"And that suggests the inquiry, Your Majesty," she said; "as the wife
of the Prince Armand am I not a Grand Duchess of Valeria and a Royal
Highness?"
Surely, the woman's impudence was almost beyond belief!
But the King was very courteous.
"The Decree of Restoration applies only to the Grand Duke Armand," he
said.
"And I remain, simply, Mrs. Armand Dalberg?" she asked.
Frederick smiled.
"You remain exactly what you were before the Decree was signed," he
said.
She turned to me.
"Since I am to live in Dornlitz the rest of my days, where is it your
gracious purpose that I reside--in the Epsau Palace or where?"
"Except to assure you it will not be in the Epsau, it is no concern of
mine where you live," I answered.
"Then, it will be the Hotel Metzen--and, of course, the bill will be
sent to you."
"Oh, no, it won't," I answered.
"Surely!" she exclaimed, "you can't intend to hold me prisoner, and,
then, oblige me to provide my own subsistence."
"Your subsistence, Mrs. Spencer, is not my affair," I said, "since the
length of your enforced detention in Dornlitz is optional with
yourself."
"You mean?"
"I mean, that when you admit I am not and never was your husband, and
that the marriage certificate is false, that instant you are free to
depart."
She shook her head.
"I am willing to permit you to obtain a divorce," she said, "but I may
not deny the truth of the certificate."
"Very good," said I. "I trust you will enjoy your stay in Dornlitz."
She swung around toward Courtney.
"You are the American Ambassador, are you not, monsieur?" she said.
Courtney answered by a bow.
"Then, I ask if you will suffer an American citizen to be kept prisoner
by the Valerian authorities without trial or legal judgment?"
"Not for a moment, madame," said Courtney, instantly, and with a quick
smile at the King.
"You would protest?"
"Most strenuously--and so would Washington."
She looked at me with a triumphant sneer.
"You hear, Your Highness!" she exclaimed.
"Yes," said I, "I hear."
"I presume I am now at liberty to depart."
"From the room?--undoubtedly," I answered.
"Thank you--I mean from Dornlitz."
"Whenever you will," said I; "on the terms I gave you."
She turned, again, to Courtney.
"I appeal to Your Excellency for protection."
"Upon what basis, madame?" he asked formally.
She looked surprised.
"As an American subject," she said.
"And under what name?" Courtney asked.
"My rightful one, of course," she laughed: "Madeline Dalberg."
"Wife of the Grand Duke Armand?" he went on.
"Surely, monsieur--who else?"
"That, madame, if you will pardon, is the material point. As wife of a
Valerian Prince you are a subject of His Majesty, Frederick the Third,
and the American Government has no jurisdiction to interfere."
"But, His Majesty has just said I was not comprehended in the Decree
restoring my husband," she objected.
"Of course, I can speak only according to the doctrine of the United
States," said Courtney. "It asks only if you are the wife of a
foreigner. If you are, then, his citizenship determines yours."
She gave Courtney a sarcastic smile, and addressed the King.
"Will Your Majesty tell me wherein the Valerian doctrine differs from
the American?" she asked.
"It is precisely similar," said Frederick.
She leaned forward. "Then, though not an Archduchess, I am,
nevertheless, a subject of Your Majesty," she said.
The King frowned. "My dear madame," he said, "questions of citizenship
are not presented to me, originally. They are passed upon by the
proper Department of my Government and reach me, only, in case of
peculiarly extraordinary circumstances."
She arose, and went close over to the King.
"Your Majesty has heard me appeal for protection to the Ambassador of
my native land and be refused, because I was no longer an American
citizen," she began. "And you, yourself, have practically admitted he
was correct, and that I am a Valerian subject. Therefore, I demand
that freedom of action which is granted to all your citizens, and that
the order of the Governor of Dornlitz be revoked."
Frederick looked at her sternly for a moment.
"Pray be seated, madame," he said; "and permit me to observe that, if
you are my subject, your manner of address is scarcely respectful to
your King."
"I do not desire to be disrespectful," she replied; "but, if I am your
subject, I have the undoubted right to the protection of your laws. I
ask Your Majesty if I am receiving that protection? I ask Your Majesty
if those laws permit one, unaccused of any crime or wrong-doing, to be
held prisoner within the limits of a town? I ask Your Majesty if those
laws sanction such an order as your Governor, yonder, has made
respecting me?"
There was just the proper touch of dignified indignation and feminine
pathos. Indeed, I never saw this rather remarkable woman act her part
better than in that short speech.
The King looked at her, for a bit, in silence--though, whether he was
admiring her as a beautiful woman or as an artistic impersonator, I
could not make out. Doubtless, it was something of both.
"As simple abstract propositions, my dear madame," he said, presently,
"your questions, as put, are entitled to negative replies. But, when
they are applied to the actual facts in the case, as just given by you,
there is a vast difference. If you are the lawfully wedded wife of the
Grand Duke Armand, there is nothing illegal in the order you complain
of. In Valeria, the husband has lawful authority, upon proper cause,
to restrain his wife within even smaller limits than are prescribed for
you."
"But, where, in my case, is there any proper cause?" she demanded.
"Besides, he avers I am not his wife--therefore, he can have no
authority over me."
The King smiled. "My dear madame, you forget that it is you who insist
upon submitting yourself to his authority."
"That may be, Sire; yet, I appeal to your sense of fairness. Should he
be permitted to exercise a husband's authority to imprison me, and, at
the same time, deny that he is my husband?"
Of course, theoretically, she was in the right. My action was, in that
particular, utterly inconsistent with my position and protestations.
For a moment, I was a trifle uneasy as to the King's answer.
But he brushed it lightly aside.
"The circumstances of the case are so extraordinary, madame, that I
fear it cannot well be judged by the usual standard."
She smiled very sweetly. "Which means that I am to be held to the
strict obligations of my position, but that the Grand Duke Armand can
perpetrate any inconsistency he choose."
The King smiled back at her. "I do not doubt that His Royal Highness
will be most happy to be relieved of the necessity for being
inconsistent," he said.
"Good!" she exclaimed. "I am ready to leave Dornlitz and Valeria this
very day."
The King turned to me, interrogatingly.
"Then, you admit you are not Madeline Dalberg?" I asked.
"On the contrary, I re-affirm it; but, I offer you a divorce."