CHAPTER XVI
THE CRIME THAT FAILED
The coronation eve was drawing to a close as Pasqual Ravenna, CardinalArchbishop of Czernova, sat in the library of his archiepiscopalpalace in company with a young priest, Melchior by name.
One of the points which had wounded the pride of Ravenna in time pasthad been the refusal of Abbot Faustus, of the Convent of theTransfiguration, to submit his monastery to a visit of inspection fromthe cardinal. Though ecclesiastically the superior, Ravenna was unableto enforce compliance from the sturdy abbot, who claimed to beindependent in virtue of an ancient bull granted by Pius the Second.Even a mild admonition from the regnant Pope had failed to produce anyeffect.
The cardinal had begun to suspect that Faustus's defiance was promptedby other motives than the desire to maintain his independence; therewas some secret connected with this monastery, a secret in which theprincess herself was involved; and accordingly he had deputed thepriest Melchior, whose crafty character well qualified him for thework, to discover, if possible, the mystery that lay hidden behind thewalls of the Convent of the Transfiguration.
And now, in the first hour of the cardinal's return from Rome,Melchior had come to report the results of his investigations, resultswhich were highly satisfactory to Ravenna.
"So," he murmured, when the other had unfolded his discoveries, "aconspiracy for the emancipation of Poland, a conspiracy to whichRavenna must not be admitted, such being the express command of theprincess. 'The cardinal is not to be trusted.' Ha! The place then isno true monastery but an arsenal, a treasury, and a repository fortreasonable documents. This explains the conduct of Faustus inexcluding me from his convent. Favored by the princess, he has growninsolent, and would usurp my place at the coronation. To-morrow hewill rue his defiance when he sees his monastery in the hands ofRussian soldiery. The Czar's army lies conveniently near for theseizure. How did you learn all these details, Melchior?"
"From a kinsman of mine, a monk in this same convent. In aconversation with him I stated my belief that his monastery wasutilized as a secret rendezvous for Polish patriots. After somehesitation he admitted as much; and then, won over by my professionsof patriotism, he revealed to me the length and breadth of theconspiracy."
"Melchior, you have done well, and shall not go unrewarded."
The priest expressed his gratitude by an ugly smile, and then with alook of cunning he continued,--
"Your Eminence, I have discovered something more. We Czernovese havelost our title to autonomy. The Charter has been destroyed, and theprincess's ministers are doing their best to keep the matter asecret."
"Ha! how do you know this?" said Ravenna, surprised beyond measure atthe statement.
"The Charter was burnt by two sentinels whose duty it was to guard theEagle Tower. They were traitors in the pay of Russia. By the waving ofa blue lamp they signalled the successful accomplishment of the workto a confederate concealed in the palace grounds, who immediatelyconveyed the news to Orloff, the governor of Warsaw. This confederatereturned to Slavowitz a few weeks ago. He is a Catholic, it seems,regular at confessional. Being troubled with the thing calledconscience, and desiring to be absolved from his guilt, he revealedthe matter to his father confessor Virgilius, who, in turn--"
"Revealed it to you," interrupted the Cardinal, his surprise yieldingto delight, for the news furnished him with another weapon to be usedagainst the princess. "What has become of the two who destroyed theCharter?"
"They have never been seen since the night of the deed. Doubtless theyare now in Russia enjoying a pension from the Czar's ministers. Oh!your eminence, there can be no doubt as to the truth of the story.Orloff himself came as envoy to Slavowitz; he boldly declared in thepresence of the princess and her ministers that the Czernovese Charterwas a myth, and non-existent; and--here is the significant point--herHighness and Zabern did not refute him by producing the Charter, buttook refuge in evasions."
"But, Melchior," observed the cardinal with perplexed air, "you mustbe in error. This evening the iron coffer containing the Charter wasconveyed to the Cathedral under a strong guard of soldiers. It plays apart in the coronation-ritual."
Melchior smiled caustically.
"Your eminence, three little circumstances that have happened of latemay serve to throw a little light upon what is contained in thatcoffer. Firstly, within a few days after the destruction of theCharter, Zabern's mistress, Katina Ludovska, made purchase of someparchment at a stationer's in the Rue de Sobieski, and was verycritical as to its color, texture, and the like. Secondly, this sameKatina was for several days in an apartment of the Vistula Palaceoccupied in writing. Thirdly, as you are aware, our _MuseumCzernovium_ contains a collection of historical documents, among themautograph letters of several Czars, and--what is more pertinent to theoccasion--an imperial ukase bearing the signature, '_Buit po semu,Ickathrina._--Be it so, Catherine.' Your Eminence will doubtlessremember that our Charter ended with these same words, '_Buit po semu,Ickathrina_.' Now it is a curious circumstance that this imperialukase should have vanished some weeks ago from its glass case in theMuseum; the curator is unable to account for its disappearance, butprobably Zabern can."
"You mean--?"
"That any one wishing to imitate the signature of Catherine would findthe task facilitated by having this ukase before him. Your Eminence,doubt it not that the document to be laid upon the altar to-morrow isa forgery. Count Orloff in the character of ambassador will be presentat the coronation. A word to him--"
"Enough," interrupted Ravenna with an exultant smile. "This shall tothe Czar. Here's matter sufficient to depose the princess. Withintwenty-four hours the iron hand of Russia will be pressing theprincipality."
"True. And yet," said Melchior, somewhat puzzled to account for hismaster's attitude, "and yet when that happens what place will there befor a Roman archbishop?"
"None: and therefore after to-morrow I quit this barbarousprincipality for Italy, leaving without reluctance, for, you know, Inever was a Pole. The Pope has appointed me to the See of Palestrina.You shall accompany me, Melchior, and the first rich benefice thatbecomes vacant in my diocese shall be yours. Italia, Italia," said thecardinal with a glow of enthusiasm, "where the skies are sunny, thewines delicious, and the women--"
"More yielding than the cold dames of Czernova," smiled Melchior, wellacquainted with his master's character.
"The hour is late, and much remains to be done," observed Ravenna."Melchior, you will call upon those of the clergy whom I have named,and request their attendance here at eight in the morning to listen toa rescript from the Pope."
The priest bowed and quitted the apartment.
Left alone, the cardinal drew writing-materials towards himself, andproceeded to indite a letter, a letter intended for the perusal of noless a personage than the Czar Nicholas. The contents of the missivewere brief, but exceedingly weighty.
In leisurely fashion, Ravenna went over what he had written, andseemingly satisfied with the composition, he proceeded to fold thepaper several times; then selecting--and not without reason as thesequel proved--an extremely small envelope, he enclosed the letterwithin it.
The night was very warm; and the windows were open to catch everybreath of air. These windows overlooked the gardens in the rear of thepalace, for the cardinal's library lay remote from the public street.
The sounds of distant revelry floated faintly on the air. TheCzernovese were not disposed to retire early on such a festal eve asthis. Many, indeed, were spending the night in the streets for thepurpose of securing a place of vantage from which to view thecoronation procession next day.
Ravenna smiled cynically as he listened to the murmur of the far-offvoices.
"The morrow shall see your mirth turned to mourning," he muttered.
The letter accidentally dropped from his hand as he was in the act ofaffixing his seal of the paschal lamb. He let it lie, while withclosed eyes he leaned back in his chair, picturing his triumph of themorrow. In fancy he co
uld see the princess led off, a pale, silent,drooping captive under an escort of Russian soldiers, and the Duke ofBora enthroned in the cathedral amid the shouting of the Czar'slegions.
"Barbara Lilieska," he said aloud, and with his eyes still closed,"you shall regret your insolence in putting an affront upon me in thesight of Czernova."
"Don't be too sure of that," said an ironical voice.
The one man in Czernova whom the cardinal least desired to see on thisparticular night was Zabern; and yet it was Zabern who had spoken!
With a sudden start Ravenna opened his eyes to find the marshalstanding with folded arms upon the other side of the table. Behind himwas his orderly, Nikita. A third man, a trooper named Gabor, was inthe act of locking the door of the apartment. Alive to his peril, thecardinal struck repeatedly at a bell upon the table.
"Of no use," remarked Zabern, with an ice-cold smile. "There is no onein the house but your steward, who is keeping watch at the foot of thestaircase. He has lately become a spy in my service. He has justdismissed your household, bidding them go forth to view the citydecorations. They will not return for an hour at least--ample time forour work."
"What do you want of me?"
"Your life."
Ravenna could not suppose that Zabern had come for anything else;nevertheless, the cool, frank avowal sent the blood to his heart witha rush.
"You would murder me?" he gasped.
"Call it murder if you will. Execution is my term."
"What is my trespass?"
"'Stolen waters are sweet.' Strange text for holy cardinal to addressto youthful princess. You comprehend? Do you ask, then, why you shoulddie?"
So all was known to these men. What mercy could he expect? He glancedfrom one to the other, but saw no pity in their stern, set faces. Thetrio had come to do a bloody work, and would do it. He strove to keepa cool head; he tried to reason with his would-be assassins.
"You will have to answer for what you do."
"To the saints above--yes; and I am ready. At the bar of God I'll restmy title to heaven on the holy deed I do to-night. To a humantribunal--no, for none shall know that you have been killed by others.Behold!"
Zabern, as he spoke, drew forth a small cut-glass phial, half-full ofa liquid resembling distilled water. The silver cap bore theinscription, "The Manna of Saint Nicholas."
"_Aqua Tophania_," continued the marshal. "Ah! you start? Yourecognize the phial? Yes, it has been taken from a secret drawer ofyour own cabinet. Why a holy cardinal should have poison in hispossession is best known to himself. I can, however, testify to itsefficacy, for the condemned criminal upon whom I experimented to-daydied within five minutes. Pasqual Ravenna, your servants on theirreturn will find you leaning over the table dead, clutching this emptyphial in your hand. To-morrow all Slavowitz will be discussing thesuicide of the cardinal archbishop. Your nephew, Redwitz of Zamoska,may send off his three sealed packets, and very much surprised therecipients will be to find nothing within them but blank papers, forthe originals have been abstracted, read by the princess, and burnt."
Like one dazed by a heavy blow, Ravenna stared vacantly at thespeaker, and then his eye, mechanically sinking lighted upon somethingwhite near his feet. It was the letter that he had recently written.The sight of it suddenly quickened his blood and suggested a plan foroutwitting his assassins. He was still seated at the table, and withhis foot he gently pushed the letter forward till it lay concealedbeneath the fringe of the overhanging damask cloth.
Upon the table itself there lay before him a document almost asdangerous as the letter. This was a roll of vellum with papal sealsattached. It was beyond him to conceal this document from Zabern,whose face was set upon it with grim satisfaction.
"What have we here?" he cried, stooping over the table, and liftingthe vellum. "The papal bull, as I live," he continued, glancing hiseye rapidly over the document, and reading snatches from it. "'We, PioNono ... do herewith commission our faithful brother in Christ,Pasqual Ravenna'--Angels of light! such names mingled! Christ andRavenna!--'commission him to pronounce sentence of anathema andexcommunication against the so-called Natalie Lilieska,'--so-called,so-called," muttered Zabern, stopping in his reading with a suddenfear, and hardly daring to continue the perusal; "what does thatmean?--'in that while claiming to be lawful Princess of Czernova, anda daughter of the True Church, she is an impostor who ...' Oh, devilthat you are!" cried Zabern, breaking off, and grinding his teeth inanger, "so you have told that story to the Pope?"
"It is known to all the Vatican," replied Ravenna, hoping that theknowledge of the fact would restrain Zabern from his dreadful purpose."The Pope will understand why I am murdered, and to whom the deedshould be ascribed. You will do well to pause and reflect."
Zabern's face grew terrible in its expression, as he realized thedesperate strait to which Barbara was now reduced. If the Pope weremaster of her secret, not only could he anathematize, but he hadlikewise the power of deposing her whenever he chose.
"'Pause and reflect'?" said Zabern, repeating Ravenna's words. "Why,this disposes me more than ever to slay you. What motive have I forkeeping you alive? So, cardinal," he continued, after a brief pause,"you would have come to the coronation, robed in full canonicals,with the Latin clergy of Czernova at your back, to interdict AbbotFaustus from performing the ceremony, to read the Pope's rescript, andto anathematize the princess with bell, book, and candle. Vain yourhopes! This papal bull shall not be read in the cathedral to-morrow,for here is the end of it."
With these words Zabern raised the document to the flame of thecandelabrum, and there held it till the vellum had shrivelled toblackened flakes.
"That the Pope should sign his name to such rhodomontade!" he mutteredcontemptuously. "He threatens us; let him beware of his own downfall.The House of Savoy shall be our avengers. The Sardinian king willnever rest till he himself shall reign at Rome."
A prediction destined to be fulfilled.
Zabern, resolving to show cause for the slaying of Ravenna, seatedhimself in a chair, rested his elbow upon the table, his face upon hishand, and glared across the crimson damask.
"Cardinal, when you told the Pope that story, did you tell him thewhole of it? How the Princess Natalie met her death, for example?"
"The Princess Natalie committed suicide at Castel Nuovo."
"True; and so you told her father, Prince Thaddeus, but you did nottell him her reason for the act. Let us hear it."
Ravenna was silent.
"The truth is that you had become possessed of unhallowed desirestowards that fair princess during your tour with her around the shoresof the Adriatic. When at Zara you proposed a visit to your place,Castel Nuovo, and the princess, doubting nothing, willinglyaccompanied you. While there you made certain proposals to her, whowas so innocent in mind that she failed to understand you, andwonderingly repeated your words to the housekeeper Jacintha. Full welldid Jacintha know your object in bringing that young girl there. For,holy cardinal, Natalie was not the first. You were ever eloquent inpersuading youthful widows and maidens to renounce the world and totake the veil. It was your practice to escort your victims to someconvent in Dalmatia, and the journey was always broken at CastelNuovo. When your _protegees_ left that place they had good reason forwishing to hide themselves in a convent.
"To such a point of depravity and recklessness had your nature grownthat you could not refrain, even where a princess was concerned. AtCastel Nuovo there was a secret passage leading from your study to thechamber where Natalie slept. In the silence and darkness of the nightyou stole down to accomplish your wicked purpose. When I think of theshame and horror of that poor girl's awakening, her imploring wordsand cries--"
At this point Nikita, thinking of his own youthful daughter, who onceupon a time had been almost persuaded by Ravenna to adopt a conventuallife, could no longer restrain himself.
"Have at you!" he cried fiercely, drawing his sabre.
The stroke aimed by him at the cardinal's head was interce
pted by thesword of the quick-moving Zabern.
"Hold, Nikita. No clumsy work. No betrayal of ourselves. Toffana'shell-drops will do the trick more safely. Put up your weapon."
When the other had somewhat reluctantly obeyed, Zabern resumed,--
"Next morning the wretched princess, rendered completely insane by thethought of her dishonor, staggered through the secret passage, andafter invoking the vengeance of heaven upon you, she stabbed herselfand so died.
"By some means you prevailed upon Lambro and Jacintha to maintainsilence on the part played by you in this tragedy. A message was sentto Prince Thaddeus, who happened at this time to be at Zara. He came;wept over his daughter's suicide; wondered what motive could haveprompted the deed, but never suspected the holy cardinal. PasqualRavenna, do you deny the truth of this?"
No answer came from the accused.
"Cardinal, such guilt as yours would be ill-atoned for by anafter-life of penance in monastic cell, in sackcloth and ashes, withscourgings and with diet of bitter herbs. But, untroubled by thecrime, dead to the voice of conscience, you mingle unashamedly withyour fellow-men, you aspire to play the statesman--nay, you hesitatenot to minister in the holiest rites of religion. Was it not enoughfor you to have destroyed Natalie, but that you must seek to draw hersister to your arms? And because our princess would remain virtuousand good, you in your black rage would come forward at the coronationto-morrow, and, by lying words--for none know better than yourselfthat she is the lawful daughter of Thaddeus--you would seek to procureher dethronement. Never slew I man yet, save with regret; now for thefirst time do I take pleasure in killing a fellow-mortal.
"Pasqual Ravenna, your last hour has come. To-night shall PrincessNatalie's dying cry be answered. The maidens whom you have wrongedshall be avenged."
Something glittered in Zabern's hand. It was a surgical instrument ofsteel, designed for forcing open the jaws of persons bent on keepingthem shut.
Holding this dreadful instrument, together with the poison-phial, inhis left and only hand, Zabern motioned Nikita and Gabor to grip thecardinal by the arms.
"Give me ten minutes, ten minutes only, in the next apartment," gaspedRavenna.
"For what purpose?"
"To--pray."
"I fail to see the use," responded Zabern dryly. "Heavens! Nikita, howstrangely constituted these churchmen must be to think that a life ofguilt may be atoned for by ten minutes of prayer."
"As you yourself hope for mercy at the last day, I beseech you togrant me ten minutes--five, then--in the next room."
Zabern laid the steel and phial upon the table.
"You may have ten minutes' grace, but you will do your praying here."
"That apartment is an oratory," pleaded Ravenna.
"Let him have his wish, marshal," said Gabor.
"And see him escape us?" ejaculated Nikita fiercely.
"I cannot escape. There is no exit from the oratory, secret or open,save by that door. The window is fifty feet from the ground."
Zabern, suspecting that Ravenna was trying to effect his escape,approached the chamber in question, and found it to be an oblongapartment, twenty feet by ten, fitted up as an oratory, and hung withsacred pictures. At the far end, through a casement of stained glass,arrowy beams of tender silvery moonlight slanted upon an altar,surmounted by an ivory crucifix with waxen tapers burning before it.There was an air of solemnity in the place which exercised aninfluence even upon the stern mind of Zabern.
"Take your ten minutes," he exclaimed, pointing within, "but seek notto escape, for my eye shall be on you the while."
Ravenna rose from his seat; in rising he purposely stumbled and fell,and while so doing he contrived to secure possession of the letterlying beneath the table, and to secrete it within the folds of hiscassock. Then with slow and faltering step he moved into the oratory,and taking out his rosary, he knelt with bowed head before the altar.
Zabern, standing without, kept the door slightly open in order that hemight not lose sight of Ravenna's movements.
Gabor the trooper here put a very pertinent question.
"Marshal, since the Pope and his cardinals know the princess's secret,what do we gain by killing the archbishop?"
"We stop his mouth from proclaiming the secret to-morrow," repliedZabern.
"True. But afterwards--?"
"Afterwards, my good Gabor, no one shall be able to say that ourprincess is not Natalie Lilieska. Was the real Natalie marked with amole upon her right shoulder? A friendly physician can soon producethat disfigurement for us upon the fair skin of our princess."
Nikita laughed aloud.
"Is there any one living who can defeat the marshal?" he cried.
"There is one here who will make the attempt," said a voice.
At this the trio stared curiously at one another, for the words camefrom the oratory, and had plainly been uttered by none other than thecardinal. Recovering from his momentary surprise, Zabern, with suddenmisgiving at his heart, flung wide the door.
"Marshal Zabern," said the voice of Ravenna, "as you value the throneof the princess, come not one step farther. Mark well what is in myhand."
The window of the oratory, which before had been shut, was now wideopen, and the moonlight fell upon the lofty figure and pale face ofthe cardinal, who was standing erect on one side of the altar. In hisright hand he held a dove, to the neck of which a letter was attached.The sight kept the three men dumb and motionless, for they instantlydivined that the bird was a carrier-pigeon.
Ravenna's Italian guile had been more than a match for Zabern'ssubtlety. His object in kneeling before the altar had not been topray, but to release the dove which had been attached to it by asilken thread--a dove purposely kept for emergencies. What captain ofthe guard on arresting the archbishop would be so stern-natured as torefuse his prisoner a few minutes' prayer in his private oratory?Ravenna, on releasing the dove, had affixed the letter to its neck,performing the feat so guardedly, that though he had been watched, nowby Zabern, and now by Nikita, his movements had not given rise tosuspicion.
"Listen," cried Ravenna, raising his left hand warningly. "If youenter I quit my hold of the dove. You observe the letter. Let me tellyou what it contains."
"Say on," returned Zabern with affected indifference. "Your tenminutes have not yet expired."
"This evening," began the cardinal, "and just prior to your arrival Ipenned a letter intended for the Czar's perusal. That letter now hangsfrom this dove's neck. It contains three statements. Firstly, that thePrincess of Czernova is not Natalie Lilieska; secondly, that theCzernovese Charter is a forgery from the hand of Katina Ludovska;thirdly, that the Convent of the Transfiguration contains ampleevidence of a conspiracy for the emancipation of Poland. Each of thesefacts, singly, if known to the Czar, would be sufficient to hurl theprincess from her throne. If this dove should fly forth it would be inmy nephew's house at Zamoska within thirty minutes; an hour more, andRedwitz would be in the camp of the Czar. Thus, then, do I make myterms. Approach to do me hurt, and I release the dove. Retire from thepalace, give me my life, and I swear by all that I hold holy torefrain from endangering the throne of the princess. It is withinyour power to murder me, but the murder will be dearly purchased, forit will bring utter ruin upon Czernova."
"Idle vaunting!" said Zabern. "All know that the carrier-pigeon fliethnot in the dark."
"This dove has ere now found its way to Zamoska by moonlight."
That the cardinal spoke truth when he declared that the lettercontained the weighty secrets Zabern did not doubt. Therefore toadvance with intent to slay would be fatal to the interests of theprincess; and yet to retire, leaving Ravenna to his own devices wouldbe equally fatal, for Zabern knew full well that the cardinal's mostsolemn oath was not to be trusted. So soon as the trio shouldwithdraw, so soon as Ravenna should be released from the fear of theirpresence, he would laugh at their simplicity, and would carry out hisevil work against the princess, ay, and with more determination thanever, embit
tered as he would be by the attempt made upon his life. Itwas a terrible dilemma.
The trio stood upon the threshold of the oratory, immovable,irresolute, silent, gazing at the cardinal, who in turn kept his eyesfixed upon them like a prisoner waiting for the verdict of life ordeath.
"No terms with a Jesuit," muttered Zabern under his breath. "Nikita,you are the best shot. Draw your pistol, and shoot, not the cardinal,but the dove."
As Zabern spoke he moved slightly to one side, in order to screen themovements of his henchman.
Directly afterwards a report rang out, startlingly loud in that smallchamber. It was accompanied by a sharp cry of anguish from thecardinal, and by a swift forward rush on the part of his foes, eacheager to pounce upon the fallen bird.
But, by a strange mischance, Nikita, who was considered to be secondonly to Katina herself in the handling of the pistol, had somehowfailed to hit a conspicuous object seventeen feet away. The bullet hadpenetrated the wrist of the cardinal, whose hand had involuntarilyrelaxed its hold, with the result that the startled dove was nowflying forth through the open casement.
With the air of one mad, Zabern pulled Nikita towards the window, and,hurling Ravenna aside, he thrust his own pistol into the trooper'shand.
"Shoot, Nikita, shoot in God's name," he cried, pointing to the dove,whose white form was clearly defined against the dark blue sky. "Thefate of all Czernova rests on your aim."
The bird, as if doubtful what direction to take, was moving slowlyround in a series of spirals and rising higher and higher each moment.Nikita pointed his weapon, raising it gradually with the ascent of thedove, till, deeming himself certain of his aim, he drew the trigger. Asecond shot rang out. Both men looked, expecting the instant fall ofthe dove, but the winged messenger remained unhurt, and apparentlyhaving chosen its route, flew off in a straight line, and immediatelydisappeared over the tree-tops.
"By heaven, you've missed again!" cried Zabern, his dismay being lostfor the moment in wonder that Nikita's hand should have so strangelylost its cunning.
"God's curse is on me to-night," said Nikita, flinging the pistol fromhim. "Who," he added, with a touch of Slavonic superstition, "who canshoot a dove, symbol of the Holy Ghost?"
"Symbol of the holy devil!" cried Zabern. "Where's the cardinal?"
In his eagerness to mark the effect of Nikita's second shot Gabor hadlikewise pressed forward to the casement, forgetful of Ravenna, who,taking advantage of this negligence, picked himself up from the cornerwhere Zabern had flung him, and ran from the oratory into thelibrary. The wondering police next day traced his course over thecarpet by the blood-drops that fell from his shattered wrist.
But in a moment more the avenging Zabern was after him, his sabregleaming in his hand.
The cardinal had reached the locked door of the library: his unwoundedhand had turned the key; his fingers were already upon the door-handlewhen Zabern, with a laugh of horrid glee, clutched him by the collarof his cassock with the same hand that held the sabre, and pulled himbackward upon his knees.
The agony of the situation forced from Ravenna a yell that curdled theblood of the treacherous steward who kept watch at the foot of thestaircase, but it had no effect upon Zabern.
"You paid no heed to Natalie's screams, nor will I to yours."
He thought no more now of safeguarding himself by imparting to themurder the appearance of suicide.
"To hell, and say that Zabern sent you."
Foaming with fury, he dealt not one, but many strokes at the kneeling,swaying figure, with its feebly upraised hands. Nikita and Gabor,equally frenzied, joined in the savage work.
* * * * *
The three miserable men wiped their bloody sabres upon thewindow-curtains, and stared down upon the carpet at something whichhad once been a man.
The clock-tower of the cathedral now sent forth the sweet and prettycarillon that always heralded the striking of the hour. Then after asolemn interval came the first peal of midnight.
"The princess's coronation day!" said Nikita.
"Humph! will there be any coronation?" muttered Zabern.
"Hark to the shouting!" said Gabor.
From every quarter of the capital, from the groups moving to and froalong the route of the intended procession, from spacious square andnarrow alley, from the brilliantly illuminated hotel, and from theobscure private dwelling, came the sound of cheering, graduallyswelling into one prolonged universal roar. The gala-day had come atlast!
Zabern with a grim smile looked towards the north. The heaven in thatdirection was tinged with a red glow from the thousands of watch-firesin the Czar's camp--that camp towards which the swift-flying dove wasnow winging its course with the tidings fatal to Czernova. How longwould it be ere that huge array came pouring across the border todepose the princess, and to establish the duke upon--
Zabern started.
Ere the shouting of the joyous populace had died away, a new andstartling sound was reverberating through the night air. It was theboom of a single cannon, and that at no great distance. Itssignificance was intuitively divined by Zabern.
"The Citadel-gun!" he cried, recoiling from the window. "By God, theduke has escaped!"
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