"Ah, Prince," I said after the customary salutations, "some day I hope
that you will give me a lesson or two with the foils."
The haughty look vanished in a second.
"Your Majesty is too kind; I am flattered."
"The kindness will be yours, Prince, if you will give me the lessons."
"But what could I teach your Majesty, who gave Goltz such a fine
thrust?"
"A trick, Prince; but what I wish from you is the sounder play, and the
knowledge of some of those thrusts of which, no doubt, you have the
secret."
I found out afterwards that Mr. Smith's words had been of inestimable
value, for this was his weak point: no one could flatter him too much
about his sword-play. In other things he was unapproachable; but from
that day to this Prince Kleber and I have been very great friends.
The room was filling up now, and I saw Mr. Smith's face wreathed in
smiles, from which I surmised that I was playing my part well.
There was a little commotion in the crowd, and General von Vorkovitch
was announced.
He was much older than I had anticipated, bowed, and rather shaky.
He would have bent in homage, had I not anticipated it by advancing a
step or two and taking his hand.
"Your Majesty," he said slowly, "I have waited for this day, praying
that I might be spared to see my King upon the throne of Rudarlia."
"General, before I knew that I was to be a King, even when a little boy
at school, I thought of and longed to see the victor of Vortz, so God
has been good to us both." I turned to Bauen. "A chair for General von
Vorkovitch." Then turning to the old man, I continued, "Sit, General,
we shall want all your strength, perhaps, to win us more battles."
The last to arrive was the editor of the most influential paper in
Rudarlia, a man of much importance. His articles on the abuse of power
had more than once caused the suppression of his paper, and exile or
imprisonment to himself.
I was talking to him, when Mr. Smith made me a sign; I knew what it
meant, and nodded.
He immediately commanded silence. Instantly a hush fell on the groups
of excited men and women, and they formed a circle round me.
My speech was an impromptu one, the first of many, for I have found
that, when one speaks without preparation, one often gets home to the
hearts of one's hearers.
"To all of you here this morning, I have a few words to say. God made
me, by birth, your King; you, by the loyalty and devotion you have
shown, have brought me near the throne. I thank you in my murdered
father's name and my own. If it is willed that I shall fill the place
you would have me fill, I promise you that Rudarlia shall have a monarch
who thinks of his country first in all things, and that unjust taxation,
favouritism, and wanton waste of public moneys shall be unknown while I
have the honour to be your King. Once again I thank you."
They were very simple words, but their effect was extraordinary; carried
away no doubt by their excitement and joy, they cheered, and cheered
again. I heard Carruthers' voice as he hurrahed like one possessed; and
I felt that indeed I was a King come into my own.
It was ten in the morning before the last of the visitors drove off, and
we were left alone.
I felt very tired, and I cannot truthfully say happy. Events had moved
so quickly that I had had no time for my private griefs; perhaps it was
lucky.
Soon after we breakfasted; and then I had to receive church dignitaries,
but their business did not occupy much time. I had been born into the
Catholic Church, and had a great love for it, so there was nothing to
upset the churchmen, once I had given my word to uphold and cherish
their faith. Their power, which was considerable, had been against Ivan
from the first, for he had abused and scoffed at all religion, being
himself a gross materialist.
The Archbishop blessed me, and assured me of the support of his clergy.
When they had gone, Mr. Smith ran over again the various factions who
had been gained to our side; and it appeared that the only enemies we
were likely to have were the newly created nobles and useless officials,
together with a small number of idealists who held theories, always
impracticable.
"I know," said Mr. Smith, "that nearly the whole nation will rejoice to
have your father's son upon the throne. You have made friends of every
one who came to-day, one and all went away rejoicing. I have done all I
can now to make the way smooth; but it rests in God's hands, Victor. His
will be done."
"Amen," I said.
We lapsed into silence for a few minutes, and then he continued:
"The Press will have a scoop to-morrow. I thought it best to leave to
them the writing of the first news; it will be necessary, however, for
you to make a declaration, simple and short, as your speech this
morning. I could never have believed those people could have so far
forgotten the Royal presence, their feelings must have been very great."
"All the better, it shows how they love Rudarlia."
"Some day it will be their King as well," said Mr. Smith.
And inwardly I hoped that it might be so.
"How are we to know when to go?" I asked.
"They will let me know from the Palace; the news of Ivan's death will
not be told until we choose. Every one, save the doctors, nurses, and
Woolgast, will have been kept from the sick-room all to-day. One of the
doctors is our man; the other will be when he finds that he is
practically a prisoner."
"But the Queen? I have never until now thought of her."
"The Queen, poor lady, has confined herself more and more these last few
years to her own suite. She rarely goes out, never entertains; I think
Ivan broke her heart soon after they were married."
"But what will become of her?"
"That will rest with your Majesty."
"Is she loved by anyone?"
"All those who know her intimately say that she is grieved to the heart
at the misery caused by Ivan and his gang; all the little money that she
has had has gone in charity."
"Ah!" I said.
"I have had made," said my companion, to turn the subject, I thought, "a
number of uniforms, as near as possible to your measure. To-day I think
it would be as well if you put on that of the Guard, not here, but at
the Palace. I think they will fit you, as I had one of your suits to
measure from."
There was something pathetic to me in all these little preparations of
Mr. Smith's. I felt like a boy leaving for school, when his father is
adding some little thing that might give him pleasure.
The thought of all the years spent by this elderly man working and
planning, so that I might some day be seated on the throne, gave me a
lump in the throat, and I bent and kissed him.
"Victor, my dear boy, God knows I wish you had been son of mine; I could
not have loved you more."
"In future," I said quietly, "you shall be as my father; you guide and
teach me kingcraft. I only wish I could do something to show my
gratitude."
"Ah, my boy, be yourself, trust to your conscience with regard to
Rudarlia, and I shall be happy in my pride--but who is this?"
It was Baron Sluben who knocked and entered. He came up to me and bowed
low.
"The usurper is dead; long live the King!"