"Come," said I, "we must not quarrel."
"It would be the regular thing; I fight with all my relatives."
A footman handed the King a card, received a message, and withdrew.
"Then let me prove an exception," I cut in.
"I am quite willing; squabbles are so stupid."
"Speaking of cousins; have you quarrelled with Lotzen?"
"Scores of times; we are in the distant bowing stage now."
"Good," said I. "I trust it will continue indefinitely."
"We always make up and get very chummy after he has been absent for any
time," she returned.
"I wonder how he will view his new cousin?" I said.
The Princess laughed. "With considerable surprise, I fancy;
particularly if he meet you in that uniform in a dimly-lighted corridor
of the palace, at night."
"Have the Dalbergs no ghost such as is appurtenant to all
well-regulated royal families?"
"Alas! We have not; but you could give us a fine one."
"Well, I won't," I said.
"And yet, who knows?" she reflected with sudden seriousness; "your very
resemblance to yonder picture may, sometime, be of service to you."
"Then, I shall not hesitate to use it."
"At any rate, I hope I shall be by when my cousin of Lotzen gets his
first look at you."
"As the family spectre or _in propria persona_?"
"As both; but _in persona_, first," she said.
Just then, the corridor door swung back, and a voice announced:
"His Royal Highness, the Duke of Lotzen!"
The Princess caught her breath, in surprise, and glanced quickly at the
King.
"Does His Highness always grant your wishes so promptly?" I asked.
But she did not hear me. She was watching the Duke as he advanced to
the King and bent knee.
And I, too, watched him; and with interest--this man, with whom I
proposed to make a contest for the throne.
He had the grace of one reared in Courts and the ease of one born to
high command. He made me feel awkward even as I sat. His height was
not above the medium, but his figure was so well proportioned he seemed
almost my own size--and, yet, I knew I would top him by three inches.
He wore the full dress uniform of a Lieutenant-General of Cavalry; and,
with his black hair and moustache and well-cut face, he looked, in
every line, the dashing beau sabreur.
When he had greeted the King, and spoken to Lady Helen, he turned and,
with eyes on Dehra, came toward us. Courtney and I arose and stepped
back. The Princess swung around in her chair and gave him her hand,
but without a word of welcome--and he spoke none. Then, as he unbent,
his eyes rested on me for the first time.
[Illustration: Then, as he unbent, his eyes rested on me for the first
time.]
I have never ceased to admire the self-control Lotzen showed then. He
gave me an instant's glance; flung another at the portrait behind me;
and, then, clicking his heels sharply together, he raised his hand in
salute--but, whether to me or to the portrait, I could not know. My
own hand went up with his and remained a moment longer; for I was the
junior in actual rank, though he could not know it, for my present
uniform was no guide.
"Since no one has presented the Colonel of the Red Huzzars, will he not
do the service for himself?" he said, very courteously.
"I cry your pardon, gentlemen," exclaimed the King; "and I herewith
present, to the Duke of Lotzen, his cousin, the Grand Duke Armand."
Lotzen extended his hand in frank greeting. "You are a Dalberg--any
one could see--but whence?"
"From America," I answered.
He knew his family records well. "Then, you are the heir of Hugo," he
said instantly. "And you come in good time, cousin; there have been
few enough Dalbergs in Valeria this generation."
"Your cousin will appreciate your welcome," said the King, before I
could make reply. Then he raised his glass. "I give you: The New
Archduke," he said.
I bowed low; yet, not so low, but that I caught the smile Dehra gave
me, over her glass, and the sharp glance with which Lotzen noted it.
"Is he friend or foe?" I wondered--though the answer was evident.
Plainly, he was no fool and, therefore, why should he be my friend?
And such was the view of another; for, a bit later, as I swung the Lady
Helen into saddle, she whispered:
"Lotzen will bear watching."
"I shall need friends," I answered, slowly, arranging her skirt.
"Sometimes, a woman's wit is helpful."
"And I may count on yours?"
"Surely--mine, and another's, too, I fancy," she smiled.
Then she and Courtney rode away--but halted almost instantly, and he
called back to me to stop at the Embassy on the morrow and sign some
papers.
For, of course, now, I could not live, even for a night, at the
American Legation; and, already, a suite had been prepared for me in
the Palace.
The four of us went to the King's library; and, after a while, Lotzen
withdrew on the plea of an official appointment. But His Majesty and
the Princess and I sat until late in the night discussing the _modus
vivendi_ for me. Many matters were determined by them; and, in all, I
acquiesced instantly; for they knew what was proper and I did not.
It was decided that, for the present, I was to reside in the Palace. I
did not care for a separate establishment until I had more experience
in the dignities of an Archduke. Neither did I desire, now, a full
military staff; and so I was to have only two aides--whom Frederick
selected after much thought.
The senior was Colonel Bernheim--who had brought the invitation to the
Birthday Ball, and the commands of the Princess to dance with her that
night. His tour of duty with the Royal Aides was about ended, and,
being an officer of much experience in the Court, he would be able to
keep me straight, so to speak.
The other aide was a Major Moore--an Irish soldier of fortune, who had
been in the Valerian Army some ten years, and, by his efficiency, had
become attached to the General Staff. He was of noble birth--the
younger son of a younger son of an Irish Earl--and "as an Irishman is
more than half an American he will, doubtless, be congenial," the King
said.
I had liked Bernheim's manner, and I was willing to risk an Irishman's
faith to his chief. I asked, only, whether either was an intimate of
the Duke of Lotzen.
"That is a perfectly reasonable question," said Frederick instantly.
"I know that Bernheim has never liked the Heir Presumptive and that
Moore is not a favorite with the Prince."
"Then, I am quite content with them," said I.
"And you may also feel content," said he, "in that I appreciate your
position here and its difficulties, and I shall stand behind you. But
a King's favorite, even though of the Royal Family, is rarely popular,
so I shall obtrude no more than is necessary to show you have my good
will. When you want more, ask for it."