An Imperial Marriage

  CHAPTER XX

  A BRIDE ELECT

  My first inclination on taking my seat in the carriage with von Felsenwas to laugh. His face wore such an expression of self-satisfaction andtriumph that the absurdity of it appealed almost irresistibly to mysense of humour.

  The whole thing was like a little farcical curtain-raiser at a theatrewhich prefaces the real drama.

  That he did not discover the deception at once was a cause of wondermentto me. If my feelings were any indication of my appearance, I must havelooked as awkward a creature as ever wore a petticoat. The skirt of thedress was "anyhow." That is to say, it hung in awkward creases andfolds as I sat with my legs doubled close under me for fear he shouldsee my very ungirlish feet.

  I had to keep my hands out of sight, pulled uncomfortably up under myshort cloak; and I had to sit bolt upright, because, when I had tried toappear overcome and had leant back against the side of the carriage, Iwas within an ace of dislodging the whole of my headgear, hat, veil, wigand everything.

  But of all the troubles of that terrible costume, I think the veil wasthe worst. It tickled my nose; it irritated my freshly shaven upperlip; it caught my eyelashes and brought the tears to my eyes; itinterfered with my sight; and it made me twitch my lips, and chin andnose as if I had St. Vitus' dance, until I could have sworn aloud at itin all the languages I knew.

  I presume that von Felsen took my extraordinary attitude for sullenness,and he appeared quite undecided as to the correct manner in which tobehave to a girl he was forcing to marry him. He made very littleeffort to speak to me during the journey, and the attempts he did makewere of course unsuccessful in eliciting anything from me but a gestureof indignation or anger.

  "I am sorry to have had to do this, Althea," he said after one of thesegestures of mine. I had just turned my back on him as he had sought toget hold of my hand in a spoony way.

  I shrugged my shoulders and gave a little toss of the head--none tooenergetic of course, for fear of consequences.

  "I'll make it up to you. You know that, dearest. You know that Iworship the very ground you tread on, and all my life shall be devotedto make you happy."

  It was a queer sensation to have a man making love to me, and if I couldhave counterfeited Althea's voice, I'd have led him on a bit. Although,how any girl could feel romantic with a thing tickling her face, as thatinfernal veil was tickling mine, beat me. My chief sensation was analmost overpowering desire to rub my nose.

  My silence and my attitude of resentful disbelief annoyed him. "You letme make love to you before that infernal Englishman came in the way," hesaid, only he used a stronger epithet for me. "I suppose he has donehis best to set you against me. But I'm even with him now."

  I maintained the same stolid coldness.

  "Aren't you going to speak a word to me?" he cried after a long pause;and he bent forward and tried to look into my face.

  It was fortunately a very dull evening, and the light inside thecarriage was so dim that even at close quarters he could not have madeout my features; but I took care he should not get too close, andtwisted away from him.

  Then he commenced to claw for my hand again. I was afraid he would puthis arm round my waist, for I knew that the dimensions of it would givehim something of a shock. As it was he fooled about with my arm; andthat he did not at once discover that no girl, except an athlete, waslikely to have an arm as hard as mine, was amazing. However, he gothold of my fingers--I was sitting with arms crossed--and when I foundthat the size of them did not rouse his suspicions, I let him retain hishold.

  This appeared to satisfy him, and he kept hold, squeezing them now andagain as if he found great pleasure in the business.

  I could not refrain from speculating whether a girl in suchcircumstances would have thought a man such an awful ass as I thoughthim. I suppose she would.

  He appeared to regard this hand-fumbling business as a sign of relentingon my part, for we were quite close to his house before he said anymore.

  "The mere touch of your hand is a delight to me, Althea," he murmured,like the fatuous idiot he was making of himself.

  I drew my hand away and turned my back squarely upon him. The sigh hegave might have come right from the pit of his stomach and beengathering weigh all the journey.

  "I will make you love me, yet, Althea. You are the only woman in theworld to me." Not a very original sentiment, perhaps; but apparentlyquite earnest; and before he could make any further headway with hislove-making, the carriage drew up at his door.

  He got out and held his hand to help me. But I disdained hisassistance, and grabbing hold of my dress in the way in which Bessie hadcarefully instructed me, I stepped out and hurried up the steps and intothe hall.

  Seated there was the clerk from "W. Mischen"; and he rose at my entranceand gave me a long curious stare. In his eyes I was, of course, a ladyof quality; and he scanned me from head to foot. I had presence of mindenough to let my dress fall well over my boots, however.

  When von Felsen saw him he started and was for hurrying me into hisroom; but the clerk stepped forward.

  "I came for the lease and papers, sir, from W. Mischen," he saidrespectfully.

  "You are before your time; but I'll see you in a minute," replied vonFelsen changing colour and speaking nervously. "This way, Althea"; andhe pushed the door open for me to enter.

  I had feared to find in the room the priest and any others who were tobe present at the marriage and I hesitated a second on the threshold.The hesitation was really no more than an involuntary start of surpriseand pleasure at seeing it empty. It was his private room, as I knew.

  But he mistook the gesture for one of doubt of him. "The rest are in theroom opposite," he hastened to explain. "I wish to speak to you first.We must have an understanding before we go to the others," he added whenwe were inside and he had closed the door behind us. "There must be notricks before the priest. You must promise me not to make a scene ofany sort."

  The moment had come for undeceiving him; but as he was standing betweenme and the door I tried to put it off for a while longer. I shrugged myshoulders, and then, as if seized with a sudden frenzy of despair, Iclapped my hands to my face and flopped down on a chair. My back was tohim, of course, for the electric lights were full on.

  He came to me and laid a hand on my shoulder; but I shook it off, got upand rushed to another chair nearer the door, and gave such a back viewof a girl's agitation as I could manage to portray.

  It was sufficient for the purpose. "You must compose yourself, Althea,"he said, following me.

  I glanced round and shuddered as if at his approach, and ventured togrunt out a little moan of pain.

  He stopped and looked at me, half in anger and half in dire perplexity."I won't come near you then," he growled, and down he plumped into achair to watch for any signs of my return to self-control.

  I was now between him and the door and was much easier in mind; andbegan to prepare stealthily to throw off the disguise. I had taken offmy gloves when it occurred to me to try to continue the scene longenough to induce him to get out the papers for which the clerk waswaiting. I had no doubt they were in the room somewhere.

  I remained inconsolable, therefore, until his patience waned. He satfor some time tapping his fingers restlessly on the table and staring atme; and then with a sign of vexation, rose and crossed to an old bureaudesk.

  "For Heaven's sake calm yourself, Althea. The thing has got to gothrough if you mean to save your father," he said; "and I pledge you myhonour that afterwards I will do everything in my power to make youhappy. I will, on my soul."

  I responded to this with a gesture sufficient to enable me to turn andsee what he was doing, and let out a sigh.

  I saw that he was watching me furtively while he opened some secretrecess in the bureau and took out a carefully sealed envelope.

  I sighed again--this time with a genuine feeling of rel
ief--and rose.

  He put the envelope quickly into his pocket and turned. "I have onelittle thing to do first," he said, and was coming toward the door whenI gave him the first of his surprises.

  I stepped forward quickly, locked the door and took out the key.

  "What are you doing, Althea?" he cried.

  I put my back to the door and slipping my hand through the opening in myskirt got my revolver in readiness. With the other hand I took hold ofthe string with which we had tied on the skirt. All the top hamper ofhat and so on would come off with one vigorous tug.

  Thus prepared I waited to see what he would do next.

  His first attempt was bluster. "How dare you lock that door? If youthink to try and cheat me at the last moment, it will not help you. Ihave only to send word and your father will be in gaol." He was afraidto speak too loudly for fear that those outside should hear him; but histemper was rising quickly.

  On my side I was absolutely indifferent who heard us, and I stood stockstill with my back against the door staring at him as hard as I couldstare through the meshes of the thick veil.

  "Open that door, or give me the key at once. Do you hear, Althea? Thisis all foolishness. Then I shall take it from you," he continued, whenhe got no reply. He came up to me and I thrust him away.

  Even then he did not suspect the trick I had played him. Presumably hecould not believe any one could have made such a fool of him.

  He was at a loss what to do next. He was but a weakly fellow, and thestrength with which I had pushed him away had startled him.

  "What is it you want, Althea? I'll do anything you wish."

  I chose that moment to end the farce. I drew the tape which held up theskirt, and with a vigorous tug got rid of the hat and wig and threw itall aside as I disentangled my legs from the skirt.

  He started back as though I were the devil himself. I must have looked acurious figure. I had had to roll up my trousers to prevent their beingseen underneath the dress; I still had on Bessie's short cloak and wasthus still garbed on top partly as a man and partly as a woman, while mydrawers showed as high as my knees.

  But it was not the humour of the change which appealed to him now. Hiswide eyes were fixed first on my face and then on the revolver which Itook good care should attract a full share of his attention.

  "Sit down and hold your tongue till I tell you to speak," I said.

  He was ashen white and trembled violently. But he was obedient enough.He sat down, or rather fell into a chair, and glared helplessly at me.

  I got rid of the rest of the disguise and then rolled down my trousers.I had to free myself from the sense of the ridiculous figure I cut.

  He watched every movement like a lynx. I bundled the things into aheap. "You can send them back to my house presently," I said with agrim laugh. "And now we can talk. First, give me that paper which youwere to send by that fellow in the hall."

  He tried to force some sort of lie in response, but his lips weretrembling so that he could not frame the words.

  "I'm glad to see you are suffering from a touch of the agitation youwere quite ready to inflict on Althea. Now don't make any mistake. Youhave to do exactly what I order you. It's a matter of life or death toyou."

  I gave him time to digest this so that it might sink right into hisinmost convictions, and saturate his little soul with terror. He hadenjoyed the sensation that afternoon of riding rough-shod over me; andhe should learn now how it felt to have some one else in the saddle.Judging by his looks he found the experience mightily depressing.

  In the pause some one knocked at the door. A passing gleam of hopeflashed into his eyes and he half rose. But I lifted my weapon just thefraction of an inch and gestured to him to keep his seat. He obeyed andcrouched back in the chair like a whipped hound.

  In this way we waited while the knock was twice repeated.

  "Tell them to go away," I ordered.

  And then he gave me a surprise in my turn. "Break the door open," hecalled in as loud a tone as he could master. But fear had clogged hisutterance, so that they could not hear his words distinctly.

  "What did you say, sir?" called some one in response.

  Before he could reply to this I sprang on him and tore the covetedpacket from his pocket, ripped off the seals and glanced at thecontents. The glance was enough to satisfy me of the prize I hadsecured.

  "You can call them in now, if you dare. I don't want your life now."

  He stood a few seconds staring at me, quivering with rage and fear; andthen the question was repeated from outside.

  "Don't try that trick again, mind," I said.

  "Go away till I call," he answered.

  "Good," I said with a grim smile. "Now listen to me. Do what I tellyou and you shall have a chance to get out of the mess. Go to your deskthere and make up a dummy packet like this in appearance and give it tothe man who is waiting."

  For the moment he was incapable of movement. The failure of his littleattempt to outwit me and the result had unnerved him utterly.

  "You are going to kill me?" he murmured, wiping the sweat from hisforehead.

  "Not if you do as I bid you. I don't lie, and I have passed my word."

  It was necessary to steady his nerves in some degree for what I meanthim to do; so I waited while he fought down some of his paralysingterror.

  Presently he rose and shambled across to the desk, steadying himself ashe went by holding to the furniture. He fell into the chair before itand buried his head in his hands and groaned.

  "Come. Make an effort." He started at the sound of my voice andglanced round at me. I think he was the most despicable coward I hadever seen. With another deep sigh he picked out an envelope like that Ihad taken from him and then with shaking fingers folded some sheets ofpaper, placed them in it and addressed it.

  "Seal it," I ordered as he held it out to me. This occupied a longishtime; and in his agitation he burnt his fingers badly with the wax. "Sofar so good," I said. "Now a note to the priest that the ceremony cannottake place. It can't very well, unless you wish to marry me," I addedwith a short unpleasant laugh.

  With a great effort he succeeded in writing the note; and again held itout for me to read. "Now, take these to the door and tell your servantto give the one to the priest and the other to the messenger from W.Mischen. Not a syllable more. I shall be behind you with this"; and Iheld up the revolver.

  I rang the bell and we crossed the room together. I unlocked the doorand stood close behind him with the muzzle of my weapon pressed close tohis ribs.

  "My finger is on the trigger," I whispered, as the servant knocked andhe opened the door. He was too abjectly frightened to try any tricksthis time, and delivered the message just as I had told him. The nextinstant the door was safely locked once more, and he tottered back tohis seat.

  "You can take your own time now to recover; but you have a good dealmore writing to do, so you had better pull yourself together."

  A silence, lasting some minutes followed; and I used the time to readthe paper which I had secured and to make a rough precis of it. Heglanced up once or twice at me the while, and when I put the paper backinto the envelope, he asked: "What are you going to do with that?"

  I paid no heed to his question.

  "Are you ready? Then go over to your desk again and write me a trueaccount of how you got this."

  This threw him again into a condition of trembling fear. "What do youwant it for?" he stammered.

  "I'll give you two minutes to make a start in"; and I drew out my watch.

  He got up and fumbled his way to the desk again, and after a pause beganto write, with many delays and hesitation.

  Presently I crossed and over his shoulder read what he had written. Asilly lie about having found the paper. I tore the sheet from the deskand crumpled it up.

  "Don't think to palm off that lie to me. I know how you got it. Writethe truth, or I send for Herr Borsen." The threat had little effecth
owever.

  "I swear on my soul that that is the truth," he muttered, looking round.

  "You are playing with your life, man. Your only chance of getting me tohold my tongue is to make a clean breast of it, not only about yourtheft but another thing."

  "What do you mean?" Just a whisper of terror. No more.

  "Your loss of this."

  I took out the ring which I had found on the night of Ziegler's murder.

  It was the breaking point. He stared at it a second like a man bereftof his wits, gave one glance up into my stern, set face, and with agroan let his head fall on the desk before it.

  "Come," I said, shaking him roughly.

  But he had swooned; and when I released my grip of him, he slipped fromthe chair to the ground and lay a huddled heap on the floor.