"It is I who am going to chastise this fellow, not you, but I must be
disguised; you will see to that, just a beard and a few lines to add to
my age. You will give orders to have a powerful car ready to-night, at
the side entrance. Tell no one of what you know. I will inform the
necessary people."
"And the chauffeur, your Majesty?"
"I will drive, and Bauen will accompany us. You will, of course, be in
mufti, without any mark by which you could be recognised."
"Yes; at what hour shall I await your Majesty?"
"You may come here at a quarter-past ten, the car must be ready at the
half-hour."
I sent for Zeula. He noticed my agitation the moment he entered, and I
told him as quietly as I could of my proposed trip. He was amazed,
horrified, pleading; and then, as he saw that my mind was absolutely
made up, he gave in. I believe in his heart of hearts he would have
liked to accompany me himself. He put no more obstacles in my way, and
even thought of things which I had forgotten. He reminded me that I had
better take my passport made out in the name of Stevens, supplied me
with a good sum of money, in case of necessity, and finally left me. I
think he saw I wished to be alone.
I read the article for the third time, and then locked it in my desk, I
was in a mood quite dangerous enough, without adding fuel to it. I
could have cried with rage that anyone should even hint at such things.
I must be careful; the world must never know that the King of Rudarlia
had done what I proposed to do. This was not for my own sake but for
Irma's. Irma must never know, at least until we were engaged. I could
not let her suppose that I had chastised this man in order to gain her
gratitude.
Should I make an effort to see her when once in Sonale? I had not made
up my mind, and yet, if possible, it would be a good opportunity for me
to ask the question, the answer to which I was longing to hear. Since
my interview with my mother I had lost the fear of a refusal, for I had
determined to win her, even though at first it should appear against her
will.
I do not know how the time passed until the evening came, but somehow it
did. I had desired that Mr. Neville should come to me, but he could not
be found, which annoyed me, for I wished to confide in him.
A small parcel had been given to me, which contained the necessary
disguise, and at the time appointed Captain von Landsberg appeared.
"Help me with this," I said, holding out a stick of paint.
He dexterously made a few lines on my face, which, though hardly
noticeable, added years to my age; he also assisted me to fix on the
beard, which was small and pointed. I looked at myself in a mirror: the
effect was all that I desired.
In ten minutes we were on our way. At six o'clock we drew up in front
of a small hotel in Sonale.
We engaged a room in which to breakfast, and wait until the morning was
more advanced. I doubt if I had exchanged more than three remarks with
my companion; now, however, I said:
"I want you to go and find out just where the office of the paper is,
and any other information you care to gather, such as the name of the
editor, and what time he generally arrives, then return here."
I sat down by the open window to await his return, and my thoughts were
pretty busy. I recalled the drive through the night, hour after hour;
the great headlight of the motor, shining first on one thing then on
another, the straying cows which had so nearly caused a mishap, the luck
of finding an intelligent peasant when we lost our way; he was well
rewarded for being hauled out in the middle of the night, and I daresay
wished that more people would lose their way. The amazement of the
frontier guard at the mad English motorist, the puncture which caused
delay, and finally the hotel where I now sat and waited. Then my
thoughts switched on to Sonale; it seemed so strange that I should be
here in the Bornian capital, in the same place where Irma lived. I
wished that I had asked Landsberg to find out the way to the Palace, and
the next moment was pleased that I hadn't. I wondered whether it would
be possible to obtain audience with the Princess without allowing my
identity to become known. I might do it through Sonia, I had no doubt
that she could get the Princess to her rooms under some pretext, that
is, if Irma did not wish to see me in her own, for of course I did not
want to hide my identity from her, only from strangers. Then I became
impatient with waiting, and walked up and down the room, glancing every
few minutes at my watch. Half-past nine, ten, and still he had not
returned. I sincerely hoped that nothing had happened to Landsberg. At
about a quarter-past be came in, with a strange expression on his face.
"Well, I have been all impatience for your arrival."
"I have found out what your Majesty wishes to know, and more."
"More?"
"Yes, your Majesty, the man who wrote the article will not be at work
for some time."
"What, isn't he in Sonale?"
"He is, your Majesty, but we are too late, some one has already done
what we came to do."
"Damnation! But who?"
"No one knows, your Majesty, but the fellow received a most unmerciful
thrashing, and will certainly write no more articles of a similar kind;
he had to be carried home, they told me."
"I must know who did it, so that I can thank him, although I envy him
the doing of it; but you and I, Landsberg, are not wanted, we had better
get back to Karena."
"Yes, your Majesty."
He looked as though he did not agree with me, and it flashed across me
that he had hoped to catch a glimpse of his betrothed, but I was in no
mood to be unselfish; since I could not do what I had come to do, and
since I could not think of any way to see the Princess, I wished to get
away from Sonale as quickly as possible. I looked at him, he stared
straight in front, without moving a muscle of his face, bearing his
disappointment like the very gallant gentleman he was, and incidentally
setting an example to me, his King.
"I shall leave here at one o'clock," I said. "Until then, you had better
do some shopping, and obtain what no other city in the world can give
you at the present time. Go, don't waste time, and try to be back
punctually; tell them to send me up the papers."
"I thank your Majesty most gratefully."
His face was all smiles, and I felt pleased that some one should benefit
by our trip.
I tried very hard to make myself believe that I was pleased that the
fellow had been punished, but I could not get over the desire I had had
to send my fist smashing into his face. However, I realised that the
chivalry of some man had taken the matter out of my hands, and that I
must wait patiently, reading the newspapers, until that lucky young
devil of a Guardsman had finished making love and returned to his King.
Having read the papers, I set about for some method of amusing, or
rather boring myself, and commenced to whistle somewhat mournfully all
the airs I could recollect; when I hit upon one more than usually
lugubrious, I repeated it several times, much to my satisfaction. I
remember that the English song, entitled "Three fishers went sailing out
into the west," was the one which I finally selected as the most
suitable to fit my mood, and gloried in making it as miserable as
possible.
With no hope in my heart that the time would pass quickly, I smoked and
yawned, yawned and smoked, until twelve o'clock.
The door opened and Landsberg appeared.
"There is a lady who wishes to speak to your Majesty."
"The devil!"
I meant to say this under my breath, but I must have spoken louder than
I intended, for the lady of whom Landsberg had spoken heard it, and
laughed merrily.
"No, Victor, only me."
She threw back the veil which covered her face. I sprang to my feet, and
tossed my cigar, as I thought, into the fire-place, but it fell short on
the carpet, and smoked merrily, a fact which I did not notice, for I had
eyes for nothing but the face of my darling.
Landsberg had decently left the room.
I was so surprised that I could only hold her hands and look at her, and
at length her eyes fell before the light in mine. I did not know that I
still held her hands.
"Princess, oh, Princess."
"Victor, oh, Victor." The little witch had hypnotised me, and then was
graceless enough to mock at me.
"Irma, I love you, I love you."
She gave a little start and I felt her hands tremble; I saw a new look
come into her eyes, rather startled, and shy.
"Victor, what are you saying?"
"Oh, I know what I say, have known it for all the time that has passed
since I saw you last. I love you, and I want you to say that you will
try to love me. Irma, my beautiful Irma, will you try?"
"Are you sure you want me, are you sure it is not mere liking, are you
sure, oh, Victor, are you sure?" There was a little break in her voice.
"Am I sure? Yes, I am, I love you so much that the mere thought of you
makes me happy. Irma, I never thought it possible until I met you that
God could be so kind, and yet He has been very good to me, everything
has prospered with me, but I would sooner be a peasant, with you, than
reign where I do without you. I can't live without you, I love you so."
"What do you want me to say?" she said, so softly that only my lover's
ears could have caught the words.
"Say you love me a little, my darling."
"It would hardly be true, Victor, for I love you with my whole heart."
* * * * *
It would seem like sacrilege to write of the next quarter of an hour,
even if I could remember what was said, which I cannot; there remains to
me but a confused memory, yet one of the gladdest of all that I possess.
All that I can say is, that I knew I had received a priceless gift in
her love, and gloried that mine for her was as deep and passionate.
"You are rather astonishing, Victor."
Her words brought me back to everyday existence, and I began to laugh,
lightly at first and rather uncertainly, until she joined in, and we sat
like two foolish people, and laughed until we cried. But an end must
come to even the heartiest laughter, and when I had wiped the tears from
my eyes, I answered her remark:
"Why am I astonishing?"
"Isn't it rather unusual--your mode of procedure, I mean?"
"It is none the worse for that, but I suppose it might strike a casual
observer as rather strange."
"I think it would," she said.
She began to laugh again, but so tremulously that I put my arm round her
and held her tight; her head went down on to my shoulder and she cried.
For a moment I thought to ask her what was the matter, but my innate
prudence made me keep silent, and after a minute or two she looked up,
smiling through her tears.
"I am so silly, but I am so happy."
"So am I."
I should imagine that I looked it, for my face was one big smile. It
was so very extraordinary, I had been absolutely afraid at the chateau,
whereas now I felt as brave as a lion.
"How did you know I was here?" It had only just struck me that I had
not told Landsberg not to mention the fact.
"Sonia told me, of course."
"I must make Landsberg a General."
"You know Sonia is outside?"
"No, I didn't, but it is an excellent place for a little while yet. Now
tell me why you came, was it because you thought I should feel lonely?"
"No, dear, it was not for that, but to thank you."
"Whatever for?"
"For what you were here for. No, you must not blame Landsberg, Sonia
got it out of him. She made him tell her, and I am so glad she did, for
I could never have come unless I had had that as a reason."
"Couldn't you have thought of one for yourself?"
"Oh, yes," she said teasingly, "I could have come and asked you to marry
me."
"I have not asked you yet, now I come to think of it, so will repair the
fault, if you please."
"Go down properly on your knees then."
I did as she bade me, and she put her hands one on each side of my face,
and held me fast.
"Didn't you know I loved you, Victor?"
"No, my darling, how could I? Why, when I left you the other day, I
thought you were absolutely indifferent."
"Then why did you carry me off my feet to-day?"
"Because I felt braver, and wanted you so much, that the sight of you
made me forget all considerations, made me forget everything except the
one fact, that I loved you."
"I never thought that I should be proposed to in a scrubby little hotel
by a King. My imagination could not carry me as far as that, but I
shouldn't have minded if it had been a pigsty."
I daresay the wonder of it all would have given us food for conversation
for a week, only Landsberg and Sonia were outside. Perhaps they were
impatient at our long interview, and thought that, as I happened to be a
reigning monarch, I had better get back to my own country, so one of
them--I never discovered who--gave a discreet knock at the door. The
next moment Irma and I were far apart. A monarch has no right to feel
foolish before one of his subjects--it is a bad precedent to
establish--but I found it extremely difficult to keep a stern expression
when the two entered; that is the worst of kingship, you can never be
natural except with your equals. I should have liked to tell all the
world that Irma loved me, it was the supreme and only important thing in
the world. As it was, after a few commonplaces, I sent Landsberg to see
if the car was ready; and when he had vanished said to Sonia:
"Mademoiselle, I wish for your congratulations. Her Royal Highness has
consented to be my wife. I do not think there is any necessity to
mention the fact to Landsberg, although I should not be astonished to
hear that the rascal would not be surprised, if told."
"Your Majesty has my most humble congratulations, and I am sure
Landsberg would be surprised, if he knew that your Majesty wished it."
While the would-be surprised Captain was still out of the room, I said
good-bye to the Princess, my Irma.
*VICTOR VICTORIOUS*