POLITICS UNDER COVER
To a woman, the romances she makes are more amusing than those she
reads.--_Théophile Gautier_.
It was curious how cleverly this austere old man, unskilled in the arts
of gallantry, now handled the problem to which he had addressed himself,
even though that meant forecasting the whim of yet another woman. It all
came easily about, precisely as he had planned.
It seemed quite correct for the daughter of our secretary of state to
call to inquire for the health of the fair Señora Yturrio, and to
present the compliments of Madam Calhoun, at that time not in the city
of Washington. Matters went so smoothly that I felt justified in
suggesting a little drive, and Señora Yturrio had no hesitation in
accepting. Quite naturally, our stately progress finally brought us
close to the residence of Miss Calhoun. That lady suggested that, since
the day was warm, it might be well to descend and see if we might not
find a sherbet; all of which also seemed quite to the wish of the lady
from Mexico. The ease and warmth of Mr. Calhoun's greeting to her were
such that she soon was well at home and chatting very amiably. She spoke
English with but little hesitancy.
Lucrezia Yturrio, at that time not ill known in Washington's foreign
colony, was beautiful, in a sensuous, ripe way. Her hair was dark,
heavily coiled, and packed in masses above an oval forehead. Her brows
were straight, dark and delicate; her teeth white and strong; her lips
red and full; her chin well curved and deep. A round arm and taper hand
controlled a most artful fan. She was garbed now, somewhat splendidly,
in a corded cherry-colored silk, wore gems enough to start a shop, and
made on the whole a pleasing picture of luxury and opulence. She spoke
in a most musical voice, with eyes sometimes cast modestly down. He had
been a poor student of her species who had not ascribed to her a wit of
her own; but as I watched her, somewhat apart, I almost smiled as I
reflected that her grave and courteous host had also a wit to match it.
Then I almost frowned as I recalled my own defeat in a somewhat similar
contest.
Mr. Calhoun expressed great surprise and gratification that mere chance
had enabled him to meet the wife of a gentleman so distinguished in the
diplomatic service as Señor Yturrio. The Señora was equally gratified.
She hoped she did not make intrusion in thus coming. Mr. Calhoun assured
her that he and his were simple in their family life, and always
delighted to meet their friends.
"We are especially glad always to hear of our friends from the
Southwest," said he, at last, with a slight addition of formality in
tone and attitude.
At these words I saw my lady's eyes flicker. "It is fate, Señor," said
she, again casting down her eyes, and spreading out her hands as in
resignation, "fate which left Texas and Mexico not always one."
"That may be," said Mr. Calhoun. "Perhaps fate, also, that those of kin
should cling together."
"How can a mere woman know?" My lady shrugged her very graceful and
beautiful shoulders--somewhat mature shoulders now, but still beautiful.
"Dear Señora," said Mr. Calhoun, "there are so many things a woman may
not know. For instance, how could she know if her husband should
perchance leave the legation to which he was attached and pay a visit to
another nation?"
Again the slight flickering of her eyes, but again her hands were
outspread in protest.
"How indeed, Señor?"
"What if my young aide here, Mr. Trist, should tell you that he has seen
your husband some hundreds of miles away and in conference with a lady
supposed to be somewhat friendly towards--"
"Ah, you mean that baroness--!"
So soon had the shaft gone home! Her woman's jealousy had offered a
point unexpectedly weak. Calhoun bowed, without a smile upon his face.
"Mr. Pakenham, the British minister, is disposed to be friendly to this
same lady. Your husband and a certain officer of the British Navy called
upon this same lady last week in Montreal--informally. It is sometimes
unfortunate that plans are divulged. To me it seemed only wise and fit
that you should not let any of these little personal matters make for us
greater complications in these perilous times. I think you understand
me, perhaps, Señora Yturrio?"
She gurgled low in her throat at this, any sort of sound, meaning to
remain ambiguous. But Calhoun was merciless.
"It is not within dignity, Señora, for me to make trouble between a lady
and her husband. But we must have friends with us under our flag, or
know that they are not our friends. You are welcome in my house. Your
husband is welcome in the house of our republic. There are certain
duties, even thus."
Only now and again she turned upon him the light of her splendid eyes,
searching him.
"If I should recall again, gently, my dear Señora, the fact that your
husband was with that particular woman--if I should say, that Mexico has
been found under the flag of England, while supposed to be under _our_
flag--if I should add that one of the representatives of the Mexican
legation had been discovered in handing over to England certain secrets
of this country and of the Republic of Texas--why, then, what answer,
think you, Señora, Mexico would make to me?"
"But Señor Calhoun does not mean--does not dare to say--"
"I do dare it; I do mean it! I can tell you all that Mexico plans, and
all that Texas plans. All the secrets are out; and since we know them,
we purpose immediate annexation of the Republic of Texas! Though it
means war, Texas shall be ours! This has been forced upon us by the
perfidy of other nations."
He looked her full in the eye, his own blue orbs alight with resolution.
She returned his gaze, fierce as a tigress. But at last she spread out
her deprecating hands.
"Señor," she said, "I am but a woman. I am in the Señor Secretary's
hands. I am even in his _hand_. What can he wish?"
"In no unfair way, Señora, I beg you to understand, in no improper way
are you in our hands. But now let us endeavor to discover some way in
which some of these matters may be composed. In such affairs, a small
incident is sometimes magnified and taken in connection with its
possible consequences. You readily may see, Señora, that did I
personally seek the dismissal of your husband, possibly even the recall
of General Almonte, his chief, that might be effected without
difficulty."
"You seek war, Señor Secretary! My people say that your armies are in
Texas now, or will be."
"They are but very slightly in advance of the truth, Señora," said
Calhoun grimly. "For me, I do not believe in war when war can be
averted. But suppose it _could_ be averted? Suppose the Señora Yturrio
herself _could_ avert it? Suppose the Señora could remain here still, in
this city which she so much admires? A lady of so distinguished beauty
and charm is valuable in our society here."
He bowed to her with stately grace. If there was mockery in his tone,
she could not catch it; nor did her searching eyes read his meaning.
"See," he resumed, "alone, I am helpless in this situation. If my
government is offended, I can not stop the course of events. I am not
the Senate; I am simply an officer in our administration--a very humble
officer of his Excellency our president, Mr. Tyler."
My lady broke out in a peal of low, rippling laughter, her white teeth
gleaming. It was, after all, somewhat difficult to trifle with one who
had been trained in intrigue all her life.
Calhoun laughed now in his own quiet way. "We shall do better if we deal
entirely frankly, Señora," said he. "Let us then waste no time.
Frankly, then, it would seem that, now the Baroness von Ritz is off the
scene, the Señora Yturrio would have all the better title and
opportunity in the affections of--well, let us say, her own husband!"
She bent toward him now, her lips open in a slow smile, all her subtle
and dangerous beauty unmasking its batteries. The impression she
conveyed was that of warmth and of spotted shadows such as play upon the
leopard's back, such as mark the wing of the butterfly, the petal of
some flower born in a land of heat and passion. But Calhoun regarded her
calmly, his finger tips together, and spoke as deliberately as though
communing with himself. "It is but one thing, one very little thing."
"And what is that, Señor?" she asked at length.
"The signature of Señor Van Zandt, attaché for Texas, on this memorandum
of treaty between the United States and Texas."
Bowing, he presented to her the document to which he had earlier
directed my own attention. "We are well advised that Señor Van Zandt is
trafficking this very hour with England as against us," he explained.
"We ask the gracious assistance of Señora Yturrio. In return we promise
her--silence!"
"I can not--it is impossible!" she exclaimed, as she glanced at the
pages. "It is our ruin--!"
"No, Señora," said Calhoun sternly; "it means annexation of Texas to the
United States. But that is not your ruin. It is your salvation. Your
country well may doubt England, even England bearing gifts!"
"I have no control over Señor Van Zandt--he is the enemy of my country!"
she began.
Calhoun now fixed upon her the full cold blue blaze of his singularly
penetrating eyes. "No, Señora," he said sternly; "but you have access to
my friend Mr. Polk, and Mr. Polk is the friend of Mr. Jackson, and they
two are friends of Mr. Van Zandt; and Texas supposes that these two,
although they do not represent precisely my own beliefs in politics, are
for the annexation of Texas, not to England, but to America. There is
good chance Mr. Polk may be president. If you do not use your personal
influence with him, he may consult politics and not you, and so declare
war against Mexico. That war would cost you Texas, and much more as
well. Now, to avert that war, do you not think that perhaps you can ask
Mr. Polk to say to Mr. Van Zandt that his signature on this little
treaty would end all such questions simply, immediately, and to the best
benefit of Mexico, Texas and the United States? Treason? Why, Señora,
'twould be preventing treason!"
Her face was half hidden by her fan, and her eyes, covered by their
deep lids, gave no sign of her thoughts. The same cold voice went on:
"You might, for instance, tell Mr. Polk, which is to say Mr. Van Zandt,
that if his name goes on this little treaty for Texas, nothing will be
said to Texas regarding his proposal to give Texas over to England. It
might not be safe for that little fact generally to be known in Texas as
it is known to me. We will keep it secret. You might ask Mr. Van Zandt
if he would value a seat in the Senate of these United States, rather
than a lynching rope! So much do I value your honorable acquaintance
with Mr. Polk and with Mr. Van Zandt, my dear lady, that I do not go to
the latter and _demand_ his signature in the name of his republic--no, I
merely suggest to you that did _you_ take this little treaty for a day,
and presently return it to me with his signature attached, I should feel
so deeply gratified that I should not ask you by what means you had
attained this most desirable result! And I should hope that if you could
not win back the affections of a certain gentleman, at least you might
win your own evening of the scales with him."
Her face colored darkly. In a flash she saw the covert allusion to the
faithless Pakenham. Here was the chance to cut him to the soul. _She
could cost England Texas!_ Revenge made its swift appeal to her savage
heart. Revenge and jealousy, handled coolly, mercilessly as
weapons--those cost England Texas!
She sat, her fan tight at her white teeth. "It would be death to me if
it were known," she said. But still she pondered, her eye alight with
somber fire, her dark cheek red in a woman's anger.
"But it never will be known, my dear lady. These things, however, must
be concluded swiftly. We have not time to wait. Let us not argue over
the unhappy business. Let me think of Mexico as our sister republic and
our friend!"
"And suppose I shall not do this that you ask, Señor?"
"That, my dear lady, _I do not suppose!_"
"You threaten, Señor Secretary?"
"On the contrary, I implore! I ask you not to be treasonable to any, but
to be our ally, our friend, in what in my soul I believe a great good
for the peoples of the world. Without us, Texas will be the prey of
England. With us, she will be working out her destiny. In our graveyard
of state there are many secrets of which the public never knows. Here
shall be one, though your heart shall exult in its possession. Dear
lady, may we not conspire together--for the ultimate good of three
republics, making of them two noble ones, later to dwell in amity? Shall
we not hope to see all this continent swept free of monarchy, held
_free_, for the peoples of the world?"
For an instant, no more, she sat and pondered. Suddenly she bestowed
upon him a smile whose brilliance might have turned the head of another
man. Rising, she swept him a curtsey whose grace I have not seen
surpassed.
In return, Mr. Calhoun bowed to her with dignity and ease, and, lifting
her hand, pressed it to his lips. Then, offering her an arm, he led her
to his carriage. I could scarce believe my eyes and ears that so much,
and of so much importance, had thus so easily been accomplished, where
all had seemed so near to the impossible.
When last I saw my chief that day he was sunk in his chair, white to the
lips, his long hands trembling, fatigue written all over his face and
form; but a smile still was on his grim mouth. "Nicholas," said he, "had
I fewer politicians and more women behind me, we should have Texas to
the Rio Grande, and Oregon up to Russia, and all without a war!"