A Royal Prisoner

  CHAPTER XXIII

  OFFICIAL OPINIONS

  "Well, M. Vicart?"

  "Well, M. Annion, that's all."

  "That's all!" replied M. Annion. "That's nothing! We've been talking fora quarter of an hour without getting anywhere or reaching anyconclusion."

  "But, M. Annion...."

  "No, I say.... It is I who have been giving you all the information andthat, you know, is rather surprising.... You are the acting head of theSecret Service and you should have known all this. It's not my place totell you what's going on at the Royal Palace."

  "M. Annion, nothing at all has happened."

  This reply threw M. Annion into a sudden fit of anger.

  "Is that so? Nothing has happened, hasn't it? And you don't realize thegravity of the case! Really, Vicart, it's discouraging! Can't youunderstand that we must absolutely come to some decision? The ministryis under the constant threat of interpellations and that state ofaffairs cannot continue."

  "Oh, I don't say the situation isn't serious, I only say nothing new hasturned up."

  "That's just what I'm complaining about--your absolute lack ofcomprehension. To begin with, a week has gone by ... a whole week sinceJuve left, and not a word from Glotzbourg.... In fact, Juve is a daylate already.... Does that convey nothing to you?... To me it means thatJuve has found nothing there."

  "I don't quite understand," ventured the bewildered Vicart.

  M. Annion took pity on his subordinate.

  "Before Juve left he had proved to me that the King was the real King;isn't that so?"

  "Yes."

  "But that doesn't alter the fact that the King is a murderer.... Juvesuspected some court intrigue, that's why he left for Glotzbourg. Nowwhat is our situation? We have a King who has committed murder, and wedon't arrest him. But that is the least of my worries. What about publicopinion on the one hand and the extraordinary audacity of this monarchon the other?"

  "Public opinion?"

  "Yes! why the deuce don't you read the papers? Learn what is going on!Take the opposition press--they're always hinting at the weakness ofthe government in not arresting criminals on account of diplomaticcomplications. While I've seen to it that no more manifestations takeplace outside the Royal Palace, that the public for the time being ismuzzled, still it is only waiting a chance to break out again. And nowhere is Frederick-Christian writing to the Minister of Foreign Affairssaying he wishes to meet the President of the Republic ... while he ishere incognito. Still, by the terms of the protocol, he owes a visit tothe Elysee--he's right about that."

  "Well, what then?"

  "Why, it complicates things very awkwardly. How can the Presidentreceive, especially incognito, a King who is thought to be an assassin... you don't know what might be made of it.... This extraordinaryFrederick-Christian takes advantage of his impunity. He's had lots oftime since the death of Susy to slip quietly back to his own country....That would have let us out ... instead of which he comes out in thelimelight ... gets himself talked about ... a nice time to choose, Imust say!"

  M. Annion was interrupted by the entrance of a clerk who handed him avisiting card.

  "Who is it now?... Ah ... show them in."

  He then turned to M. Vicart:

  "Don't go.... It may be something connected with the King."

  The door was opened and the visitors announced:

  "M. the Commissaire of Police Giraud--Mlle. Marie Pascal."

  "Well, Monsieur Giraud ... take a seat, Mademoiselle ... what have youcome about?"

  "A very serious business," answered M. Giraud. "I have come to see youafter a visit from Mlle. Marie Pascal. She will repeat to you theextraordinary things she has said to me."

  "What is it all about, Mademoiselle?"

  Pale and anxious, Marie Pascal rose and advanced to M. Annion's desk,and said, with a trembling voice:

  "Monsieur, I went to M. Giraud about a call I wanted to make on hisMajesty Frederick-Christian, King of Hesse-Weimar."

  "Yes?"

  "Well, Monsieur, I was not received by the King."

  M. Annion evinced no surprise.

  "Unless I am mistaken you are the lace-maker who was so tragically mixedup in the death of Susy d'Orsel?... It was you who found the chemise ...it was you who ... however, go ahead, Mademoiselle, you were received bya secretary, by a chamberlain?"

  "No! no! I was received by the King, but by a King who wasn't the realone, but an impostor!"

  "Good God!" cried M. Annion.

  Here was this impostor affair cropping up again. The girl must be crazy.

  "But it's unbelievable! Come, Mademoiselle, weigh well the gravity ofyour words--you can scarcely be making this up as a joke, I hope. Youcan furnish absolute proof of what you say? Why do you think the King isnot the King?"

  Marie Pascal had recovered her self-control, and she gave M.Annion a detailed account of the audience she had obtained withFrederick-Christian. She hid nothing, neither his former warmth offeeling nor his recent coldness. She explained that his face no longerlooked the same, nor had his voice the same sound, that he had attemptedto hide behind the screen and finally that she was quite sure the manshe saw was not the King.

  "What did you do, Mademoiselle?"

  This time M. Giraud spoke up:

  "Mlle. Marie was wrong in what she did, but under the stress of emotionshe raised the whole hotel and made such a row that M. Louis advised herto come and see me."

  "Very good, and then?"

  "Why, M. Annion, I hurried to the Royal Palace and made aninvestigation, where I confirmed what Mademoiselle had told me. I thendecided I had better lay the matter before you."

  M. Annion sat deep in thought for a few moments. Then he burst out:

  "Hang it! Your accusation of imposture is absurd, Mademoiselle, utterlyimpossible!" Then, turning to M. Vicart, he added:

  "Haven't we the formal declaration, irrefutable, of that Secret Serviceman ... Glaschk..."

  "Wulfenmimenglaschk."

  "That's it!... Have you seen him, M. Giraud?"

  "I have, but I couldn't get anything out of him; he was three-quartersdrunk, and furious with his Majesty who had just struck him."

  M. Annion stared in amazement.

  "But Frederick-Christian was his friend--his intimate friend ... theywere pals ... and you say he struck him?"

  Crossing quickly to the telephone, he called up:

  "Hello! Are inspectors 42, 59 and 63 there? What? Then send them up."

  "You did well to come to me, M. Giraud; we must clear up this businessat any cost.... I've just sent for the three inspectors whom I detailedthis morning to watch his Majesty Frederick-Christian...."

  Then glancing at Marie Pascal:

  "You'll hear what they have to say, Mademoiselle." A few minutes laterthe three men entered the office.

  "Well, what is new? You've been shadowing him?"

  "Yes, Monsieur."

  "Anything to report?"

  "Nothing much, Monsieur, only in regard to the conduct of the King. Itseems that since this morning he has quite changed. Frederick-Christian,instead of keeping himself shut up as of late, now sees his friendsagain and has resumed his haughty manner and his fault-finding with theservants."

  "What friends has he seen?"

  "A young attache of the Embassy arrived immediately after luncheon, andthe director of his bank."

  "And these men found nothing unusual?"

  "No, chief, nothing at all."

  M. Annion turned to Marie Pascal.

  "You see, Mademoiselle, that is conclusive, isn't it? What probablyhappened was that the King had a fit of nerves, due to the death of hismistress, and then his return to his normal life misled you...."

  Marie Pascal interrupted:

  "No, Monsieur, no! Your inspectors are wrong! I who love him cannot bedeceived! It is no longer Frederick-Christian II who is at the RoyalPalace, it is an impostor! Besides, even if I could have been mistaken,he had no reason for not recognizing me, of no
t seeming to understandwhat I was saying."

  The second inspector spoke up:

  "Chief, I have something which will convince Mademoiselle that she ismistaken. I was able to get hold of one of his Majesty's collars whichhe had just worn. Its size is distinctly characteristic, being 18inches. Now it would be very easy to verify the fact that the real Kingwears this size and also whether it fits the supposed impostor. In anycase, Monsieur, from inquiries made among the hotel servants I findthere can be no doubt that Frederick-Christian is actually stayingthere, and that his intimate friends have been received and haverecognized him."

  M. Annion did not answer.

  "This Marie Pascal is crazy," he thought, "or else she is up to somegame which I don't understand... the King is the King all right, but,hang it all, that doesn't alter the fact that he is an assassin."