The Shadow of the Czar

by John R. Carling

  CHAPTER XX

  ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

  As the Czar beheld his champion lying dead, a wave of anger swept overhim, suppressed immediately by his stern fortitude.

  "The word of the Czar is sacred," he cried, rising from his seat andaddressing the assembly. "Barbara Lilieska is Princess of Czernova.Let the coronation proceed."

  Paul, released from the cord that had confined him to the place ofcombat, here turned and confronted the emperor.

  "Your Majesty," he remarked, with a somewhat cold expression, "ereclaiming to exercise suzerainty in Czernova, will do well to await thearrival of your Foreign Minister now on his way hither."

  The Czar stared haughtily at Paul, having no idea whatever of hismeaning, while Zabern, equally mystified, murmured,--

  "In the name of the saints, explain your saying."

  Paul whispered a few words into the ear of the marshal, who receivedthe communication with an expression of incredulity.

  "It is true," asseverated Paul. "And," he added, "here comes theconfirmer of my words."

  A slight commotion here took place at the far end of the cathedral,and there entered a man of distinguished presence whom Zabernimmediately recognized as the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs.Then the marshal no longer doubted. His face became lighted with anexpression of joy, succeeded the next moment by one of trouble.

  "The Convent of the Transfiguration!" he murmured.

  "There is our danger. We are lost if our secret documents fall intothe Czar's hands. And how is it to be prevented with a Russianregiment in possession of the monastery?"

  The newcomer on entering had thrown a quick glance around, andcatching sight of the emperor standing upon the edge of the choir, heat once made his way to the imperial presence.

  "Count Nesselrode! you here! How is this?" asked the Czar, perceivingplainly that trouble was in the air.

  "A despatch from the Court of St. James's, requiring your Majesty'simmediate attention," replied Nesselrode, sinking upon one knee as hepresented the document. "On receiving it from the British ambassador,I instantly set off for Zamoska, travelling day and night; and,learning on my arrival there that you would be found in the cathedralof Slavowitz, I have hastened hither. A grave despatch, your Majesty,"he added in a lower tone, "a despatch affecting this veryprincipality. Hence my haste to deliver it to you."

  The emperor sat down again, broke the seal of the envelope, unfoldedthe despatch, and proceeded to read it with a darkening countenance.

  The only person in the cathedral whose eyes were not set upon the Czarat this particular juncture was Zabern, who was himself occupied inthe reading of two very interesting documents which had just been putinto his hands.

  During the course of the duel there had entered the cathedral thechief of the Police Bureau, who had personally taken upon himself toinvestigate matters relative to the murder of Cardinal Ravenna. Hissearch in the archiepiscopal palace had resulted in the finding ofcertain papers, so extraordinary in their character that thepolice-official felt constrained to hasten at once to Zabern with thenews of his discovery. The sight of the duel had kept him dumb andmotionless, but as soon as it was over he had hurried to the side ofZabern.

  "Marshal," he whispered, "what name did the Czar give to ourprincess?"

  "Barbara Lilieska. That is her true name, Casimir."

  "Then these papers do not depose her?" said the chief of the police,exhibiting what he had found.

  "Depose her?" repeated Zabern, as he ran his delighted eye over thedocument. "By the soul of Sobieski, you could not have brought a moreacceptable gift to her Highness. This will--"

  "Marshal, is it true that the princess has not yet been informed ofthe result of the duel?"

  It was Paul who spoke, and he spoke with some warmth.

  "Such have been my orders."

  "Why do you prolong her suspense?"

  "Who more fitting than the victor himself to convey the glad tidings?Go. Carry these papers with you. Tell the princess that they werefound in the cardinal's palace!"

  Taking the documents from the hand of Zabern, Paul proceeded to thesacristy, where he had left Barbara.

  She was alone on her knees in prayer. She had heard the rapturousapplause ringing through the cathedral aisles; she had heard the stilllouder shout from the square, and had trembled, knowing that all wasover.

  But when moment after moment went by and no one came with tidings, ablack pall of horror fell over her. It must be that the duke's swordhad prevailed, and that her friends from pity hesitated to comeforward with the truth.

  The door opened, yet she durst not turn her head.

  Through the corridor came the solemn roll of the organ, and with itthe voices of the white-robed choir: "_Deposuit potentes et exaltavithumiles_."

  Why had Faustus ordered the "Magnificat" to be sung? Could it bethat--?

  "Barbara!"

  A delicious feeling of relief thrilled her whole frame as that wordfell on her ear.

  She looked up from her knees. Yes, it was the living Paul, and not hisspirit; Paul smiling tenderly, and apparently unhurt. She tried tospeak, but emotion checked her utterance. Paul raised her droopingfigure from the ground and girdled her in a grasp of iron.

  "My sweet floweret. You must not faint. All is well. Your throne issafe."

  "Your life is safe," she faintly articulated, "and that is all I carefor."

  Then followed a long interval of silence. Their joy was too deep forwords. At last Barbara spoke.

  "And is Bora really dead?"

  "May all enemies of the princess be as the duke is."

  "And you? Are you not wounded--hurt?" she asked, holding him at arm'slength.

  "There is not a scratch upon me."

  "And the Czar--?"

  "Is taking a lesson in the school of humiliation."

  And here Paul proceeded to relate what he had been doing during hisabsence. He had gone away boldly resolved on making an attempt topersuade the English Foreign Secretary to interest himself on behalfof Czernovese liberty.

  With this view, then, Paul, on the very first night of his arrival inLondon, called at the residence of Viscount Palmerston, and sent inhis card. That statesman had no sooner read the notable name "PaulWoodville," than he gave orders that the visitor should be instantlyadmitted to his presence.

  He received Paul with great affability, expressing his regret that ayoung soldier, certain of promotion, should have so strangely quittedthe service of a great empire for that of one of the smallest statesin Europe.

  "You have sadly disappointed the British public," he remarked with asmile. "We were preparing great honors for you in England."

  "I desire no other honor, my lord," replied Paul, boldly, "but thatEngland should observe towards my adopted home that faith to which shestands pledged by the Treaty of Vienna."

  Now it was a point in Paul's favor that Lord Palmerston had warninglydeclared from his place in the House of Commons at the close of thesession of '46 that "The Governments of Austria, Russia, and Prussia,would recollect that if the Treaty of Vienna was not good on theVistula, it might be equally invalid on the Rhine and on the Po."Therefore he became immediately attentive when Paul began to hint atan intended violation of this treaty; ever the friend of nationalitiesstriving to be free, he listened with considerable warmth andindignation as his visitor went on to describe the insidious attemptsmade by Russia to undermine the independence of Czernova.

  At this particular date Russia was the _bete noire_ of LordPalmerston, who had long viewed with misgiving the continual advanceof that Power in the direction of India. He had learned from thedespatches forwarded both by Paul and by other officers, that aconsiderable body of Russians had joined the Afghans in the attackupon the British garrison at Tajapore; but since it could not beproved that these auxiliaries had acted with the authority, or evenwith the knowledge of the Czar's ministry, the English cabinet hadbeen obliged to let the matter pass.

  The affairs of Czer
nova, however, seemed to afford a favorableopportunity, both for administering a check to Russia's growing spiritof aggression, and also of asserting British authority in the councilsof Europe.

  Accordingly, when certain of the Continental powers had been soundedas to their views upon the matter, the English ministry, after duedeliberation, decided to uphold that clause of the Vienna Treaty whichguaranteed independence to Czernova.

  A Queen's messenger carrying the cabinet's decision was despatched toSt. Petersburg. Paul himself had accompanied this emissary, and afterlingering a day or two by the Neva, had set off for Czernova, soarranging the stages of his journey that he might reach Slavowitz onthe eve of the coronation. An unforeseen breakdown on the way haddelayed him by twenty-four hours.

  "The English ambassador at St. Petersburg," he added, "favored me inconfidence with an outline of 'Old Pam's' despatch. Ignoring theCharter altogether, it declares that Czernova shall continue toexercise that independence which it has exercised since 1795."

  "But," said Barbara, who had listened in breathless wonder, "to whatpoint is England prepared to go in order to maintain the integrity ofCzernova?"

  "To the point of the bayonet, if necessary. The present despatch, I amgiven to understand, contains no threats, but its language, thoughdiplomatically polite, is quite unmistakable. France, too, is with usin this matter; the Porte likewise, and the Kingdom of Sardinia.Therefore, take courage, Barbara. The Czar will not risk a Europeanwar for the sake of Czernova."

  For a moment the princess gazed at Paul, admiration, pride, and loveshining from her eyes. Then with a low, sweet cry of rapture she flungherself into his arms.

  "Paul, you have saved Czernova," she said.

  Paul here ventured to call Barbara's attention to the papers entrustedto him by Zabern.

  No sooner did the princess realize the character of the documents thanshe gave a second cry of delight. The one document was a certificateof marriage between Thaddeus Lilieski, Prince of Czernova, and oneHilda Tressilian; the other a baptismal certificate of an infant,Barbara Lilieska, described as the daughter of the aforesaid Thaddeusand Hilda.

  How these documents came into the possession of the cardinal couldonly be surmised. Probably he had secured them prior to springing hisplot upon Thaddeus, conjecturing that the prince, on seeing the claimsof his beloved daughter Natalie threatened, would do his best todestroy all proofs of Barbara's relationship to himself. Afterwards,when Thaddeus became anxious to establish the fact that he had anotherand a legitimate daughter, Ravenna had maintained silence respectingthese documents, thinking perhaps that secrecy would be more conduciveto his own interests.

  Be that as it may, there the documents were, and their genuineness wasnot called in question by the legal experts, to whose inspection theywere afterwards submitted.

  Paul, gazing upon Barbara, saw her face "as it had been the face of anangel." No marvel that she was filled with an exquisite sense of joy!She was now free from the imputation of illegitimacy. She could assumeher rightful name instead of masquerading under a false guise. Thesword of Paul had kept her throne from becoming the prize of the duke;and, thanks to the aegis of Britain, Czernova was safe from theaggression of Russia.

  Best and sweetest thought of all, there was now no obstacle to herunion with Paul, for who among her ministers would oppose her marriagewith the gallant Englishman who had saved the principality?

  The sound of approaching footsteps caused the princess to withdrawfrom the arms of Paul; and immediately afterwards Zabern entered thesacristy, followed by Katina and by most of the ministry.

  "Princess," said Zabern solemnly, and Barbara observed that there weretears in his eyes; "princess, amid your joy give a thought to thebrave men who have died to save our secret."

  "What mean you, marshal?"

  "Early this morning the Convent of the Transfiguration was seized andoccupied by a regiment of the Paulovski Guards."

  "By that act, then, the Czar has violated the Treaty of Vienna."

  "True; but considering what that convent contained," said Zabern witha melancholy smile, "we shall act wisely in ignoring this raid uponour territory, especially as the Czar has paid the penalty of his actby losing a splendid regiment. Dorislas, who invested the convent, hasjust sent this message."

  Zabern handed the princess a note inscribed with the followingwords,--

  "At noon convent blew up with tremendous explosion. Building andinmates reduced to atoms. Some of our men injured by falling debris,but none killed.--DORISLAS."

  Barbara's face saddened.

  "So the monks kept their vow," she murmured, "and fired thepowder-magazine, sacrificing their own lives to save us fromdiscovery."

  "Fortunately your Highness has saved Faustus by inviting him here tocrown you, and yet the old abbot is grieving because he has not diedwith the rest of his brethren."

  "Though it be harsh to say it," remarked Paul, "the destruction ofthat monastery is, under the present circumstances, the best thingthat could have happened to Czernova. If it could be proved that theprincipality is the nucleus of Polish conspiracies directed againstthe Czar's rule, the protecting arm of England will of necessity bewithdrawn. This thought troubled me during my interview with LordPalmerston."

  "Then we will not abuse the good-will of England," commented theprincess. "From henceforth I cease to be a conspirator. My dream of awider realm is over. I must leave to others the liberation of Poland,"she continued with a sigh. "But," she added, knitting her brows, "aconspirator I must be, _nolens volens_; for have I not secretlypledged my written word to assist Kossuth and the Magyars with gold,if not with arms?"

  "Your Highness, I am happy to state that the treaty is non-existent,"remarked Radzivil. "The Hungarian envoy who carried the treaty, whileendeavoring to pass the Austrian frontier in the dark, was detectedand chased by the sentinels; knowing that it meant death to be caughtwith the document upon his person, he, seeing his pursuers gainingupon him--"

  "Destroyed the treaty?"

  "Effectually, for he _ate_ it."

  Barbara smiled sadly as she replied, "Kossuth will deem me unjust, butI fear there can be no renewal of the treaty."

  "Your Highness," said Radzivil, with a significant glance at Paul,"the first act of to-morrow's Diet shall be the repeal of the princelymarriage statute."

  "But," whispered Zabern to Katina, "since no such statute bars ourway, why should not old Faustus make us one ere the night come?"

  Katina blushed and averted her head. But, be it noted, she offered noopposition to the marshal's desire.

  "Princess," said Zabern, glancing at his watch, "your coronation hasbeen delayed two hours by the action of the duke and the Czar. Yourloyal subjects in the cathedral are beginning to ask whether there isto be any coronation. Let your Highness resume your place in thechoir, and receive your lawful crown, thus triumphing in the verypresence of the Czar."

  The party withdrew from the sacristy, and the ladies entered to aidthe princess in her robing.

  As Paul made his appearance in the choir, he was greeted with a crywhich, rolling through the cathedral and penetrating to the sacristy,caused Barbara's cheek to color with pride and pleasure. For that crywas--

  "LONG LIVE PAUL, PRINCE OF CZERNOVA!"

  THE END