*CHAPTER VII*
I walked to the window and looked out into the square below. As I didso, I noticed an unusual stir among the people who were passing. Everyone seemed to be flocking to the Palace; the gates were wide open; and acontinual stream of motor-cars and carriages kept entering and leaving.This was evidently an unusual sight, for the ordinary passers-bygathered at the entrances to watch, and most probably wonder. Then Inoticed newspapers being sold, and the hum of many excited voices couldbe heard. I turned to Mr. Smith.
"Can they know already, do you think?"
"Undoubtedly, I have seen to that, and in all the chief cities of yourMajesty's kingdom; they will know as fast as the telegrams can be sent."
Woolgast had left the room, but now returned and came up to where I wasstanding.
"I have to report, your Majesty, that Prince Alexis has just entered thePalace, and been arrested."
"That is good news, Colonel; I was fearing that he might betroublesome."
I think Mr. Smith had rather feared the same thing, for I heard himheave a sigh of relief.
"That eases my mind," he said. "It will be a bloodless _coup d'etat_,after all."
"Thanks to the excellence of your plans."
"And the loyal co-operation of all those people who knew; a single wordmight have spoilt all. As it is, there is nothing now to prevent yourMajesty entering the throne room."
"I am ready."
"Then let us go."
He threw open the door and I passed out. My body-guard were drawn upready to attend me; I saluted them as I came out of the room, and theyfell in behind me. This affair was not to be marked by much state, butMr. Smith had seen to it that there was enough. That is to say, therewere ushers and heralds, with other functionaries, who preceded me toclear the way, and throw wide the great doors which led into the throneroom. I felt that I would sooner have seen the spectacle from the otherend, or in one of the galleries; but that was not to be, so I enteredbravely, although my heart did beat a trifle more rapidly than usual.
The place seemed packed from floor to roof; whichever way I turned,there were smiling faces. A deafening shout greeted me. These goodpeople evidently could not restrain their joy at thoughts of therestoration of the beloved dynasty of the Stephanovitchs.
I stood on the edge of the dais, and smiled for very joy at theacclamations; pride, too, had its way, and I was pleased to think that Iwas King. It was so much nicer than I had anticipated. Mr. Smith, by myside, held up his hand, and almost immediately there was silence.
A gorgeous figure, clad in robes which no King could rival, steppedforward; there was a fanfare of trumpets, and then:
"King Ivan is dead, God save King Victor!"
"Speak to them," said Mr. Smith.
"Rudarlians"--how funny my voice sounded, I could hardly believe that Iwas speaking--"I am the son of Merlin. I am your King, Rudarlia is mycountry. Help me therefore to undo the errors of my predecessor; giveme your loyalty, and together we will give new life to our belovedcountry, and keep her clean from tyrannous injustice. Help me, and wewill make it a proud boast when a man can say: 'I am a Rudarlian.'"
For the second time that day, my words seemed to meet with approval, formy stepping back was the signal for another hurricane of cheers. Ithought they would never stop, and that low fellow Carruthers said, loudenough for me to hear, to Mr. Smith:
"He ought to get in with a thumping majority."
Mr. Smith had told me that from time immemorial, on such occasions, theKing always walked straight down the hall and up a broad stairway at theother end, and so back to his own apartments. As it had been thecustom, I saw no reason to break away from it, so once more the heraldscleared the way for me; and I passed through the long hall, between twolines of bowing people, who laughed and cried at the same time.
Under my father's rule there had been a golden age for Rudarlia, andthis must account for the extraordinary enthusiasm with which I wasgreeted. We went, some dozen in all, to a room overlooking the mainentrance to the Palace; and from there we watched the people gatheringin hundreds, to hear from those who passed out--whatever they did hear.
They seemed pleased with the news, whatever it was, for they turnedtheir faces to the Palace and shouted. It was not only the people whoappeared gay, but presently the shops as well; flags and colouredribbons began to be displayed. Then men came with great placards: "GodSave Victor II., Merlin's Son," in red letters on a yellow ground. Someone had stage-managed the thing very well, nothing had been forgotten.
As I looked down upon the heaving mass of men and women, an irresistiblelonging came over me to ride out among them, to go to the Cathedral, andthank God that no blood had been shed in this, my triumph.
"Count," I said, turning to Mr. Smith, "is there any reason why I shouldnot go now to the Cathedral?"
He looked at me hesitatingly for a moment.
"Not if your Majesty wills it," he said quickly.
"Then I will go, for there are a number of good citizens in danger ofbeing crushed, down there, in their eagerness to catch sight of me."
"I will order your Majesty's carriage."
"No! I will ride."
Colonel Woolgast had returned; and I told him of my intention.
He looked anxious; and asked whether he should call out troops to linethe way.
"Troops?" I said, perhaps foolhardily. "No, Colonel, just my ownbody-guard, half to clear a way, and the other half to follow. I willbegin, as I intend to go on, by trusting the people. Count Zeula, Ishould be pleased if you would ride with me; and you, too, gentlemen, ifso inclined."
"Thank God we shall have a King," I heard some one mutter, and then Mr.Smith and I were alone again, waiting for our horses.
"Am I wise?" I asked.
"Yes, Victor, I think you are, only I am nervous for your safety."
"I feel that nothing could hurt me to-day," I said, laughing. "Butthere is one thing I have forgotten, I wish Bauen to ride with us, tolet the people see that loyalty such as his is not forgotten by myfamily."
"God made you a King before ever you came to Rudarlia, Victor."
And, at something in his voice, I felt myself blushing.
I shall never forget that ride. The great cry that arose as thebody-guard wheeled into the courtyard; the instantaneous sundering ofthe crowd to make a way as the gates were swung open.
Unaffectedly I rejoiced, as I rode through them, some ten yards behindthe last rank of the vanguard, with Mr. Smith half a length behind me;Woolgast, Carruthers, Bauen and the rest two lengths behind him again.
I was almost deafened by the shouts of welcome that arose from thecrowd.
A child, escaping from his mother's restraining hand, ran under myhorse's feet. In a moment I was out of my saddle, and had the littlething in my arms, sobbing, frightened, but unhurt.
A halt had been called; and the mother, a poor ragged woman, approached,terrified, trembling. I gave the boy into her arms, with two or threepieces of gold.
"Take him, my good woman," I said, "and keep him, for one day Rudarliamay have need of him."
The crowd grew delirious; they burst through the restraining arms,surrounded me, cheering and blessing me. For some little time they werehysterical in their expressions of loyalty, until I had to stand up inmy stirrups and ask them to make way for me. At the sound of my voicethey once again surged back, and our cortege passed on.
Luckily, it was not a great way to the Cathedral, or I doubt if weshould have reached it before nightfall. As it was, it was six o'clockbefore we started on our homeward journey.
So dense was the crowd, that we went at a walk the whole way; the moreadventurous would press forward, and touching my boot, bridle, anything,were contented.
They were a good-natured mass of people; and, although the jostling anddiscomfort must have been appalling, I heard never a single oath orbad-tempered remark, only blessings, and heart-felt utterances of joy.
We were within sight of the Palace, when I saw the escort which rodebefore me divide into two parts, and down the middle came six beautifulgirls, carrying great bunches of flowers; some enthusiast had organisedthe party, and ransacked a florist's shop evidently.
The crowd swept back, and left a clear space around them.
One little maid, who was in advance, came timidly up to me, as I sat onmy horse, laughing down at them.
She was too tongue-tied to say anything, so she just held up a bunch ofwhite roses for me to take. She was so tiny, and looked so sweetlypretty, that I could not resist dismounting; and, picking up the littleone, kissed her, at the same time taking the roses, and fastening themsomehow into my tunic.
Seeing this, some wit in the crowd called out:
"The others want payment too."
And this idea caught on to such an extent that I was obliged to kiss allthe other blushing five, to the delight of the onlookers. Mr. Smithlaughed heartily; and even the stern-faced troopers looked away to hidetheir emotion.
That, however, was the last delay we had; and shortly after we turned inthrough the Palace gates.
Jove! how hot and tired I was, I remember it to this day, and thegorgeous relief when, in my own apartments, I bathed and put on coolevening dress.
In spite of fatigue, there was an immense amount of work to be gotthrough that night; I don't know how many times I put my signature topapers handed me by Mr. Smith, but it seemed millions.
I had sent a telegram to my mother, just a few words, saying that allwas well.
At Mr. Smith's suggestion, I had invited some twenty or thirty people totake supper with me, and at eleven o'clock I vowed that I would work nomore. At which Mr. Smith and Baron Sluben laughed, and said that theyhad been wondering when I meant to stop; and only then did I realisethat it had been my place to call a halt, not theirs.
Twice, during these hours of writing, I had been obliged to leave theroom, and show myself to the people who stood outside the Palace gates,cheering continuously; but, as it grew towards midnight, the crowd haddwindled, and I could feel more at rest.
I think my first supper-party was a success, the late King's chef beingone of the best in Europe.
Naturally enough, high spirits reigned supreme, as one and all there,with the single exception of myself, had worked for years for what hadhappened this day.
The guests were all very great people in the realm; and, when supper wasfinished, we withdrew to another room to hold a Council of War, todecide what should be done with Prince Alexis and his following.
There were some whose advice was distinctly Machiavellian, desiring tostamp out all of Ivan's race. They had forgotten, perhaps, that I wasrelated to him. There were others, who thought that imprisonment forlife was the thing; while the majority, of which I was one, held infavour of exile.
That was for Alexis and his chief advisers; the minor characters wouldhave to live on their estates, under certain conditions, or leave thecountry, the choice to be theirs. And so, after a somewhat lengthydebate, it was decided.
Perhaps we were too lenient, knowing as we did the kind of men with whomwe dealt; but severity was abhorrent to me who had been so short a whileKing.
It was long past midnight when I went to my room to sleep; and even thenI did not go direct, for I was obliged to pass the door of the roomwhere Ivan's body lay. A trooper of my body-guard had been placed onguard there, and I stopped to say a word to him; as I did so, the soundof weeping reached my ears.
I looked inquiringly at Mr. Smith, who accompanied me.
"It is Ivan's wife, your Majesty."
"Alone," I asked, "and at this hour?"
The guard answered that she had been within for some two hours, byherself.
"I would speak to her, Count; do not wait, you need repose. Goodnight."
He looked at me for a moment, and then bowed.
"Good night, your Majesty," he said and left me.
I do not know what impulse urged me to push the door quietly open, andenter; not curiosity, God knows. I think it was just the desire to tryand comfort this poor lady.
She was kneeling beside the bed on which the body lay, a fragile figurein black, her head buried in her arms, sobbing as though indeed herheart was broken.
As I approached, she raised her tear-stained face to mine; and I sawthat it was still comely, though haggard and weary.
"Who are you?" she said quietly.
"A friend of your Majesty's," I answered.
"'Majesty,' I never was that, since my husband was never really theKing."
"Nevertheless, madame, if you will permit, I will address you so; foryou, by your acts, have proved yourself a Queen."
She had risen to her feet, and stood looking at me intently.
"Are you the King?" she asked.
"So people have acclaimed me to-day, madame."
"Could you not leave me to my grief, in the midst of your joy?"
"God forbid that I should intrude, madame, on grief such as yours, wereit not for the great desire I have to aid, and if possible comfort you;but see," I drew a curtain on one side, making the light of early dawnvisible to her, "the night is nearly spent." I dropped the curtainagain. "Your Majesty, will you not permit me to escort you to yourroom, or call one of your ladies, for, next to God, surely one of yourown sex could best comfort you?"
"God," she said, "do you believe then in God?"
"Surely, madame."
"Is that why you came in to me here?"
"I had not thought of it, but probably it was His doing, for I thinkthat all kind thoughts are His, and all the pity within me woke at thesound of your weeping."
"Then may He be praised," she said, "that Rudarlia will once more have amerciful King."
"You love Rudarlia, madame?"
"Ah yes, so much, perhaps my sorrow to-night is more self-pity atthought of leaving than sorrow for my dead husband, for I had wept allmy tears for him years ago." She spoke with a little dry huskiness thatsounded strangely pathetic.
"Leave Rudarlia, that would be your wish, would it not, to return toyour own country, away from sorrowful sights and remembrances?"
There was tragedy in her reply:
"My own country, where is it? My father is dead. I had no friendsbefore I married, I was too young; and the few of my countryfolk whoaccompanied, and remained with me, are gone."
"Then, madame, remain here, where you will be always an honoured guest.The people love you, I know; and you can devote your time happily towhatever you desire, without hindrance. It shall be my pleasure to seethat everything you may wish for shall be yours, and I shall hope tohave gained a friend."
"Your Majesty," she said, "what can I say, how can I accept, how can I?"
"By saying, madame, that you will stay. It will be our part, afterthat, to show you that Rudarlia remembers those who loved her, even inthe midst of their own unhappiness."
"Oh, how can I?" I heard her murmur, "how can I, I, the wife of theusurper?"
"Madame, your husband's sins must be answered for by himself; you,however, have never been associated with him in the minds of the people.Only by your goodness, kindness, and charity, are you judged by them;even my mother, who has, God knows, suffered greatly at Ivan's hands,will never think of you except with loving thoughts, as one who wassinned against. I can answer for her, as justice has been ever dear toher. Come, madame, decide as we wish it, and let me see you smile atthoughts of happiness to be."
She looked up at me, and I saw her bravely struggling with her tears.
"May God bless you, as you deserve; I will do as you will."
"That is right, madame, and now permit me."
I raised her hand, and pressed it to my lips; and, retaining it in mine,led her gently from the room, back to her own apartments, where herladies were waiting.