The Prince of Graustark

by George Barr McCutcheon

  CHAPTER XXI

  MR. BLITHERS ARRIVES IN GRAUSTARK

  Mr. William W. Blithers arrived in Edelweiss, the Capital of Graustark,on the same day that the Prince returned from his tour of the world. Asa matter of fact, he travelled by special train and beat the Princehome by the matter of three hours. The procession of troops, headed bythe Royal Castle Guard, it was announced would pass the historic HotelRegengetz at five in the afternoon, so Mr. Blithers had front seats onthe extension porch facing the Platz.

  He did not know it, but if he had waited for the regular train inVienna, he would have had the honour of travelling in the same railwaycarriage with the royal young man. ("Would" is used advisedly in theplace of "might," for he _would_ have travelled in it, you may be sure.)

  Moreover, he erred in another particular, for arriving at the sameinstant and virtually arm-in-arm with the country's sovereign, he couldhardly have been kept out of the procession itself. When you stop tothink that next to the Prince he was the most important personage inthe realm on this day of celebration, it ought not to be considered atall unreasonable for him to have expected some notable attention, suchas being placed in the first carriage immediately behind the country'ssovereign, or possibly on the seat facing him. Missing an opportunitylike this, wasn't at all Mr. Blithers' idea of success. He was verysorry about the special train. If it hadn't been for that train hemight now be preparing to ride castlewards behind a royal band insteadof sitting with his wife in the front row of seats on a hotel porch,just like a regular guest, waiting for the parade to come along. Itcertainly was a wasted opportunity.

  He had lost no time in his dash across the continent. In the firstplace, his agents in Paris made it quite clear to him that there waslikely to be "ructions" in Graustark over the loan and the prospect ofa plebeian princess being seated on the throne whether the people likedit or not; and in the second place, Maud Applegate had left a note onhis desk in the Paris offices, coolly informing him that she was likelyto turn up in Edelweiss almost as soon as he. She added an annoyingpostscript. She said she was curious to see what sort of a place it wasthat he had been wasting his money on!

  To say that he was put out by Maud's aggravating behaviour would bestating the case with excessive gentleness. He was furious. He sent forthe head of the detective agency and gave him a blowing up that he wasnever to forget. It appears that the detectives had followed a falselead and had been fooled by the wary Maud in a most humiliating manner.They hadn't the remotest notion where she was, and evinced greatsurprise when informed in a voice loud enough to be heard a half-blockaway that she was on her way to Graustark. They said it couldn't bepossible, and he said they didn't know what they were talking about. Hewas done with them. They could step out and ask the cashier to givethem a check for their services, and so on and so forth. He did notforget to notify them that they were a gang of loafers.

  Then he dragged Mrs. Blithers off to the Gare de l'Este and took theExpress to Vienna. He would see to the loan first and to Maud afterward.

  He had no means of knowing that a certain Miss Guile was doing more toshape the destiny of the principality of Graustark than all themillions he had poured into its treasury. Nor had he the faintestsuspicion that she was even then on Graustark soil and waiting aseagerly as he for the procession to pass a given point.

  Going back a day or two, it becomes necessary to report that while inVienna the perverse Bedelia played a shabby trick on the infatuatedRobin. She stole away from the Bristol in the middle of the night andwas half-way to the Graustark frontier before he was aware of herflight. She left a note for him, the contents of which sufficed to easehis mind in the presence of what otherwise might have been looked uponas a calamity. Instead of relapsing into despondency over herdefection, he became astonishingly exuberant. It was relief and notdespair that followed the receipt of the brief letter. She had playeddirectly into his hand, after all. In other words, she had removed adifficulty that had been troubling him for days: the impossibility ofentering his own domain without betraying his identity to her.Naturally his entrance to the Capital would be attended by the mostincriminating manifestation on the part of the populace. The characterof R. Schmidt would be effaced in an instant, and, according to his ownnotion, quite a bit too soon to suit his plans. He preferred to remainSchmidt until she placed her hand in his and signified a readiness tobecome plain Mrs. R. Schmidt of Vienna. That would be his hour oftriumph.

  In her note she said: "Forgive me for running away like this. It is forthe best. I must have a few days to myself, dear friend,--days forsober reflection uninfluenced by the presence of a natural enemy tocomposure. And so I am leaving you in this cowardly, graceless fashion.Do not think ill of me. I give you my solemn promise that in a few daysI shall let you know where I may be found if you choose to come to me.Even then I may not be fully convinced in my own mind that ouradventure has reached its climax. You have said that you wouldaccompany me to Graustark. I am leaving to-night for that country,where I shall remain in seclusion for a few days before acquainting youwith my future plans. It is not my intention to stop in Edelweiss atpresent. The newspapers proclaim a state of unrest there over thecoming visit of Mr. Blithers and the return of the Prince, both of whomare very much in the public eye just now. I prefer the quiet of thecountry to the excitement of the city, so I shall seek some remotevillage and give myself up to--shall I say prayerful meditation?Believe me, dear Rex, to be your most devoted, though whimsical,Bedelia."

  He was content with this. Deep down in his heart he thanked her forrunning away at such an opportune time! The situation was immeasurablysimplified. He had laid awake nights wondering how he could steal intohis own domain with her as a companion and still put off the revelationthat he was not yet ready to make. Now the way was comparatively easy.Once the demonstration was safely over, he could carry on his adventurewith something of the same security that made the prowlings of theBagdad Caliphs such happy enterprises, for he could with impunitytraverse the night in the mantle of R. Schmidt.

  Immediately upon receiving her letter, he sent for Quinnox and Gourou,who were stopping at a hotel nearby.

  "I am ready to proceed to Edelweiss, my friends," said he. "Miss Guilehas departed. Will you book accommodations on the earliest trainleaving for home?"

  "I have already seen to that, highness," said Gourou calmly. "We leaveat six this evening. Count Quinnox has wired the Prime Minister thatyou will arrive in Edelweiss at three to-morrow afternoon, God willing."

  "You knew that she had gone?"

  "I happened to be in the Nordbahnhof when she boarded the train atmidnight," replied the Baron, unmoved.

  "Do you never sleep?" demanded Robin hotly.

  "Not while I am on duty," said Gourou.

  The Prince was thoughtful, his brow clouding with a troubled frown. "Isuppose I shall now have to face my people with the confession thatwill confirm their worst fears. I may as well say to you, my friends,that I mean to make her my wife even though it costs me my kingdom. AmI asking too much of you, gentlemen, when I solicit your support in myfight against the prejudice that is certain to--"

  Quinnox stopped him with a profound gesture of resignation and a singleword: "Kismet!" and Gourou, with his most ironic smile, added: "You maycount on us to support the crown, highness, even though we lose ourheads."

  "Thank you," said Robin, flushing. "Just because I appear to have lostmy head is no reason for your doing the same, Baron Gourou."

  The Baron's smile was unfaltering. "True," he said. "But we may be ableto avoid all that by inducing the people of Graustark to lose theirhearts."

  "Do you think they will accept her as--as their princess?" cried Robin,hopefully.

  "I submit that it will first be necessary for you to induce Miss Guileto accept you as her prince," said Gourou mildly. "That doesn't appearto be settled at present."

  He took alarm. "What do you mean? Your remark has a sinister sound. Hasanything transpired to--"

  "She has disappe
ared, highness, quite effectually. That is all that Ican say," said Gourou, and Robin was conscious of a sudden chill andthe rush of cold moisture to his brow. "But let us prepare to confrontan even more substantial condition. A prospective father-in-law isdescending upon our land. He is groping in the dark and he is angry. Hehas lost a daughter somewhere in the wilds of Europe, and he realisesthat he cannot hope to become the grandfather of princes unless he canproduce a mother for them. At present he seems to be desperate. Hedoesn't know where to find her, as Little Bo-peep might have said. Wemay expect to catch him in a very ugly and obstreperous mood. Have Itold you that he was in this city last night? He arrived at the Bristola few hours prior to the significant departure of Miss Guile. Moreover,he has chartered a special train and is leaving to-day for Edelweiss.Count Quinnox has taken the precaution to advise the Prime Minister ofhis approach and has impressed upon him the importance of decrying anysort of popular demonstration against him on his arrival. Romanoreports that the people are in an angry mood. I would suggest that youprepare, in a way, to placate them, now that Miss Guile has more orless dropped out of sight. It behooves you to--"

  "See here," broke in Robin harshly, "have you had the effrontery tomake a personal appeal to Miss Guile in your confounded efforts toprevent the--"

  "Just a moment, Robin," exclaimed Count Quinnox, his face hardening. "Iam sorry to hear words of anger on your lips, and directed toward yourmost loyal friends. You ask us to support you and in the next breathimply that we are unworthy. It is beneath the dignity of either BaronGourou or myself to reply to your ungenerous charge."

  "I beg your pardon," said Robin, but without lowering his head. He wasnot convinced. The barb of suspicion had entered his brain. Were they,after all, responsible for Bedelia's flight? Had they revealed hisidentity to the girl and afterward created such alarm in her breastthat she preferred to slink away in the night rather than to court thehumiliation that might follow if she presumed to wed Graustark's princein opposition to his country's wish? "You must admit that thecircumstance of her secret flight last night is calculated to--But, nomatter. We will drop the subject. I warn you, however, that my mind isfixed. I shall not rest until I have found her."

  "I fancy that the state of unrest will be general," said Gourou, withperfect good-nature. "It will go very hard with Graustark if we fail tofind her. And now, to return to our original sin: What are we to doabout the ambitious Mr. Blithers? He is on my conscience and I tremble."

  It must not be supposed for an instant that the City of Edelweiss andthe court of Graustark was unimpressed by the swift approach and abruptarrival of Mr. Blithers. His coming had been heralded for days inadvance. The city was rudely expectant, the court uneasy. The man whohad announced his determination to manage the public and privateaffairs of the principality was coming to town. He was coming in state,there could be no doubt about that. More than that, he was coming topropitiate the people whether they chose to be mollified or not. He wasbringing with him a vast store of business acumen, an unexampledconfidence and the self-assurance of one who has never encounteredfailure. Shylock's mantle rested on his hated shoulders, and JudasIscariot was spoken of with less abhorrence than William W. Blithers bythe Christian country of Graustark. He was coming to get betteracquainted with his daughter's future subjects.

  Earlier in the week certain polite and competent gentlemen from Berlinhad appeared at the Castle gates, carrying authority from the dauntlessmillionaire. They calmly announced that they had come to see whatrepairs were needed in and about the Castle and to put the place inshape. A most regrettable incident followed. They were chased out oftown by an angry mob and serious complications with the German Empirewere likely to be the result of the outrage.

  Moreover, the citizens of Graustark were openly reluctant to deposittheir state bonds as security for the unpopular loan, and there was alively sentiment in favour of renouncing the agreement entered into bythe cabinet.

  The Prime Minister, in the absence of the Prince, called mass meetingsin all the towns and villages and emissaries of the crown addressed thesullen crowds. They sought to clarify the atmosphere. So eloquent weretheir pleadings and so sincere their promises that no evil would befallthe state, that the more enlightened of the people began to deposittheir bonds in the crown treasury. Others, impressed by the confidenceof their more prosperous neighbours, showed signs of weakening. Thesituation was made clear to them. There could be no possible chance ofloss from a financial point of view. Their bonds were safe, for theloan itself was a perfectly legitimate transaction, a conclusion whichcould not be gainsaid by the most pessimistic of the objectors. Mr.Blithers would be paid in full when the time came for settlement, thebonds would be restored to their owners, and all would be well withGraustark.

  As for the huge transactions Mr. Blithers had made in London, Paris andBerlin, there could be but one conclusion: he had the right to investhis money as he pleased. That was his look-out. The bonds of Graustarkwere open to purchase in any market. Any investor in the world wasentitled to buy all that he could obtain if he felt inclined to put hismoney to that use. The earnest agents of the government succeeded inconvincing the people that Mr. Blithers had made a good investmentbecause he was a good business man. What did it matter to Graustark whoowned the outstanding bonds? It might as well be Blithers as Bernsteinor any one else.

  As for Miss Blithers becoming the Princess of Graustark, that wassimple poppy-cock, declared the speakers. The crown could take oaththat Prince Robin would not allow _that_ to happen. Had he not declaredin so many words that he would never wed the daughter of WilliamBlithers, and, for that matter, hadn't the young woman also announcedthat she would have none of him? There was one thing that Mr. Blitherscouldn't do, and that was to marry his daughter to the Prince ofGraustark.

  And so, by the time that Mr. Blithers arrived in Edelweiss, the peoplewere in a less antagonistic frame of mind,--though sullenlysuspicious,--and were even prepared to grin in their sleeves, for,after all, it was quite clear that the joke was not on them but on Mr.Blithers.

  When the special train pulled into the station Mr. Blithers turned tohis wife and said:

  "Cheer up, Lou. This isn't a funeral."

  "But there is quite a mob out there," she said, peering through the carwindow. "How can we be sure that they are friendly?"

  "Don't you worry," said Mr. Blithers confidently. "They are not likelyto throw rocks at the goose that lays the golden egg." If he had pausedto think, he would not have uttered such a careless indictment. Thetime would come when she was to remind him of his thoughtlessadmission, omitting, however, any reference to the golden egg.

  The crowd was big, immobile, surly. It lined the sidewalks in thevicinity of the station and stared with curious, half-closed eyes atthe portly capitalist and his party, which, by the way, was renderedsomewhat imposing in size by augmentation in the shape of lawyers fromParis and London, clerks and stenographers from the Paris office, andfour plain clothes men who were to see to it that Midas wasn't blown tosmithereens by envious anarchists; to say nothing of a lady's maid, avalet, a private secretary and a doctor. (Mr. Blithers always wentprepared for the worst.)

  He was somewhat amazed and disgruntled by the absence of silk-hatambassadors from the Castle, with words of welcome for him on hisarrival. There was a plentiful supply of policemen but no cabinetministers. He was on the point of censuring his secretary for notmaking it clear to the government that he was due to arrive at such andsuch an hour and minute, when a dapper young man in uniform--hecouldn't tell whether he was a patrolman or a captain--came up andsaluted.

  "I am William W. Blithers," said he sharply.

  "I am an official guide and interpreter, sir," announced the young mansuavely. "May I have the honour--"

  "Not necessary--not necessary at all," exploded Mr. Blithers. "I canget about without a guide."

  "You will require an interpreter, sir," began the other, only to bewaved aside.

  "Any one desiring to speak to me wi
ll have to do it in English," saidMr. Blithers, and marched out to the carriages.

  He was in some doubt at first, but as his carriage passed swiftlybetween the staring ranks on the sidewalks, he began to doff his hatand bow to the right and the left. His smiles were returned by themultitude, and so his progress was more or less of a triumph after all.

  At the Regengetz he found additional cause for irritation. The lordsand nobles who should have met him at the railway station were asconspicuously absent in the rotunda of the hotel. No one was there toreceive him except the ingratiating manager of the establishment, whohoped that he had had a pleasant trip and who assured him that it wouldnot be more than a couple of hours before his rooms would be vacated bythe people who now had them but were going away as soon as theprocession had passed.

  "Get 'em out at once," stormed Mr. Blithers. "Do you think I want tohang around this infernal lobby until--"

  "Pardon me," said the manager blandly, "but your rooms will not beready for you before four or five o'clock. They are occupied. We canput you temporarily in rooms at the rear if your lady desires to restand refresh herself after the journey."

  "Well, I'll be--" began Mr. Blithers, purple in the face, and thenleaned suddenly against the counter, incapable of finishing thesentence.

  The manager rubbed his hands and smiled. "This is one of our gala days,Mr. Blithers. You could not have arrived at a time more opportune. Ihave taken the precaution to reserve chairs for you on the verandah.The procession will pass directly in front of the hotel on its way toCastle avenue."

  "What procession?" demanded Mr. Blithers. He was beginning to recallthe presence of uniformed bands and mounted troops in the side streetsnear the station.

  "The Prince is returning to-day from his trip around the world," saidthe manager.

  "He ought to have been back long ago," said Mr. Blithers wrathfully,and mopped his brow with a hand rendered unsteady by a mentalconvulsion. He was thinking of his hat-lifting experience.

  True to schedule, the procession passed the hotel at five. Bands wereplaying, people were shouting, banners were waving, and legions ofmounted and foot soldiers in brilliant array clogged the thoroughfare.The royal equipage rolled slowly by, followed by less gorgeouscarriages in which were seated the men who failed to make the advent ofMr. Blithers a conspicuous success.

  Prince Robin sat in the royal coach, faced by two unbending officers ofthe Royal Guard. He was alone on the rear seat, and his brown, handsomeface was aglow with smiles. Instead of a hat of silk, he lifted a gayand far from immaculate conception in straw; instead of a glitteringuniform, he wore a suit of blue serge and a peculiarly American tie ofcrimson hue. He looked more like a popular athlete returning fromconquests abroad than a prince of ancient lineage. But the crowdcheered itself hoarse over this bright-faced youngster who rode by in acoach of gold and brandished a singularly unregal chapeau.

  His alert eyes were searching the crowd along the street, in thebalconies and windows with an eager intensity. He was looking for thesweet familiar face of the loveliest girl on earth, and knew that helooked in vain, for even though she were one among the many herfeatures would be obscured by an impenetrable veil. If she were there,he wondered what her thoughts might be on beholding the humble R.Schmidt in the role of a royal prince receiving the laudations of theloving multitude!

  Passing the Regengetz, his eyes swept the rows of cheering peoplebanked upon its wide terrace and verandahs. He saw Mr. and Mrs.Blithers well down in front, and for a second his heart seemed to standstill. Would she be with them? It was with a distinct sensation ofrelief that he realised that she was not with the smiling Americans.

  Mr. Blithers waved his hat and, instead of shouting theincomprehensible greeting of the native spectators, called out invociferous tones:

  "Welcome home! Welcome! Hurrah!"

  As the coach swerved into the circle and entered the great, tree-linedavenue, followed by the clattering chorus of four thousand horse-shoes,Mrs. Blithers after a final glimpse of the disappearing coach, sighedprofoundly, shook out her handkerchief from the crumpled ball she hadmade of it with her nervously clenched fingers, touched her lips withit and said:

  "Oh, what a remarkably handsome, manly boy he is, Will."

  Mr. Blithers nodded his head proudly. "He certainly is. I'll bet myhead that Maud is crazy about him already. She can't help it, Lou. Thattrip on the _Jupiter_ was a God-send."

  "I wish we could hear something from her," said Mrs. Blithers,anxiously.

  "Don't you worry," said he. "She'll turn up safe and sound andenthusiastic before she's a week older. We'll have plain sailing fromnow on, Lou."