Mrs. Fitz

by J. C. Snaith

  CHAPTER XV

  AN INTERNATIONAL ISSUE

  By a merciful dispensation, the ducal party withdrew at twenty-fiveminutes past twelve, doubtless to avert the ignominy of compulsion atthe half-hour. By that means we were at least spared any furtherordeal that might be forthcoming from that quarter. And yet would ithave been an ordeal? That conflict which a little while ago had seemedso demoralising to the overwrought nerves was now only too likely to behailed as the sublimity of battle.

  We were loth to obey the inexorable decree of the Licensing Act, butthere was no choice. Happily the five minutes' start enjoyed by ourfriends and neighbours gave us a clear field, and without furthermisadventure the "Stormy Petrel" was escorted to her chariot. Shedrove off with Fitz to her hotel, while the rest of us, in no humourfor repose, yielded to the suggestion of Alexander O'Mulligan, "that weshould toddle round to Jermyn Street and draw him for a drink."

  It had begun to freeze. Although the pavements were like glass,overhead the stars were wonderful. The shrewd air was like a balm forthe fumes of the wine and the spirit of lawlessness that had aroused usto a pitch of exaltation that was almost dangerous. We decided towalk, if only to lessen the tension upon our nerves. The three juniormembers of the conspiracy walked ahead, a little roisterous of aspect,arm in arm, uncertain of gait--to be sure the condition of the streetsafforded every excuse--and their hats askew. At a respectful distanceand in a fashion more decorous they were followed by the ChiefConstable and myself.

  "And now, Coverdale," said I, "have the goodness to explain what youmeant when you told me not to ask what happened to the Ambassador?"

  I received no answer.

  "My dear fellow," I urged, "I think I am entitled to know."

  "You ought to be able to guess!"

  "I don't understand; Fitz is certainly safe and sound. How did youmanage to bring them to reason?"

  "They were not brought to reason."

  The grim tone alarmed me.

  "What do you mean?"

  I stopped under a street lamp to look into the face of my companion.

  "I simply mean this," said he. "The madman shot him dead!"

  Involuntarily I reeled against the lamp post.

  "You can't mean that," I said feebly.

  "If only we could deceive ourselves!" said Coverdale, in a hoarse tone."All the time I sat at supper with that--that woman I was trying topersuade myself that the thing had not happened. The whole businessought to be a fantastic dream, but my God, it isn't!"

  "Well, it was his life or Fitz's, I suppose?"

  "Yes, there can be no question about that. The Embassy people admitit. And there is this to be said for those fellows, they know how toplay the game."

  "A pretty low down game anyhow. If they steal a man's wife they musttake the consequences."

  "I agree; but the circumstances were exceptional. And give thosefellows their due, as soon as we came to the ballroom they played thegame right up."

  "What will happen?"

  "No one can say; but they can be trusted to give nothing away."

  "But surely the whole thing must come out?"

  "Quite possibly; but one prefers to hope that it may not. It is a veryugly affair, involving international issues; but the First Secretary--Iforget his name--appeared to take a very matter-of-fact andcommon-sense view of it. After all, Fitzwaren has merely vindicatedhis rights."

  Dismally enough we followed in the wake of the others. All day we hadbeen hovering between tragedy and farce, never quite knowing what wouldbe the outcome of the extravaganza in which we were bearing a part.But now we had the answer with no uncertainty.

  "All along, some such sequel as this was to be feared," said I, "andyet I fail to see that any real blame attaches to us."

  "Do you! If you ask my opinion, we have all been guilty ofunpardonable folly in backing this fellow Fitzwaren. Really, I can'tthink what we have been about. Before the last has been heard of thisbusiness, it strikes me that there will be the devil to pay all round."

  In my heart I felt only too clearly that this was the truth.

  At O'Mulligan's rooms we drank out of long glasses and were accordedthe privilege of inspecting his "pots." The trophies of the amateurmiddle-weight champion of Great Britain, who claimed Dublin as hisnatal city, made an extremely brave array. But neither they, nor therefreshment that was offered to us, were able to dispel the gloom thathad descended upon one and all.

  "There is one thing to be said for this chap Fitzwaren," said AlexanderO'Mulligan, in a tone that was not devoid of reverence. "He is gritall through!"

  Truth there might be in this reflection, but there was littleconsolation. Sadly we bade adieu to Alexander O'Mulligan and went toour hotel to bed, yet not to sleep. For myself, I can answer thatthroughout the night I had dark forebodings and distorted images for mybed-fellows; and it was not until it was almost time to rise that I wasat last able to snatch a brief doze.

  It was fair to assume that the slumbers of the others had been equallyprecarious, for at ten o'clock I found myself to be the first of ourparty at the breakfast table. In a few minutes I was joined byCoverdale, who carried the morning paper in his hand.

  He directed my attention to the obituary notice of H.E. the IllyrianAmbassador, who, it appeared, had met his death at the Illyrian Embassyin Portland Place at 11.30 o'clock the previous evening, in peculiarlytragic and distressing circumstances. It appeared that his Excellency,a noted shot who took a keen interest in firearms of every description,was engaged in demonstrating to various members of the Embassy certainmerits in the mechanism of a new type of revolver, of which hisExcellency claimed to be the inventor, when the weapon went off,killing the unfortunate nobleman instantly. The brief statement of thetragic event was followed by a eulogium, in which the dead Ambassador'smartial, political and social attainments, and the irreparable loss,not only to his sovereign, but to the polity of nations, was dealt withat length.

  "Those fellows have done well," said Coverdale. "But I should be gladto think that the last has been heard of this."

  This conviction I shared with the Chief Constable, but it was good tofind that thus far Illyrian diplomacy had proved equal to the occasion.It had the effect of giving me a better appetite for breakfast, and inconsequence I ordered two boiled eggs instead of one.

  There was one other item of sinister interest to be found among themorning's news. In glancing over it my attention was drawn to thebrief account of a mysterious tragedy which had been enacted in HydePark near the Broad Walk the previous evening between six and seveno'clock. A man who, according to papers found in his possession, borethe name of Ludovic Bolland, of Illyrian extraction, had been founddead with a bullet wound in the brain. It was not clear whether it wasa case of murder or suicide. The police inclined to the formeropinion, but at present were not in possession of any informationcapable of throwing light upon the subject.

  I did not reveal to Coverdale the fell suspicion that I could not keepout of my thought. The incident of the taxi following us, theforeign-looking man who had entered the hotel, and Fitz's words andsubsequent conduct, all conspired to form a theory that I was very lothto entertain and yet from which I was unable to escape. It certainlyhad the effect of making me profoundly uncomfortable and caused thesecond egg I had ordered to be superfluous after all.

  Beyond all things now I longed to return to my country home withoutdelay. The past twenty-four hours formed a page in my experiencewhich, if impossible to erase, I earnestly desired to forget.