exercise the royal
authority.”
This fatal declaration, thus formally conveyed in the cold official
words of the Chancellor, affected the Princess like the touch of a
block of ice. She trembled, and the full gravity of the situation rose
before her mind.
It was some little time before she answered--
“Your announcement does not take me by surprise. For some time past I
have been reluctantly driven to the same conclusion. Though I regard
my nephew with the most tender affection, I cannot shut my eyes to the
fact that his conduct has not of late been that of a sane man.”
The two conspirators, who had been plotting with this end in view for
so long, exchanged these sentences with a lofty seriousness which
seemed born of the crisis. It was as if they were conducting a solemn
rehearsal for the benefit of an audience.
It was the Count’s turn to resume.
“Under these circumstances it becomes my duty to summon a secret
meeting of the Privy Council of Franconia without delay, to take its
instructions in the crisis, and I venture to ask your consent to appear
before the Council in person, and acquaint it with your views, to which
the utmost weight will naturally be attached by the Councillors.”
The Princess interposed a question.
“You consider it necessary to call the Council together before adopting
any measures with regard to the King’s person?”
“Undoubtedly, Madam. In a matter of such terrible gravity I dare not
act on my own responsibility. It is not as if there had been any
violent outbreak of mania which would justify Dr. Krauss in ordering
the immediate restraint of his Majesty.”
“I quite see your position. With reference to the Doctor--I suppose you
will consult him before summoning the Council?”
“I must do so. It is indispensable that he should be brought to modify
his views on the King’s state of health. I understand that he is still
secretly in the Castle.”
“Yes. I requested him not to leave the Court for the present. Do you
anticipate that it will be easy to induce him to change his opinion?”
“I do not doubt that you and I together, Madam, will be able to
convince him that it is necessary for the public safety that he should.”
Hermengarde bowed silently, with a look which showed that she
understood the meaning underlying the Minister’s words.
“In addition,” he pursued, “I have the written authority of the Kaiser
for the step which we propose to take. I ascertained from Dr. Krauss
some time ago, on the occasion when we last consulted him, in fact,
that the Kaiser’s authority would have great weight with him.”
The Princess looked much relieved.
“The Doctor’s assistance will be the more necessary,” said Herr Moritz,
speaking for the first time, “because we shall have to contend,
of course, with the determined opposition of the King’s personal
intimates.”
Hermengarde looked at him with a slight touch of contempt.
“I should not have thought that the opposition of Herr Mark would have
counted for very much,” she remarked sarcastically.
“I was thinking rather of Herr Bernal,” replied the Minister. “He is a
man of great eminence, of a European reputation, in fact, and he might
rouse public opinion in the King’s favour to a dangerous extent. And
there is also the confidential servant, Karl Fink.”
“Fink can be bought,” replied the Princess, calmly. “He has been in
my pay for a considerable time. And I do not think Herr Bernal’s
opposition will be quite so formidable as you expect. He has been
greatly alienated by the King’s sudden friendship for this new man;
and, in short, I think you may leave Herr Bernal in my hands.”
The two men glanced at each other in astonishment. Hermengarde was
flattered by the effect she had produced.
“But you have not told me,” she resumed, turning to Von Sigismark, “how
you intend to deal with the question of the Regency.”
“The ordinary course would be for the Regency to go to the heir of the
throne, Prince Ernest Leopold. He being a minor, it will be the duty
of the Privy Council to nominate a Regent till the Prince comes of age.
I have no doubt that the choice will fall upon your Royal Highness.”
The Princess could not restrain a gratified smile.
“In that case I hope I shall be privileged to retain your assistance in
the position you have filled so long and so ably. And I also trust that
Herr Moritz will consent to give my government the benefit of his high
abilities.”
Von Sigismark simply bowed. His colleague murmured a few words of
thanks.
“But there is another matter, of a more personal nature, on which I am
anxious to arrive at an understanding with you, Count,” the Princess
was continuing, when she stopped, warned by a significant glance from
the Chancellor.
The latter turned to his subordinate.
“As we have finished dealing with State affairs, perhaps the Princess
will allow you to withdraw to my room. I shall be with you in a very
few minutes.”
Herr Moritz promptly retired, and the Count turned to Hermengarde.
“I thought you might possibly intend to mention some matter on which I
have not yet taken Herr Moritz into my confidence,” he explained. “I
do not consult him about everything, though he is a very worthy man. I
believe he is much attached to my daughter.”
Hermengarde gave a slight inclination of her head. She understood why
the younger Minister had been dismissed.
“Your discretion is perfect, my dear Chancellor,” she said, falling
into a more familiar tone. “I was about to refer to your daughter.
Since I last spoke to you on the subject my son has manifested a
decided partiality for her, and I am inclined to think she is not
quite indifferent to it. Supposing the arrangements we have just been
discussing are successfully carried out, is there any reason why we
should stand in the way of these young people’s happiness?”
It was the second time that the tempting suggestion had been held out
to the old courtier. And this time he did not reject it.
“Madam, I should be unworthy of the great honour you do me if I
pretended any longer that such an alliance would not be the greatest
gratification to which I could possibly aspire. My daughter’s feelings
are known to me, and I can only say that if the Prince should honour
her with his hand he will find in her a wife whose devotion to him may
perhaps atone in some measure for her inferiority in rank.”
He kissed the Princess’s hand with every demonstration of respect, and
withdrew.
“At last,” muttered Hermengarde to herself, as she rose and feverishly
paced the room. “At last the goal is within reach. All along I have
felt a lurking distrust of that old man, but now, thanks to his
daughter, I have conquered him, and my triumph is secure.”
The Chancellor took his way thoughtfully to his own apartments. The
part he had to play became more difficult at every moment. He was not
blind to the secret of Herr Moritz’s devotion to his interests, and he
was not ill pleased to find his daughter bearing Moritz company when he
arrived on the scene. He even affected to joke with the young Minister
on the subject. In truth, the old Count felt a real affection for his
_protégé_, and, in spite of his plebeian origin, had secretly destined
him for his own successor in the Chancellorship.
But all other projects had to yield for the present to the great
business in hand. For some time the Chancellor hesitated whether to
let his daughter into the secret; but finally, concluding that her
ignorance of what was going forward might lead to greater dangers than
her knowledge, he decided to take her into his confidence.
As soon as Herr Moritz had left them together, therefore, he proceeded
to enlighten her. Although Gertrude had been aware that some serious
intrigue was on foot between the Princess Hermengarde and her father,
she had never dreamt of the real issues involved, and was thunderstruck
at learning that the King was to be declared mad. The first exclamation
which rose to her lips disconcerted her father--
“But he is no more mad than I am!”
“Hush! He may not be mad in the sense that an ordinary person is
said to be mad when he believes that he is the Archangel Gabriel,
or that his bones are made of glass. But the King’s madness is far
more dangerous. He believes that it is his duty to promote a bloody
revolution in his own kingdom. The welfare of five millions of people
is at stake, and for their sakes he must be deprived of his tremendous
power for harm.”
Gertrude did not require much convincing, and she listened greedily
while her father repeated to her the offer of the Prince’s hand.
“Do not build upon it overmuch,” he warned her, in conclusion. “The
Princess is a dangerous and deceitful woman, and I do not trust her to
the extent that she supposes. This offer is very probably a mere decoy,
intended to secure my support in the matter of the Regency. Of course
it is necessary that we should affect to believe in her good faith, but
at the same time there is no need to alienate old friends whom we may
be glad to fall back upon afterwards.”
He glanced at the chair which had just been occupied by Herr Moritz,
and Gertrude understood.
That night a telegram arrived at Seidlingen directed to King Maximilian
and marked “Private.”
It was delivered unopened into the King’s hands. He removed the
envelope, and read the following message--
“_Allow me to respectfully urge your Majesty to prohibit the
Socialist demonstrations at once, or consequences will follow which
it will be too late to avert. Your loving subject and kinsman_,
“FRIEDRICH VON EISENHEIM.”
It was the first time he had heard from the recluse since his accession
to the throne.