CHAPTER XVIII
TRUXTON ON PARADE
Count Marlanx was a soldier. He knew how to take defeat and to bide histime; he knew how to behave in the hour of victory and in the moment ofrout. The miscarriage of a detail here and there in this vast,comprehensive plan of action did not in the least sense discourage him.It was no light blow to his calculations, of course, when the designs ofan organisation separate and distinct from his own failed in theirpurpose. It was part of his plan to hold the misguided Reds responsiblefor the lamentable death of Prince Robin. The people were to be givenswift, uncontrovertible proof that he had no hand in the unforeseentransactions of the anarchists, who, he would make it appear, had bycurious coincidence elected to kill the Prince almost at the very hourwhen he planned to seize the city as a conqueror.
His own connection with the operations of the mysterious Committee ofTen was never to be known to the world. He would see to that.
At nine o'clock on Sunday morning a small group of people gathered inthe square: a meeting was soon in progress. A goods-box stood overagainst the very spot on which Olga Platanova died. An old man beganharanguing the constantly growing crowd, made up largely of those whosecuriosity surpassed discreetness. In the group might have been seenevery member of the Committee of Ten, besides a full representation ofthose who up to now had secretly affiliated with the Party of Equals. Ared flag waved above the little, excited group of fanatics, close tothe goods-box rostrum. One member of the Committee was absent from this,their first public espousal of the cause. Later on we are to discoverwho this man was. Two women in bright red waists were cryingencouragement to the old man on the box, whose opening sentences were noless than an unchanted requiem for the dead martyr, Olga Platanova.
In the midst of his harangue, the hand of William Spantz was arrested inone of its most emphatic gestures. A look of wonder and uncertainty cameinto his face as he gazed, transfixed, over the heads of his hearers inthe direction of the Tower.
Peter Brutus was approaching, at the head of a group of aliens, allarmed and marching in ominously good order. Something in the face ofPeter Brutus sent a chill of apprehension into the very soul of the oldarmourer.
And well it may have done so.
"One moment!" called out Peter Brutus, lifting his hand imperatively.The speaker ceased his mouthings. "Count Marlanx desires the immediatepresence of the following citizens at his office in the Tower. I shallcall off the names." He began with William Spantz. The name of each ofhis associates in the Committee of Ten followed. After them came a scoreof names, all of them known to be supporters of the anarchist cause.
"What is the business, Peter?" demanded William Spantz.
"Does it mean we are to begin so soon the establishing of the neworder--" began Anna Cromer, her face aglow. Peter smiled wanly.
"Do not ask me," he said, emphasising the pronoun. "I am only commandedto bring the faithful few before him."
"But why the armed escort?" growled Julius Spantz, who had spent anunhappy twenty-four hours in bondage.
"To separate the wheat from the chaff," said Peter. "Move on, goodpeople, all you whose names were not called." The order was to the fewtimid strangers who were there because they had nowhere else to go. Theyscattered like chaff.
Ten minutes later every member of the Committee of Ten, except PeterBrutus, was behind lock and bar, together with their shiveringassociates, all of them dumbly muttering to themselves the awfulsentence that Marlanx had passed upon them.
"You are to die at sunset. Graustark still knows how to punishassassins. She will make an example of you to-day that all creatures ofyour kind, the world over, will not be likely to forget in a century tocome. There is no room in Graustark for anarchy. I shall wipe it outto-day."
"Sir, your promise!" gasped William Spantz. "We are your friends--thetrue Party of--"
"Enough! Do not speak again! Captain Brutus, you will send criers abroadto notify the citizens that I, Count Marlanx, have ordered the executionof the ringleaders in the plot to dynamite the Prince. At sunset, in thesquare. Away with the carrion!"
Then it was, and not till then, that the Committee of Ten found him out!Then it was that they came to know Peter Brutus! What were theirthoughts, we dare not tell: their shrieks and curses were spent againstinpenetrable floors and walls. Baron Dangloss heard, and, in time,understood. Even he shrank back and shuddered.
It has been said that Marlanx was a soldier. There is one duty that thesoldier in command never neglects: the duty to those who fell whilefighting bravely for or against him. Sunday afternoon a force of men wasset to work burying the dead and clearing the pavements. Those of hisown nondescript army who gave up their lives on the 26th were buried inthe public cemeteries. The soldiers of the Crown, as well as themilitary police, were laid to rest in the national cemetery, withhonours befitting their rank. Each grave was carefully marked and arecord preserved. In this way Marlanx hoped to obtain his first footingin the confidence and esteem of the citizens. The unrecognisable corpseof Olga Platanova was buried in quicklime outside the city walls. Therewas something distinctly gruesome in the fact that half a dozen deepgraves were dug alongside hers, hours before death came to the wretcheswho were to occupy them.
At three o'clock the Iron Count coolly sent messengers to the homes ofthe leading merchants and bankers of the city. They, with the priests,the doctors, the municipal officers and the manufacturers were commandedto appear before him at five o'clock for the purpose of discussing thewelfare of the city and its people. Hating, yet fearing him, they came;not one but felt in his heart that the old man was undisputed ruler oftheir destinies. Hours of horror and despair, a night and a day ofbitter reflection, had brought the trembling populace to the point ofseeing clearly the whole miserable situation. The reserves werepowerless; the Royal Guard was besieged and greatly outnumbered; thefortress was lost. There was nothing for them to do but temporise. Timealone could open the way to salvation.
Marlanx stated his position clearly. He left no room for doubt in theirminds. The strings were in his hands: he had but to pull them. Thedesire of his life was about to be attained. Without hesitation heinformed the leading men of the city that he was to be the Prince ofGraustark.
"I have the city," he said calmly. "The farms and villages will fall inline. I do not worry over them. In a very short time I shall have theCastle. The question for you to decide for yourselves is this: will yoube content to remain here as thrifty, peaceable citizens, protectingyour fortunes and being protected by a man and not by a child. If not,please say so. The alternative is in the hands of the Crown. I am theCrown. The Crown may at any time confiscate property and banishmalcontents and disturbers. A word to the wise, gentlemen. Inside of aweek we will have a new government. You will not suffer under itsadministration. I should be indeed a fool to destroy the credit orinjure the integrity of my own dominion. But, let me say this,gentlemen," he went on after a pause, in which his suavity gave way toharshness; "you may as well understand at the outset that I expect torule here. I will rule Graustark or destroy her."
The more courageous in his audience began to protest against thehigh-handed manner in which he proposed to treat them. Not a fewdeclared that they would never recognise him as a prince of the realm.He waited, as a spider waits, until he thought they had gone far enough.Then he held up his hand and commanded silence.
"Those of you who do not expect or desire to live under my rule--which,I promise you, shall be a wise one,--may leave the city for other landsjust as soon as my deputies have completed the formal transfer of allyour belongings to the Crown treasury--all, I say, even to the minutesttrifle. Permit me to add, in that connection, gentlemen: the transferwill not be a prolonged affair."
They glared back at him and subsided into bitter silence.
"I am well aware that you love little Prince Robin. Ha! You may notcheer here, gentlemen, under penalty of my displeasure. It is quiteright that you should, as loyal subjects, love your Prince, whoever hemay be. I s
hall certainly expect it. Now, respecting young master Robin:I have no great desire to kill him."
He waited to see the effect of this brutal announcement. His hearersstiffened and--yes, they held their breath.
"He has one alternative--he and his lords. I trust that you, as sensiblegentlemen, will find the means to convey to him your advice that heseize the opportunity I shall offer him to escape with his life. No onereally wants to see the little chap die. Let me interrupt myself to callto your attention the fact that I am punishing the anarchists at sunset.This to convince you that assassination will not be tolerated inGraustark. To resume: the boy may return to America, where he belongs.He is more of an American than one of us. I will give him free and safeescort to the United States. Certain of his friends may accompany him;others whom I shall designate will be required to remain here until Ihave disposed of their cases as I see fit. These conditions I shall setforth in my manifesto to the present occupant of the Castle. If hechooses to accept my kindly terms, all well and good. If not, gentlemen,I shall starve him out or blow the Castle down about his smart littleears. You shudder! Well, I can't blame you. I shudder myself sometimeswhen I think of it. There will be a great deal of royal blood, you know.Ah, that reminds me: It may interest you to hear that I expect toestablish a new nobility in Graustark. The present house of lords isobjectionable to me. I trust I may now be addressing at least a few ofthe future noble lords of Graustark. Good day, gentlemen. That is allfor the present. Kindly inform me if any of my soldiers or followersoverstep the bounds of prudence. Rapine and ribaldry will not betolerated."
The dignitaries and great men of the city went away, dazed anddepressed, looking at each other from bloodshot eyes. Not one friend hadMarlanx in that group, and he knew it well. He did not expect them tosubmit at once or even remotely. They might have smiled, whereas theyfrowned, if they could have seen him pacing the floor of his office, themoment the doors closed behind their backs, clenching his hands andcursing furiously.
At the Castle the deepest gloom prevailed. It was like a nightmare tothe beleaguered household, a dream from which there seemed to be noawakening. Colonel Quinnox's first act after posting his forces inposition to repel attacks from the now well-recognised enemy, was tomake sure of the safety of his royal master. Inside the walls of theCastle grounds he, as commander of the Royal Guard, ruled supreme.General Braze tore off his own epaulets and presented himself to Quinnoxas a soldier of the file; lords and dukes, pages and ministers, followedthe example of the head of the War Department. No one stood on thedignity of his position; no one does, as a rule, with the executionerstaring him in the face. Every man took up arms for the defence of theCastle, its Prince and its lovely women.
Prince Robin, quite recovered from his fright, donned the uniform of aColonel of the Royal Dragoons, buckled on his jewelled sword, and, withboyish zeal, demanded Colonel Quinnox's reasons for not going forth toslay the rioters.
"What is the army for, Colonel Quinnox?" he asked with impatient wonder.
It was late in the afternoon and the Prince was seated in the chair ofstate, presiding over the hurriedly called Council meeting. Notablyabsent were Baron Dangloss and the Duke of Perse. Chief officers of theGuard and the commissioned men of the army were present--that is, all ofthem who had not gone down under the treacherous fire.
"Your Highness," said the Colonel bitterly, "the real army is outsidethe walls, not inside. We are a pitiful handful-less than three hundredmen, all told, counting the wounded. Count Marlanx heads an army ofseveral thousand. He--"
"He wants to get in here so's he can kill me? Is that so, ColonelQuinnox?" The Prince was very pale, but quite calm.
"Oh, I wouldn't put it just that way, your--"
"Oh, I know. You can't fool me. I've always known that he wants to killme. But how can he? That's the question; how can he when I've got theRoyal Guard to keep him from doing it? He can't whip the Royal Guard.Nobody can. He ought to know that. He must be awful stupid."
His perfect, unwavering faith in the Guard was the same that had grownup with every prince of Graustark and would not be gainsaid. A score ofhearts swelled with righteous pride and as many scabbards rattled asheels clicked and hands went up in salute.
"Your Highness," said Quinnox, with a glance at his fellow-officers,"you may rely upon it, Count Marlanx will never reach you until he hasslain every man in the Royal Guard."
"And in the army--our poor little army," added General Braze.
"Thank you," said the Prince. "You needn't have told me. I knew it." Heleaned back in the big chair, almost slipping from the record books onwhich he sat, a brave scowl on his face. "Gee, I wish he'd attack usright now," he said, with ingenuous bravado.
The council of war was not a lengthy one. The storm that had arisen outof a perfectly clear sky was briefly discussed in all its phases. No manthere but realised the seriousness of the situation. Count Halfont, whoseemed ten years older than when we last saw him, addressed the Cabinet.
"John Tullis is still outside the city walls. If he does not fall into atrap through ignorance of the city's plight, I firmly believe he will beable to organise an army of relief among the peasants and villagers.They are loyal. The mountaineers and shepherds, wild fellows all, andthe ones who have fallen into the spider's net. Count Marlanx has anarmy of aliens; they are not even revolutionists. John Tullis, if giventhe opportunity, can sweep the city clear of them. My only fear is thathe may be tricked into ambush before we can reach him. No doubt Marlanx,in devising a way to get him out of the city, also thought of the meansto keep him out."
"We must get word to Tullis," cried several in a breath. A dozen menvolunteered to risk their lives in the attempt to find the American inthe hills. Two men were chosen--by lot. They were to venture forth thatvery night.
"My lords," said the Prince, as the Council was on the point ofdissolving, "is it all right for me to ask a question now?"
"Certainly, Robin," said the Prime Minister.
"Well, I'd like to know where Mr. King is."
"He's safe, your Highness," said Quinnox.
"Aunt Loraine is worried, that's all. She's sick, you see--awful sick.Do you think Mr. King would be good enough to walk by her window, so'sshe can see for herself? She's in the royal bedchamber."
"The royal bedchamber?" gasped the high chamberlain.
"I gave up my bed right off, but she won't stay in it. She sits in thewindow most of the time. It's all right about the bed. I spoke to nurseabout it. Besides, I don't want to go to bed while there's any fightinggoing on. So, you see, it's all right. Say, Uncle Caspar, may I take acrack at old Marlanx with my new rifle if I get a chance? I've beenpractising on the target range, and Uncle Jack says I'm a reg'larBuffalo Bill."
Count Halfont unceremoniously hugged his wriggling grand-nephew. A cheerwent up from the others.
"Long live Prince Robin!" shouted Count Vos Engo.
Prince Robin looked abashed. "I don't think I could hit him," he saidwith becoming modesty. They laughed aloud. "But, say, don't forget aboutMr. King. Tell him I want him to parade most of the time in front of mywindows."
"He has a weak ankle," began Colonel Quinnox lamely.
"Very difficult for him to walk," said Vos Engo, biting his lips.
The Prince looked from face to face, suspicion in his eyes. It dawned onhim that they were evading the point. A stubborn line appeared betweenhis brows.
"Then I command you, Colonel Quinnox, to give him the best horse in thestables. I want him to ride."
"It shall be as you command, your Highness."
A few minutes later, his grand-uncle, the Prime Minister, was carryinghim down the corridor; Prince Robin was perched upon the old man'sshoulder, and was a thoughtful mood.
"Say, Uncle Caspar, Mr. King's all right, isn't he?"
"He is a very brave and noble gentleman, Bobby. We owe to his valour thelife of the best boy in all the world."
"Yes, and Aunt Loraine owes him a lot, too. She says so. She's been
crying, Uncle Caspar. Say, has she just got to marry Count Vos Engo?"
"My boy, what put that question into your mind?"
"She says she has to. I thought only princes and princesses had to marrypeople they don't want to."
"You should not believe all that you hear."
Bobby was silent for twenty steps. Then he said: "Well, I think she'llmake an awful mistake if she lets Mr. King get away."
"My boy, we have other affairs to trouble us at present without takingup the affairs of Miss Tullis."
"Well, he saved her life, just like they do in story books," protestedthe Prince.
"Well, you run in and tell her this minute that Mr. King sends his loveto her and begs her to rest easy. See if it doesn't cheer her up a bit."
"Maybe she's worried about Uncle Jack. I never thought about that," hefaltered.
"Uncle Jack will come out on top, never fear," cried the old man.
Half an hour later, Truxton King, shaven and shorn, outfitted andpolished, received orders to ride for twenty minutes back and forthacross the Plaza. He came down from Colonel Quinnox's rooms in theofficer's row, considerably mystified, and mounted the handsome baythat he had brought through the gates. Haddan, of the Guard, rode withhim to the Plaza, but could offer no explanation for the curiouscommand.
Five times the now resentful American walked his horse across the Plaza,directly in front of the terrace and the great balconies. About himpaced guardsmen, armed and alert; on the outer edge of the parade grounda company of soldiers were hurrying through the act of changing theGuard; in the lower balcony excited men and women were walking back andforth, paying not the least attention to him. Above him frowned thegrey, lofty walls of the Castle. No one was in view on the upperbalcony, beyond which he had no doubt lay the royal chambers. He had themean, uncomfortable feeling that people were peering at him from remotewindows.
Suddenly a small figure in bright red and gold and waving a tiny swordappeared at the rail of the broad upper gallery. Truxton blinked hiseyes once or, twice and then doffed his hat. The Prince was smilingeagerly.
"Hello!" he called. Truxton drew rein directly below him.
"I trust your Highness has recovered from the shock of to-day," heresponded. "I have been terribly anxious. Are you quite well?"
"Quite well, thank you." He hesitated for a moment, as if in doubt.Then: "Say, Mr. King, how's your leg?"
Truxton looked around in sudden embarrassment. A number of distressed,white-faced ladies had paused in the lower gallery and were staring athim in mingled curiosity and alarm. He instantly wondered if ColonelQuinnox's riding clothes were as good a fit as he had been led tobelieve through Hobbs and others.
"It's--it's fine, thank you," he called up, trying to subdue his voiceas much as possible.
Bobby looked a trifle uncertain. His glance wavered and a queer littlewrinkle appeared between his eyes. He lowered his voice when he nextspoke.
"Say, would you mind shouting that a little louder," he called down,leaning well over the rail.
Truxton flushed. He was pretty sure that the Prince was not deaf. Therewas no way out of it, however, so he repeated his communication.
"It's all right, your Highness."
Bobby gave a quick glance over his shoulder at one of the broad windows.Truxton distinctly saw the blinds close with a convulsive jerk.
"Thanks! Much obliged! Good-bye!" sang out the Prince, gleefully. Hewaved his hand and then hopped off the chair on which he was standing.Truxton heard his little heels clatter across the stone balcony. For amoment he was nonplused.
"Well, I'm--By Jove! I understand!" He rode off toward the barracks, hishead swimming with joy, his heart jumping like mad. At the edge of theparade ground he turned in his saddle and audaciously lifted his hat tothe girl who, to his certain knowledge, was standing behind thetell-tale blind.
"Cheer up, Hobbs!" he sang out in his new-found exuberance as he rode upto the dismal Englishman, who moped in the shade of the stable walls."Don't be down-hearted. Look at me! Never say die, that's my motto."
"That's all very well, sir," said Hobbs, removing the unlighted pipefrom his lips, "but you 'aven't got a dog and a parrot locked up in yourrooms with no one to feed them. It makes me sick, 'pon my soul, sir, tothink of them dying of thirst and all that, and me here safe and sound,so to speak."
That night Haddan and a fellow-subaltern attempted to leave the Castlegrounds by way of the private gate in the western wall, only to bedriven back by careful watchers on the outside. A second attempt wasmade at two o'clock. This time they went through the crypt into thesecret underground passage. As they crawled forth into the blackest ofnights, clear of the walls, they were met by a perfect fusillade ofrifle shots. Haddan's companion was shot through the leg and arm and itwas with extreme difficulty that the pair succeeded in regaining thepassage and closing the door. No other attempt was made that night.Sunday night a quick sortie was made, it being the hope of the besiegedthat two selected men might elude Marlanx's watch-dogs during the meleethat followed. Curiously enough, the only men killed were the two whohad been chosen to run the gauntlet in the gallant, but ill-timedattempt to reach John Tullis.
On Monday morning the first direct word from Count Marlanx came to theCastle. Under a flag of truce, two of his men were admitted to thegrounds. They presented the infamous ultimatum of the Iron Count. Inbrief, it announced the establishment of a dictatorship pending theformal assumption of the crown by the conqueror. With scant courtesy theIron Count begged to inform Prince Robin that his rule was at an end.Surrender would result in his safe conduct to America, the home of hisfather; defiance would just so surely end in death for him and all ofhis friends. The Prince was given twenty-four hours in which tosurrender his person to the new governor of the city. With theexpiration of the time limit mentioned, the Castle would be shelled fromthe fortress, greatly as the dictator might regret the destruction ofthe historic and well-beloved structure. No one would be spared if itbecame necessary to bombard; the rejection of his offer of mercy wouldbe taken as a sign that the defenders were ready to die for a lostcause. He would cheerfully see to it that they died as quickly aspossible, in order that the course of government might not be obstructedany longer than necessary.
The defenders of the Castle tore his message in two and sent it back tohim without disfiguring it by a single word in reply. The scornfullaughter which greeted the reading of the document by Count Halfont didnot lose any of its force in the report that the truce-bearers carried,with considerable uneasiness, to the Iron Count later on.
No one in the Castle was deceived by Marlanx's promise to provide safeconduct for the Prince. They knew that the boy was doomed if he fellinto the hands of this iniquitous old schemer. More than that, there wasnot a heart among them so faint that it was not confident of eventualvictory over the usurper. They could hold out for weeks againststarvation. Hope is an able provider.
A single, distant volley at sunset had puzzled the men on guard at theCastle. They had no means of knowing that the Committee of Ten and itswretched friends had been shot down like dogs in the Public Square.Peter Brutus was in charge of the squad of executioners.
Soon after the return of Marlanx's messengers to the Tower, a number ofcarriages were observed approaching in Castle Avenue. They were halted acouple of hundred yards from the gates and once more a flag of truce waspresented. There was a single line from Marlanx:
"I am sending indisputable witnesses to bear testimony to the thoroughness of my conquest.
"MARLANX."
Investigation convinced the captain of the Guard that the motley caravanin the avenue was made up of loyal, representative citizens from theimportant villages of the realm. They were admitted to the groundswithout question.
The Countess Prandeville of Ganlook, terribly agitated, was one of thefirst to enter the haven of safety, such as it was. After her came themayors and the magistrates of a dozen villages. Count Marlanx's reasonfo
r delivering these people over to their friends in the Castle was atonce manifest.
By the words of their mouths his almost complete mastery of thesituation was conveyed to the Prince's defenders. In every instance therepresentative from a village sorrowfully admitted that Marlanx's menwere in control. Ganlook, an ancient stronghold, had been taken withouta struggle by a handful of men. The Countess's husband was even nowconfined in his own castle under guard.
The news was staggering. Count Halfont had based his strongest hopes onthe assistance that would naturally come from the villages. Moreover,the strangely commissioned emissaries cast additional gloom over thesituation by the report that mountaineers, herdsmen and woodchoppers inthe north were flocking to the assistance of the Iron Count, followed byhordes of outlaws from the Axphain hills. They were swarming into thecity. These men had always been thorns in the sides of the Crown'speace-makers.
"It is worse than I thought," said Count Halfont, after listening tothe words of the excited magistrates. "Are there no loyal men outsidethese walls?"
"Thousands, sir, but they are not organised. They have no leader, andbut little with which to fight against such a force."
"It is hard to realise that a force of three or four thousanddesperadoes has the power to defy an entire kingdom. A city of 75,000people in the hands of hirelings! The shame of it!"
Truxton King was leaning against a column not far from the little group,nervously pulling away at the pipe Quinnox had given him. As if impelledby a common thought, a half dozen pairs of eyes were turned in hisdirection. Their owners looked as quickly away, again moved by a commonthought.
The Minister of Mines gave utterance to a single sentence that mightwell have been called the epitome of that shrewd, concentrated thought:
"There must be some one who can get to John Tullis before it is toolate."
They looked at one another and then once more at the American who hadcome among them, avowedly in quest of adventure.
Truxton King: A Story of Graustark Page 18