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diff --git a/11063-0.txt b/11063-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc87c8f --- /dev/null +++ b/11063-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5059 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11063 *** + +A MAN OF MARK + +BY + +ANTHONY HOPE + +AUTHOR OF "THE PRISONER OF ZENDA," "THE INDISCRETION OF THE DUCHESS," +ETC. + +1895 + + + + + + +[Illustration: "_Stop!" I cried; "I shoot the first man who opens the +door_".--P 121] + + + + +"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds," + +--FRANCIS BACON. + + + + + +CONTENTS. + + CHAPTER + + I. THE MOVEMENT AND THE MAN + II. A FINANCIAL EXPEDIENT + III. AN EXCESS OF AUTHORITY + IV. OVERTURES FROM THE OPPOSITION + V. I APPRECIATE THE SITUATION + VI. MOURONS POUR LA PATRIE! + VII. THE MINE IS LAID + VIII. JOHNNY CARR IS WILLFUL + IX. A SUPPER PARTY + X. TWO SURPRISES + XI. DIVIDING THE SPOILS + XII. BETWEEN TWO FIRES + XIII. I WORK UPON HUMAN NATURE + XIV. FAREWELL TO AUREATALAND + XV. A DIPLOMATIC ARRANGEMENT + + + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE MOVEMENT AND THE MAN. + + +In the year 1884 the Republic of Aureataland was certainly not in a +flourishing condition. Although most happily situated (it lies on +the coast of South America, rather to the north--I mustn't be more +definite), and gifted with an extensive territory, nearly as big as +Yorkshire, it had yet failed to make that material progress which had +been hoped by its founders. It is true that the state was still in its +infancy, being an offshoot from another and larger realm, and having +obtained the boon of freedom and self-government only as recently as +1871, after a series of political convulsions of a violent character, +which may be studied with advantage in the well-known history of "The +Making of Aureataland," by a learned professor of the Jeremiah P. +Jecks University in the United States of America. This profound +historian is, beyond all question, accurate in attributing the chief +share in the national movement to the energy and ability of the +first President of Aureataland, his Excellency, President Marcus +W. Whittingham, a native of Virginia. Having enjoyed a personal +friendship (not, unhappily, extended to public affairs) with that +talented man, as will subsequently appear, I have great pleasure +in publicly indorsing the professor's eulogium. Not only did the +President bring Aureataland into being, but he molded her whole +constitution. "It was his genius" (as the professor observes with +propriety) "which was fired with the idea of creating a truly modern +state, instinct with the progressive spirit of the Anglo-Saxon race. +It was his genius which cast aside the worn-out traditions of European +dominion, and taught his fellow-citizens that they were, if not all by +birth, yet one and all by adoption, the sons of freedom." Any mistakes +in the execution of this fine conception must be set down to the fact +that the President's great powers were rather the happy gift of nature +than the result of culture. To this truth he was himself in no way +blind, and he was accustomed to attribute his want of a liberal +education to the social ruin brought upon his family by the American +Civil War, and to the dislocation thereby produced in his studies. As +the President was, when I had the honor of making his acquaintance +in the year 1880, fifty years old if he was a day, this explanation +hardly agrees with dates, unless it is to be supposed that the +President was still pursuing his education when the war began, being +then of the age of thirty-five, or thereabouts. + +Starting under the auspices of such a gifted leader, and imbued with +so noble a zeal for progress, Aureataland was, at the beginning of her +history as a nation, the object of many fond and proud hopes. But in +spite of the blaze of glory in which her sun had risen (to be seen +duly reflected in the professor's work), her prosperity, as I have +said, was not maintained. The country was well suited for agriculture +and grazing, but the population--a very queer mixture of races--was +indolent, and more given to keeping holidays and festivals than +to honest labor. Most of them were unintelligent; those who were +intelligent made their living out of those who weren't, a method of +subsistence satisfactory to the individual, but adding little to the +aggregate of national wealth. Only two classes made fortunes of any +size, Government officials and bar-keepers, and even in their case the +wealth was not great, looked at by an English or American standard. +Production was slack, invention at a standstill, and taxation heavy. I +suppose the President's talents were more adapted to founding a +state in the shock and turmoil of war, than to the dull details of +administration; and although he was nominally assisted by a cabinet of +three ministers and an assembly comprising twenty-five members, it +was on his shoulders that the real work of government fell. On him, +therefore, the moral responsibility must also rest--a burden the +President bore with a cheerfulness and equanimity almost amounting to +unconsciousness. + +I first set foot in Aureataland in March, 1880, when I was landed +on the beach by a boat from the steamer, at the capital town of +Whittingham. I was a young man, entering on my twenty-sixth year, and +full of pride at finding myself at so early an age sent out to fill +the responsible position of manager at our Aureataland branch. The +directors of the bank were then pursuing what may without unfairness +be called an adventurous policy, and, in response to the urgent +entreaties and glowing exhortations of the President, they had decided +on establishing a branch at Whittingham. I commanded a certain amount +of interest on the board, inasmuch as the chairman owed my father a +sum of money, too small to mention but too large to pay, and when, led +by the youthful itch for novelty, I applied for the post I succeeded +in obtaining my wish, at a salary of a hundred dollars a month. I +am sorry to say that in the course of a later business dealing the +balance of obligation shifted from the chairman to my father, an +unhappy event which deprived me of my hold on the company and +seriously influenced my conduct in later days. When I arrived in +Aureataland the bank had been open some six months, under the guidance +of Mr. Thomas Jones, a steady going old clerk, who was in future to +act as chief (and indeed only) cashier under my orders. + +I found Whittingham a pleasant little city of about five thousand +inhabitants, picturesquely situated on a fine bay, at the spot where +the river Marcus debouched into the ocean. The town was largely +composed of Government buildings and hotels, but there was a street +of shops of no mean order, and a handsome square, called the "Piazza +1871," embellished with an equestrian statue of the President. Round +about this national monument were a large number of seats, and, hard +by, a _café_ and band stand. Here, I soon found, was the center of +life in the afternoons and evenings. Going along a fine avenue of +trees for half a mile or so, you came to the "Golden House," the +President's official residence, an imposing villa of white stone with +a gilt statue of Aureataland, a female figure sitting on a plowshare, +and holding a sword in the right hand, and a cornucopia in the left. +By her feet lay what was apparently a badly planed cannon ball; this, +I learned, was a nugget, and from its presence and the name of the +palace, I gathered that the president had once hoped to base the +prosperity of his young republic on the solid foundation of mineral +wealth. This hope had been long abandoned. + +I have always hated hotels, so I lost no time in looking round for +lodgings suitable to my means, and was fortunate enough to obtain a +couple of rooms in the house occupied by a Catholic priest, Father +Jacques Bonchrétien. He was a very good fellow, and, though we did +not become intimate, I could always rely on his courtesy and friendly +services. Here I lived in great comfort at an expense of fifty dollars +a month, and I soon found that my spare fifty made me a well-to-do man +in Whittingham. Accordingly I had the _entrée_ of all the best houses, +including the Golden House, and a very pleasant little society we had; +occasional dances, frequent dinners, and plenty of lawn tennis and +billiards prevented me feeling the tedium I had somewhat feared, and +the young ladies of Whittingham did their best to solace my exile. As +for business, I found the bank doing a small business, but a tolerably +satisfactory one, and, if we made some bad debts, we got high interest +on the good ones, so that, one way or another, I managed to send home +pretty satisfactory reports, and time passed on quietly enough in +spite of certain manifestations of discontent among the population. +These disturbing phenomena were first brought prominently to my notice +at the time when I became involved in the fortunes of the Aureataland +national debt, and as all my story turns on this incident, it perhaps +is a fit subject for a new chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A FINANCIAL EXPEDIENT. + + +When our branch was established at Whittingham there had been an +arrangement made between ourselves and the Government, by the terms of +which we were to have the Government business, and to occupy, in fact, +much that quasi-official position enjoyed by the Bank of England at +home. As a _quid pro quo_, the bank was to lend to the Republic the +sum of five hundred thousand dollars, at six per cent. The President +was at the time floating a loan of one million dollars for the purpose +of works at the harbor of Whittingham. This astute ruler had, it +seemed, hit on the plan of instituting public works on a large scale +as a corrective to popular discontent, hoping thereby not only to +develop trade, but also to give employment to many persons who, +if unoccupied, became centers of agitation. Such at least was the +official account of his policy; whether it was the true one I saw +reason to doubt later on. As regards this loan, my office was purely +ministerial. The arrangements were duly made, the proper guarantees +given, and in June, 1880, I had the pleasure of handing over to the +President the five hundred thousand dollars. I learned from him on +that occasion that, to his great gratification, the balance of the +loan had been taken up. + +"We shall make a start at once, sir," said the President, in his usual +confident but quiet way. "In two years Whittingham harbor will walk +over the world. Don't be afraid about your interest. Your directors +never made a better investment." + +I thanked his Excellency, accepted a cigar, and withdrew with a +peaceful mind. I had no responsibility in the matter, and cared +nothing whether the directors got their interest or not. I was, +however, somewhat curious to know who had taken up the rest of the +loan, a curiosity which was not destined to be satisfied for some +time. + +The works were begun and the interest was paid, but I cannot say that +the harbor progressed rapidly; in fact, I doubt if more than one +hundred thousand dollars ever found their way into the pockets of +contractors or workmen over the job. The President had some holes dug +and some walls built; having reached that point, about two years after +the interview above recorded he suddenly drew off the few laborers +still employed, and matters came to a dead stop. + +It was shortly after this occurrence that I was honored with an +invitation to dine at the Golden House. It was in the month of July, +1882. Needless to say, I accepted the invitation, not only because it +was in the nature of a command, but also because the President gave +uncommonly good dinners, and, although a bachelor (in Aureataland, at +all events), had as well ordered a household as I have ever known. +My gratification was greatly increased when, on my arrival, I found +myself the only guest, and realized that the President considered my +society in itself enough for an evening's entertainment. It did cross +my mind that this might mean business, and I thought it none the worse +for that. + +We dined in the famous veranda, the scene of so many brilliant +Whittingham functions. The dinner was beyond reproach, the wines +perfection. The President was a charming companion. Though not, as I +have hinted, a man of much education, he had had a wide experience of +life, and had picked up a manner at once quiet and cordial, which set +me completely at my ease. Moreover, he paid me the compliment, +always so sweet to youth, of treating me as a man of the world. With +condescending confidence he told me many tales of his earlier days; +and as he had been everywhere and done everything where and which +a man ought not to be and do, his conversation was naturally most +interesting. + +"I am not holding myself up as an example," he said, after one of his +most unusual anecdotes. "I can only hope that my public services will +be allowed to weigh in the balance against my private frailties." + +He said this with some emotion. + +"Even your Excellency," said I, "may be content to claim in that +respect the same indulgence as Caesar and Henri Quatre." + +"Quite so," said the President. "I suppose they were not exactly--eh?" + +"I believe not," I answered, admiring the President's readiness, for +he certainly had a very dim notion who either of them was. + +Dinner was over and the table cleared before the President seemed +inclined for serious conversation. Then he called for cigars, and +pushing them toward me said: + +"Take one, and fill your glass. Don't believe people who tell you not +to drink and smoke at the same time. Wine is better without smoke, +and smoke is better without wine, but the combination is better than +either separately." + +I obeyed his commands, and we sat smoking and sipping in silence for +some moments. Then the President said, suddenly: + +"Mr. Martin, this country is in a perilous condition." + +"Good God, your Excellency!" said I, "do you refer to the earthquake?" +(There had been a slight shock a few days before.) + +"No, sir," he replied, "to the finances. The harbor works have +proved far more expensive than I anticipated. I hold in my hand the +engineer's certificate that nine hundred and three thousand dollars +have been actually expended on them, and they are not finished--not by +any means finished." + +They certainly were not; they were hardly begun. + +"Dear me," I ventured to say, "that seems a good deal of money, +considering what there is to show for it." + +"You cannot doubt the certificate, Mr. Martin," said the President. + +I did doubt the certificate, and should have liked to ask what fee the +engineer had received. But I hastily said it was, of course, beyond +suspicion. + +"Yes," said he steadily, "quite beyond suspicion. You see, Mr. Martin, +in my position I am compelled to be liberal. The Government cannot +set other employers the example of grinding men down by low wages. +However, reasons apart, there is the fact. We cannot go on without +more money; and I may tell you, in confidence, that the political +situation makes it imperative we should go on. Not only is my personal +honor pledged, but the Opposition, Mr. Martin, led by the colonel, is +making itself obnoxious--yes, I may say very obnoxious." + +"The colonel, sir," said I, with a freedom engendered of dining, "is a +beast." + +"Well," said the President, with a tolerant smile, "the colonel, +unhappily for the country, is no true patriot. But he is powerful; +he is rich; he is, under myself alone, in command of the army. And, +moreover, I believe he stands well with the signorina. The situation, +in fact, is desperate. I must have money, Mr. Martin. Will your +directors make me a new loan?" + +I knew very well the fate that would attend any such application. +The directors were already decidedly uneasy about their first loan; +shareholders had asked awkward questions, and the chairman had found +no small difficulty in showing that the investment was likely to prove +either safe or remunerative. Again, only a fortnight before, the +Government had made a formal application to me on the same subject. I +cabled the directors, and received a prompt reply in the single word +"Tootsums," which in our code meant, "Must absolutely and finally +decline to entertain any applications." I communicated the contents +of the cable to Señor Don Antonio de la Casabianca, the Minister +of Finance, who had, of course, communicated them in turn to the +President. + +I ventured to remind his Excellency of these facts. He heard me with +silent attention. + +"I fear," I concluded, "therefore, that it is impossible for me to be +of any assistance to your Excellency." + +He nodded, and gave a slight sigh. Then, with an air of closing the +subject, he said: + +"I suppose the directors are past reason. Help yourself to a brandy +and soda." + +"Allow me to mix one for you, sir," I answered. + +While I was preparing our beverages he remained silent. When I had sat +down again he said: + +"You occupy a very responsible position here for so young a man, Mr. +Martin--not beyond your merits, I am sure." + +I bowed. + +"They leave you a pretty free hand, don't they?" + +I replied that as far as routine business went I did much as seemed +good in my own eyes. + +"Routine business? including investments, for instance?" he asked. + +"Yes," said I; "investments in the ordinary course of +business--discounting bills and putting money out on loan and mortgage +over here. I place the money, and merely notify the people at home of +what I have done." + +"A most proper confidence to repose in you," the President was good +enough say. "Confidence is the life of business; you must trust a man. +It would be absurd to make you send home the bills, and deeds, and +certificate, and what not. Of course they wouldn't do that." + +Though this was a statement, somehow it also sounded like a question, +so I answered: + +"As a rule they do me the compliment of taking my word. The fact is, +they are, as your Excellency says, obliged to trust somebody." + +"Exactly as I thought. And you sometimes have large sums to place?" + +At this point, notwithstanding my respect for the President, I began +to smell a rat. + +"Oh, no, sir," I replied, "usually very small. Our business is not so +extensive as we could wish." + +"Whatever," said the President, looking me straight in the face, +"whatever may be usual, at this moment you have a large sum--a very +respectable sum--of money in your safe at the bank, waiting for +investment." + +"How the devil do you know that?" I cried. + +"Mr. Martin! It is no doubt my fault; I am too prone to ignore +etiquette; but you forget yourself." + +I hastened to apologize, although I was pretty certain the President +was contemplating a queer transaction, if not flat burglary. + +"Ten thousand pardons, your Excellency, for my most unbecoming tone, +but may I ask how you became possessed of this information?" + +"Jones told me," he said simply. + +As it would not have been polite to express the surprise I felt at +Jones' simplicity in choosing such a _confidant_, I held my peace. + +"Yes," continued the President, "owing to the recent sales of your +real property in this country (sales due, I fear, to a want of +confidence in my administration), you have at this moment a sum of +three hundred thousand dollars in the bank safe. Now (don't interrupt +me, please), the experience of a busy life teaches me that commercial +reputation and probity depend on results, not on methods. Your +directors have a prejudice against me and my Government. That +prejudice you, with your superior opportunities for judgment, cannot +share. You will serve your employers best by doing for them what they +haven't the sense and courage to do for themselves. I propose that +you should assume the responsibility of lending me this money. The +transaction will redound to the profit of the bank. It shall also," he +added slowly, "redound to your profit." + +I began to see my way. But there were difficulties. + +"What am I to tell the directors?" I asked. + +"You will make the usual return of investments and debts outstanding, +mortgages, loans on approved security--but you know better than I do." + +"False returns, your Excellency means?" + +"They will no doubt be formally inaccurate," the President admitted. + +"What if they ask for proofs?" said I. + +"Sufficient unto the day," said the President. + +"You have rather surprised me, sir," I said, "but I am most anxious +to oblige you, and to forward the welfare of Aureataland. There are, +however, two points which occur to me. First, how am I to be insured +against not getting my interest? That I must have." + +"Quite so," he interrupted. "And the second point I can anticipate. +It is, what token of my gratitude for your timely assistance can I +prevail on you to accept?" + +"Your Excellency's knowledge of human nature is surprising." + +"Kindly give me your attention, Mr. Martin, and I will try to satisfy +both your very reasonable requirements. You have $300,000; those you +will hand over to me, receiving in return Government six per cent. +bonds for that amount, I will then hand back to you $65,000; 45,000 +you will retain as security for your interest. In the event of any +failure on the part of Aureataland to meet her obligations honorably, +you will pay the interest on the whole 300,000 out of that sum. That +secures you for more than two years against absolute failure of +interest, which in reality you need not fear. Till the money is wanted +you will have the use of it. The remaining 20,000 I shall beg of you +to accept as your commission, or rather as a token of my esteem. +Two hundred thousand absolutely--45,000 as long as Aureataland pays +interest! You must admit I deal with you as one gentleman with +another, Mr. Martin. In the result, your directors get their interest, +I get my loan, you get your bonus. We are all benefited; no one is +hurt! All this is affected at the cost of a harmless stratagem." + +I was full of admiration. The scheme was very neat, and, as far as the +President and myself were concerned, he had been no more than just in +pointing out its advantages. As for the directors, they would probably +get their interest; anyhow, they would get it for two years. There was +risk, of course; a demand for evidence of my alleged investments, or a +sudden order to realize a heavy sum at short notice, would bring the +house about my ears. But I did not anticipate this _contretemps_, and +at the worst I had my twenty thousand dollars and could make myself +scarce therewith. These calculations were quite correct at the moment, +but I upset them afterward by spending the dollars and by contracting +a tie which made flight from Aureataland a distasteful alternative. + +"Well, Mr. Martin," said the President, "do you agree?" + +I still hesitated. Was it a moral scruple? Probably not, unless, +indeed, prudence and morality are the same thing. + +The President rose and put his hand on my shoulder. + +"Better say yes. I might take it, you know, and cause you to +disappear--believe me, with reluctance, Mr. Martin. It is true I +shouldn't like this course. It would perhaps make my position +here untenable. But not having the money would certainly make it +untenable." + +I saw the force of this argument, and gulping down my brandy and soda, +I said: + +"I can refuse your Excellency nothing." + +"Then take your hat and come along to the bank," said he. + +This was sharp work. + +"Your Excellency does not mean to take the money now--to-night?" I +exclaimed. + +"Not to take, Mr. Martin--to receive it from you. We have made our +bargain. What is the objection to carrying it out promptly?" + +"But I must have the bonds. They must be prepared, sir." + +"They are here," he said, taking a bundle from the drawer of a +writing-table. "Three hundred thousand dollars, six per cent. stock, +signed by myself, and countersigned by Don Antonio. Take your hat and +come along." + +I did as I was bid. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +AN EXCESS OF AUTHORITY. + + +It was a beautiful moonlight night, and Whittingham was looking her +best as we made our way along the avenue leading to the Piazza 1871. +The President walked briskly, silent but serene; I followed, the +trouble in my mind reflected in a somewhat hang-dog air, and I was not +much comforted when the President broke the stillness of the night by +saying: + +"You have set your foot on the first rung of the ladder that leads to +fame and wealth, Mr. Martin." + +I was rather afraid I had set it on the first rung of the ladder that +leads to the gallows. But there the foot was; what the ladder turned +out to be was in the hands of the gods; so I threw off care, and as we +entered the Piazza I pointed to the statue and said: + +"Behold my inspiring example, your Excellency." + +"By Jove, yes!" he replied; "I make the most of my opportunities." + +I knew he regarded me as one of his opportunities, and was making the +most of me. This is not a pleasant point of view to regard one's self +from, so I changed the subject, and said: + +"Shall we call for Don Antonio?" + +"Why?" + +"Well, as he's Minister of Finance, I thought perhaps his presence +would make the matter more regular." + +"If the presence of the President," said that official, "can't make +a matter regular, I don't know what can. Let him sleep on. Isn't his +signature on the bonds enough?" + +What could I do? I made one more weak objection: + +"What shall we tell Jones?" + +"What shall _we_ tell Jones?" he echoed. "Really, Mr. Martin, you must +use your discretion as to what you tell your employees. You can hardly +expect me to tell Jones anything, beyond that it's a fine morning." + +We had now reached the bank, which stood in Liberty Street, a turning +out of the Piazza. I took out my key, unlocked the door, and we +entered together. We passed into my inner sanctum, where the safe +stood. + +"What's it in?" asked the President. + +"United States bonds, and bills on New York and London," I replied. + +"Good," said he. "Let me look." + +I undid the safe, and took out the securities. He examined them +carefully, placing each after due scrutiny in a small handbag, in +which he had brought down the bonds I was to receive. I stood by, +holding a shaded candle. At this moment a voice cried from the door: + +"If you move you're dead men!" + +I started and looked up. The President looked up without starting. +There was dear old Jones, descended from his upper chamber, where he +and Mrs. Jones resided. He was clad only in his night-shirt, and was +leveling a formidable gun full at the august head of his Excellency. + +"Ah, Mr. Jones," said the latter "it's a fine morning." + +"Good Heavens, the President!" cried Jones; "and Mr. Martin! Why, what +on earth, gentlemen--" + +The President gently waved one hand toward me, as if to say, "Mr. +Martin will explain," and went on placing his securities in the bag. + +In face of this crisis my hesitation left me. + +"I have received a cable from Europe, Jones," said I, "instructing me +to advance a sum of money to his Excellency; I am engaged in carrying +out these instructions." + +"Cable?" said Jones. "Where is it?" + +"In my pocket," said I, feeling for it. "No! Why I must have left it +at the Golden House." + +The President came to my assistance. + +"I saw it on the table just before we started. Though I presume Mr. +Jones has no _right_--" + +"None at all," I said briskly. + +"Yet, as a matter of concession, Mr. Martin will no doubt show it to +him to-morrow?" + +"Strictly as a matter of concession perhaps I will, though I am bound +to say that I am surprised at your manner, Mr. Jones." + +Jones looked sadly puzzled. + +"It's all irregular, sir," said he. + +"Hardly more so than your costume!" said the President pleasantly. + +Jones was a modest man, and being thus made aware of the havoc the +draught was playing with his airy covering, he hastily closed the +door, and said to me appealingly: + +"It's all right, sir, I suppose?" + +"Perfectly right," said I. + +"But highly confidential," added the President. "And you will put me +under a personal obligation, Mr. Jones, and at the same time fulfill +your duty to your employers, if you preserve silence till the +transaction is officially announced. A man who serves me does not +regret it." + +Here he was making the most of another opportunity--Jones this time. + +"Enough of this," I said. "I will go over the matter in the morning, +and meanwhile hadn't you better go back to--" + +"Mrs. Jones," interjected his Excellency. "And mind, silence, Mr. +Jones!" + +He walked up to Jones as he said this, and looked hard at him. + +"Silent men prosper best, and live longest, Mr. Jones." + +Jones looked into his steely eyes, and suddenly fell all of a tremble. + +The President was satisfied. He abruptly pushed him out of the room, +and we heard his shambling steps going up the staircase. + +His Excellency turned to me, and said with apparent annoyance: + +"You leave a great deal to me, Mr. Martin." + +He had certainly done more than tell Jones it was a fine morning. But +I was too much troubled to thank him; I was thinking of the cable. The +President divined my thoughts, and said: + +"You must prepare that cable." + +"Yes," I replied; "that would reassure him. But I haven't had much +practice in that sort of thing, and I don't quite know--" + +The President scribbled a few words on a bit of paper, and said: + +"Take that to the post office and they'll give you the proper form; +you can fill it up." + +Certainly some things go easily if the head of the state is your +fellow-criminal. + +"And now, Mr. Martin, it grows late. I have my securities; you have +your bonds. We have won over Jones. All goes well. Aureataland is +saved. You have made your fortune, for there lie your sixty-five +thousand dollars. And, in fine, I am much obliged to you. I will not +trouble you to attend me on my return. Good-night, Mr. Martin." + +He went out, and I threw myself down in my office chair, and sat +gazing at the bonds he had left me. I wondered whether he had merely +made a tool of me; whether I could trust him; whether I had done well +to sacrifice my honesty, relying on his promises. And yet there lay my +reward; and, as purely moral considerations did not trouble me, I soon +arose, put the Government bonds and the sixty-five thousand dollars +in securities in the safe, locked up everything, and went home to my +lodgings. As I went in it was broad daylight, for the clock had +gone five, and I met Father Jacques sallying forth. He had already +breakfasted, and was on his way to administer early consolation to the +flower-women in the Piazza. He stopped me with a grieved look, and +said: + +"Ah, my friend, these are untimely hours." + +I saw I was laboring under an unjust suspicion--a most revolting +thing. + +"I have only just come from the bank," I said. "I had to dine at the +Golden House and afterward returned to finish up a bit of work." + +"Ah! that is well," he cried. "It is, then, the industrious and not +the idle apprentice I meet?" referring to a series of famous prints +with which my room was decorated, a gift from my father on my +departure. + +I nodded and passed on, saying to myself: "Deuced industrious, indeed. +Not many men have done such a night's work as I have." + +And that was how my fortunes became bound up with those of the +Aureataland national debt. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OVERTURES FROM THE OPPOSITION. + + +After the incidents above recorded, things went on quietly enough for +some months. I had a serious talk with Jones, reproaching him gravely +for his outrageous demeanor. He capitulated abjectly on being shown +the cable, which was procured in the manner kindly indicated by the +President. The latter had perhaps been in too great a hurry with his +heavy guns, for his hint of violence had rather stirred than allayed +Jones' apprehensions. If there were nothing to conceal, why should his +Excellency not stick at murder to hide it? However, I explained to him +the considerations of high policy, dictating inviolable secrecy, +and justifying a somewhat arbitrary way of dealing with a trusted +official; and the marked graciousness with which Jones was received +when he met the President at the ministry of finance on current +business went far to obliterate his unpleasant recollections. I +further bound him to my fortunes by obtaining for him a rise of salary +from the directors, "in consequence of the favorable report of his +conduct received from Mr. Martin." + +Peaceful as matters seemed, I was not altogether at ease. To begin +with the new loan did not apparently at all improve the financial +position of Aureataland. Desolation still reigned on the scene of the +harbor works; there was the usual difficulty in paying salaries +and meeting current expenditure. The President did not invite my +confidence as to the disposal of his funds; indeed before long I was +alarmed to see a growing coldness in his manner, which I considered +at once ungrateful and menacing; and when the half-year came round he +firmly refused to disburse more than half the amount of interest due +on the second loan, thus forcing me to make an inroad on my reserve +of forty-five thousand dollars. He gave me many good reasons for this +course of conduct, dwelling chiefly on the necessary unproductiveness +of public works in their early stages, and confidently promising full +payment with arrears next time. Nevertheless, I began to see that I +must face the possibility of a continual drain on resources that I had +fondly hoped would be available for my own purposes for a considerable +time at least. Thus one thing and another contributed to open a breach +between his Excellency and myself, and, although I never ceased to +feel his charm as a private companion, my distrust of him as a ruler, +and, I may add, as a fellow-conspirator, steadily deepened. + +Other influences were at this time--for we have now reached the +beginning of 1883--at work in the same direction. Rich in the +possession of my "bonus," I had plunged even more freely than before +into the gayeties of Whittingham, and where I was welcome before, I +was now a doubly honored guest. I had also taken to play on a somewhat +high scale, and it was my reputation as a daring gambler that procured +me the honor of an acquaintance with the signorina, the lady to whom +the President had referred during his interview with me; and my +acquaintance with the signorina was very rich in results. + +This lady was, after the President, perhaps the best-known person in +Aureataland--best known, that is, by name and face and fame--for her +antecedents and circumstances were wrapped in impenetrable mystery. +When I arrived in the country the Signorina Christina Nugent had been +settled there about a year. She had appeared originally as a member of +an operatic company, which had paid a visit to our National Theater +from the United States. The company passed on its not very brilliant +way, but the signorina remained behind. It was said she had taken a +fancy to Whittingham, and, being independent of her profession, had +determined to make a sojourn there. At any rate, there she was; +whether she took a fancy to Whittingham, or whether someone in +Whittingham took a fancy to her, remained in doubt. She established +herself in a pretty villa closely adjoining the Golden House; it stood +opposite the presidential grounds, commanding a view of that stately +inclosure; and here she dwelt, under the care of a lady whom she +called "Aunt," known to the rest of the world as Mrs. Carrington. The +title "Signorina" was purely professional; for all I know the name +"Nugent" was equally a creature of choice; but, anyhow, the lady +herself never professed to be anything but English, and openly stated +that she retained her title simply because it was more musical than +that of "Miss." The old lady and the young one lived together in great +apparent amity, and certainly in the utmost material comfort; for they +probably got through more money than anyone in the town, and there +always seemed to be plenty more where that came from. Where it did +come from was, I need hardly say, a subject of keen curiosity in +social circles; and when I state that the signorina was now about +twenty-three years of age, and of remarkably prepossessing appearance, +it will be allowed that we in Whittingham were no worse than other +people if we entertained some uncharitable suspicions. The signorina, +however, did not make the work of detection at all easy. She became +almost at once a leading figure in society; her _salon_ was the +meeting-place of all parties and most sets; she received many gracious +attentions from the Golden House, but none on which slander could +definitely settle. She was also frequently the hostess of members of +the Opposition, and of no one more often than their leader, +Colonel George McGregor, a gentleman of Scotch extraction, but not +pronouncedly national characteristics, who had attained a high +position in the land of his adoption; for not only did he lead the +Opposition in politics, but he was also second in command of the army. +He entered the Chamber as one of the President's nominees (for the +latter had reserved to himself power to nominate five members), but at +the time of which I write the colonel had deserted his former chief, +and, secure in his popularity with the forces, defied the man by whose +help he had risen. Naturally, the President disliked him, a feeling I +cordially shared. But his Excellency's disapproval did not prevent the +signorina receiving McGregor with great cordiality, though here again +with no more _empressement_ than his position seemed to demand. + +I have as much curiosity as my neighbors, and I was proportionately +gratified when the doors of "Mon Repos," as the signorina called her +residence, were opened to me. My curiosity, I must confess, was not +unmixed with other feelings; for I was a young man at heart, though +events had thrown sobering responsibilities upon me, and the sight of +the signorina in her daily drives was enough to inspire a thrill even +in the soul of a bank manager. She was certainly very beautiful--a +tall, fair girl, with straight features and laughing eyes. I shall +not attempt more description, because all such descriptions sound +commonplace, and the signorina was, even by the admission of her +enemies, at least very far from commonplace. It must suffice to say +that, like Father O'Flynn, she "had such a way with her" that all of +us men in Aureataland, old and young, rich and poor, were at her +feet, or ready to be there on the least encouragement. She was, to my +thinking, the very genius of health, beauty, and gayety; and she put +the crowning touch to her charms by very openly and frankly soliciting +and valuing the admiration she received. For, after all, it's only +exceptional men who are attracted by _difficile_ beauty; to most of +us a gracious reception of our timid advances is the most subtle +temptation of the devil. + +It may be supposed, then, that I thought my money very well invested +when it procured me an invitation to "Mon Repos," where the lady of +the house was in the habit of allowing a genteel amount of gambling +among her male friends. She never played herself, but stood and looked +on with much interest. On occasion she would tempt fortune by the hand +of a chosen deputy, and nothing could be prettier or more artistic +than her behavior. She was just eager enough for a girl unused to the +excitement and fond of triumph, just indifferent enough to show that +her play was merely a pastime, and the gain of the money or its loss a +matter of no moment. Ah! signorina, you were a great artist. + +At "Mon Repos" I soon became an habitual, and, I was fain to think, a +welcome, guest. Mrs. Carrington, who entertained a deep distrust of +the manners and excesses of Aureataland, was good enough to consider +me eminently respectable, while the signorina was graciousness itself. +I was even admitted to the select circle at the dinner party which, as +a rule, preceded her Wednesday evening reception, and I was a constant +figure round the little roulette board, which, of all forms of gaming, +was our hostess' favorite delectation. The colonel was, not to my +pleasure, an equally invariable guest, and the President himself would +often honor the party with his presence, an honor we found rather +expensive, for his luck at all games of skill or chance was +extraordinary. + +"I have always trusted Fortune," he would say, "and to me she is not +fickle." + +"Who would be fickle if your Excellency were pleased to trust her?" +the signorina would respond, with a glance of almost fond admiration. + +This sort of thing did not please McGregor. He made no concealment +of the fact that he claimed the foremost place among the signorina's +admirers, utterly declining to make way even for the President. The +latter took his boorishness very quietly; and I could not avoid the +conclusion that the President held, or thought he held, the trumps. +I was, naturally, intensely jealous of both these great men, and, +although I had no cause to complain of my treatment, I could not +stifle some resentment at the idea that I was, after all, an outsider +and not allowed a part in the real drama that was going on. My +happiness was further damped by the fact that luck ran steadily +against me, and I saw my bonus dwindling very rapidly. I suppose I +may as well be frank, and confess that my bonus, to speak strictly, +vanished within six months after I first set foot in "Mon Repos," +and I found it necessary to make that temporary use of the "interest +fund," which the President had indicated as open to me under the terms +of our bargain. However, my uneasiness on this score was lightened +when the next installment of interest was punctually paid, and, with +youthful confidence, I made little doubt that luck would turn before +long. + +Thus time passed on, and the beginning of 1884 found us all leading an +apparently merry and untroubled life. In public affairs the temper +was very different. The scarcity of money was intense, and serious +murmuring had arises when the President "squandered" his ready money +in buying interest, leaving his civil servants and soldiers unpaid. +This was the topic of much discussion in the press at the time, when I +went up one March evening to the signorina's. I had been detained +at the bank, and found the play in full swing when I came in. The +signorina was taking no part in it, but sat by herself on a low lounge +by the veranda window. I went up to her and made my bow. + +"You spare us but little of your time, Mr. Martin," she said. + +"Ah, but you have all my thoughts," I replied, for she was looking +charming. + +"I don't care so much about your thoughts," she said. Then, after a +pause, she went on, "It's very hot here, come into the conservatory." + +It almost looked as though she had been waiting for me, and I followed +in high delight into the long, narrow glass house running parallel to +the _salon_. High green plants hid us from the view of those inside, +and we only heard distinctly his Excellency's voice, saying with much +geniality to the colonel, "Well, you must be lucky in love, colonel," +from which I concluded that the colonel was not in the vein at cards. + +The signorina smiled slightly as she heard; then she plucked a white +rose, turned round, and stood facing me, slightly flushed as though +with some inner excitement. + +"I am afraid those two gentlemen do not love one another," she said. + +"Hardly," I assented. + +"And you, do you love them--or either of them?" + +"I love only one person in Aureataland," I replied, as ardently as I +dared. + +The signorina bit her rose, glancing up at me with unfeigned amusement +and pleasure. I think I have mentioned that she didn't object to +honest admiration. + +"Is it possible you mean me?" she said, making me a little courtesy. +"I only think so because most of the Whittingham ladies would not +satisfy your fastidious taste." + +"No lady in the world could satisfy me except one," I answered, +thinking she took it a little too lightly. + +"Ah! so you say," she said. "And yet I don't suppose you would do +anything for me, Mr. Martin?" + +"It would be my greatest happiness," I cried. + +She said nothing, but stood there, biting the rose. + +"Give it to me," I said; "it shall be my badge of service." + +"You will serve me, then?" said she. + +"For what reward?" + +"Why, the rose!" + +"I should like the owner too," I ventured to remark. + +"The rose is prettier than the owner," she said; "and, at any rate, +one thing at a time, Mr. Martin! Do you pay your servants all their +wages in advance?" + +My practice was so much the contrary that I really couldn't deny the +force of her reasoning. She held out the rose. I seized it and pressed +it close to my lips, thereby squashing it considerably. + +"Dear me," said the signorina, "I wonder if I had given you the other +thing whether you would have treated it so roughly." + +"I'll show you in a moment," said I. + +"Thank you, no, not just now," she said, showing no alarm, for she +knew she was safe with me. Then she said abruptly: + +"Are you a Constitutionalist or a Liberal, Mr. Martin?" + +I must explain that, in the usual race for the former title, the +President's party had been first at the post, and the colonel's +gang (as I privately termed it) had to put up with the alternative +designation. Neither name bore any relation to facts. + +"Are we going to talk politics?" said I reproachfully. + +"Yes, a little; you see we got to an _impasse_ on the other topic. +Tell me." + +"Which are you, signorina?" I asked. + +I really wanted to know; so did a great many people. + +She thought for a moment, and then said: + +"I have a great regard for the President. He has been most kind to me. +He has shown me real affection." + +"The devil he has!" I muttered. + +"I beg your pardon?" said she. + +"I only said, 'Of course he has.' The President has the usual +complement of eyes." + +The signorina smiled again, but went on as if I hadn't spoken. + +"On the other hand, I cannot disguise from myself that some of his +measures are not wise." + +I said I had never been able to disguise it from myself. + +"The colonel, of course, is of the same opinion," she continued. +"About the debt, for instance. I believe your bank is interested in +it?" + +This was no secret, so I said: + +"Oh, yes, to a considerable extent." + +"And you?" she asked softly. + +"Oh, I am not a capitalist! no money of mine has gone into the debt." + +"No money of yours, no. But aren't you interested in it?" she +persisted. + +This was rather odd. Could she know anything? + +She drew nearer to me, and, laying a hand lightly on my arm, said +reproachfully: + +"Do you love people, and yet not trust them, Mr. Martin?" + +This was exactly my state of feeling toward the signorina, but I could +not say so. I was wondering how far I should be wise to trust her, and +that depended largely on how far his Excellency had seen fit to trust +her with my secrets. I finally said: + +"Without disclosing other people's secrets, signorina, I may admit +that if anything went wrong with the debt my employers' opinion of my +discretion would be severely shaken." + +"Of your _discretion_," she said, laughing. "Thank you, Mr. Martin. +And you would wish that not to happen?" + +"I would take a good deal of pains to prevent its happening." + +"Not less willingly if your interest and mine coincided?" + +I was about to make a passionate reply when we heard the President's +voice saying: + +"And where is our hostess? I should like to thank her before I go." + +"Hush," whispered the signorina. "We must go back. You will be true to +me, Mr. Martin?" + +"Call me Jack," said I idiotically. + +"Then you will be true, O _Jack_?" she said, stifling a laugh. + +"Till death," said I, hoping it would not be necessary. + +She gave me her hand, which I kissed with fervor, and we returned to +the _salon_, to find all the players risen from the table and standing +about in groups, waiting to make their bows till the President had +gone through that ceremony. I was curious to hear if anything passed +between him and the signorina, but I was pounced upon by Donna +Antonia, the daughter of the minister of finance, who happened to be +present, notwithstanding the late hour, as a guest of the signorina's +for the night. She was a handsome young lady, a Spanish brunette of +the approved pattern, but with manners formed at a New York boarding +school, where she had undergone a training that had tempered, without +destroying, her native gentility. She had distinguished me very +favorably, and I was vain enough to suppose she honored me by some +jealousy of my _penchant_ for the signorina. + +"I hope you have enjoyed yourself in the conservatory," she said +maliciously. + +"We were talking business, Donna Antonia," I replied. + +"Ah! business! I hear of nothing but business. There is papa gone down +to the country and burying himself alive to work out some great scheme +of business." + +I pricked up my ears. + +"Ah! what scheme is that?" I asked. + +"Oh, I don't know! Something about that horrid debt. But I was told +not to say anything about it!" + +The debt was becoming a bore. The whole air was full of it. I hastily +paid Donna Antonia a few incoherent compliments, and took my leave. +As I was putting on my coat Colonel McGregor joined me and, with more +friendliness than he usually showed me, accompanied me down the avenue +toward the _Piazza_. After some indifferent remarks he began: + +"Martin, you and I have separate interests in some matters, but I +think we have the same in others." + +I knew at once what he meant; it was that debt over again! + +I remained silent, and he continued: + +"About the debt, for instance. You are interested in the debt?" + +"Somewhat," said I. "A banker generally is interested in a debt." + +"I thought so," said the colonel. "A time may come when we can act +together. Meanwhile, keep your eye on the debt. Good-night!" + +We parted at the door of his chambers in the Piazza, and I went on to +my lodgings. + +As I got into bed, rather puzzled and very uneasy, I damned the debt. +Then, remembering that the debt was, as it seemed, for some reason a +common interest to the signorina and myself, I apologized to it, and +fell asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +I APPRECIATE THE SITUATION. + + +The flight of time brought no alleviation to the troubles of +Aureataland. If an individual hard up is a pathetic sight, a nation +hard up is an alarming spectacle; and Aureataland was very hard up. +I suppose somebody had some money. But the Government had none; in +consequence the Government employees had none, the officials had +none, the President had none, and finally, I had none. The bank had a +little--of other people's, of course--but I was quite prepared for +a "run" on us any day, and had cabled to the directors to implore a +remittance in cash, for our notes were at a discount humiliating to +contemplate. Political strife ran high. I dropped into the House of +Assembly one afternoon toward the end of May, and, looking down from +the gallery, saw the colonel in the full tide of wrathful declamation. +He was demanding of miserable Don Antonio when the army was to be +paid. The latter sat cowering under his scorn, and would, I verily +believe, have bolted out of the House had he not been nailed to his +seat by the cold eye of the President, who was looking on from his +box. The minister on rising had nothing to urge but vague promises of +speedy payment; but he utterly lacked the confident effrontery of his +chief, and nobody was deceived by his weak protestations. I left the +House in a considerable uproar, and strolled on to the house of a +friend of mine, one Mme. Devarges, the widow of a French gentleman +who had found his way to Whittingham from New Calendonia. Politeness +demanded the assumption that he had found his way to New Caledonia +owing to political troubles, but the usual cloud hung over the precise +date and circumstances of his patriotic sacrifice. Madame sometimes +considered it necessary to bore herself and others with denunciations +of the various tyrants or would-be tyrants of France; but, apart from +this pious offering on the shrine of her husband's reputation, she +was a bright and pleasant little woman. I found assembled round her +tea-table a merry party, including Donna Antonia, unmindful of her +father's agonies, and one Johnny Carr, who deserves mention as being +the only honest man in Aureataland. I speak, of course, of the place +as I found it. He was a young Englishman, what they call a "cadet," of +a good family, shipped off with a couple of thousand pounds to make +his fortune. Land was cheap among us, and Johnny had bought an estate +and settled down as a landowner. Recently he had blossomed forth as a +keen Constitutionalist and a devoted admirer of the President's, and +held a seat in the assembly in that interest. Johnny was not a clever +man nor a wise one, but he was merry, and, as I have thought it +necessary to mention, honest. + +"Hallo, Johnny! Why not at the House?" said I to him. "You'll want +every vote to-night. Be off and help the ministry, and take Donna +Antonia with you. They're eating up the Minister of Finance." + +"All right! I'm going as soon as I've had another muffin," said +Johnny. "But what's the row about?" + +"Well, they want their money," I replied; "and Don Antonio won't give +it them. Hence bad feeling." + +"Tell you what it is," said Johnny; "he hasn't got a--" + +Here Donna Antonia struck in, rather suddenly, I thought. + +"Do stop the gentleman talking politics, Mme. Devarges. They'll spoil +our tea-party." + +"Your word is law," I said; "but I should like to know what Don +Antonio hasn't got." + +"Now do be quiet," she rejoined; "isn't it quite enough that he has +got--a charming daughter?" + +"And a most valuable one," I replied, with a bow, for I saw that for +some reason or other Donna Antonia did not mean to let me pump Johnny +Carr, and I wanted to pump him. + +"Don't say another word, Mr. Carr," she said, with a laugh. "You know +you don't know anything, do you?" + +"Good Lord, no!" said Johnny. + +Meanwhile Mme. Devarges was giving me a cup of tea. As she handed it +to me, she said in a low voice: + +"If I were his friend I should take care Johnny didn't know anything, +Mr. Martin." + +"If I were his friend I should take care he told me what he knew, Mme. +Devarges," I replied. + +"Perhaps that's what the colonel thinks," she said. "Johnny has just +been telling us how very attentive he has become. And the signorina +too, I hear." + +"You don't mean that?" I exclaimed. "But, after all, pure kindness, no +doubt!" + +"You have received many attentions from those quarters," she said. "No +doubt you are a good judge of the motives." + +"Don't, now don't be disagreeable," said I. "I came here for peace." + +"Poor young man! have you lost all your money? Is it possible that +you, like Don Antonio, haven't got a--" + +"What is going to happen?" I asked, for Mme. Devarges often had +information. + +"I don't know," she said. "But if I owned national bonds, I should +sell." + +"Pardon me, madame; you would offer to sell." + +She laughed. + +"Ah! I see my advice comes too late." + +I did not see any need to enlighten her farther. So I passed on to +Donna Antonia, who had sat somewhat sulkily since her outburst. I sat +down by her and said: + +"Surely I haven't offended you?" + +"You know you wouldn't care if you had," she said, with a reproachful +but not unkind glance. "Now, if it were the signorina--" + +I never object to bowing down in the temple of Rimmon, so I said: + +"Hang the signorina!" + +"If I thought you meant that," said Donna Antonia, "I might be able to +help you." + +"Do I want help?" I asked. + +"Yes," said she. + +"Then suppose I do mean it?" + +Donna Antonia refused to be frivolous. With a look of genuine distress +she said: + +"You will not let your real friends save you, Mr. Martin. You know you +want help. Why don't you consider the state of your affairs?" + +"In that, at least, my friends in Whittingham are very ready to help +me," I answered, with some annoyance. + +"If you take it in that way," she replied sadly, "I can do nothing." + +I was rather touched. Clearly she wished to be of some use to me, and +for a moment I thought I might do better to tear myself free from my +chains, and turn to the refuge opened to me. But I could not do +this; and, thinking it would be rather mean to take advantage of +her interest in me only to use it for my own purposes, I yielded to +conscience and said: + +"Donna Antonia, I will be straightforward with you. You can only help +me if I accept your guidance? I can't do that. I am too deep in." + +"Yes, you are deep in, and eager to be deeper," she said. "Well, so be +it. If that is so I cannot help you." + +"Thank you for your kind attempt," said I. "I shall very likely be +sorry some day that I repulse it. I shall always be glad to remember +that you made it." + +She looked at me a moment, and said: + +"We have ruined you among us." + +"Mind, body, and estate?" + +She made no reply, and I saw my return to flippancy wounded her. So I +rose and took my leave. Johnny Carr went with me. + +"Things look queer, eh, old man?" said he. "But the President will +pull through in spite of the colonel and his signorina." + +"Johnny," said I, "you hurt my feelings; but, still, I will give you a +piece of advice." + +"Drive on," said Johnny. + +"Marry Donna Antonia," said I. "She's a good girl and a clever girl, +and won't let you get drunk or robbed." + +"By Jove, that's not a bad idea!" said he. "Why don't you do it +yourself?" + +"Because I'm like you, Johnny--an ass," I replied, and left him +wondering why, if he was an ass and I was an ass, one ass should marry +Donna Antonia, and not both or neither. + +As I went along I bought the _Gazette_, the government organ, and read +therein: + +"At a Cabinet Council this afternoon, presided over by his Excellency, +we understand that the arrangements connected with the national debt +formed the subject of discussion. The resolutions arrived at are at +present strictly confidential, but we have the best authority for +stating that the measures to be adopted will have the effect of +materially alleviating the present tension, and will afford unmixed +satisfaction to the immense majority of the citizens of Aureataland. +The President will once again be hailed as the saviour of his +country." + +"I wonder if the immense majority will include me," said I. "I think I +will go and see his Excellency." + +Accordingly, the next morning I took my way to the Golden House, where +I learned that the President was at the Ministry of Finance. Arriving +there, I sent in my card, writing thereon a humble request for a +private interview. I was ushered into Don Antonio's room, where I +found the minister himself, the President, and Johnny Carr. As I +entered and the servant, on a sign from his Excellency, placed a chair +for me, the latter said rather stiffly: + +"As I presume this is a business visit, Mr. Martin, it is more regular +that I should receive you in the presence of one of my constitutional +advisers. Mr. Carr is acting as my secretary, and you can speak freely +before him." + +I was annoyed at failing in my attempt to see the President alone, but +not wishing to show it, I merely bowed and said: + +"I venture to intrude on your Excellency, in consequence of a +letter from my directors. They inform me that, to use their words, +'disquieting rumors' are afloat on the exchanges in regard to the +Aureataland loan, and they direct me to submit to your Excellency the +expediency of giving some public notification relative to the payment +of the interest falling due next month. It appears from their +communication that it is apprehended that some difficulty may occur in +the matter." + +"Would not this application, if necessary at all, have been, more +properly made to the Ministry of Finance in the first instance?" said +the President. "These details hardly fall within my province." + +"I can only follow my instructions, your Excellency," I replied. + +"Have you any objection, Mr. Martin," said the President, "to allowing +myself and my advisers to see this letter?" + +"I am empowered to submit it only to your Excellency's own eye." + +"Oh, only to my eye," said he, with an amused expression. "That was +why the interview was to be private?" + +"Exactly, sir," I replied. "I intend no disrespect to the Minister of +Finance or to your secretary, sir, but I am bound by my orders." + +"You are an exemplary servant, Mr. Martin. But I don't think I need +trouble you about it further. Is it a cable?" + +He smiled so wickedly at this question that I saw he had penetrated my +little fiction. However, I only said: + +"A letter, sir." + +"Well, gentlemen," said he to the others, "I think we may reassure Mr. +Martin. Tell your directors this, Mr. Martin: The Government does not +see any need of a public notification, and none will be made. I think +we agree, gentlemen, that to acknowledge the necessity of any such +action would be highly derogatory. But assure them that the President +has stated to you, Mr. Martin, personally, with the concurrence of +his advisers, that he anticipates no difficulties in your being in a +position to remit the full amount of interest to them on the proper +day." + +"I may assure them, sir, that the interest will be punctually paid?" + +"Surely I expressed myself in a manner you could understand," said he, +with the slightest emphasis on the "you." "Aureataland will meet her +obligations. You will receive all your due, Mr. Martin. That is so, +gentlemen?" + +Don Antonio acquiesced at once. Johnny Carr, I noticed, said nothing, +and fidgeted rather uneasily in his chair. I knew what the President +meant. He meant, "If we don't pay, pay it out of your reserve fund." +Alas, the reserve fund was considerably diminished; I had enough, and +just enough, left to pay the next installment if I paid none of my +own debts. I felt very vicious as I saw his Excellency taking keen +pleasure in the consciousness of my difficulties (for he had a shrewd +notion of how the land lay), but of course I could say nothing. So I +rose and bowed myself out, feeling I had gained nothing, except a very +clear conviction that I should not see the color of the President's +money on the next interest day. True, I could just pay myself. But +what would happen next time? And if he wouldn't pay, and I couldn't +pay, the game would be up. As to the original loan, it is true I had +no responsibility; but then, if no interest were paid, the fact that +I had applied the second loan, _my_ loan, in a different manner from +what I was authorized to do, and had represented myself to have done, +would be inevitably discovered. And my acceptance of the bonus, my +dealings with the reserve fund, my furnishing inaccurate returns of +investments, all this would, I knew, look rather queer to people who +didn't know the circumstances. + +When I went back to the bank, revolving these things in my mind, I +found Jones employed in arranging the correspondence. It was part of +his duty to see to the preservation and filing of all letters arriving +from Europe, and, strange to say, he delighted in the task. It was +part of my duty to see he did his; so I sat down and began to turn +over the pile of letters and messages which he had put on my desk; +they dated back two years; this surprised me, and I said: + +"Rather behindhand, aren't you. Jones?" + +"Yes, sir, rather. Fact is, I've done 'em before, but as you've never +initialed 'em, I thought I ought to bring 'em to your notice." + +"Quite right--very neglectful of me. I suppose they're all right?" + +"Yes, sir, all right." + +"Then I won't trouble to go through them." + +"They're all there, sir, except, of course, the cable about the second +loan, sir." + +"Except what?" I said. + +"The cable about the second loan," he repeated. + +I was glad to be reminded of this, for of course I wished to remove +that document before the bundle finally took its place among the +archives. Indeed, I thought I had done so. But why had Jones removed +it? Surely Jones was not as skeptical as that? + +"Ah, and where have you put that?" + +"Why, sir, his Excellency took that." + +"What?" I cried. + +"Yes, sir. Didn't I mention it? Why, the day after you and the +President were here that night, his Excellency came down in the +afternoon, when you'd gone out to the Piazza, and said he wanted it. +He said, sir, that you'd said it was to go to the Ministry of Finance. +He was very affable, sir, and told me that it was necessary the +original should be submitted to the minister for his inspection; and +as he was passing by (he'd come in to cash a check on his private +account) he'd take it up himself. Hasn't he given it back to you, sir? +He said he would." + +I had just strength enough to gasp out: + +"Slipped his memory, no doubt. All right, Jones." + +"May I go now, sir?" said Jones. "Mrs. Jones wanted me to go with her +to--" + +"Yes, go," said I, and as he went out I added a destination different, +no doubt, from what the good lady had proposed. For I saw it all now. +That old villain (pardon my warmth) had stolen my forged cable, and, +if need arose, meant to produce it as his own justification. I had +been done, done brown--and Jones' idiocy had made the task easy. I +had no evidence but my word that the President knew the message was +fabricated. Up till now I had thought that if I stood convicted I +should have the honor of his Excellency's support in the dock. But +now! why now, I might prove myself a thief, but I couldn't prove him +one. I had convinced Jones, not for my good, but for his. I had forged +papers, not for my good, but for his. True, I had spent the money +myself, but-- + +"Damn it all!" I cried in the bitterness of my spirit, "he won about +three-quarters of that." + +And his Excellency's words came back to my memory, "I make the most of +my opportunities." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MOURONS POUR LA PATRIE! + + +The next week was a busy one for me. I spent it in scraping together +every bit of cash I could lay my hands on. If I could get together +enough to pay the interest on the three hundred thousand dollars +supposed to be invested in approved securities,--really disposed of in +a manner only known to his Excellency,--I should have six months to +look about me. Now, remaining out of my "bonus" was _nil_, out of my +"reserve fund" ten thousand dollars. This was enough. But alas! how +happened it that this sum was in my hands? Because I had borrowed +five thousand from the bank! If they wouldn't let their own manager +overdraw, whom would they? So I overdrew. But if this money wasn't +back before the monthly balancing, Jones would know! And I dared not +rely on being able to stop his mouth again. When I said Johnny Carr +was the only honest man in Aureataland I forgot Jones. To my grief and +annoyance Jones also was honest, and Jones would consider it his duty +to let the directors know of my overdraft. If once they knew, I was +lost, for an overdraft effected privately from the safe by the manager +is, I do not deny it, decidedly irregular. Unless I could add five +thousand dollars to my ten thousand before the end of the month I +should have to bolt! + +This melancholy conclusion was reenforced and rendered demonstrable by +a letter which arrived, to crown my woes, from my respected father, +informing me that he had unhappily become indebted to our chairman in +the sum of two thousand pounds, the result of a deal between them, +that he had seen the chairman, that the chairman was urgent for +payment, that he used most violent language against our family in +general, ending by declaring his intention of stopping my salary to +pay the parental debt. "If he doesn't like it he may go, and small +loss." This was a most unjustifiable proceeding, but I was hardly in a +position to take up a high moral attitude toward the chairman, and in +the result I saw myself confronted with the certainty of beggary and +the probability of jail. But for this untoward reverse of fortune I +might have taken courage and made a clean breast of my misdoings, +relying on the chairman's obligations to my father to pull me through. +But now, where was I? I was, as Donna Antonia put it, very deep in +indeed. So overwhelmed was I by my position, and so occupied with my +frantic efforts to improve it, that I did not even find time to go and +see the signorina, much as I needed comfort; and, as the days went on, +I fell into such despair that I went nowhere, but sat dismally in my +own rooms, looking at my portmanteau, and wondering how soon I must +pack and fly, if not for life, at least for liberty. + +At last the crash came. I was sitting in my office one morning, +engaged in the difficult task of trying to make ten into fifteen, when +I heard the clatter of hoofs. + +A moment later the door was opened, and Jones ushered in Colonel +McGregor. I nodded to the colonel, who came in with his usual +leisurely step, sat himself down, and took off his gloves. I roused +myself to say: + +"What can I do for you, colonel?" + +He waited till the door closed behind Jones, and then said: + +"I've got to the bottom of it at last, Martin." + +This was true of myself also, but the colonel meant it in a different +sense. + +"Bottom of what?" I asked, rather testily. + +"That old scamp's villainy," said he, jerking his thumb toward the +Piazza and the statue of the Liberator. "He's very 'cute, but he's +made a mistake at last." + +"Do come to the point, colonel. What's it all about?" + +"Would you be surprised to hear," said the colonel, adopting a famous +mode of speech, "that the interest on the debt would not be paid on +the 31st?" + +"No, I shouldn't," said I resignedly. + +"Would you be surprised to hear that no more interest would ever be +paid?" + +"The devil!" I cried, leaping up. "What do you mean, man?" + +"The President," said he calmly, "will, on the 31st instant, +_repudiate the national debt_!" + +I had nothing left to say. I fell back in my chair and gazed at the +colonel, who was now employed in lighting a cigarette. At the same +moment a sound of rapid wheels struck on my ears. Then I heard the +sweet, clear voice I knew so well saying: + +"I'll just disturb him for a moment, Mr. Jones. I want him to tear +himself from work for a day, and come for a ride." + +She opened my door, and came swiftly in. On seeing the colonel she +took in the position, and said to that gentleman: + +"Have you told him?" + +"I have just done so, signorina," he replied. + +I had not energy enough to greet her; so she also sat down uninvited, +and took off her gloves--not lazily, like the colonel, but with an air +as though she would, if a man, take off her coat, to meet the crisis +more energetically. + +At last I said, with conviction: + +"He's a wonderful man! How did you find it out, colonel?" + +"Had Johnny Carr to dine and made him drunk," said that worthy. + +"You don't mean he trusted Johnny?" + +"Odd, isn't it?" said the colonel. "With his experience, too. He might +have known Johnny was an ass. I suppose there was no one else." + +"He knew," said the signorina, "anyone else in the place would betray +him; he knew Johnny wouldn't if he could help it. He underrated your +powers, colonel." + +"Well," said I, "I can't help it, can I? My directors will lose. The +bondholders will lose. But how does it hurt me?" + +The colonel and the signorina both smiled gently. + +"You do it very well, Martin," said the former, "but it will save time +if I state that both Signorina Nugent and myself are possessed of +the details regarding the--" (The colonel paused, and stroked his +mustache.) + +"The second loan," said the signorina. + +I was less surprised at this, recollecting certain conversations. + +"Ah! and how did you find that out?" I asked. + +"She told me," said the colonel, indicating his fair neighbor. + +"And may I ask how you found it out, signorina?" + +"The President told me," said that lady. + +"Did you make him drunk?" + +"No, not drunk," was her reply, in a very demure voice, and with +downcast eyes. + +We could guess how it had been done, but neither of us cared to pursue +the subject. After a pause, I said: + +"Well, as you both know all about it, it's no good keeping up +pretenses. It's very kind of you to come and warn me." + +"You dear, good Mr. Martin," said the signorina, "our motives are not +purely those of friendship." + +"Why, how does it matter to you?" + +"Simply this," said she: "the bank and its excellent manager own most +of the debt. The colonel and I own the rest. If it is repudiated, the +bank loses; yes, but the manager, and the colonel, and the Signorina +Nugent are lost!" + +"I didn't know this," I said, rather bewildered. + +"Yes," said the colonel, "when the first loan was raised I lent him +one hundred thousand dollars. We were thick then, and I did it in +return for my rank and my seat in the Chamber. Since then I've bought +up some more shares." + +"You got them cheap, I suppose?" said I. + +"Yes," he replied, "I averaged them at about seventy-five cents the +five-dollar share." + +"And what do you hold now, nominally?" + +"Three hundred thousand dollars," said he shortly. + +"I understand your interest in the matter. But you, signorina?" + +The signorina appeared a little embarrassed. But at last she broke +out: + +"I don't care if I do tell you. When I agreed to stay here, he [we +knew whom she meant] gave me one hundred thousand dollars. And I had +fifty thousand, or thereabouts, of my own that I had--" + +"Saved out of your salary as a prima donna," put in the colonel. + +"What does it matter?" said she, flushing; "I had it. Well, then, what +did he do? He persuaded me to put it all--the whole one hundred and +fifty thousand--into his horrid debt. Oh! wasn't it mean, Mr. Martin?" + +The President had certainly combined business and pleasure in this +matter. + +"Disgraceful!" I remarked. + +"And if that goes, I am penniless--penniless. And there's poor aunt. +What will she do?" + +"Never mind your aunt," said the colonel, rather rudely. "Well," he +went on, "you see we're in the same boat with you, Martin." + +"Yes; and we shall soon be in the same deep water," said I. + +"Not at all!" said the colonel. + +"Not at all!" echoed the signorina. + +"Why, what on earth are you going to do?" + +"Financial probity is the backbone of a country," said the colonel. +"Are we to stand by and see Aureataland enter on the shameful path of +repudiation?" + +"Never!" cried the signorina, leaping up with sparkling eyes. "Never!" + +She looked enchanting. But business is business; and I said again: + +"What are you going to do?" + +"We are going, with your help, Martin, to prevent this national +disgrace. We are going--" he lowered his voice, uselessly, for the +signorina struck in, in a high, merry tone, waving her gloves over +head and dancing a little _pas seul_ on the floor before me, with +these remarkable words: + +"Hurrah for the Revolution! Hip! hip! hurrah!" + +She looked like a Goddess of Freedom in her high spirits and a Paris +bonnet. I lost my mental balance. Leaping up, I grasped her round the +waist, and we twirled madly about the office, the signorina breaking +forth into the "Marseillaise." + +"For God's sake, be quiet!" said McGregor, in a hoarse whisper, making +a clutch at me as I sped past him. "If they hear you! Stop, I tell +you, Christina!" + +The signorina stopped. + +"Do you mean me, Colonel McGregor?" she asked. + +"Yes," he said, "and that fool Martin, too." + +"Even in times of revolution, colonel," said I, "nothing is lost by +politeness. But in substance you are right. Let us be sober." + +We sat down again, panting, the signorina between her gasps still +faintly humming the psalm of liberty. + +"Kindly unfold your plan, colonel," I resumed. "I am aware that out +here you think little of revolutions, but to a newcomer they appear to +be matters requiring some management. You see we are only three." + +"I have the army with me," said he grandly. + +"In the outer office?" asked I, indulging in a sneer at the dimensions +of the Aureataland forces. + +"Look here, Martin," he said, scowling, "if you're coming in with us, +keep your jokes to yourself." + +"Don't quarrel, gentlemen," said the signorina. "It's waste of time. +Tell him the plan, colonel, while I'm getting cool." + +I saw the wisdom of this advice, so I said: + +"Your pardon, colonel. But won't this repudiation be popular with the +army? If he lets the debt slide, he can pay them." + +"Exactly," said he. "Hence we must get at them before that aspect +of the case strikes them. They are literally starving, and for ten +dollars a man they would make Satan himself President. Have you got +any money, Martin?" + +"Yes," said I, "a little." + +"How much?" + +"Ten thousand," I replied; "I was keeping it for the interest." + +"Ah! you won't want it now." + +"Indeed I shall--for the second loan, you know." + +"Look here, Martin; give me that ten thousand for the troops. Stand in +with us, and the day I become President I'll give you back your three +hundred thousand. Just look where you stand now. I don't want to be +rude, but isn't it a case of--" + +"Some emergency," said I thoughtfully. "Yes, it is. But where do you +suppose you're going to get three hundred thousand dollars, to say +nothing of your own shares?" + +He drew his chair closer to mine, and, leaning forward, said: + +"He's never spent the money. He's got it somewhere; much the greater +part, at least." + +"Did Carr tell you that?" + +"He didn't know for certain; but he told me enough to make it almost +certain. Besides," he added, glancing at the signorina, "we have other +reasons for suspecting it. Give me the ten thousand. You shall have +your loan back, and, if you like, you shall be Minister of Finance. We +practically know the money's there; don't we, signorina?" + +She nodded assent. + +"If we fail?" said I. + +He drew a neat little revolver from his pocket, placed it for a moment +against his ear, and repocketed it. + +"Most lucidly explained, colonel," said I. "Will you give me half an +hour to think it over?" + +"Yes," he said. "You'll excuse me if I stay in the outer office. Of +course I trust you, Martin, but in this sort of thing--" + +"All right, I see," said I. "And you, signorina?" + +"I'll wait too," she said. + +They both rose and went out, and I heard them in conversation with +Jones. I sat still, thinking hard. But scarcely a moment had passed, +when I heard the door behind me open. It was the signorina. She came +in, stood behind my chair, and, leaning over, put her arms round my +neck. + +I looked up, and saw her face full of mischief. + +"What about the rose, Jack?" she asked. + +I remembered. Bewildered with delight, and believing I had won her, I +said: + +"Your soldier till death, signorina." + +"Bother death!" said she saucily. "Nobody's going to die. We shall +win, and then--" + +"And then," said I eagerly, "you'll marry me, sweet?" + +She quietly stooped down and kissed my lips. Then, stroking my hair, +she said: + +"You're a nice boy, but you're not a good boy, Jack." + +"Christina, you won't marry him?" + +"Him?" + +"McGregor," said I. + +"Jack," said she, whispering now, "I hate him!" + +"So do I," I answered promptly. "And if it's to win you, I'll upset a +dozen Presidents." + +"Then you'll do it for me? I like to think you'll do it for me, and +not for the money." + +As the signorina was undoubtedly "doing it" for her money, this was a +shade unreasonable. + +"I don't mind the money coming in--" I began. + +"Mercenary wretch!" she cried. "I didn't kiss you, did I?" + +"No," I replied. "You said you would in a minute, when I consented." + +"Very neat, Jack," she said. But she went and opened the door and +called to McGregor, "Mr. Martin sees no objection to the arrangement, +and he will come to dinner to-night, as you suggest, and talk over the +details. We're all going to make our fortunes, Mr. Jones," she went +on, without waiting for any acceptance of her implied invitation, "and +when we've made ours, we'll think about you and Mrs. Jones." + +I heard Jones making some noise, incoherently suggestive of +gratification, for he was as bad as any of us about the signorina, and +then I was left to my reflections. These were less somber than the +reader would, perhaps, anticipate. True, I was putting my head into a +noose; and if the President's hands ever found their way to the end of +the rope, I fancied he would pull it pretty tight. But, again, I was +immensely in love, and equally in debt; and the scheme seemed to open +the best chance of satisfying my love, and the only chance of filling +my pocket. To a young man life without love isn't worth much; to a man +of any age, in my opinion, life without money isn't worth much; it +becomes worth still less when he is held to account for money he ought +to have. So I cheerfully entered upon my biggest gamble, holding the +stake of life well risked. My pleasure in the affair was only marred +by the enforced partnership of McGregor. There was no help for this, +but I knew he wasn't much fonder of me than I of him, and I found +myself gently meditating on the friction likely to arise between +the new President and his minister of finance, in case our plans +succeeded. Still the signorina hated him, and by all signs she loved +me. So I lay back in my chair, and recalled my charmer's presence by +whistling the hymn of liberty until it was time to go to lunch, an +observance not to be omitted even by conspirators. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE MINE IS LAID. + + +The morning meeting had been devoted to principles and to the +awakening of enthusiasm; in the evening the conspirators condescended +upon details, and we held a prolonged and anxious conference at the +signorina's. Mrs. Carrington was commanded to have a headache after +dinner, and retired with it to bed; and from ten till one we sat and +conspired. The result of our deliberations was a very pretty plan, of +which the main outlines were as follows: + +This was Tuesday. On Friday night the colonel, with twenty determined +ruffians (or resolute patriots) previously bound to him, body and +soul, by a donation of no less than fifty dollars a man, was to +surprise the Golden House, seize the person of the President and +all cash and securities on the premises; no killing, if it could be +avoided, but on the other hand no shilly-shally. McGregor wanted to +put the President out of the way at once, as a precautionary measure, +but I strongly opposed this proposal, and, finding the signorina was +absolutely inflexible on the same side, he yielded. I had a strong +desire to be present at this midnight surprise, but another duty +called for my presence. There was a gala supper at the barracks +that evening, to commemorate some incident or other in the national +history, and I was to be present and to reply to the toast of "The +Commerce of Aureataland." My task was, _at all hazards_, to keep this +party going till the colonel's job was done, when he would appear at +the soldiers' quarters, bribe in hand, and demand their allegiance. +Our knowledge of the character of the troops made us regard the result +as a certainty, if once the President was a prisoner and the dollars +before their eyes. The colonel and the troops were to surround the +officers' messroom, and offer them life and largesse, or death and +destruction. Here again we anticipated their choice with composure. +The army was then to be paraded in the Piazza, the town overawed or +converted, and, behold, the Revolution was accomplished! The success +of this design entirely depended on its existence remaining a dead +secret from the one man we feared, and on that one man being found +alone and unguarded at twelve o'clock on Friday night. If he +discovered the plot, we were lost. If he took it into his head to +attend the supper, our difficulties would be greatly increased. At +this point we turned to the signorina, and I said briefly: + +"This appears to be where you come in, signorina. Permit me to +invite you to dine with his Excellency on Friday evening, at eight +precisely." + +"You mean," she said slowly, "that I am to keep him at home, and, but +for myself, alone, on Friday?" + +"Yes," said I. "Is there any difficulty?" + +"I do not think there is great difficulty," she said, "but I don't +like it; it looks so treacherous." + +Of course it did. I didn't like her doing it myself, but how else was +the President to be secured? + +"Rather late to think of that, isn't it?" asked McGregor, with a +sneer. "A revolution won't run on high moral wheels." + +"Think how he jockeyed you about the money," said I, assuming the part +of the tempter. + +"By the way," said McGregor, "it's understood the signorina enters +into possession of the President's country villa, isn't it?" + +Now, my poor signorina had a longing for that choice little retreat; +and between resentment for her lost money and a desire for the +pretty house on the one hand, and, on the other, her dislike of +the Delilah-like part she was to play, she was sore beset. Left to +herself, I believe she would have yielded to her better feelings, +and spoiled the plot. As it was, the colonel and I, alarmed at this +recrudescence of conscience, managed to stifle its promptings, and +bent her to our wicked will. + +"After all, he deserves it," she said, "and I'll do it!" + +It is always sad to see anybody suffering from a loss of self-respect, +so I tried to restore the signorina's confidence in her own motives, +by references to Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, Charlotte Corday, +and such other relentless heroines as occurred to me. McGregor looked +upon this striving after self-justification with undisguised contempt. + +"It's only making a fool of him again," he said; "you've done it +before, you know!" + +"I'll do it, if you'll swear not to--to hurt him," she said. + +"I've promised already," he replied sullenly. "I won't touch him, +unless he brings it on himself. If he tries to kill me, I suppose I +needn't bare my breast to the blow?" + +"No, no," I interposed; "I have a regard for his Excellency, but +we must not let our feelings betray us into weakness. He must be +taken--alive and well, if possible--but in the last resort, dead or +alive." + +"Come, that's more like sense," said the colonel approvingly. + +The signorina sighed, but opposed us no longer. + +Returning to ways and means, we arranged for communication in case of +need during the next three days without the necessity of meeting. My +position, as the center of financial business in Whittingham, made +this easy; the passage of bank messengers to and fro would excite +little remark, and the messages could easily be so expressed as to +reveal nothing to an uninstructed eye. It was further agreed that on +the smallest hint of danger reaching any one of us, the word should +at once be passed to the others, and we should _rendezvous_ at the +colonel's "ranch," which lay some seven miles from the town. Thence, +in this lamentable case, escape would be more possible. + +"And now," said the colonel, "if Martin will hand over the dollars, I +think that's about all." + +I had brought the ten thousand dollars with me. I produced them and +put them on the table, keeping a loving hand on them. + +"You fully understand my position, colonel?" I said. "This thing is no +use to me unless I receive at least three hundred and twenty thousand +dollars, to pay back principal, to meet interest, and to replace +another small debt to the bank. If I do that, I shall be left with a +net profit of five thousand dollars, not an extravagant reward. If +I don't get that sum I shall be a defaulter, revolution or no +revolution." + +"I can't make money if it's not there," he said, but without his usual +brusqueness of tone. "But to this we agree: You are to have first turn +at anything we find, up to the sum you name. It's to be handed over +solid to you. The signorina and I take the leavings. You don't claim +to share them too, do you?" + +"No," I said, "I'm content to be a preference shareholder. If the +money's found at the Golden House, it's mine. If not, the new +Government, whatever it may do as to the rest of the debt, will pay me +that sum." + +With that I pushed my money over to the colonel. + +"I expect the new Government to be very considerate to the bondholders +all round," said the colonel, as he pocketed it with a chuckle. +"Anyhow, your terms are agreed; eh, signorina?" + +"Agreed!" said she. "And I'm to have the country seat?" + +"Agreed!" said I. "And the colonel's to be President and to have the +Golden House and all that therein is." + +"Agreed! agreed! agreed!" chanted the signorina; "and that's quite +enough business, and it's very late for me to be entertaining +gentlemen. One toast, and then good-night. Success to the Revolution! +To be drunk in blood-red wine!" + +As there was no red wine, except claret, and that lies cold on the +stomach at three in the morning, we drank it in French brandy. I had +risen to go, when a sudden thought struck me: + +"By Jupiter! where's Johnny Carr? I say, colonel, how drunk was he +last night? Do you think he remembers telling you about it?" + +"Yes," said the colonel, "I expect he does by now. He didn't when I +left him this morning." + +"Will he confess to the President? If he does, it might make the old +man keep an unpleasantly sharp eye on you. He knows you don't love +him." + +"Well, he hasn't seen the President yet. He was to stay at my house +over to-day. He was uncommon seedy this morning, and I persuaded the +doctor to give him a composing draught. Fact is, I wanted him quiet +till I'd had time to think! You know I don't believe he would own +up--the President would drop on him so; but he might, and it's better +they shouldn't meet." + +"There's somebody else he oughtn't to meet," said the signorina. + +"Who's that?" I asked. + +"Donna Antonia," she replied. "He's getting very fond of her, and +depend upon it, if he's in trouble he'll go and tell her the first +thing. Mr. Carr is very confidential to his friends." + +We recognized the value of this suggestion. If Donna Antonia knew, the +President would soon know. + +"Quite right," said the colonel. "It won't do to have them rushing +about letting out that we know all about it. He's all right up to +now." + +"Yes, but if he gets restive to-morrow morning?" said I. "And then you +don't want him at the Golden House on Friday evening, and I don't want +him at the barracks." + +"No, he'd show fight, Carr would," said the colonel. "Look here, we're +in for this thing, and I'm going through with it. I shall keep Carr at +my house till it's all over." + +"How?" asked the signorina. + +"By love, if possible!" said the colonel, with a grin--"that is, +by drink. Failing that, by force. It's essential that the old man +shouldn't get wind of anything being up; and if Carr told him about +last night he'd prick up his wicked old ears. No, Master Johnny is +better quiet." + +"Suppose he turns nasty," I suggested again. + +"He may turn as nasty as he likes," said the colonel. "He don't leave +my house unless he puts a bullet into me first. That's settled. Leave +it to me. If he behaves nicely, he'll be all right. If not--" + +"What shall you do to him?" asked the signorina. + +I foresaw another outburst of conscience, and though I liked Johnny, I +liked myself better. So I said: + +"Oh, leave it to the colonel; he'll manage all right." + +"Now I'm off," said the latter, "back to my friend Johnny. Good-night, +signorina. Write to the President to-morrow. Good-night, Martin. Make +that speech of yours pretty long. _Au revoir_ till next Friday." + +I prepared to go, for the colonel lingered till I came with him. Even +then we so distrusted one another that neither would leave the other +alone with the signorina. + +We parted at the door, he going off up the road to get his horse and +ride to his "ranch," I turning down toward the Piazza. + +We left the signorina at the door, looking pale and weary, and for +once bereft of her high spirits. Poor girl! She found conspiracy +rather trying work. + +I was a little troubled myself. I began to see more clearly that it +doesn't do for a man of scruples to dabble in politics. I had a great +regard for poor Johnny, and I felt no confidence in the colonel +treating him with any consideration. In fact, I would not have insured +Johnny's life for the next week at any conceivable premium. Again I +thought it unlikely that, if we succeeded, the President would survive +his downfall. I had to repeat to myself all the story of his treachery +to me, lashing myself into a fury against him, before I could bring +myself to think with resignation of the imminent extinction of +that shining light. What a loss he would be to the world! So many +delightful stories, so great a gift of manner, so immense a personal +charm--all to disappear into the pit! And for what? To put into his +place a ruffian without redeeming qualities. Was it worth while to +put down Lucifer only to enthrone Beelzebub? I could only check this +doleful strain of reflection by sternly recalling myself to the real +question--the state of the fortunes of me, John Martin. And to me the +revolution was necessary. I might get the money; at least I should +gain time. And I might satisfy my love. I was animated by the +honorable motive of saving my employers from loss and by the +overwhelming motive of my own passion. If the continued existence +of Johnny and the President was incompatible with these legitimate +objects, so much the worse for Johnny and the President. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +JOHNNY CARR IS WILLFUL. + + +The next three days were on the whole the most uncomfortable I have +ever spent in my life. I got little sleep and no rest; I went about +with a revolver handy all day, and jumped every time I heard a sound. +I expended much change in buying every edition of all the papers; I +listened with dread to the distant cries of news-venders, fearing, as +the words gradually became distinguishable, to hear that our secret +was a secret no longer. I was bound to show myself, and yet shrank +from all gatherings of men. I transacted my business with an absent +mind and a face of such superhuman innocence that, had anyone been +watching me, he must at once have suspected something wrong. I was +incapable of adding up a row of figures, and Jones became most +solicitous about the state of my brain. In a word, my nerves were +quite shattered, and I registered a vow never to upset a Government +again as long I lived. In future, the established constitution would +have to be good enough for me. I invoked impartial curses on the +President, the colonel, the directors, and myself! and I verily +believe that only the thought of the signorina prevented me making a +moonlight flitting across the frontier with a whole skin at least, if +with an empty pocket, and leaving the rival patriots of Aureataland to +fight it out among themselves. + +Happily, however, nothing occurred to justify my fears. The other side +seemed to be sunk in dull security. The President went often to the +Ministry of Finance, and was closeted for hours with Don Antonio; I +suppose they were perfecting their nefarious scheme. There were +no signs of excitement or activity at the barracks; the afternoon +gatherings on the Piazza were occupied with nothing more serious than +the prospects of lawn tennis and the grievous dearth of dances. The +official announcements relative to the debt had had a quieting effect; +and all classes seemed inclined to wait and see what the President's +new plan was. + +So passed Wednesday and Thursday. On neither day had I heard anything +from my fellow-conspirators; our arrangements for writing had so far +proved unnecessary--or unsuccessful. The latter possibility sent a +shiver down my back, and my lively fancy pictured his Excellency's +smile as he perused the treasonable documents. If I heard nothing +on the morning of Friday, I was determined at all risks to see the +colonel. With the dawn of that eventful day, however, I was relieved +of this necessity. I was lying in bed about half-past nine (for I +never add to the woes of life by early rising) when my servant brought +in three letters. + +"Sent on from the bank, sir," he said, "with Mr. Jones' compliments, +and are you going there this morning?" + +"My compliments to Mr. Jones, and he may expect me in five minutes," I +replied. + +The letters were all marked "Immediate"; one from the signorina, one +from the colonel, one from the barracks. I opened the last first and +read as follows: + +"The officers of the Aureataland Army have the honor to remind Mr. +John Martin that they hope to have the pleasure of his company at +supper this evening at ten o'clock precisely. In the unavoidable +absence of his Excellency, the President, owing to the pressing cares +of state, and of the Hon. Colonel McGregor from indisposition, the +toast of the Army of Aureataland will be proposed by Major Alphonse +DeChair. + +"P.S.--Cher Martin, speak long this night. The two great men do not +come, and the evening wants to be filled out. _Tout à vous_, + +"ALPHONSE DECHAIR." + +"It shall be long, my dear boy, and we will fill out your evening for +you," said I to myself, well pleased so far. + +Then I opened the signorina's epistle. + + "DEAR MR. MARTIN [it began]: + Will you be so kind as to send me in + the course of the day _twenty dollars in + small change_? I want to give the + school children a scramble. I inclose + check. I am so sorry you could not + dine with me to-night, but after all I + am glad, because I should have had to + put you off, for I am commanded + rather sudden to dine at the Golden + House. With kind regards, believe + me, yours sincerely, + + "CHRISTINA NUGENT." + +"Very good," said I. "I reckon the scramble will keep. And now for the +colonel." + +The colonel's letter ran thus: + + "DEAR MARTIN: I inclose check + for five hundred dollars. My man will + call for the cash to-morrow morning. + I give you notice because I want it all + in silver for wages. [Rather a poverty + of invention among us, I thought.] + Carr and I are here together, both + seedy. Poor Carr is on his back and + likely to remain there for a day or two--bad + attack of champagne. I'm + better, and though I've cut the affair at + barracks to-night, I fully expect to be + up and about this afternoon. + + "Ever yours, + + "GEO. MCGREGOR." + +"Oh! so Carr is on his back and likely to remain there, is he? Very +likely, I expect; but I wonder what it means. I hope the colonel +hasn't been very drastic. However, everything seems right; in fact, +better than I hoped." + +In this more cheerful frame of mind I arose, breakfasted at leisure, +and set out for the bank about eleven. + +Of course, the first person I met in the street was one of the last I +wanted to meet, namely, Donna Antonia. She was on horseback, and her +horse looked as if he'd done some work. At the sight of me she reined +up, and I could not avoid stopping as I lifted my hat. + +"Whence so early?" I asked. + +"Early?" she said. "I don't call this early. I've been for a long +ride; in fact, I've ridden over to Mr. Carr's place, with a message +from papa; but he's not there. Do you know where he is, Mr. Martin?" + +"Haven't an idea," said I. + +"He hasn't been home for four nights," she continued, "and he hasn't +been to the Ministry either. It's very odd that he should disappear +like this, just when all the business is going on, too." + +"What business, Donna Antonia?" I asked blandly. + +She colored, recollecting, no doubt that the business was still a +secret. + +"Oh, well! you know they're always busy at the Ministry of Finance at +this time. It's the time they pay everybody, isn't it?" + +"It's the time they ought to pay everybody," I said. + +"Well," she went on, without noticing my correction, "at any rate, +papa and the President are both very much vexed with him; so I offered +to make my ride in his direction." + +"Where can he be?" I asked again. + +"Well," she replied, "I believe he's at Colonel McGregor's, and after +lunch I shall go over there. I know he dined there on Monday, and I +dare say he stayed on." + +"No," thought I, "you mustn't do that, it might be inconvenient." So I +said: + +"I know he's not there; I heard from McGregor this morning, and he +says Carr left him on Tuesday. Why, how stupid I am! The colonel says +Carr told him he was going off for a couple of days' sail in his +yacht. I expect he's got contrary winds, and can't get back again." + +"It's very bad of him to go," she said, "but no doubt that's it. Papa +will be angry, but he'll be glad to know no harm has come to him." + +"Happy to have relieved your mind," said I, and bade her farewell, +thanking my stars for a lucky inspiration, and wondering whether Don +Antonio would find no harm had come to poor Johnny. I had my doubts. +I regretted having to tell Donna Antonia what I did not believe to +be true, but these things are incidental to revolutions--a point of +resemblance between them and commercial life. + +When I arrived at the bank I dispatched brief answers to my budget of +letters; each of the answers was to the same purport, namely, that I +should be at the barracks at the appointed time. I need not trouble +the reader with the various wrappings in which this essential piece +of intelligence was involved. I then had a desperate encounter with +Jones; business was slack, and Jones was fired with the unholy desire +of seizing the opportunity thus offered to make an exhaustive inquiry +into the state of our reserve. He could not understand my sudden +punctiliousness as to times and seasons, and I was afraid I should +have to tell him plainly that only over my lifeless body should he +succeed in investing the contents of the safe. At last I effected +a diversion by persuading him to give Mrs. Jones a jaunt into the +country, and, thus left in peace, I spent my afternoon in making final +preparations. I burned many letters; I wrote a touching farewell to +my father, in which, under the guise of offering forgiveness, I took +occasion to point out to him how greatly his imprudent conduct had +contributed to increase the difficulties of his dutiful son. I was +only restrained from making a will by the obvious imprudence of +getting it witnessed. I spent a feverish hour in firing imaginary +shots from my revolver, to ascertain whether the instrument was in +working order. Finally I shut up the bank at five, went to the Piazza, +partook of a light repast, and smoked cigars with mad speed till it +was time to dress for the supper; and never was I more rejoiced than +when the moment for action at last came. As I was dressing, lingering +over each garment with a feeling that I might never put it on, or, +for that matter, take it off again, I received a second note from +the colonel. It was brought by a messenger, on a sweating horse, who +galoped up to my door. I knew the messenger well by sight; he was the +colonel's valet. My heart was in my mouth as I took the envelope from +his hands (for I ran down myself). The fellow was evidently in our +secret, for he grinned nervously at me as he handed it over, and said: + +"I was to ride fast, and destroy the letter if anyone came near." + +I nodded, and opened it. It said: + + "C. escaped about six this evening. + Believed to have gone to his house. + He _suspects_. If you see him, shoot on + sight." + +I turned to the man. + +"Had Mr. Carr a horse?" I asked. + +"No, sir; left on foot." + +"But there are horses at his house." + +"No, sir, the colonel has borrowed them all." + +"Why do you think he's gone there?" + +"Couldn't come along the road to Whittingham, sir, it's patrolled." + +There was still a chance. It was ten miles across the country from the +colonel's to Johnny's and six miles on from Johnny's to Whittingham. +The man divined my thoughts. + +"He can't go fast, sir, he's wounded in the leg. If he goes home +first, as he will, because he doesn't know his horses are gone, he +can't get here before eleven at the earliest." + +"How was he wounded?" I asked. "Tell me what the colonel did to him, +and be short." + +"Yes, sir. The colonel told us Mr. Carr was to be kept at the ranch +over night; wasn't to leave it alive, sir, he said. Well, up to +yesterday it was all right and pleasant. Mr. Carr wasn't very well, +and the doses the colonel gave him didn't seem to make him any +better--quite the contrary. But yesterday afternoon he got rampageous, +would go, anyhow, ill or well! So he got up and dressed. We'd taken +all his weapons from him, sir, and when he came down dressed, and +asked for his horse, we told him he couldn't go. Well, he just said, +'Get out of the light, I tell you,' and began walking toward the hall +door. I don't mind saying we were rather put about, sir. We didn't +care to shoot him as he stood, and it's my belief we'd have let him +pass; but just as he was going out, in comes the colonel. 'Hallo! +what's this, Johnny?' says he. 'You've got some damned scheme on,' +said Mr. Carr. 'I believe you've been drugging me. Out of the way, +McGregor, or I'll brain you.' 'Where are you going?' says the colonel. +'To Whittingham, to the President's,' said he. 'Not to-day,' says the +colonel. 'Come, be reasonable, Johnny. You'll be all right to-morrow.' +'Colonel McGregor,' says he, 'I'm unarmed, and you've got a revolver. +You can shoot me if you like, but unless you do, I'm going out. You've +been playing some dodge on me, and, by God! you shall pay for it.' +With that he rushed straight at the colonel. The colonel, he stepped +on one side and let him pass. Then he went after him to the door, +waited till he was about fifteen yards off, then up with his revolver, +as cool as you like, and shot him as clean as a sixpence in the right +leg. Down came Mr. Carr; he lay there a minute or two cursing, and +then he fainted. 'Pick him up, dress his wound, and put him to bed,' +says the colonel. Well, sir, it was only a flesh wound, so we soon got +him comfortable, and there he lay all night." + +"How did he get away to-day?" + +"We were all out, sir--went over to Mr. Carr's place to borrow his +horses. The colonel took a message, sir. [Here the fellow grinned +again.] I don't know what it was. Well, when we'd got the horses, we +rode round outside the town, and came into the road between here and +the colonel's. Ten horses we got, and we went there to give the ten +men who were patrolling the road the fresh horses. We heard from them +that no one had come along. When we got home, he'd been gone two +hours!" + +"How did he manage it?" + +"A woman, sir," said my warrior, with supreme disgust. "Gave her a +kiss and ten dollars to undo the front door, and then he was off! He +daren't go to the stables to get a horse, so he was forced to limp +away on his game leg. A plucky one he is, too," he concluded. + +"Poor old Johnny!" said I. "You didn't go after him?" + +"No time, sir. Couldn't tire the horses. Besides, when he'd once got +home, he's got a dozen men there, and they'd have kept us all night. +Well, sir, I must be off. Any answer for the colonel? He'll be outside +the Golden House by eleven, sir, and Mr. Carr won't get in if he comes +after that." + +"Tell him to rely on me," I answered. But for all that I didn't mean +to shoot Johnny on sight. So, much perturbed in spirit, I set off to +the barracks, wondering when Johnny would get to Whittingham, and +whether he would fall into the colonel's hands outside the Golden +House. It struck me as unpleasantly probable that he might come +and spoil the harmony of my evening; if he came there first, the +conspiracy would probably lose my aid at an early moment! What would +happen to me I didn't know. But, as I took off my coat in the lobby, +I bent down as if to tie a shoestring, and had one more look at my +revolver. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A SUPPER PARTY. + + +I shall never forget that supper as long as I live. Considered merely +as a social gathering it would be memorable enough, for I never before +or since sat at meat with ten such queer customers as my hosts of +that evening. The officers of the Aureataland Army were a very mixed +lot--two or three Spanish-Americans, three or four Brazilians, and the +balance Americans of the type their countrymen are least proud of. If +there was an honest man among them he sedulously concealed his title +to distinction; I know there wasn't a sober one. The amount of liquor +consumed was portentous; and I gloated with an unholy joy as I saw man +after man rapidly making himself what diplomatists call a _quantité +negligéable_. The conversation needed all the excuse the occasion +could afford, and the wit would have appeared unduly coarse in a +common pot-house. All this might have passed from my memory, +or blended in a subdued harmony with my general impression of +Aureataland; but the peculiar position in which I stood gave to my +mind an unusual activity of perception. Among this band of careless, +drunken revelers I sat vigilant, restless, and impatient; feigning +to take a leading part in their dissolute hilarity, I was sober, +collected, and alert to my very finger-tips. I anxiously watched their +bearing and expression. I led them on to speak of the President, +rejoicing when I elicited open murmurs and covert threats at his base +ingratitude to the men on whose support his power rested. They had not +been paid for six months, and were ripe for any mischief. I was more +than once tempted to forestall the colonel and begin the revolution +on my own account; only my inability to produce before their eyes any +arguments of the sort they would listen to restrained me. + +Eleven o'clock had come and gone. The senior captain had proposed the +President's health. It was drunk in sullen silence; I was the only man +who honored it by rising from his seat. + +The major had proposed the army, and they had drunk deep to their +noble selves. A young man of weak expression and quavering legs had +proposed "The commerce of Aureataland," coupled with the name of Mr. +John Martin, in laudatory but incoherent terms, and I was on my legs +replying. Oh, that speech of mine! For discursiveness, for repetition, +for sheer inanity, I suppose it has never been equaled. I droned +steadily away, interrupted only by cries for fresh supplies of wine; +as I went on the audience paid less and less attention. It was past +twelve. The well of my eloquence was running drier and drier, and yet +no sound outside! I wondered how long they would stand it and how long +I could stand it. At 12.15 I began my peroration. Hardly had I done +so, when one of the young men started in a gentle voice an utterly +indescribable ditty. One by one they took it up, till the rising tide +of voices drowned my fervent periods. Perforce I stopped. They were +all on their feet now. Did they mean to break up? In despair at the +idea I lifted up my voice, loud and distinct (the only distinct +voice left in the room), in the most shameful verse of that shameful +composition, and seizing my neighbor's hand began to move slowly round +the table. The move was successful. Each man followed suit, and the +whole party, kicking back their chairs, revolved with lurching steps +round the _débris_ of empty bottles and cigar ashes. + +The room was thick with smoke, and redolent of fumes of wine. +Mechanically I led the chorus, straining every nerve to hear a sound +from outside. I was growing dizzy with the movement, and, overwrought +with the strain on my nerves. I knew a few minutes more would be the +limit of endurance, when at last I heard a loud shout and tumult of +voices. + +"What's that?" exclaimed the major, in thick tones, pausing as he +spoke. + +I dropped his hand, and, seizing my revolver, said: + +"Some drunken row in barracks, major. Let 'em alone." + +"I must go," he said. "Character--Aureataland--army--at stake." + +"Set a thief to catch a thief, eh, major?" said I. + +"What do you mean, sir?" he stuttered. "Let me go." + +"If you move, I shoot, major," said I, bringing out my weapon. + +I never saw greater astonishment on human countenance. He swore +loudly, and then cried: + +"Hi, stop him--he's mad--he's going to shoot!" + +A shout of laughter rose from the crew around us, for they felt +exquisite appreciation of my supposed joke. + +"Right you are, Martin!" cried one. "Keep him quiet. We won't go home +till morning." + +The major turned to the window. It was a moonlight night, and as I +looked with him I saw the courtyard full of soldiers. Who was in +command? The answer to that meant much to me. + +This sight somewhat sobered the major. + +"A mutiny!" he cried. "The soldiers have risen!" + +"Go to bed," said the junior ensign. + +"Look out of window!" he cried. + +They all staggered to the window. As the soldiers saw them, they +raised a shout. I could not distinguish whether it was a greeting or a +threat. They took it as the latter, and turned to the door. + +"Stop!" I cried; "I shoot the first man who opens the door." + +In wonder they turned on me. I stood facing them, revolver in hand. +They waited huddled together for an instant, then made a rush at me; +I fired, but missed. I had a vision of a poised decanter; a second +later, the missile caught me in the chest and hurled me back against +the wall. As I fell I dropped my weapon, and they were upon me. I +thought it was all over; but as they surged round, in the madness of +drink and anger, I, looking through their ranks, saw the door open and +a crowd of men rush in. Who was at their head? Thank God! it was the +colonel, and his voice rose high above the tumult: + +"Order, gentlemen, order!" Then to his men he added: + +"Each mark your man, and two of you bring Mr. Martin here." + +I was saved. To explain how, I must tell you what had been happening +at the Golden House, and how the night attack had fared. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +TWO SURPRISES. + + +It is a sad necessity that compels us to pry into the weaknesses of +our fellow-creatures, and seek to turn them to our own profit. I am +not philosopher enough to say whether this course of conduct derives +any justification from its universality, but in the region of +practice, I have never hesitated to place myself on a moral level with +those with whom I had to deal. I may occasionally even have left the +other party to make this needful adjustment, and I have never known +him fail to do so. I felt, therefore, very little scruple in making +use of the one weak spot discoverable in the defenses of our +redoubtable opponent, his Excellency the President of Aureataland. No +doubt the reader's eye has before now detected the joint in that great +man's armor at which we directed our missile. As a lover, I grudged +the employment of the signorina in this service; as a politician, I +was proud of the device; as a human being, I recognized, what we are +very ready to recognize, that it did not become me to refuse to work +with such instruments as appeared to be put into my hands. + +But whatever may be the verdict of moralists on our device, events +proved its wisdom. The President had no cause to suspect a trap; +therefore, like a sensible man, he chose to spend the evening with the +signorina rather than with his gallant officers. With equally good +taste, he elected to spend it _tête-à-tête_ with her, when she gave +him the opportunity. In our subsequent conversations, the signorina +was not communicative as to how the early hours of the evening passed. +She preferred to begin her narrative from the point when their +solitude was interrupted. As I rely on her account and that of the +colonel for this part of my story, I am compelled to make my start +from the same moment. It appears that at a few minutes past eleven +o'clock, when the President was peacefully smoking a cigar and +listening to the conversation of his fair guest (whom he had +galvanized into an affected liveliness by alarming remarks on her +apparent preoccupation), there fell upon his ear the sound of a loud +knocking at the door. Dinner had been served in a small room at the +back of the house, and the President could not command a view of the +knocker without going out on to the veranda, which ran all round the +house, and walking round to the front. When the knock was heard, the +signorina started up. + +"Don't disturb yourself, pray," said his Excellency, politely. "I gave +special instructions that I was visible to no one this evening. But I +was wondering whether it could be Johnny Carr. I want to speak to him +for a moment, and I'll just go round outside and see if it is." + +As he spoke, a discreet tap was heard at the door. + +"Yes?" said the President. + +"Mr. Carr is at the door and particularly wants to see your +Excellency. An urgent matter, he says." + +"Tell him I'll come round and speak to him from the veranda," replied +the President. + +He turned to the window, and threw it open to step out. + +Let me tell what followed in the signorina's words. + +"Just then we heard a sound of a number of horses galloping up. The +President stopped and said: + +"'Hallo! what's up?' + +"Then there was a shout and a volley of shots, and I heard the +colonel's voice cry: + +"'Down with your arms; down, I say, or you're dead men.' + +"The President stepped quickly across the room to his escritoire, +took up his revolver, went back to the window, passed through it, and +without a word disappeared. I could not hear even the sound of his +foot on the veranda. + +"I heard one more shot--then a rush of men to the door, and the +colonel burst in, with sword and revolver in his hands, and followed +by ten or a dozen men. + +"I ran to him, terrified, and cried: + +"'Oh, is anyone hurt?' + +"He took no notice, but asked hastily: + +"'Where is he?' + +"I pointed to the veranda, and gasped: + +"'He went out there.' Then I turned to one of the men and said again: + +"'Is anyone hurt?' + +"'Only Mr. Carr,' he replied. 'The rest of 'em were a precious sight +too careful of themselves.' + +"'And is he killed?' + +"'Don't think he's dead, miss,' he said; 'but he's hurt badly." + +"As I turned again, I saw the President standing quite calmly in the +window. When the colonel saw him he raised his revolver and said: + +"'Do you yield, General Whittingham? We are twelve to one.' + +"As he spoke, every man covered the President with his aim. The latter +stood facing the twelve revolvers, his own weapon hanging loosely in +his left hand. Then, smiling, he said a little bitterly: + +"'Heroics are not in my line, McGregor. I suppose this is a popular +rising--that is to say, you have bribed my men, murdered my best +friend, and beguiled me with the lures of that--' + +"I could not bear the words that hung on his lips, and with a sob I +fell on a sofa and hid my face. + +"'Well, we mustn't use hard names,' he went on, in a gentler tone. 'We +are all as God made us. I give in,' and, throwing down his weapon, he +asked, 'Have you quite killed Carr?' + +"'I don't know,' said the colonel, implying plainly that he did not +care either. + +"'I suppose it was you that shot him?' + +"The colonel nodded. + +"The President yawned, and looked at his watch. + +"'As I have no part in to-night's performance,' said he, 'I presume I +am at liberty to go to bed?' + +"The colonel said shortly: + +"'Where's the bedroom?' + +"'In there,' said the President, waving his hand to a door facing that +by which the colonel had entered. + +"'Permit me,' said the latter. He went in, no doubt to see if there +were any other egress. Returning shortly he said: + +"'My men must stay here, and you must leave the door open.' + +"'I have no objection,' said the President. 'No doubt they will +respect my modesty.' + +"'Two of you stay in this room. Two of you keep watch in the veranda, +one at this window, the other at the bedroom window. I shall put three +more sentries outside. General Whittingham is not to leave this room. +If you hear or see anything going on in there, go in and put him under +restraint. Otherwise treat him with respect.' + +"'I thank you for your civility,' said the President, 'also for the +compliment implied in these precautions. Is it over this matter of the +debt that your patriotism has drawn you into revolt?' + +"'I see no use in discussing public affairs at this moment,' the +colonel replied. 'And my presence is required elsewhere. I regret that +I cannot relieve you of the presence of these men, but I do not feel I +should be justified in accepting your _parole_.' + +"The President did not seem to be angered at this insult. + +"'I have not offered it,' he said simply. 'It is better you should +take your own measures. Need I detain you, colonel?' + +"The colonel did not answer him, but turned to me and said: + +"'Signorina Nugent, we wait only for you, and time is precious.' + +"'I will follow you in a moment,' I said, with my head still among the +cushions. + +"'No, come now,' he commanded. + +"Looking up, I saw a smile on the President's face. As I rose +reluctantly, he also got up from the chair into which he had flung +himself, and stopped me with a gesture. I was terribly afraid that he +was going to say something hard to me, but his voice only expressed a +sort of amused pity. + +"'The money, was it, signorina?' he said. 'Young people and beautiful +people should not be mercenary. Poor child! you had better have stood +by me.' + +"I answered him nothing, but went out with the colonel, leaving him +seated again in his chair, surveying with some apparent amusement the +two threatening sentries who stood at the door. The colonel hurried me +out of the house, saying: + +"'We must ride to the barracks. If the news gets there before us, they +may cut up rough. You go home. Your work is done.' + +"So they mounted and rode away, leaving me in the road. There were no +signs of any struggle, except the door hanging loose on its hinges, +and a drop or two of blood on the steps where they had shot poor +Johnny Carr. I went straight home, and what happened in the next few +hours at the Golden House I don't know, and, knowing how I left the +President, I cannot explain. I went home, and cried till I thought my +heart would break." + +Thus far the signorina. I must beg to call special attention to the +closing lines of her narrative. But before I relate the very startling +occurrence to which she refers, we must return to the barracks, where, +it will be remembered, matters were in a rather critical condition. +When the officers saw their messroom suddenly filled with armed men, +and heard the alarming order issued by the colonel, their attention +was effectually diverted from me. They crowded together on one side of +the table, facing the colonel and his men on the other. Assisted by +the two men sent to my aid, I seized the opportunity to push my way +through them and range myself by the side of my leader. After a +moment's pause the colonel began: + +"The last thing we should desire, gentlemen," he said, "is to resort +to force. But the time for explanation is short. The people of +Aureataland have at last risen against the tyranny they have so long +endured. General Whittingham has proved a traitor to the cause of +freedom; he won his position in the name of liberty; he has used it +to destroy liberty. The voice of the people has declared him to have +forfeited his high office. The people have placed in my hand the sword +of vengeance. Armed with this mighty sanction, I have appealed to +the army. The army has proved true to its traditions--true to its +character of the protector, not the oppressor, of the people. +Gentlemen, will you who lead the army take your proper place?" + +There was no reply to this moving appeal. He advanced closer to them, +and went on: + +"There is no middle way. You are patriots or traitors--friends of +liberty or friends of tyranny. I stand here to offer you either a +traitor's death, or, if you will, life, honor, and the satisfaction +of all your just claims. Do you mistrust the people? I, as their +representative, here offer you every just due the people owes +you--debts which had long been paid but for the greed of that great +traitor." + +As he said this he took from his men some bags of money, and threw +them on the table with a loud chink. Major DeChair glanced at the +bags, and glanced at his comrades, and said: + +"In the cause of liberty God forbid we should be behind. Down with the +tyrant!" + +And all the pack yelped in chorus! + +"Then, gentlemen, to the head of your men," said the colonel, and +going to the window, he cried to the throng: + +"Men, your noble officers are with us." + +A cheer answered him. I wiped my forehead, and said to myself, "That's +well over." + +I will not weary the reader with our further proceedings. Suffice it +to say we marshaled our host and marched down to the Piazza. The news +had spread by now, and in the dimly breaking morning light we saw the +Square full of people--men, women, and children. As we marched in +there was a cheer, not very hearty--a cheer propitiatory, for they did +not know what we meant to do. The colonel made them a brief speech, +promising peace, security, liberty, plenty, and all the goods of +heaven. In a few stern words he cautioned them against "treachery," +and announced that any rebellion against the Provisional Government +would meet with swift punishment. Then he posted his army in +companies, to keep watch till all was quiet. And at last he said: + +"Now, Martin, come back to the Golden House, and let's put that fellow +in a safe place." + +"Yes," said I; "and have a look for the money." For really, in the +excitement, it seemed as if there was a danger of the most important +thing of all being forgotten. + +The dawn was now far advanced, and as we left the Piazza, we could see +the Golden House at the other end of the avenue. All looked quiet, and +the sentries were gently pacing to and fro. Drawing nearer, we saw +two or three of the President's servants busied about their ordinary +tasks. One woman was already deleting Johnny Carr's life-blood with +a mop and a pail of water; and a carpenter was at work repairing the +front-door. Standing by it was the doctor's brougham. + +"Come to see Carr, I suppose," said I. + +Leaving our horses to the care of the men who were with us we entered +the house. Just inside we met the doctor himself. He was a shrewd +little fellow, named Anderson, generally popular and, though a +personal friend of the President's, not openly identified with either +political party. + +"I have a request to make to you, sir," he said to McGregor, "about +Mr. Carr." + +"Well, is he dead?" said the colonel. "If he is, he's got only himself +to thank for it." + +The doctor wisely declined to discuss this question, and confined +himself to stating that Johnny was not dead. On the contrary, he was +going on nicely. + +"But," he went on, "quiet is essential, and I want to take him to my +house, out of the racket. No doubt it is pretty quiet here now, but--" + +The colonel interrupted: + +"Will he give his _parole_ not to escape?" + +"My dear sir," said the doctor, "the man couldn't move to save his +life--and he's asleep now." + +"You must wake him up to move him, I suppose," said the colonel. +"But you may take him. Let me know when he's well enough to see me. +Meanwhile I hold you responsible for his good behavior." + +"Certainly," said the doctor. "I am content to be responsible for Mr. +Carr." + +"All right; take him and get out. Now for Whittingham!" + +"Hadn't we better get the money first?" said I. + +"Damn the money!" he replied. "But I tell you what--I must have a bit +of food. I've tasted nothing for twelve hours." + +One of the servants hearing him, said: + +"Breakfast can be served in a moment, sir." And he ushered us into the +large dining room, where we soon had an excellent meal. + +When we had got through most of it, I broke the silence by asking: + +"What are you going to do with him?" + +"I should like to shoot him," said the colonel. + +"On what charge?" + +"Treachery," he replied. + +I smiled. + +"That would hardly do, would it?" + +"Well, then, embezzlement of public funds." + +We had a little talk about the President's destiny, and I tried to +persuade the colonel to milder measures. In fact, I was determined to +prevent such a murder if I could without ruin to myself. + +"Well, we'll consider it when we've seen him," said the colonel, +rising and lighting a cigarette. "By Jove! we've wasted an hour +breakfasting--it's seven o'clock." + +I followed him along the passage, and we entered the little room where +we had left the President. The sentries were still there, each seated +in an armchair. They were not asleep, but looked a little drowsy. + +"All right?" said the colonel. + +"Yes, Excellency," said one of them. "He is in there in bed." + +He went into the inner room and began to undo the shutters, letting in +the early sun. + +We passed through the half-opened door and saw a peaceful figure lying +in the bed, whence proceeded a gentle snore. + +"Good nerve, hasn't he?" said the colonel. + +"Yes; but what a queer night-cap!" I said, for the President's head +was swathed in white linen. + +The colonel strode quickly up to the bed. + +"Done, by hell!" he cried. "It's Johnny Carr!" + +It was true; there lay Johnny. His Excellency was nowhere to be seen. + +The colonel shook Johnny roughly by the arm. The latter opened his +eyes and said sleepily: + +"Steady there. Kindly remember I'm a trifle fragile." + +"What's this infernal plot? Where's Whittingham?" + +"Ah, it's McGregor," said Johnny, with a bland smile, "and Martin. How +are you, old fellow? Some beast's hit me on the head." + +"Where's Whittingham?" reiterated the colonel, savagely shaking +Johnny's arm. + +"Gently!" said I; "after all, he's a sick man." + +The colonel dropped the arm with a muttered oath, and Johnny said, +sweetly: + +"Quits, isn't it, colonel?" + +The colonel turned from him, and said to his men sternly: + +"Have you had any hand in this?" + +They protested vehemently that they were as astonished as we were; and +so they were, unless they acted consummately. They denied that anyone +had entered the outer room or that any sound had proceeded from the +inner. They swore they had kept vigilant watch, and must have seen an +intruder. Both the men inside were the colonel's personal servants, +and he believed their honesty; but what of their vigilance? + +Carr heard him sternly questioning them, on which he said: + +"Those chaps aren't to blame, colonel. I didn't come in that way. +If you'll take a look behind the bed, you'll see another door. They +brought me in there. I was rather queer and only half knew what was +up." + +We looked and saw a door where he said. Pushing the bed aside, we +opened it, and found ourselves on the back staircase of the premises. +Clearly the President had noiselessly opened this door and got out. +But how had Carr got in without noise? + +The sentry came up, and said: + +"Every five minutes, sir, I looked and saw him on the bed. He lay for +the first hour in his clothes. The next look, he was undressed. It +struck me he'd been pretty quick and quiet about it, but I thought no +more." + +"Depend upon it, the dressed man was the President, the undressed man +Carr! When was that?" + +"About half-past two, sir; just after the doctor came." + +"The doctor!" we cried. + +"Yes, sir; Dr. Anderson." + +"You never told me he had been here." + +"He never went into the President's--into General Whittingham's room, +sir; but he came in here for five minutes, to get some brandy, and +stood talking with us for a time. Half an hour after he came in for +some more." + +We began to see how it was done. That wretched little doctor was in +the plot. Somehow or other he had communicated with the President; +probably he knew of the door. Then, I fancied, they must have worked +something in this way. The doctor comes in to distract the sentries, +while his Excellency moves the bed. Finding that they took a look +every five minutes, he told the President. Then he went and got Johnny +Carr ready. Returning, he takes the President's place on the bed, and +in that character undergoes an inspection. The moment this is over, he +leaps up and goes out. Between them they bring in Carr, put him into +bed, and slip out through the narrow space of open door behind the +bedstead. When all was done, the doctor had come back to see if any +suspicion had been aroused. + +"I have it now!" cried the colonel. "That infernal doctor's done us +both. He couldn't get Whittingham out of the house without leave, so +he's taken him as Carr! Swindled me into giving my leave. Ah, look +out, if we meet, Mr. Doctor!" + +We rushed out of the house and found this conjecture was true. The man +who purported to be Carr had been carried out, enveloped in blankets, +just as we sat down to breakfast; the doctor had put him into the +carriage, followed himself, and driven rapidly away. + +"Which way did they go?" + +"Toward the harbor, sir," the sentry replied. + +The harbor could be reached in twenty minutes' fast driving. Without a +word the colonel sprang on his horse; I imitated him, and we galloped +as hard as we could, everyone making way before our furious charge. +Alas! we were too late. As we drew rein on the quay we saw, half a +mile out to sea and sailing before a stiff breeze, Johnny Carr's +little yacht, with the Aureataland flag floating defiantly at her +masthead. + +We gazed at it blankly, with never a word to say, and turned our +horses' heads. Our attention was attracted by a small group of men +standing round the storm-signal post. As we rode up, they hastily +scattered, and we saw pinned to the post a sheet of note-paper. +Thereupon was written in a well-known hand: + + "I, Marcus W. Whittingham, President + of the Republic of Aureataland, + hereby offer a REWARD of FIVE THOUSAND + DOLLARS and a FREE PARDON to + any person or persons assisting in the + CAPTURE, ALIVE or DEAD, of GEORGE + MCGREGOR (late Colonel in the Aureataland + Army) and JOHN MARTIN, Bank + Manager, and I do further proclaim the + said George McGregor and John Martin + to be traitors and rebels against the + Republic, and do pronounce their lives + forfeited. Which sentence let every + loyal citizen observe at his peril. + + "MARCUS W. WHITTINGHAM, + + "President." + +Truly, this was pleasant! + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +DIVIDING THE SPOILS. + + +The habit of reading having penetrated, as we are told, to all classes +of the community, I am not without hope that some who peruse this +chronicle will be able, from personal experience, to understand +the feelings of a man when he first finds a reward offered for his +apprehension. It is true that our police are not in the habit of +imitating the President's naked brutality by expressly adding "Alive +or Dead," but I am informed that the law, in case of need, leaves +the alternative open to the servants of justice. I am not ashamed +to confess that my spirits were rather dashed by his Excellency's +Parthian shot, and I could see that the colonel himself was no less +perturbed. The escape of _Fleance_ seemed to _Macbeth_ to render his +whole position unsafe, and no one who knew General Whittingham will +doubt that he was a more dangerous opponent than _Fleance_. We both +felt, in fact, as soon as we saw the white sail of _The Songstress_ +bearing our enemy out of our reach, that the revolution could not yet +be regarded as safely accomplished. But the uncertainty of our tenure +of power did not paralyze our energies; on the contrary, we determined +to make hay while the sun shone, and, if Aureataland was doomed to +succumb once more to tyranny, I, for one, was very clear that her +temporary emancipation might be turned to good account. + +Accordingly, on arriving again at the Golden House, we lost no time in +instituting a thorough inquiry into the state of the public finances. +We ransacked the house from top to bottom and found nothing! Was it +possible that the President had carried off with him all the treasure +that had inspired our patriotic efforts? The thought was too horrible. +The drawers of his escritoire and the safe that stood in his library +revealed nothing to our eager eyes. A foraging party, dispatched to +the Ministry of Finance (where, by the way, they did not find Don +Antonio or his fair daughter), returned with the discouraging news +that nothing was visible but ledgers and bills (not negotiable +securities--the other sort). In deep dejection I threw myself into his +Excellency's chair and lit one of his praiseworthy cigars with the +doleful reflection that this pleasure seemed all I was likely to get +out of the business. The colonel stood moodily with his back to the +fireplace, looking at me as if I were responsible for the state of +things. + +At this point in came the signorina. We greeted her gloomily, and she +was as startled as ourselves at the news of the President's escape; +at the same time I thought I detected an undercurrent of relief, not +unnatural if we recollect her personal relations with the deposed +ruler. When, however, we went on to break to her the nakedness of the +land, she stopped us at once. + +"Oh, you stupid men! you haven't looked in the right place. I suppose +you expected to find it laid out for you on the dining-room table. +Come with me." + +We followed her into the room where Carr lay. He was awake, and the +signorina went and asked him how he was. Then she continued: + +"We shall have to disturb you for a few minutes, Mr. Carr. You don't +mind, do you?" + +"Must I get out of bed?" asked Johnny. + +"Certainly not while I'm here," said the signorina. "You've only got +to shut your eyes and lie still; but we're going to make a little +noise." + +There was in the room, as perhaps might be expected, a washing-stand. +This article was of the description one often sees; above the level of +the stand itself there rose a wooden screen to the height of two feet +and a half, covered with pretty tiles, the presumable object being to +protect the wall paper. I never saw a more innocent-looking bit +of furniture; it might have stood in a lady's dressing-room. The +signorina went up to it and _slid_ it gently on one side; it moved in +a groove! Then she pressed a spot in the wall behind and a small piece +of it rolled aside, disclosing a keyhole. + +"He's taken the key, of course," she said. "We must break it open. +Who's got a hammer?" + +Tools were procured, and, working under the signorina's directions, +after a good deal of trouble, we laid bare a neat little safe embedded +in the wall. This safe was legibly inscribed on the outside "Burglar's +Puzzle." We however, were not afraid of making a noise, and it only +puzzled us for ten minutes. + +When opened it revealed a Golconda! There lay in securities and cash +no less than five hundred thousand dollars! + +We smiled at one another. + +"A sad revelation!" I remarked. + +"Hoary old fox!" said the colonel. + +No wonder the harbor works were unremunerative in their early stages. +The President must have kept them at a very early stage. + +"What are you people up to?" cried Carr. + +"Rank burglary, my dear boy," I replied, and we retreated with our +spoil. + +"Now," said I to the colonel, "what are you going to do?" + +"Why, what do you think, Mr. Martin?" interposed the signorina. "He's +going to give you your money, and divide the rest with his sincere +friend Christina Nugent." + +"Well, I suppose so," said the colonel. "But it strikes me you're +making a good thing of this, Martin." + +"My dear colonel," said I, "a bargain is a bargain; and where would +you have been without my money?" + +The colonel made no reply, but handed me the money, which I liked much +better. I took the three hundred and twenty thousand dollars and said: + +"Now, I can face the world, an honest man." + +The signorina laughed. + +"_I_ am glad," she said, "chiefly for poor old Jones' sake. It'll take +a load off his mind." + +The colonel proceeded to divide the remainder into two little heaps, +of which he pushed one over to the signorina. She took it gayly, and +said: + +"Now I shall make curl papers of half my bonds, and I shall rely on +the--what do you call it?--the Provisional Government to pay the rest. +You remember about the house?" + +"I'll see about that soon," said the colonel impatiently. "You two +seem to think there's nothing to do but take the money. You forget +we've got to make our position safe." + +"Exactly. The colonel's government must be carried on," said I. + +The signorina did not catch the allusion. She yawned, and said: + +"Oh, then, I shall go. Rely on my loyalty, your Excellency." + +She made him a courtesy and went to the door. As I opened it for +her she whispered, "Horrid old bear! Come and see me, Jack," and so +vanished, carrying off her dollars. + +I returned and sat down opposite the colonel. + +"I wonder how she knew about the washing-stand," I remarked. + +"Because Whittingham was fool enough to tell her, I suppose," said the +colonel testily, as if he disliked the subject. + +Then we settled to business. This unambitious tale does not profess to +be a complete history of Aureataland, and I will spare my readers the +recital of our discussion. We decided at last that matters were still +so critical, owing to the President's escape, that the ordinary forms +of law and constitutional government must be temporarily suspended. +The Chamber was not in session, which made this course easier. The +colonel was to be proclaimed President and to assume supreme power +under martial law for some weeks, while we looked about us. It was +thought better that my name should not appear officially, but I agreed +to take in hand, under his supervision, all matters relating to +finance. + +"We can't pay the interest on the real debt," he said. + +"No," I replied; "you must issue a notice, setting forth that, owing +to General Whittingham's malversations, payments must be temporarily +suspended. Promise it will be all right later on." + +"Very good," said he; "and now I shall go and look up those officers. +I must keep them in good temper, and the men too. I shall give 'em +another ten thousand." + +"Generous hero!" said I, "and I shall go and restore this cash to my +employers." + +It was twelve o'clock when I left the Golden House and strolled +quietly down to Liberty Street. The larger part of the soldiers had +been drawn off, but a couple of companies still kept guard in the +_Piazza_. The usual occupations of life were going on amid a confused +stir of excitement, and I saw by the interest my appearance aroused +that some part at least of my share in the night's doing had leaked +out. The _Gazette_ had published a special edition, in which it hailed +the advent of freedom, and, while lauding McGregor to the skies, +bestowed a warm commendation on the "noble Englishman who, with a +native love of liberty, had taken on himself the burden of Aureataland +in her hour of travail." The metaphor struck me as inappropriate, but +the sentiment was most healthy; and when I finally beheld two officers +of police sitting on the head of a drunken man for toasting the fallen +_régime_, I could say to myself, as I turned into the bank, "Order +reigns in Warsaw." + +General assent had proclaimed a suspension of commerce on this +auspicious day, and I found Jones sitting idle and ill at ease. I +explained to him the state of affairs, showing how the President's +dishonorable scheme had compelled me, in the interests of the bank, to +take a more or less active part in the revolution. It was pathetic to +hear him bewail the villainy of the man he had trusted, and when I +produced the money he blessed me fervently, and at once proposed +writing to the directors a full account of the matter. + +"They are bound to vote you an honorarium, sir," he said. + +"I don't know, Jones," I replied. "I am afraid there is a certain +prejudice against me at headquarters. But in any case I have resolved +to forego the personal advantage that might accrue to me from my +conduct. President McGregor has made a strong representation to me +that the schemes of General Whittingham, if publicly known, would, +however unjustly, prejudice the credit of Aureataland, and he appealed +to me not to give particulars to the world. In matters such as these, +Jones, we cannot be guided solely by selfish considerations." + +"God forbid, sir!" said Jones, much moved. + +"I have, therefore, consented to restrict myself to a confidential +communication to the directors; they must judge how far they will pass +it on to the shareholders. To the world at large I shall say nothing +of the second loan; and I know you will oblige me by treating this +money as the product of realizations in the ordinary course of +business. The recent disturbances will quite account for so large a +sum being called in." + +"I don't quite see how I can arrange that." + +"Ah, you are overdone," said I. "Leave it all to me, Jones." + +And this I persuaded him to do. In fact, he was so relieved at seeing +the money back that he was easy to deal with; and if he suspected +anything, he was overawed by my present exalted position. He appeared +to forget what I could not, that the President, no doubt, still +possessed that fatal cable! + +After lunch I remembered my engagement with the signorina, and, +putting on my hat, was bidding farewell to business, when Jones said: + +"There's a note just come for you, sir. A little boy brought it while +you were out at lunch." + +He gave it me--a little dirty envelope, with an illiterate scrawl. I +opened it carelessly, but as my eye fell on the President's hand, I +started in amazement. The note was dated "Saturday--From on board _The +Songstress_," and ran as follows: + + "Dear Mr. Martin: I must confess + to having underrated your courage + and abilities. If you care to put them + at my disposal now, I will accept them. + In the other event, I must refer you to + my public announcement. In any case + it may be useful to you to know that + McGregor designs to marry Signorina + Nugent. I fear that on my return it + will be hardly consistent with my public + duties to spare your life (unless you + accept my present offer), but I shall + always look back to your acquaintance + with pleasure. I have, if you will allow + me to say so, seldom met a young man + with such natural gifts for finance and + politics. I shall anchor five miles out + from Whittingham to-night (for I know + you have no ships), and if you join me, + well and good. If not, I shall consider + your decision irrevocable. + + "Believe me, dear Mr. Martin, faithfully + yours, + + "MARCUS W. WHITTINGHAM, + + "President of the Republic of Aureataland." + +It is a pleasant thing, as has been remarked, _laudari a laudato +viro_, and the President's praise was grateful to me. But I did not +see my way to fall in with his views. He said nothing about the money, +but I knew well that its return would be a condition of any alliance +between us. Again, I was sure that he also "designed to marry the +signorina," and, if I must have a rival on the spot, I preferred +McGregor in that capacity. Lastly, I thought that, after all, there is +a decency in things, and I had better stick to my party. I did not, +however, tell McGregor about the letter, merely sending him a line to +say I had heard that _The Songstress_ was hovering a few miles off, +and he had better look out. + +This done, I resumed my interrupted progress to the signorina's. When +I was shown in, she greeted me kindly. + +"I have had a letter from the President," I said. + +"Yes," said she, "he told me he had written to you." + +"Why, have you heard from him?" + +"Yes, just a little note. He is rather cross with me." + +"I can quite understand that. Would you like to see my letter?" + +"Oh, yes," she replied carelessly. + +She read it through and asked: + +"Well, are you going over to him--going to forsake me?" + +"How can you ask me? Won't you show me your letter, Christina?" + +"No, John," she answered, mimicking my impassioned tones. "I may steal +the President's savings, but I respect his confidence." + +"You see what he says to me about McGregor." + +"Yes," said the signorina. "It is not, you know, news to me. But, +curious to relate, the colonel has just been here himself and told +me the same thing. The colonel has not a nice way of making love, +Jack--not so nice as yours nearly." + +Thus encouraged, I went and sat down by her. I believe I took her +hand. + +"You don't love him?" + +"Not at all," she replied. + +I must beg to be excused recording the exact terms in which I placed +my hand and heart at the signorina's disposal. I was extremely +vehement and highly absurd, but she did not appear to be displeased. + +"I like you very much, Jack," she said, "and it's very sweet of you to +have made a revolution for me. It was for me, Jack?" + +"Of course it was, my darling," I promptly replied. + +"But you know, Jack, I don't see how we're much better off. Indeed, in +a way it's worse. The President wouldn't let anybody else marry me, +but he wasn't so peremptory as the colonel. The colonel declares he +will marry me this day week!" + +"We'll see about that," said I savagely. + +"Another revolution, Jack?" asked the signorina. + +"You needn't laugh at me," I said sulkily. + +"Poor boy! What are we idyllic lovers to do?" + +"I don't believe you're a bit in earnest." + +"Yes, I am, Jack--now." Then she went on, with a sort of playful pity, +"Look at my savage, jealous, broken-hearted Jack." + +I caught her in my arms and kissed her, whispering hotly: + +"You will be true to me, sweet?" + +"Let me go," she said. Then, leaning over me as I flung myself back in +a chair, "It's pleasant while it lasts; try not to be broken-hearted +if it doesn't last." + +"If you love me, why don't you come with me out of this sink of +iniquity?" + +"Run away with you?" she asked, with open amazement. "Do you think +that we're the sort of people, for a romantic elopement? I am very +earthy. And so are you, Jack, dear--nice earth, but earth, Jack." + +There was a good deal of truth in this remark. We were not an ideal +pair for love in a cottage. + +"Yes," I said. "I've got no money." + +"I've got a little money, but not much. I've been paying debts," she +added proudly. + +"I haven't been even doing that. And I'm not quite equal to purloining +that three hundred thousand dollars." + +"We must wait, Jack. But this I will promise. I'll never marry the +colonel. If it comes to that or running away, we'll run away." + +"And Whittingham?" + +The signorina for once looked grave. + +"You know him," she said. "Think what he made you do! and you're not a +weak man, or I shouldn't be fond of you. Jack, you must keep him away +from me." + +She was quite agitated; and it was one more tribute to the President's +powers that he should exert so strange an influence over such a +nature. I was burning to ask her more about herself and the President, +but I could not while she was distressed. And when I had comforted +her, she resolutely declined to return to the subject. + +"No, go away now," she said. "Think how we are to checkmate our two +Presidents. And, Jack! whatever happens, I got you back the money. +I've done you some good. So be kind to me. I'm not very much afraid of +your heart breaking. In fact, Jack, we are neither of us good young +people. No, no; be quiet and go away. You have plenty of useful things +to occupy your time." + +At last I accepted my dismissal and walked off, my happiness +considerably damped by the awkward predicament in which we stood. +Clearly McGregor meant business; and at this moment McGregor was +all-powerful. If he kept the reins, I should lose my love. If the +President came back, a worse fate still threatened. Supposing it were +possible to carry off the signorina, which I doubted very much, where +were we to go to! And would she come? + +On the whole, I did not think she would come. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +BETWEEN TWO FIRES. + + +In spite of my many anxieties, after this eventful day I enjoyed the +first decent night's rest I had had for a week. The colonel refused, +with an unnecessary ostentation of scorn, my patriotic offer to keep +watch and ward over the city, and I turned in, tired out, at eleven +o'clock, after a light dinner and a meditative pipe. I felt I had +some reasons for self-congratulation; for considerable as my present +difficulties were, yet I undoubtedly stood in a more hopeful position +than I had before the revolution. I was now resolved to get my money +safe out of the country, and I had hopes of being too much for +McGregor in the other matter which shared my thoughts. + +The return of day, however, brought new troubles. I was roused at +an early hour by a visit from the colonel himself. He brought very +disquieting tidings. In the course of the night every one of our +proclamations had been torn down or defaced with ribald scribblings; +posted over or alongside them, there now hung multitudinous enlarged +copies of the President's offensive notice. How or by whom these +seditious measures had been effected we were at a loss to tell, for +the officers and troops were loud in declaring their vigilance. In the +very center of the Piazza, on the base of the President's statue, was +posted an enormous bill: "REMEMBER 1871! DEATH TO TRAITORS!" + +"How could they do that unless the soldiers were in it?" asked the +colonel gloomily. "I have sent those two companies back to barracks +and had another lot out. But how do I know they'll be any better? I +met DeChair just now and asked him what the temper of the troops was. +The little brute grinned, and said, 'Ah, mon Président, it would be +better if the good soldiers had a leetle more money.'" + +"That's about it," said I; "but then you haven't got much more money." + +"What I've got I mean to stick to," said the colonel. "If this thing +is going to burst up, I'm not going to be kicked out to starve. I tell +you what it is, Martin, you must let me have some of that cash back +again." + +The effrontery of this request amazed me. I was just drawing on the +second leg of my trousers (for it was impossible to be comfortable in +bed with that great creature fuming about), and I stopped with one leg +in mid-air and gazed at him. + +"Well, what's the matter? Why are you to dance out with all the +plunder?" he asked. + +The man's want of ordinary morality was too revolting. Didn't he know +very well that the money wasn't mine? Didn't he himself obtain my help +on the express terms that I should have this money to repay the bank +with? I finished putting on my garments, and then I replied: + +"Not a farthing, colonel; not a damned farthing! By our agreement +that cash was to be mine; but for that I wouldn't have touched your +revolution with a pair of tongs." + +He looked very savage, and muttered something under his breath. + +"You're carrying things with a high hand," he said. + +"I'm not going to steal to please you," said I. + +"You weren't always so scrupulous," he sneered. + +I took no notice of this insult, but repeated my determination. + +"Look here, Martin," he said, "I'll give you twenty-four hours to +think it over; and let me advise you to change your mind by then. I +don't want to quarrel, but I'm going to have some of that money." + +Clearly he had learned statecraft in his predecessor's school! +"Twenty-four hours is something," thought I, and determined to try the +cunning of the serpent. + +"All right, colonel," I said, "I'll think it over. I don't pretend to +like it; but, after all, I'm in with you and we must pull together. +We'll see how things look to-morrow morning." + +"There's another matter I wanted to speak to you about," he went on. + +I was now dressed, so I invited him into the breakfast-room, gave him +a cup of coffee (which, to my credit, I didn't poison), and began on +my own eggs and toast. + +"Fire away," said I briefly. + +"I suppose you know I'm going to be married?" he remarked. + +"No, I hadn't heard," I replied, feigning to be entirely occupied with +a very nimble egg. "Rather a busy time for marrying, isn't it? Who is +she?" + +He gave a heavy laugh. + +"You needn't pretend to be so very innocent; I expect you could give a +pretty good guess." + +"Mme. Devarges?" I asked blandly. "Suitable match; about your age--" + +"I wish to the devil you wouldn't try to be funny!" he exclaimed. "You +know as well as I do it's the signorina." + +"Really?" I replied. "Well, well! I fancied you were a little touched +in that quarter. And she has consented to make you happy?" + +I was curious to see what he would say. I knew he was a bad liar, +and, as a fact, I believe he told the truth on this occasion, for he +answered: + +"Says she never cared a straw for anyone else." + +Oh, signorina! + +"Not even Whittingham?" I asked maliciously. + +"Hates the old ruffian!" said the colonel. "I once thought she had a +liking for you, Martin, but she laughed at the idea. I'm glad of it, +for we should have fallen out." + +I smiled in a somewhat sickly way, and took refuge in my cup. When I +emerged, I asked: + +"And when is it to be?" + +"Next Saturday." + +"So soon?" + +"Yes," he said. "Fact is, between you and me, Martin, she's ready +enough." + +This was too disgusting. But whether the colonel was deceiving me, or +the signorina had deceived him, I didn't know--a little bit of both, +probably. I saw, however, what the colonel's game was plainly enough; +he was, in his clumsy way, warning me off his preserves, for, of +course, he knew my pretensions, and probably that they had met with +some success, and I don't think I imposed on him very much. But I was +anxious to avoid a rupture and gain time. + +"I must call and congratulate the lady," I said. + +The colonel couldn't very well object to that, but he didn't like it. + +"Well, Christina told me she was very busy, but I dare say she'll see +you for a few minutes." + +"I dare say she will," I said dryly. + +"I must be off now. I shall have to be about all day, trying to catch +those infernal fellows who destroyed the bills." + +"You won't be doing any business to-day, then?" + +"What, about settling the Government?" he asked, grinning. "Not just +yet. Wait till I've got the signorina and the money, and then we'll +see about that. You think about the money, my boy!" + +Much to my relief he then departed, and as he went out I swore that +neither signorina nor money should he ever have. In the course of the +next twenty-four hours I must find a way to prevent him. + +"Rather early for a call," said I, "but I must see the signorina." + +On my way up I met several people, and heard some interesting facts. +In the first place, no trace had appeared of Don Antonio and his +daughter; rumor declared that they had embarked on _The Songstress_ +with the President and his faithful doctor. Secondly, Johnny Carr was +still in bed at the Golden House (this from Mme. Devarges, who had +been to see him); but his men had disappeared, after solemnly taking +the oath to the new Government. Item three: The colonel had been +received with silence and black looks by the troops, and two officers +had vanished into space, both Americans, and the only men of any good +in a fight. Things were looking rather blue, and I began to think that +I also should like to disappear, provided I could carry off my money +and my mistress with me. My scruples about loyalty had been removed by +the colonel's overbearing conduct, and I was ready for any step that +promised me the fulfillment of my own designs. It was pretty evident +that there would be no living with McGregor in his present frame of +mind, and I was convinced that my best course would be to cut the +whole thing, or, if that proved impossible, to see what bargain I +could make with the President. Of course, all would go smoothly with +him if I gave up the dollars and the lady; a like sacrifice would +conciliate McGregor. But then, I didn't mean to make it. + +"One or other I will have," said I, as I knocked at the door of "Mon +Repos," "and both if possible." + +The signorina was looking worried; indeed, I thought she had been +crying. + +"Did you meet my aunt on your way up?" she asked, the moment I was +announced. + +"No," said I. + +"I've sent her away," she continued. "All this fuss frightens her, +so I got the colonel's leave (for you know we mustn't move without +permission now liberty has triumphed) for her to seek change of air." + +"Where's she going to?" I said. + +"Home," said the signorina. + +I didn't know where "home" was, but I never ask what I am not meant to +know. + +"Are you left alone?" + +"Yes. I know it's not correct. But you see, Jack, I had to choose +between care for my money and care for my reputation. The latter is +always safe in my own keeping; the former I wasn't so sure about." + +"Oh, so you've given it to Mrs. Carrington?" + +"Yes, all but five thousand dollars." + +"Does the colonel know that?" + +"Dear me, of course not! or he'd never have let her go." + +"You're very wise," said I. "I only wish I could have sent my money +with her." + +"I'm afraid that would have made dear aunt rather bulky," said the +signorina, tittering. + +"Yes, such a lot of mine's in cash," I said regretfully. "But won't +they find it on her?" + +"Not if they're gentlemen," replied the signorina darkly. + +Evidently I could not ask for further details; so, without more ado, +I disclosed my own perilous condition and the colonel's boasts about +herself. + +"What a villain that man is!" she exclaimed. "Of course, I was civil +to him, but I didn't say half that. You didn't believe I did, Jack?" + +There's never any use in being unpleasant, so I said I had rejected +the idea with scorn. + +"But what's to be done? If I'm here to-morrow, he'll take the money, +and, as likely as not, cut my throat if I try to stop him." + +"Yes, and he'll marry me," chimed in the signorina. "Jack, we must +have a counter-revolution." + +"I don't see what good that'll do," I answered dolefully. "The +President will take the money just the same, and I expect he'll marry +you just the same." + +"Of the two, I would rather have him. Now don't rage, Jack! I only +said, 'of the two.' But you're quite right; it couldn't help us much +to bring General Whittingham back." + +"To say nothing of the strong probability of my perishing in the +attempt." + +"Let me think," said the signorina, knitting her brows. + +"May I light a cigarette and help you?" + +She nodded permission, and I awaited the result of her meditation. + +She sat there, looking very thoughtful and troubled, but it seemed +to me as if she were rather undergoing a conflict of feeling than +thinking out a course of action. Once she glanced at me, then turned +away with a restless movement and a sigh. + +I finished my cigarette, and flinging it away, strolled up to the +window to look out. I had stood there a little while, when I heard her +call softly: + +"Jack!" + +I turned and came to her, kneeling down by her side and taking her +hands. + +She gazed rather intently into my face with unusual gravity. Then she +said: + +"If you have to choose between me and the money, which will it be?" + +I kissed her hand for answer. + +"If the money is lost, won't it all come out? And then, won't they +call you dishonest?" + +"I suppose so," said I. + +"You don't mind that?" + +"Yes, I do. Nobody likes being called a thief--especially when there's +a kind of truth about it. But I should mind losing you more." + +"Are you really very fond of me, Jack? No, you needn't say so. I think +you are. Now I'll tell you a secret. If you hadn't come here, I should +have married General Whittingham long ago. I stayed here intending to +do it (oh, yes, I'm not a nice girl, Jack), and he asked me very soon +after you first arrived. I gave him my money, you know, then." + +I was listening intently. It seemed as if some things were going to be +cleared up. + +"Well," she continued, "you know what happened. You fell in love with +me--I tried to make you; and then I suppose I fell a little in love +with you. At any rate I told the President I wouldn't marry him just +then. Some time after, I wanted some money, and I asked him to give +me back mine. He utterly refused; you know his quiet way. He said he +would keep it for 'Mrs. Whittingham.' Oh, I could have killed him! But +I didn't dare to break with him openly; besides, he's very hard to +fight against. We had constant disputes; he would never give back the +money, and I declared I wouldn't marry him unless I had it first, and +not then unless I chose. He was very angry and swore I should marry +him without a penny of it; and so it went on. But he never suspected +you, Jack; not till quite the end. Then we found out about the debt, +you know; and about the same time I saw he at last suspected something +between you and me. And the very day before we came to the bank he +drove me to desperation. He stood beside me in this room, and said, +Christina, I am growing old. I shall wait no longer. I believe you're +in love with that young Martin.' Then he apologized for his plain +speaking, for he's always gentle in manner. And I defied him. And +then, Jack, what do you think he did?" + +I sprang up in a fury. + +"What?" I cried. + +"He _laughed_!" said the signorina, with tragic intensity. "I couldn't +stand that, so I joined the colonel in upsetting him. Ah, he shouldn't +have laughed at me!" + +And indeed she looked at this moment a dangerous subject for such +treatment. + +"I knew what no one else knew, and I could influence him as no one +else could, and I had my revenge. But now," she said, "it all ends in +nothing." + +And she broke down, sobbing. + +Then, recovering herself, and motioning me to be still, she went on: + +"You may think, after holding him at bay so long, I have little to +fear from the colonel. But it's different. The President has no +scruples; but he is a gentleman--as far as women are concerned. I +mean--he wouldn't--" + +She stopped. + +"But McGregor?" I asked, in a hoarse whisper. + +She drooped her head on my shoulder. + +"I daren't stay here, Jack, with him," she whispered. "If you can't +take me away, I must go to the President. I shall be at least safe +with him!" + +"Damn the ruffian!" I growled; not meaning the President, but his +successor; "I'll shoot him!" + +"No, no, Jack!" she cried. "You must be quiet and cautious. But I must +go to-night--to-night, Jack, either with you or to the President." + +"My darling, you shall come with me," said I. + +"Where?" + +"Oh, out of this somewhere." + +"How are we to escape?" + +"Now, you sit down, dear, and try to stop crying--you break my +heart--and I'll think. It's my turn now." + +I carried her to the sofa, and she lay still, but with her eyes fixed +on me. I was full of rage against McGregor, but I couldn't afford the +luxury of indulging it, so I gave my whole mind to finding a way out +for us. At last I seemed to hit upon a plan. + +The signorina saw the inspiration in my eye. She jumped up and came to +me. + +"Have you got it, Jack?" she said. + +"I think so--if you will trust yourself to me, and don't mind an +uncomfortable night." + +"Go on." + +"You know my little steam launch? It will be dark to-night. If we can +get on board with a couple of hours' start we can show anybody a clean +pair of heels. She travels a good pace, and it's only fifty miles to +safety and foreign soil. I shall land there a beggar!" + +"I don't mind that, Jack," she said. "I have my five thousand, and +aunt will join us with the rest. But how are we to get on board? +Besides, O Jack! the President watches the coast every night with _The +Songstress_--and you know she's got steam--Mr. Carr just had auxiliary +steam put in." + +"No," I said, "I didn't know about that. Look here, Christina; excuse +the question, but can you communicate with the President?" + +"Yes," she said, after a second's hesitation. + +This was what I suspected. + +"And will he believe what you tell him?" + +"I don't know. He might and he might not. He'll probably act as if he +didn't." + +I appreciated the justice of this forecast of General Whittingham's +measures. + +"Well, we must chance it," I said. "At any rate, better be caught +by him than stay here. We were, perhaps, a little hasty with that +revolution of ours." + +"I never thought the colonel was so wicked," said the signorina. + +We had no time to waste in abusing our enemy; the question was how to +outwit him. I unfolded my plan to the signorina, not at all disguising +from her the difficulties, and even dangers, attendant upon it. +Whatever may have been her mind before and after, she was at this +moment either so overcome with her fear of the colonel, or so carried +away by her feeling for me, that she made nothing of difficulties +and laughed at dangers, pointing out that though failure would +be ignominious, it could not substantially aggravate our present +position. Whereas, if we succeeded-- + +The thought of success raised a prospect of bliss in which we reveled +for a few minutes; then, warned by the stroke of twelve, we returned +to business. + +"Are you going to take any of the money away with you?" she asked. + +"No," said I, "I don't think so. It would considerably increase the +risk if I were seen hanging about the bank; you know he's got spies +all over the place. Besides, what good would it do? I couldn't stick +to it, and I'm not inclined to run any more risks merely to save the +bank's pocket. The bank hasn't treated me so well as all that. I +propose to rely on your bounty till I've time to turn round." + +"Now, shall I come for you?" I asked her when we had arranged the +other details. + +"I think not," she said. "I believe the colonel has one of my servants +in his pay. I can slip out by myself, but I couldn't manage so well if +you were with me. The sight of you would excite curiosity. I will meet +you at the bottom of Liberty Street." + +"At two o'clock in the morning exactly, please. Don't come through the +_Piazza_, and Liberty Street. Come round by the drive. [This was a +sort of boulevard encircling the town, where the aristocracy was wont +to ride and drive.] Things ought to be pretty busy about the bank by +then, and no one will notice you. You have a revolver?" + +"Yes." + +"All right. Don't hurt anyone if you can help it; but if you do, don't +leave him to linger in agony. Now I'm off," I continued. "I suppose +I'd better not come and see you again?" + +"I'm afraid you mustn't, Jack. You've been here two hours already." + +"I shall be in my rooms in the afternoon. If anything goes wrong, send +your carriage down the street and have it stopped at the grocer's. I +shall take that for a sign." + +The signorina agreed, and we parted tenderly. My last words were: + +"You'll send that message to Whittingham at once?" + +"This moment," she said, as she waved me a kiss from the door of the +room. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +I WORK UPON HUMAN NATURE. + + +I was evidently in for another day as unpleasantly exciting as the one +I had spent before the revolution, and I reflected sadly that if a man +once goes in for things of that kind, it's none so easy to pull up. +Luckily, however, I had several things to occupy me, and was not left +to fret the day away in idleness. First I turned my steps to the +harbor. As I went I examined my pockets and found a sum total of $950. +This was my all, for of late I had deemed it wise to carry my fortune +on my person. Well, this was enough for the present; the future must +take care of itself. So I thought to myself as I went along with a +light heart, my triumph in love easily outweighing all the troubles +and dangers that beset me. Only land me safe out of Aureataland with +the signorina by my side, and I asked nothing more of fortune! Let the +dead bury their dead, and the bank look after its dollars! + +Thus musing, I came to the boat-house where my launch lay. She was a +tidy little boat, and had the advantage of being workable by one man +without any difficulty. All I had to arrange was how to embark in her +unperceived. I summoned the boatman in charge, and questioned him +closely about the probable state of the weather. He confidently +assured me it would be fine but dark. + +"Very well," said I, "I shall go fishing; start overnight, and have a +shy at them at sunrise." + +The man was rather astonished at my unwonted energy, but of course +made no objection. + +"What time shall you start, sir?" he asked. + +"I want her ready by two," said I. + +"Do you want me to go with you, sir?" + +I pretended to consider, and then told him, to his obvious relief, +that I could dispense with his services. + +"Leave her at the end of your jetty," I said, "ready for me. She'll be +all safe there, won't she?" + +"Oh, yes, sir. Nobody'll be about, except the sentries, and they won't +touch her." + +I privately hoped that not even the sentries would be about, but I +didn't say so. + +"Of course, sir, I shall lock the gate. You've got your key?" + +"Yes, all right, and here you are--and much obliged for your trouble." + +Highly astonished and grateful at receiving a large tip for no obvious +reason (rather a mistake on my part), the man was profuse in promising +to make every arrangement for my comfort. Even when I asked for a few +cushions, he dissembled his scorn and agreed to put them in. + +"And mind you don't sit up," I said as I left him. + +"I'm not likely to sit up if I'm not obliged," he answered. "Hope +you'll have good sport, sir." + +From the harbor I made my way straight to the Golden House. The +colonel was rather surprised to see me again so soon, but when I +told him I came on business, he put his occupations on one side and +listened to me. + +I began with some anxiety, for if he suspected my good faith all would +be lost. However, I was always a good hand at a lie, and the colonel +was not the President. + +"I've come about that money question," I said. + +"Well, have you come to your senses?" he asked, with his habitual +rudeness. + +"I can't give you the money--" I went on. + +"The devil you can't!" he broke in. "You sit there and tell me that? +Do you know that if the soldiers don't have money in a few hours, +they'll upset me? They're ready to do it any minute. By Jove! I don't +know now, when I give an order, whether I shall be obeyed or get a +bullet through my head." + +"Pray be calm!" said I. "You didn't let me finish." + +"Let you finish!" he cried. "You seem to think jabber does everything. +The end of it all is, that either you give me the money or I take +it--and if you interfere, look out!" + +"That was just what I was going to propose, if you hadn't interrupted +me," I said quietly, but with inward exultation, for I saw he was just +in the state of mind to walk eagerly into the trap I was preparing for +him. + +"What do you mean?" he asked. + +I explained to him that it was impossible for me to give up the money. +My reputation was at stake; it was my duty to die in defense of that +money--a duty which, I hastened to add, I entertained no intention of +performing. + +"But," I went on, "although I am bound not to surrender the money, +I am not bound to anticipate a forcible seizure of it. In times of +disturbance parties of ruffians often turn to plunder. Not even the +most rigorous precautions can guard against it. Now, it would be very +possible that even to-night a band of such maurauders might make an +attack on the bank, and carry off all the money in the safe." + +"Oh!" said the colonel, "that's the game, is it?" + +"That," I replied, "is the game; and a very neat game too, if you'll +play it properly." + +"And what will they say in Europe, when they hear the Provisional +Government is looting private property?" + +"My dear colonel, you force me to much explanation. You will, of +course, not appear in the matter." + +"I should like to be there," he remarked. "If I weren't, the men +mightn't catch the exact drift of the thing." + +"You will be there, of course, but _incognito_. Look here, colonel, +it's as plain as two peas. Give out that you're going to reconnoiter +the coast and keep an eye on _The Songstress_. Draw off your companies +from the Piazza on that pretense. Then take fifteen or twenty men you +can trust--not more, for it's no use taking more than you can help, +and resistance is out of the question. About two, when everything is +quiet, surround the bank. Jones will open when you knock. Don't hurt +him, but take him outside and keep him quiet. Go in and take the +money. Here's the key of the safe. Then, if you like, set fire to the +place." + +"Bravo, my boy!" said the colonel. "There's stuff in you after all. +Upon my word, I was afraid you were going to turn virtuous." + +I laughed as wickedly as I could. + +"And what are you going to get out of it?" he said. "I suppose that's +coming next?" + +As the reader knows, I wasn't going to get anything out of it, except +myself and the signorina. But it wouldn't do to tell the colonel that; +he would not believe in disinterested conduct. So I bargained with +him for a _douceur_ of thirty thousand dollars, which he promised so +readily that I strongly doubted whether he ever meant to pay it. + +"Do you think there's any danger of Whittingham making an attack while +we're engaged in the job?" + +The colonel was, in common parlance, getting rather _warmer_ than I +liked. + +It was necessary to mislead him. + +"I don't think so," I replied. "He can't possibly have organized much +of a party here yet. There's some discontent, no doubt, but not enough +for him to rely on." + +"There's plenty of discontent," said the colonel. + +"There won't be in a couple of hours." + +"Why not?" + +"Why, because you're going down to the barracks to announce a fresh +installment of pay to the troops to-morrow morning--a handsome +installment." + +"Yes," said he thoughtfully, "that ought to keep them quiet for one +night. Fact is, they don't care twopence either for me or Whittingham; +and if they think they'll get more out of me they'll stick to me." + +Of course I assented. Indeed, it was true enough as long as the +President was not on the spot; but I thought privately that the +colonel did not allow enough for his rival's personal influence and +prestige, if he once got face to face with the troops. + +"Yes," the colonel went on, "I'll do that; and what's more, I'll put +the people in good humor by sending down orders for free drink in the +Piazza to-night." + +"Delightfully old-fashioned and baronial," I remarked, "I think it's +a good idea. Have a bonfire, and make it complete. I don't suppose +Whittingham dreams of any attempt, but it will make the riot even more +plausible." + +"At any rate, they'll all be too drunk to make trouble," said he. + +"Well, that's about all, isn't it?" said I. "I shall be off. I've got +to write to my directors and ask instructions for the investment of +the money." + +"You'll live to be hanged, Martin," said the colonel, with evident +admiration. + +"Not by you, eh, colonel? Whatever might have happened if I'd been +obstinate! Hope I shall survive to dance at your wedding, anyhow. Less +than a week now!" + +"Yes," said he, "it's Sunday (though, by Jove! I'd forgotten it), and +next Saturday's the day!" + +He really looked quite the happy bridegroom as he said this, and I +left him to contemplate his bliss. + +"I would bet ten to one that day never comes," I thought, as I walked +away. "Even if I don't win, I'll back the President to be back before +that." + +The colonel's greed had triumphed over his wits, and he had fallen +into my snare with greater readiness than I could have hoped. The +question remained, What would the president do when he got the +signorina's letter? It may conduce to a better understanding of the +position if I tell what that letter was. She gave it me to read over, +after we had compiled it together, and I still have my copy. It ran as +follows: + +"I can hardly hope you will trust me again, but if I betrayed you, you +drove me to it. I have given them your money; it is in the bank now. +M. refuses to give it up, and the C. means to take it to-night. He +will have only a few men, the rest not near. He will be at the bank +at two, with about twenty men. Take your own measures. All here favor +you. He threatens me violence unless I marry him at once. He watches +_The Songstress_, but if you can leave her at anchor and land in a +boat there will be no suspicion. I swear this is true; do not punish +me more by disbelieving me. I make no protest. But if you come back +to me I will give you, in return for pardon, _anything you ask_! + +"CHRISTINA. + +"P.S.---M. and the C. are on bad terms, and M. will not be active +against you." + +Upon the whole I thought this would bring him. I doubted whether he +would believe very much in it, but it looked probable (indeed, it was +word for word true, as far as it went), and held out a bait that he +would find it hard to resist. Again, he was so fond of a bold stroke, +and so devoid of fear, that it was very likely he could come and see +if it were true. If, as we suspected, he already had a considerable +body of adherents on shore, he could land and reconnoiter without very +great danger of falling into the colonel's hands. Finally, even if +he didn't come, we hoped the letter would be enough to divert his +attention from any thought of fugitive boats and runaway lovers. I +could have made the terms of it even more alluring, but the signorina, +with that extraordinarily distorted morality distinctive of her sex, +refused to swear to anything literally untrue in a letter which was +itself from beginning to end a monumental falsehood; though not a +student of ethics, she was keenly alive to the distinction between +the _expressio falsi_ and the _suppressio veri_. The only passage she +doubted about was the last, "If you come back to me." "But then he +won't come back _to me_ if I'm not there!" she exclaimed triumphantly. +What happened to him after he landed--whether he cooked the colonel's +goose or the colonel cooked his--I really could not afford to +consider. As a matter of personal preference, I should have liked the +former, but I did not allow any such considerations to influence my +conduct. My only hope was that the killing would take long enough to +leave time for our unobtrusive exit. At the same time, as a matter of +betting, I would have laid long odds against McGregor. + +To my mind it is nearly as difficult to be consistently selfish as to +be absolutely unselfish. I had, at this crisis, every inducement to +concentrate all my efforts on myself, but I could not get Jones out of +my head. It was certainly improbable that Jones would try to resist +the marauding party; but neither the colonel nor his chosen band were +likely to be scrupulous, and it was impossible not to see that Jones +might get a bullet through his head; indeed, I fancied such a step +would rather commend itself to the colonel, as giving a _bona +fide_ look to the affair. Jones had often been a cause of great +inconvenience to me, but I didn't wish to have his death on my +conscience, so I was very glad when I happened to meet him on my way +back from the Golden House, and seized the opportunity of giving him a +friendly hint. + +I took him and set him down beside me on a bench in the Piazza. + +I was in no way disturbed by the curious glances of three soldiers who +were evidently charged to keep an eye on the bank and my dealings with +it. + +I began by pledging Jones to absolute secrecy, and then I intimated +to him, in a roundabout way, that the colonel and I were both very +apprehensive of an attack on the bank. + +"The town," I said, "is in a most unsettled condition, and many +dangerous characters are about. Under these circumstances I have felt +compelled to leave the defense of our property in the hands of the +Government. I have formally intimated to the authorities that we +shall hold them responsible for any loss occasioned to us by public +disorder. The colonel, in the name of the Government, has accepted +that responsibility. I therefore desire to tell you, Mr. Jones, that, +in the lamentable event of any attack on the bank, it will not be +expected of you to expose your life by resistance. Such a sacrifice +would be both uncalled for and useless; and I must instruct you that +the Government insists that their measures shall not be put in danger +of frustration by any rash conduct on our part. I am unable to be at +the bank this evening; but in the event of any trouble you will oblige +me by not attempting to meet force by force. You will yield, and we +shall rely on our remedy against the Government in case of loss." + +These instructions so fully agreed with the natural bent of +Jones' mind that he readily acquiesced in them and expressed high +appreciation of my foresight. + +"Take care of yourself and Mrs. Jones, my dear fellow," I concluded; +"that is all you have to do, and I shall be satisfied." + +I parted from him affectionately, wondering if my path in life would +ever cross the honest, stupid old fellow's again, and heartily hoping +that his fortune would soon take him out of the rogue's nest in which +he had been dwelling. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +FAREWELL TO AUREATALAND. + + +The night came on, fair and still, clear and star-lit; but there was +no moon and, outside the immediate neighborhood of the main streets, +the darkness was enough to favor our hope of escaping notice without +being so intense as to embarrass our footsteps. Everything, in fact, +seemed to be on our side, and I was full of buoyant confidence as I +drank a last solitary glass to the success of our enterprise, put my +revolver in my pocket, and, on the stroke of midnight, stole from my +lodgings. I looked up toward the bank and dimly descried three or four +motionless figures, whom I took to be sentries guarding the treasure. +The street itself was almost deserted, but from where I stood I could +see the Piazza crowded with a throng of people whose shouts and songs +told me that the colonel's hospitality was being fully appreciated. +There was dancing going on to the strains of the military band, and +every sign showed that our good citizens intended, in familiar phrase, +to make a night of it. + +I walked swiftly and silently down to the jetty. Yes, the boat was all +right! I looked to her fires, and left her moored by one rope ready +to be launched into the calm black sea in an instant. Then I strolled +along by the harbor side. Here I met a couple of sentries. Innocently +I entered into conversation with them, condoling on their hard fate +in being kept on duty while pleasure was at the helm in the Piazza. +Gently deprecating such excess of caution, I pointed out to them the +stationary lights of _The Songstress_ four or five miles out to sea, +and with a respectful smile at the colonel's uneasiness, left the seed +I had sown to grow in prepared soil. I dared do no more, and had to +trust for the rest to their natural inclination to the neglect of +duty. + +When I got back to the bottom of Liberty Street, I ensconced myself in +the shelter of a little group of trees which stood at one side of +the roadway. Just across the road, which ran at right angles to the +street, the wood began, and a quarter of an hour's walk through its +shades would bring us to the jetty where the boat lay. My trees made +a perfect screen, and here I stood awaiting events. For some time +nothing was audible but an ever-increasing tumult of joviality from +the Piazza. But after about twenty minutes I awoke to the fact that a +constant dribble of men, singly or in pairs, had begun to flow past me +from the Piazza, down Liberty Street, across the road behind me, and +into the wood. Some were in uniform, others dressed in common clothes; +one or two I recognized as members of Johnny Carr's missing band. +The strong contrast between the prevailing revelry and the stealthy, +cautious air of these passers-by would alone have suggested that they +were bent on business; putting two and two together I had not the +least doubt that they were the President's adherents making their way +down to the water's edge to receive their chief. So he was coming; the +letter had done its work! Some fifty or more must have come and gone +before the stream ceased, and I reflected, with great satisfaction, +that the colonel was likely to have his hands very full in the next +hour or two. + +Half an hour or so passed uneventfully; the bonfire still blazed; +the songs and dancing were still in full swing. I was close upon the +fearful hour of two, when, looking from my hiding-place, I saw a +slight figure in black coming quickly and fearfully along the road. + +I recognized the signorina at once, as I should recognize her any day +among a thousand; and, as she paused nearly opposite where I was, I +gently called her name and showed myself for a moment. She ran to me +at once. + +"Is it all right?" she asked breathlessly. + +"We shall see in a moment," said I. "The attack is coming off; it will +begin directly." + +But the attack was not the next thing we saw. We had both retreated +again to the friendly shadow whence we could see without being seen. +Hardly had we settled ourselves than the signorina whispered to me, +pointing across the road to the wood: + +"What's that, Jack?" + +I followed the line of her finger and made out a row of figures +standing motionless and still on the very edge of the wood. It was too +dark to distinguish individuals; but, even as we looked, the silent +air wafted to our eager ears a low-voiced word of command: + +"Mind, not a sound till I give the word." + +"The President!" exclaimed the signorina, in a loud whisper. + +"Hush, or he'll hear," said I, "and we're done." + +Clearly nothing would happen from that quarter till it was called +forth by events in the opposite direction. The signorina was strongly +agitated; she clung to me closely, and I saw with alarm that the very +proximity of the man she stood in such awe of was too much for her +composure. When I had soothed, and I fear half-frightened, her into +stillness, I again turned my eyes toward the Piazza. The fire had at +last flickered out and the revels seemed on the wane. Suddenly a body +of men appeared in close order, marching down the street toward the +bank. We stood perhaps a hundred yards from that building, which was, +in its turn, about two hundred from the Piazza. Steadily they came +along; no sound reached us from the wood. + +"This is getting interesting," I said. "There'll be trouble soon." + +As near as I could see, the colonel's band, for such it was, no doubt, +did not number more than five-and-twenty at the outside. Now they were +at the bank. I could hardly see what happened, but there seemed to be +a moment's pause; probably someone had knocked and they were waiting. +A second later a loud shout rang through the street and I saw a group +of figures crowding round the door and pushing a way into my poor +bank. + +"The gods preserve Jones!" I whispered. "I hope the old fool won't try +to stop them." + +As I spoke, I heard a short, sharp order from behind, "Now! Charge!" + +As the word was given another body of fifty or more rushed by us full +tilt, and at their head we saw the President, sword in hand, running +like a young man and beckoning his men on. Up the street they swept. +Involuntarily we waited a moment to watch them. Just as they came near +the bank they sent up a shout: + +"The President! the President! Death to traitors!" + +Then there was a volley, and they closed round the building. + +"Now for our turn, Christina," said I. + +She grasped my arm tightly, and we sped across the road and into the +wood. It seemed darker than when I came through before, or perhaps my +eyes were dazzled by the glare of the street lamps. But still we got +along pretty well, I helping my companion with all my power. + +"Can we do it?" she gasped. + +"Please God," said I; "a clear quarter of an hour will do it, and they +ought to take that to finish off the colonel." For I had little doubt +of the issue of that _mêlée_. + +On we sped, and already we could see the twinkle of the waves through +the thinning trees. Five hundred yards more, and there lay life and +liberty and love! + +Well, of course, I might have known. Everything had gone so smoothly +up to now, that any student of the laws of chance could have foretold +that fortune was only delaying the inevitable slap in the face. A plan +that seemed wild and risky had proved in the result as effectual +as the wisest scheme. By a natural principle of compensation, the +simplest obstacle was to bring us to grief. "There's many a slip," +says the proverb. Very likely! One was enough for our business. +For just as we neared the edge of the wood, just as our eyes were +gladdened by the full sight of the sea across the intervening patch of +bare land, the signorina gave a cry of pain and, in spite of my arm, +fell heavily to the ground. In a moment I was on my knees by her side. +An old root growing out of the ground! That was all! And there lay my +dear girl white and still. + +"What is it, sweet?" I whispered. + +"My ankle!" she murmured; "O Jack, it hurts so!" and with that she +fainted. + +Half an hour--thirty mortal (but seemingly immortal) minutes I knelt +by her side ministering to her. I bound up the poor foot, gave her +brandy from my flask. I fanned her face with my handkerchief. In a +few minutes she came to, but only, poor child, to sob with her bitter +pain. Move she could not, and would not. Again and again she entreated +me to go and leave her. At last I persuaded her to try and bear the +agony of being carried in my arms the rest of the way. I raised her as +gently as I could, wrung to the heart by her gallantly stifled groan, +and slowly and painfully I made my way, thus burdened, to the edge of +the wood. There were no sentries in sight, and with a new spasm of +hope I crossed the open land and neared the little wicket gate that +led to the jetty. A sharp turn came just before we reached it, and, as +I rounded this with the signorina lying yet in my arms, I saw a horse +and a man standing by the gate. The horse was flecked with foam and +had been ridden furiously. The man was calm and cool. Of course he +was! It was the President! + +My hands were full with my burden, and before I could do anything, I +saw the muzzle of his revolver pointed full--At me? Oh, no! At the +signorina! + +"If you move a step I shoot her through the heart, Martin," he said, +in the quietest voice imaginable. + +The signorina looked up as she heard his voice. + +"Put me down, Jack! It's no use," she said; "I knew how it would be." + +I did not put her down, but I stood there helpless, rooted to the +ground. + +"What's the matter with her?" he said. + +"Fell and sprained her ankle," I replied. + +"Come, Martin," said he, "it's no go, and you know it. A near thing; +but you've just lost." + +"Are you going to stop us?" I said. + +"Of course I am," said he. + +"Let me put her down, and we'll have a fair fight." + +He shook his head. + +"All very well for young men," he said. "At my age, if a man holds +trumps he keeps them." + +"How long have you been here?" + +"About two minutes. When I didn't see you at the bank I thought +something was up, so I galloped on to her house. No one there! So I +came on here. A good shot, eh?" + +The fall had done it. But for that we should have been safe. + +"Well?" he said. + +In the bitterness of my heart I could hardly speak. But I was not +going to play either the cur or the fool, so I said: + +"Your trick, sir, and therefore your lead! I must do what you tell +me." + +"Honor bright, Martin?" + +"Yes," said I; "I give you my word. Take the revolver if you like," +and I nodded my head to the pocket where it lay. + +"No," he said, "I trust you." + +"I bar a rescue," said I. + +"There will be no rescue," said he grimly. + +"If the colonel comes--" + +"The colonel won't come," he said. "Whose house is that?" + +It was my boatman's. + +"Bring her there. Poor child, she suffers!" + +We knocked up the boatman, who thus did not get his night's rest after +all. His astonishment may be imagined. + +"Have you a bed?" said the President. + +"Yes," he stammered, recognizing his interlocutor. + +"Then carry her up, Martin; and you, send your wife to her." + +I took her up, and laid her gently on the bed. The President followed +me. Then we went downstairs again into the little parlor. + +"Let us have a talk," he said; and he added to the man, "Give us some +brandy, quick, and then go." + +He was obeyed, and we were left alone with the dim light of a single +candle. + +The President sat down and began to smoke. He offered me a cigar and +I took it, but he said nothing. I was surprised at his leisurely, +abstracted air. Apparently he had nothing in the world to do but sit +and keep me company. + +"If your Excellency," said I, instinctively giving him his old title, +"has business elsewhere you can leave me safely. I shall not break my +word." + +"I know that--I know that," he answered. "But I'd rather stay here; I +want to have a talk." + +"But aren't there some things to settle up in the town?" + +"The doctor's doing all that," he said. "You see, there's no danger +now. There's no one left to lead them against me." + +"Then the colonel is--" + +"Yes," he said gravely, "he is dead. I shot him." + +"In the attack?" + +"Not exactly; the fighting was over. A very short affair, Martin. They +never had a chance; and as soon as two or three had fallen and the +rest saw me, they threw up the sponge." + +"And the colonel?" + +"He fought well. He killed two of my fellows; then a lot of them flung +themselves on him and disarmed him." + +"And you killed him in cold blood?" + +The President smiled slightly. + +"Six men fell in that affair--five besides the colonel. Does it strike +you that you, in fact, killed the five to enable you to run away with +the girl you loved?" + +It hadn't struck me in that light, but it was quite irrelevant. + +"But for your scheme I should have come back without a blow," he +continued; "but then I should have shot McGregor just the same." + +"Because he led the revolt?" + +"Because," said the President, "he has been a traitor from the +beginning even to the end--because he tried to rob me of all I held +dear in the world. If you like," he added, with a shrug, "because he +stood between me and my will. So I went up to him and told him his +hour was come, and I shot him through the head. He died like a man, +Martin; I will say that." + +I could not pretend to regret the dead man. Indeed, I had been +near doing the same deed myself. But I shrank before this calm +ruthlessness. + +Another long pause followed. Then the President said: + +"I am sorry for all this, Martin--sorry you and I came to blows." + +"You played me false about the money," I said bitterly. + +"Yes, yes," he answered gently; "I don't blame you. You were bound to +me by no ties. Of course you saw my plan?" + +"I supposed your Excellency meant to keep the money and throw me +over." + +"Not altogether," he said. "Of course I was bound to have the money. +But it was the other thing, you know. As far as the money went I would +have taken care you came to no harm." + +"What was it, then?" + +"I thought you understood all along," he said, with some surprise. "I +saw you were my rival with Christina, and my game was to drive you out +of the country by making the place too hot for you." + +"She told me you didn't suspect about me and her till quite the end." + +"Did she?" he answered, with a smile. "I must be getting clever to +deceive two such wide-awake, young people. Of course I saw it all +along. But you had more grit than I thought. I've never been so nearly +done by any man as by you." + +"But for luck you would have been," said I. + +"Yes, but I count luck as one of my resources," he replied. + +"Well, what are you going to do now?" + +He took no notice, but went on. + +"You played too high. It was all or nothing with you, just as it is +with me. But for that we could have stood together. I'm sorry, Martin; +I like you, you know." + +For the life of me I had never been able to help liking him. + +"But likings mustn't interfere with duty," he went on, smiling. "What +claim have you at my hands?" + +"Decent burial, I suppose," I answered. + +He got up and paced the room for a moment or two. I waited with some +anxiety, for life is worth something to a young man, even when things +look blackest, and I never was a hero. + +"I make you this offer," he said at last. "Your boat lies there, +ready. Get into her and go, otherwise--" + +"I see," said I. "And you will marry her?" + +"Yes," he said. + +"Against her will?" + +He looked at me with something like pity. + +"Who can tell what a woman's will will be in a week? In less than that +she will marry me cheerfully. I hope you may grieve as short a time as +she will." + +In my inmost heart I knew it was true. I had staked everything, not +for a woman's love, but for the whim of a girl! For a moment it was +too hard for me, and I bowed my head on the table by me and hid my +face. + +Then he came and put his hand on mine, and said: + +"Yes, Martin; young and old, we are all alike. They're not worth +quarreling for. But Nature's too strong." + +"May I see her before I go?" I asked. + +"Yes," he said. + +"Alone?" + +"Yes," he said once more. "Go now--if she can see you." + +I went up and cautiously opened the door. The signorina was lying on +the bed, with a shawl over her. She seemed to be asleep. I bent over +her and kissed her. She opened her eyes, and said, in a weary voice: + +"Is it you, Jack?" + +"Yes, my darling," said I. "I am going. I must go or die; and whether +I go or die, I must be alone." + +She was strangely quiet--even apathetic. As I knelt down by her she +raised herself, and took my face between her hands and kissed me--not +passionately, but tenderly. + +"My poor Jack!" she said; "it was no use, dear. It is no use to fight +against him." + +Here was her strange subjection to that influence again. + +"You love me?" I cried, in my pain. + +"Yes," she said, "but I am very tired; and he will be good to me." + +Without another word I went from her, with the bitter knowledge that +my great grief found but a pale reflection in her heart. + +"I am ready to go," I said to the President. + +"Come, then," he replied. "Here, take these, you may want them," and +he thrust a bundle of notes into my hand (some of my own from the bank +I afterward discovered). + +Arrived at the boat, I got in mechanically and made all preparations +for the start. + +Then the President took my hand. + +"Good-by, Jack Martin, and good luck. Some day we may meet again. Just +now there's no room for us both here. You bear no malice?" + +"No, sir," said I. "A fair fight, and you've won." + +As I was pushing off, he added: + +"When you arrive, send me word." + +I nodded silently. + +"Good-by, and good luck," he said again. + +I turned the boat's head put to sea, and went forth on my lonely way +into the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A DIPLOMATIC ARRANGEMENT. + + +As far I am concerned, this story has now reached an end. With my +departure from Aureataland, I re-entered the world of humdrum life, +and since that memorable night in 1884, nothing has befallen me worthy +of a polite reader's attention. I have endured the drudgery incident +to earning a living; I have enjoyed the relaxations every wise man +makes for himself. But I should be guilty of unpardonable egotism if I +supposed that I myself was the only, or the most, interesting subject +presented in the foregoing pages, and I feel I shall merely be doing +my duty in briefly recording the facts in my possession concerning the +other persons who have figured in this record and the country where +its scene was laid. + +I did not, of course, return to England on leaving Aureataland. I had +no desire to explain in person to the directors all the facts with +which they will now be in a position to acquaint themselves. I was +conscious that, at the last at all events, I had rather subordinated +their interests to my own necessities, and I knew well that my conduct +I would not meet with the indulgent judgment that it perhaps requires. +After all, men who have lost three hundred thousand dollars can hardly +be expected to be impartial, and I saw no reason for submitting myself +to a biased tribunal. I preferred to seek my fortune in a fresh +country (and, I may add, under a fresh name), and I am happy to say +that my prosperity in the land of my adoption has gone far to justify +the President's favorable estimate of my financial abilities. My +sudden disappearance excited some remark, and people were even found +to insinuate that the dollars went the same way as I did. I have never +troubled myself to contradict these scandalous rumors, being content +to rely on the handsome vindication from this charge which the +President published. In addressing the House of Assembly shortly after +his resumption of power, he referred at length to the circumstances +attendant on the late revolution, and remarked that although he was +unable to acquit Mr. Martin of most unjustifiable intrigues with the +rebels, yet he was in a position to assure them, as he had already +assured those to whom Mr. Martin was primarily responsible, that that +gentleman's hasty flight was dictated solely by a consciousness of +political guilt, and that, in money matters, Mr. Martin's hands were +as clean as his own. The reproach that had fallen on the fair fame +of Aureataland in this matter was due not to that able but misguided +young man, but to those unprincipled persons who, in the pursuit of +their designs, had not hesitated to plunder and despoil friendly +traders, established in the country under the sanction of public +faith. + +The reproach to which his Excellency eloquently referred consisted in +the fact that not a cent of those three hundred thousand dollars which +lay in the bank that night was ever seen again! The theory was that +the colonel had made away with them, and the President took great +pains to prove that under the law of nations the restored Government +could not be held responsible for this occurrence. I know as little +about the law of nations as the President himself, but I felt quite +sure that whatever that exalted code might say (and it generally seems +to justify the conduct of all parties alike), none of that money would +ever find its way back to the directors' pockets. In this matter I +must say his Excellency behaved to me with scrupulous consideration; +not a word passed his lips about the second loan, about that unlucky +cable, or any other dealings with the money. For all he said, my +account of the matter, posted to the directors immediately after my +departure, stood unimpeached. The directors, however, took a view +opposed to his Excellency's, and relations became so strained that +they were contemplating the withdrawal of their business from +Whittingham altogether, when events occurred which modified their +action. Before I lay down my pen I must give some account of these +matters, and I cannot do so better than by inserting a letter which I +had the honor to receive from his Excellency, some two years after I +last saw him. I had obeyed his wish in communicating my address to +him, but up to this time had received only a short but friendly note, +acquainting me with the fact of his marriage to the signorina, and +expressing good wishes for my welfare in my new sphere of action. The +matters to which the President refers became to some extent public +property soon afterward, but certain other terms of the arrangement +are now given to the world for the first time. The letter ran as +follows: + + "My DEAR MARTIN: As an old inhabitant + of Aureataland you will be + interested in the news I have to tell you. + I also take pleasure in hoping that in + spite of bygone differences, your friendly + feelings toward myself will make you + glad to hear news of my fortunes. + + "You are no doubt acquainted generally + with the course of events here since + you left us. As regards private friends, + I have not indeed much to tell you. + You will not be surprised to learn that + Johnny Carr (who always speaks of you + with the utmost regard) has done the + most sensible thing he ever did in his + life in making Donna Antonia his wife. + She is a thoroughly good girl, although + she seems to have a very foolish prejudice + against Christina. I was able to + assist the young people's plans by the + gift of the late Colonel McGregor's + estates, which under our law passed to + the head of the state on that gentleman's + execution for high treason. You + will be amused to hear of another marriage + in our circle. The doctor and + Mme. Devarges have made a match + of it, and society rejoices to think it has + now heard the last of the late monsieur + and his patriotic sufferings. Jones, I + suppose you know, left us about a year + ago. The poor old fellow never recovered + from his fright on that night, to + say nothing of the cold he caught in + your draughty coal-cellar, where he took + refuge. The bank relieved him in + response to his urgent petitions, and + they've sent us out a young Puritan, to + whom it would be quite in vain to apply + for a timely little loan. + + "I wish I could give you as satisfactory + an account of public affairs. + You were more or less behind the scenes + over here, so you know that to keep the + machine going is by no means an easy + task. I have kept it going, single-handed, + for fifteen years, and though + it's the custom to call me a mere adventurer + (and I don't say that's wrong), + upon my word I think I've given them + a pretty decent Government. But I've + had enough of it by now. The fact is, + my dear Martin, I'm not so young as I + was. In years I'm not much past middle + age, but I've had the devil of a life + of it, and I shouldn't be surprised if old + Marcus Whittingham's lease was pretty + nearly up. At any rate, my only chance, + so Anderson tells me, is to get rest, and + I'm going to give myself that chance. + I had thought at first of trying to find a + successor (as I have been denied an + heir of my body), and I thought of you. + But, while I was considering this, I received + a confidential proposal from the + Government of ---- [here the President + named the state of which Aureataland + had formed part]. They were + very anxious to get back their province; + at the same time, they were not at all + anxious to try conclusions with me again. + In short, they offered, if Aureataland + would come back, a guarantee of local + autonomy and full freedom; they would + take on themselves the burden of the + debt, and last, but not least, they would + offer the present President of the Republic + a compensation of five hundred + thousand dollars. + + "I have not yet finally accepted the + offer, but I am going to do so--obtaining, + as a matter of form, the sanction of + the Assembly. I have made them double + their offer to me, but in the public documents + the money is to stand at the original + figure. This recognition of my + services, together with my little savings + (restored, my dear Martin, to the washstand), + will make me pretty comfortable + in my old age, and leave a competence + for my widow. Aureataland has had a + run alone; if there had been any grit in + the people they would have made a + nation of themselves. There isn't any, + and I'm not going to slave myself for + them any longer. No doubt they'll be + very well treated, and to tell the truth, + I don't much care if they aren't. After + all, they're a mongrel lot. + + "I know you'll be pleased to hear of + this arrangement, as it gives your old + masters a better chance of getting their + money, for, between ourselves, they'd + never have got it out of me. At the + risk of shocking your feelings, I must + confess that your revolution only postponed + the day of repudiation. + + "I hoped to have asked you some day + to rejoin us here. As matters stand, I + am more likely to come and find you; + for, when released, Christina and I are + going to bend our steps to the States. + And we hope to come soon. There's + a little difficulty outstanding about the + terms on which the Golden House and + my other property are to pass to the + new Government; this I hope to compromise + by abating half my claim in + private, and giving it all up in public. + Also, I have had to bargain for the + recognition of Johnny Carr's rights to + the colonel's goods. When all this is + settled there will be nothing to keep + me, and I shall leave here without much + reluctance. The first man I shall come + and see is you, and we'll have some + frolics together, if my old carcass holds + out. But the truth is, my boy, I'm not + the man I was. I've put too much + steam on all my life, and I must pull + up now, or the boiler will burst. + + "Christina sends her love. She is as + anxious to see you as I am. But you + must wait till I am dead to make love + to her. Ever your sincere friend, + + "MARCUS W. WHITTINGHAM." + +As I write, I hear that the arrangement is to be carried out. So ends +Aureataland's brief history as a nation; so ends the story of her +national debt, more happily than I ever thought it would. I confess to +a tender recollection of the sunny, cheerful, lazy, dishonest little +place, where I spent four such eventful years. Perhaps I love it +because my romance was played there, as I should love any place +where I had seen the signorina. For I am not cured. I don't go +about moaning--I enjoy life. But, in spite of my affection for the +President, hardly a day passes that I don't curse that accursed +tree-root. + +And she? what does she feel? + +I don't know. I don't think I ever did know. But I have had a note +from her, and this is what she says: + + "Fancy seeing old Jack again--poor + forsaken Jack! Marcus is very kind + (but very ill, poor fellow); but I shall + like to see you, Jack. Do you remember + what I was like? I'm still rather + pretty. This is in confidence, Jack. + Marcus thinks you'll run away from us, + now we are coming to ---- town [that's + where I live]. But I don't think you + will. + + "Please meet me at the depot, Jack, + 12.15 train. Marcus is coming by a + later one, so I shall be desolate if you + don't come. And bring that white + rose with you. Unless you produce it, + I won't speak to you. + + "CHRISTINA." + +Well, with another man's wife, this is rather embarrassing. But a +business man can't leave the place where his business is because a +foolish girl insists on coming there. + +And as I am here, I may as well be civil and go to meet her. And, oh, +well! as I happen to have the thing, I may as well take it with me. It +can't do any harm. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11063 *** |