The Princess Dehra

by John Reed Scott

  XIX LA DUCHESSE

  Madeline Spencer, lying in a languorous coil among the cushions in thedeep embrasure of an east window, was gazing in dreamy abstraction acrossthe valley to the mountain spur, five miles away as the bird flies, tenas the road runs, where, silhouetted against the blue of the cloudlesssky, rose the huge, gray Castle of Dalberg.

  For the last hour, she had been training a field glass on it at shortintervals, and presently she levelled it again, and this time she sawwhat she was waiting for--from the highest tower of the keep the royalstandard of Valeria was floating.

  For a little while she watched the Golden Lion couchant on its crimsonfield--lashing its tail in anger with every undulation of the fresh westwind, as though impatient to spring into the valley and ravage and harassit, much as the fierce first Dalberg himself had doubtless done--then sheslowly uncoiled herself, and gliding from the ledge swished lightlyacross to the far door, that led into the Duke of Lotzen's library.

  "Ferdinand," she said, "they have----" he was not there, though she hadheard him a moment ago singing softly, as was his wont when inparticularly good spirits.

  She went to his desk and sat down to wait, her eyes strayingindifferently over the familiar papers that covered it, until theychanced upon a slender portfolio, she had never before seen, and which,to her surprise, contained only a sheet of blotting paper, about a footsquare, folded down the center. Curious, she opened it, to find, on theinside, the stamp of the royal arms, and the marks of a dozen lines ofheavy writing, most of it clear and distinct, and made, seemingly, by twoimpressions, one at each end of the sheet.

  What was it doing here?--and why so carefully preserved?--She looked atthe writing more attentively--and suddenly one word stood out plain, evenif inverted, and under it a date.

  Instantly blotter and portfolio were replaced, and she hurried to herboudoir for a mirror. Laying it face upward on the desk, she held thewriting over it. A single glance proved her surmise true. Here and therewords and letters were missing or were very indistinct, but there couldbe no doubt that this was the blotter used by King Frederick when hewrote the decree the night before his death. Her hasty reading had foundnothing to show the purport of the Law--indeed, it seemed to be only afew lines of the beginning and of the end, including the signature anddate--but possibly a closer inspection would reveal more; and so she wasabout to copy it exactly, when she heard the Duke's voice in theadjoining room and had time only to hide the mirror and to get theblotter to its place until he came in.

  His cold face warmed, as it always did for her, and as it never had donefor another woman, and he bowed to her in pleasant mockery.

  "Good morning, Duchess," he said; "what are your orders for the day?--youoccupy the seat of authority."

  She got up. "Having no right to the title," she said, giving him her mostwinning smile, "I vacate the seat--do you think I look like a duchess?"

  "Like a duchess!" he exclaimed, handing her into the chair and leaningover the back, his head close to hers, "like a duchess! you are a duchessin everything but birth."

  "And title," she added, with a bit of a shrug.

  He stroked her soft black hair, with easy fingers.

  "The title will be yours when Ferdinand of Lotzen reigns in Dornlitz," hesaid.

  She bent back her head and smiled into his eyes. It was the first time hehad held out any promise as to her place in event of his becoming king,though she had tried repeatedly to draw him to it.

  "Would you do that, dear?" she asked, "do you really care enough for meto do that--to acknowledge me so before the world?"

  "Yes, Madeline, I think I do," he said, after a pause, that seemed to herperilously long. "It appears rather retributive that you, who came here,at my instance, to play the wife for the American, should thus have beenput, by my own act, into a position where our friendship must bemaintained sub rosa. You are quite too clear headed not to appreciatethat now, at least, I may not openly parade our relations; to do so wouldbe to end whatever chance I have with the Nobles. But once on the Throneand the power firm in my hand, and they all may go to the devil, and aduchess shall you be--if,"--pinching her cheek--"you will promise to stayaway from Paris and the Rue Royale, except when I am with you."

  She wound her lithe arms around his neck, and drew his face close tohers.

  "I promise," she said presently, "I promise.... But what if you shouldmiss the Crown?--you could not make me duchess then."

  "Why not, ma belle?" he asked, holding her arms close around his neck. "Ishall still be a Duke, and you--la Duchesse de la main gauche."

  She could not suppress the start--though she had played for just such ananswer, yet never thinking it would come--and Lotzen felt it, andunderstood.

  "Did that surprise you, little one?" he laughed. "Well, don't forget, ifI miss the Throne, and live, I shan't be urged to stay in Valeria--infact, whatever urging there is, will likely be the other way."

  "Banished?" she asked.

  He nodded. "Practically that."

  "Paris?"--with a sly smile upward.

  He filched a kiss. "Anywhere you like, my dear; but no one place toolong."

  She was thinking rapidly--"duchess of the left hand";--never his duchessin name--never anything but a morganatic wife to whom no title passed;but what mattered the title, if she got the settlements, and all therest. And Ferdinand was easy enough to manage now, and would be, so longas the infatuation held him; afterward--at least the settlements and thejewels would remain.

  Truly she had won far more than she had sought or even dreamed of--andwon it, whether Lotzen got the Crown or exile. The only risk she ran washis dying, and it must be for her to keep him out of danger--away fromthe Archduke and his friends, where, she knew, death was in leash,straining to be free and at him. Hitherto she had thought her only surereward lay in Ferdinand as king; in his generosity for a little while;and so she had been very willing to stake him for success. Now she mustreverse her method--no more spurring him to seek out the Archduke anddare all on a single fight; instead, prudence, discretion, let others dothe open work and face the hazards.

  She gave a satisfied little sigh and drew him close.

  "May be you doubt it, dear," she said, "but I can be very docile andcontented--and I shall prove it, whether as duchess of the right hand orthe left."

  He laughed, and shook his head.

  "You, docile and contented! never in this world; nor do I want you so--Iprefer you as you are; you may lose me, if you change."

  "Then I'll not change, dear," she whispered, and kissed him lightly andarose.

  He reached out quickly to draw her back, but she eluded him.

  "Nay, nay, my lord," she smiled; "I must not change, you said."

  "Don't go away," he insisted; "stay with me a little longer."

  She sat down across the desk from him.

  "I almost forgot what I came for," she said. "Do you know they havecome?--the flag went up a little while ago."

  He nodded. "Yes, I know--a whole train load and half the Household:--theRegent, the American, Moore, Bernheim, De Coursey, Marsov, the schemingCourtney, damn him, and a lot of women, including, of course, the Radnorgirl. For a pursuit with deadly intent, it's the most amazing in theannals of war. Under all the rules, the American and a few tried swordsshould have stolen into Dalberg Castle, with every precaution against ourknowing they had come; instead, they arrive with the ostentation of aroyal progress, and fling out the Golden Lion from the highest tower."

  "What are you going to do first?" she asked.

  "Nothing--it's their move. They have come for the Book, and they mustseek it here."

  She was idly snapping the scissors through a sheet of paper and simplysmiled her answer.

  "Give me a cigarette, dear," she said, after a pause, "I've left mine inmy room."

  He searched his pockets for his case; then tumbled the papers on thedesk, she aiding and very careful to leave exposed
the portfolio thatcontained the blotter.

  "Oh, there it is," she exclaimed, "on the table, yonder;" and when hewent for it she drew out the blotter and feigned to be examining it.

  "Here, little one," he said, tossing her the case--then he saw what shehad, and for the shadow of an instant, which she detected, hehesitated--"fix one for me," he ended, and sat down, seemingly in entireunconcern.

  "Bring me a match," she ordered, eyes still on the blotter, as she openedthe case and took out a cigarette.... "There, I spoil you." She laid downthe sheet and lit another Nestor for herself. "Ferdinand," said she,turning half around in her chair and looking up at him, "just where isthis wonderful Book of Laws?"

  "Here, in this drawer," opening one beside her, showing the same packagewrapped in black cloth that Armand and Dehra had seen in Ferida Palace.

  "I don't mean that one," said she. "I mean the real Book."

  He sent a cloud of smoke between them.

  "I wish I knew," he said; "but the American won't tell me."

  She scattered the smoke with a wave of her handkerchief.

  "Are you quite sure he could tell you?" she asked.--"In fact, my dearboy, do you need to be told?"

  He looked at her with a puzzled frown; and for answer she tapped the openblotter, and smiled.

  "Even though inverted, a few words are very plain:--a King's name and adate.... And the King died the next day."

  "And what is your inference?" he asked.

  "It's rather more than an inference, isn't it?" she laughed; "I shouldcall it a sequitur:--that he who has the Book's blotter, has the Book."

  She had expected either cool ridicule or angry denial; instead, helaughed, too, and coming around to her, gave her an admiring littlecaress.

  "You're quite too clever, Madeline," he said; "it is a sequitur, butunfortunately it's not the fact--now. I haven't the Book; I did have it,and I know where it is, but I can't get it."

  "You had it--and let it get away?" she marveled.

  "Yes."

  "And know where it is, and yet can't get it?"

  "Yes, again."

  "Surely! surely! it can't be that I am listening to the Duke ofLotzen!... But, of course, you know what the decree is."

  And now he lied, and so easily and promptly that even she did notsuspect.

  "No," said he, "I don't; I lost the Book before I had a chance to openit. All I know is what that blotter tells. Damn it, why couldn't it havehad the middle of the decree instead of both ends!" and in marvellouslyassumed indignation he seized the soft sheet, and tore it into tiny bits.He had no mind that even she should have the chance to copy it, and delveinto all that the words and blurred lines might imply.

  "May I know where the Book is, dear?" she said, after a pause; "may be Icould help you."

  An hour ago he would have balked at this question; but now her interestshad become so bound up with his that he could trust her.

  "Know, little one? of course you may know," he said instantly; "I shallbe glad for a confidant. The Book is exactly where it belongs:--in thebox, and it is in the vault of the King's library at the Summer Palace."

  She laughed merrily.

  "Ferdinand, dear Ferdinand!" she cried, "I'm ashamed of you--to tell mesuch a clumsy lie."

  "It isn't a lie--that's the pity."

  "Then why all this bother as to the Succession, and search for the Book?"she asked incredulously.

  "Because, my dear, I'm the only one who knows it's there--listen, andI'll tell you how it happened."

  At last! at last! she was to know--and she nestled close to him andwaited. Truly, this was her day. And he told all, not even omitting thekilling of the valet.

  Her first question was typical of her mind, it went straight to the cruxof the whole matter.

  "But why can't you get the Book?" she asked.

  "Because I can't get at it. The infernal American has put a cordon oftroops around the Palace, so that it's impossible to pass at nightwithout declaring myself; Moore occupies the library; and finally thecombination on the vault has been changed."

  "Isn't it absurd?" said she; "the Book actually in its place and yetlost."--She sat up sharply. "Do you really want it, Ferdinand?--because,if you do, may be I can help you."

  "Assuredly I want it. If the decree is against me, we will destroy theBook and go on with our game."

  "Then, dear, let us go after it--and now, now! The Regent is absent,hence less vigilance in the Palace; Moore is with her, hence the libraryis deserted; it should be easy for you to get us in it by day andunsuspected."

  "And having blown open the vault, be caught in the act," he smiled.

  "That is where I come in, dear; I will engage to open it, noiselessly,and in less than fifteen minutes, too."

  "Is it possible that you are one of those wonder workers who can feel acombination?"

  "Yes," said she, "though I've not tried it for years."

  "Come, come, try it now!" indicating a small iron safe in the far corner.

  She went to it, and sinking to the floor with sinuous grace, she put herear close to the dial plate and fell to manipulating the knob with lightfingers; turning it back and forth very slowly and with extreme care.

  And the Duke, leaning against the safe, watched her with eagereyes--could she do it?--if she could----

  Mrs. Spencer sprang up.

  "That was easy," she said.

  Lotzen reached over and seized the handle; the bolts snapped back and thedoor swung open.

  With the first burst of impulse she had ever seen him display, he whirledand caught her in his arms.

  "We will win now, my duchess!" he exclaimed, "we will win sure. Noburglarious entry--no explosion--no flight; instead, the Duke of Lotzenand his Aide will go openly to the library, and then in a trice will wehave the Book and be gone.... And I shall owe it all to you, dear--macherie duchesse."

  She closed her eyes; truly, this was her day!

  "Let us go to Dornlitz this very night," she said.

  He shook his head. "We must wait a day, little one; until our friendsacross the valley have assured themselves that I am here. But to-morrownight we will steal away to the Capital, and get the Book; and then, ifnecessary, we will come back, and send our dear cousin to the devil wherehe belongs."