The Puppet Crown

  CHAPTER XI. THE DENOUEMENT

  At no time during the afternoon did Maurice find the opportunity tospeak privately to Fitzgerald. Madame hovered about, chatting, smilingand humming snatches of song. She seemed to have formed a suddenattachment for Maurice; that is to say, she could not bear to lose sightof him, not for the briefest moment.

  He swallowed his chagrin, for he could but confess that it wassugar-coated. Madame had at last considered his case, and had labeledhim dangerous. Somehow a man always likes to be properly valued. Itre-establishes his good opinion of himself.

  Well, well; however affectionate Madame might be, she could scarcelycarry it beyond the threshold of his chamber, and he was determined toretire at an early hour. But he had many things to learn.

  Fitzgerald was abandoned to the countess, who had still much color toregain. From time to time the Englishman looked over his shoulder to seewhat was going on between Madame and his friend, and so missed half ofwhat the countess said.

  "Come," thought Maurice, "it is time I made a play."

  The blackberries were ripe along the stone walls which surrounded thechateau. Maurice wandered here and there, plucking what fruit he couldfind. Now and then he would offer a branch to Madame. At length, asthough by previous arrangement with Madame, the countess led Fitzgeraldaround to the other side of the chateau, so that Madame and Maurice werealone. Immediately the smile, which had rested on her lips, vanished.Her companion was gazing mountainward, and cogitating. How fared thosein Bleiberg?

  "What a beautiful world it is!" said a low, soft voice close to his ear.

  Maurice resumed his berry picking.

  "What exquisite tints in the skies!" went on the voice; "what matchlesscolor in the forests!"

  Maurice plucked a berry, ate it, and smacked his lips. It was a goodberry.

  "But what a terrible thing it would be if one should die suddenly, orbe thrown into a windowless dungeon, shut out from all these splendidreaches?"

  Maurice plucked another berry, but he did not eat it. Instinctively heturned--and met a pair of eyes as hard and cold and gray as new steel.

  "That," said he, "sounds like a threat."

  "And if it were, Monsieur, and if it were?"

  "If it were, I should say that you had discovered that I know too much.I suspected from the first; the picture merely confirmed my suspicions.I see now that it was thoughtless in me not to have told my friend; butit is not too late."

  "And why, I ask, have I not suppressed you before this?"

  "Till to-day, Madame, you had not given me your particularconsideration." Then, as if the conversation was not interesting him, hereturned to the berries. "There's a fine one there. It's a little high;but then!" He tiptoed, drew the branch from the wall, and snatched theluscious fruit. "Ah!"

  "Monsieur, attend to me; the berries can wait."

  "Madame, the life of a good blackberry is short."

  "To begin with, you say that I did not show you consideration. Fewprinces have been shown like consideration."

  "I was wrong. It is not every man that has a countess--and a pretty one,too!--thrown at his head."

  Madame was temporarily silenced by this retort; it upset hercalculations. She scrutinized the clean, smooth face, and she saw lineswhich had hitherto escaped her notice. She was at last convinced thatshe had to contend with a man, a man who had dealt with both men andwomen. How deep was he? Could honors, such as she could give, andmoney plumb the depths?... He was an American. She smiled the smile ofduplicity.

  "Monsieur," she said, "do you lack wealth?"

  "Yes, I lack it; but that is not to say that I desire it."

  "Perhaps it is honors you desire?"

  "Honors? To what greater honor may I aspire than that which is writtenin my passports?"

  "What is written in your passports?"

  "That I am a citizen of the United States of America. It would not begood taste in me to accept honors save those that my country may chooseto confer."

  Again Madame found her foil turned aside. She began to lose patience.Her boot patted the sod. "Monsieur, since the countess is not highenough, since gold and honors have no charm, listen."

  "I am listening, Madame."

  "I permit you to witness the comic opera, but I shall allow no promptingfrom outsiders."

  "Madame, do you expect me to sit calmly by and see my friend made afool?" He spoke warmly and his eyes remained steadfast.

  "Certainly that is what you shall do," coldly.

  "Madame, you are a beautiful woman; heaven has endowed you withsomething more than beauty. Is it possible that the gods forgot to mixconscience in the mold?"

  "Conscience? Royalty knows none."

  "Ah, Madame, wait till you are royal."

  "Take care. You have not felt my anger."

  "I would rather that than your love."

  She marveled at her patience.

  "If you have no conscience, Madame, I have. I shall warn him. You shallnot dishonor him if I can prevent it. You wish to win his love, and youhave gauged the possibilities of it so accurately that you know you willhave but to ask, be it his honor or his life. A far finer thing it wouldbe for you to win your crown at the point of the sword. There would bea little glory in it then. But even then, the world would laugh at you.For you would be waging war against a lonely woman, a paralytic king, aprelate who is a man of peace. What resistance could these three offer?

  "But to gain your ends by treachery and deceit, to rob a man of hisbrains and heart, laughing the while in your sleeve; to break his lifeand make him curse all women, from Eve to you and the mother who borehim! Ah, Madame, let me plead with you. Give him his liberty. Let himgo back and complete the task imposed on him. Do not break his life,for life is more than a crown; do not compel him to sully his honor, forhonor is more than life.

  "Your cause is just, I will admit, but do not tarnish it by suchdetestable means. 'Tis true that a crown to me signifies nothing, butlife and honor are common to us both. With all his strength and courage,my friend is helpless. All his life he has been without the society ofwomen. If he should love you--God help him! His love would be withoutcalculation, without reason, blind and furious. Madame, do not destroyhim."

  Sometimes, in the passing, we are stopped by the sound of a voice. Itis not the words it utters, nor the range nor tone. It is somethingindefinable, and, though we can not analyze it, we are willing to followwherever it leads. Such a voice Maurice possessed, though he was totallyignorant of its power. But Madame, as she listened, felt its magicinfluence, and for a moment the spell rendered her mute.

  "Monsieur, you have missed your vocation; you plead well, indeed.Unfortunately, I can not hear; my ears are of wax. No, no! I havenourished these projects too long; they are a part of me. Laughed at,you say? Have I not been laughed at from one end of the continent tothe other?" passionately. "It is my turn now, and woe to those who havedared to laugh. I shall sweep all obstacles away; nothing shall stop me.Mine the crown is, and mine it shall be. I am a woman, and I wished toavoid bloodshed. But not even that shall stay me; not even love!" Herbosom heaved, her hands were clenched, and her gray eyes flashed liketroubled waters in the sunlight.

  "Madame, if you love him--"

  "Well?" proudly.

  "No, I am wrong. If you loved him you would prize above all else thishonor of which you intend to rob him."

  "I brought you here not to discuss whether I am right or wrong. Lookabout you."

  Maurice was somewhat troubled to discover several troopers loungingabout just out of earshot. They were so arranged as to prevent egressfrom the park. He looked thoughtfully at the wall. It was eight feet inheight.

  Madame saw the look, and said, "Corporal!"

  There was a noise on the other side of the wall, and presently a headbobbed up.

  "Madame?" inquired the head.

  "Nothing. I wished to know if you were at your post." She turnedto Maurice, who was puzzled to know what all this was preamble to."Monsieur
Carewe, I never forget details. I had an idea that whenI submitted my proposals to you, you might be tempted to break yourparole."

  Maurice gnawed his lip. "Proceed, Madame."

  "There are only two. If you do not promise here and now in no way tointerfere with my plans, these troopers will convey you to Brunnstadt,where you will be kept in confinement until the succession to thethrone is decided one way or the other. The other proposal is, if youpromise--and I have faith in your word--the situation will continue thesame as at present. Choose, Monsieur. Which is it to be?"

  The devil gleamed in his eyes. He remained silent.

  "Well! Well!" impatiently.

  "I accept the alternative," with bad grace. "If I made a dash--"

  "You would be shot; those were my orders."

  "And if I went to prison--"

  "You would miss what you call the comic opera, but which to me is allthere is in life. You say that I have read your friend well. That istrue. Do you think that it is easy for me to lessen myself in my owneyes? No woman lives who is prouder than I. Remember, you are not tohint at what I propose to do, nor who I am. See! It is all because youread something which was not intended for your eyes. Be my friend, or bemy enemy, it is a matter of indifference to me. You have only yourselfto blame. Had you gone about your business and not intruded whereyou were not wanted, neither you nor your friend would be here. Nointerference from you, Monsieur; that is the understanding." She raisedher hand and made a sign, and the troopers took themselves off. "Now youmay go--to the countess, if you wish; though I dare say that she willnot find you in the best of tempers."

  "I dare say she won't," said Maurice.