The declaration of war by Titia had come so suddenly that when Courtney
and I sailed for Europe, the Powers were still in the air and watching
one another. No battle had been fought; but the armies were frowning
at each other on the frontier, and several skirmishes had occurred.
Ostensibly, the trouble was over a slice of territory which Henry the
Third had taken from Titia as an indemnity for some real or fancied
wrongs done him. Valeria, with its great general and powerful army,
was too strong in those days for Titia to do more than protest--and,
then, to take its punishment, which, for some reason that was doubtless
sufficient to him. Henry had seen fit to make as easy as it might be,
by giving his daughter, Adela, to Casimir for wife.
Whether the lady went voluntarily or not I cannot say. Yet it was,
doubtless, the same with both Kings: The one got an unwilling province;
the other, an unwilling bride. Only, Titia's trouble was soonest over.
This ravished Murdol had always been a standing menace to the peace of
the two countries; Titia had never forgiven its seizure, and Valeria
was afflicted with the plague of disaffected subjects on its very
border. Here, as I have said, was the real _casus belli_,--a constant
irritation that had at length got past bearing.
But, in truth, the actual breach was due to a woman. The Crown Prince
of Titia had come a wooing of the Princess Royal of Valeria, and had
been twice refused by her. King Frederick had left the question
entirely in her hands. Her choice was her own, to marry or to decline.
As a matter of state policy the match was greatly desired by him and
his Ministers. They were becoming very weary of Murdol and the turmoil
it maintained on the border, and the great force of troops required
there to preserve order. Then, too, Titia had grown vastly in wealth
and population since old Henry's time, and, now, was likely more than a
match for its ancient enemy. Frederick was aging and desired peace in
his closing years. He had long wished for a diplomatic way to rid
himself of the troublesome province, and the marriage of Casimir and
Dehra would afford it. Murdol could be settled upon the Princess as
her dower.
It was an admirable solution of the whole vexing question. Yet, unlike
old Henry, Frederick was the father before he was the King; and, beyond
telling the Princess frankly the policy which moved him in the matter,
he did nothing to coerce her. But the Ministers had no scruples of
affection nor of kinship to control them and they brought all sorts of
persuasive pressure upon her to obtain her consent to the match. All
this was known to the Kingdom, and the vast majority of the people were
with the Princess. The Army was with her to a man.
The first proposal Dehra had declined promptly to the Prince in person.
He had made it lover-like, and not through the diplomatic channels.
After that the Titian Foreign Office took a hand, and the poor girl's
troubles began.
For six months the matter pended,--and still Dehra held firm. Then
Titia mobilized its army and demanded a decision within two
days:--either the Princess or Murdol. It got a "No" in two hours. The
declaration of war followed straight-way.
Most of these facts were already known to me. Those of latest
happening came to Courtney from the State Department on the eve of our
sailing.
"It looks like a one-battle war," he had observed.
"Add a letter to your sentence and you will be nearer right," I
answered.