Rudolph,
for the Prince of Cabano, the sum of five thousand dollars, in consideration of which I have delivered to the said Prince of Cabano the body of my niece, Estella Washington; and I hereby agree, as the custodian of the said Estella Washington, never to demand any further payment, from the said Prince of Cabano, on account of my said niece, and never to reclaim her; and I also pledge myself never to reveal to any of the relatives of the said Estella Washington her place of residence.
(Signed) Maria Plunkett.
As he finished reading Estella seized the receipt quickly out of hishands, and fixed her eyes eagerly upon the signature. In a moment shebecame deadly pale, and would have fallen on the floor, but that Icaught her in my arms--(oh, precious burden!)--and bore her to asofa. Rudolph brought some water and bathed her face. In a fewminutes she recovered consciousness. She looked at us curiously atfirst, and then, as memory returned to her, an agonized anddistraught look passed over her features, and I feared she wouldfaint again. I held some water to her lips. She looked at me with anintense look as I knelt at her side. Then hey eyes passed toMaximilian and Rudolph, who stood respectfully a little distance fromher. The tears flowed down her face. Then a new thought seemed tostrike her, and she rose to a sitting posture.
"It cannot be true. My aunt could not do it. You are strangers to me.It is a conspiracy. I will ask Frederika."
"No! no!" said Rudolph; "not Frederika; it would not be to herinterest to tell you the truth. But is there any one of the servantsin whom you have more confidence than all the others?"
"Yes," she said, "there is Mary Callaghan, an honest girl, if thereis one anywhere. I think she loves me; and I do not believe she woulddeceive me."
"Then," said Rudolph, "you shall send for her to come here. None ofus shall speak to her lest you might think we did so to prompt her.We will hide behind the tapestry. Dry your tears; ring for a servant,and request Mary to come to you, and then ask her such questions asyou choose."
This was done, and in a few moments Mary appeared--an honest, stout,rosy-cheeked Irish girl, with the frank blue eyes and kindly smile ofher people.
"Mary," said Estella, "you have always been kind to me. Do you loveme sufficiently to tell me the truth if I ask you some questions?"
"Sure, and you may do so, my dear," said Mary.
"Then, Mary, tell me, is Frederika the Prince of Cabano's niece?"
"Niver a drop's blood to him," replied Mary.
"What is she doing in his house, then?" asked Estella.
"Sure, it would be as much as my place is worth, ma'am, to answerthat question; and hard enough it is for an honest girl to get aplace now-a-days. If it hadn't been for Barney McGuiggan, who marriedmy brother's sister-in-law, and who is own cousin to Mr. Flaherty,the butler's second assistant, I couldn't have got the place I haveat all, at all. And if I said a word against Miss Frederika, out Iwould go, and where would I find another place?"
"But, Mary, if you speak the truth no harm shall follow to you. Ishall never repeat what you say. I do not ask out of idle curiosity,but much depends on your answer."
"Indeed, ma'am," replied Mary, "if you weren't as innocent as ye'repurty, you would have found out the answer to your own question longago. Faith, an' don't everybody in the house know she's"--here sheapproached, and whispered solemnly in her ear--"she's the Prince'sfavorite mistress?"
Estella recoiled. After a pause she said:
"And, Mary, who are the other young ladies we call the Prince'scousins--Miss Lucy, Miss Julia and the rest?"
"Ivery one of them's the same. It's just as I told Hannah, the cook'sscullion; I didn't belave ye knew a word of what was going on in thishouse. And didn't I tell her that Miss Frederika was contriving tokape you out of the Prince's sight.; and that was the rason she tookyou out riding for hours ivery day, and made you sleep in a remotepart of the palace; for if the Prince ever clapped his two ougly eyesupon you it would be all up wid Madame Frederika."
I could see from where I was hidden that Estella grasped the back ofa chair for support, and she said in a low voice:
"You may go, Mary; I am much obliged to you for your friendship andhonesty."
We found her sitting in the chair, with her hands over her face,sobbing convulsively. At last she looked around upon us and cried out:
"Oh my God! What shall I do? I am sold--sold--a helpless slave. Oh,it is horrible!"
"You will never be without friends while we live," I said, advancingto her side.
"But I must fly," she cried out, "and how--where?"
"My dear Miss Washington," said Maximilian, in his kindest tones, "Ihave a dear mother, who will be glad to welcome you as her own child;and in our quiet home you can remain, safe from the power of thePrince, until you have time to think out your future course of life;and if you conclude to remain with us forever you will be only themore welcome. Here is Rudolph, who will vouch for me that I am anhonorable man, and that you can trust yourself to me with safety."
"Yes," said Rudolph; "Maximilian Petion is the soul of honor. Hissimple word is more than the oath of another."
"Then let us fly at once," said Estella.
"No," replied Rudolph, "that would not do; this house is guarded andfull of spies. You would be followed and reclaimed."
"What, then, do you advise?" asked Maximilian.
"Let me see," replied the old man, thinking; "this is Thursday. OnMonday night next the members of 'the government' have their meetinghere. There will be a number of visitors present, and more or lessconfusion; more guards will be necessary also, and I can contrive tohave one of the Brotherhood act as sentinel at the door which opensinto a hall which connects with this room; for you see here is aspecial entrance which leads to a stairway and to the door I speakof. I will procure a gentleman's dress for Miss Estella; she is talland will readily pass in the dark for a man. I will secure for you apermit for a carriage to enter the grounds. You will bring a closecarriage and wait with the rest of the equipages, near at hand. But Imust have some one who will accompany Miss Estella from this room tothe carriage, for I must not show myself."
I stepped forward and said, "I will be here."
"But there is some danger in the task," said Rudolph, looking at mecritically. "If detected, your life would pay the forfeit."
"I would the danger were ten times as great," I replied. Estellablushed and gave me a glance of gratitude.
"There is one difficulty I perceive," said Maximilian.
"What is that?" asked Rudolph.
"I hesitate about leaving Miss Washington exposed to the danger ofremaining four days longer in this horrible house."
"I will look after that," replied Rudolph. "She had better pretendill health, and keep her room during that time. It is on an upperfloor, and if she remains there the danger will be very slight thatthe Prince will see her."
"Miss Washington," I said, handing her the dagger which Max had givenme, "take this weapon. It is poisoned with the most deadly virusknown to the art of man. A scratch from it is certain death. Use itto defend yourself if assailed."
"I know how I shall use it in the last extremity," she said,meaningly.
"Better," I replied, "purity in death than degradation in life."
She thanked me with her eyes, and took the dagger and hid it in herbosom.
"There is one other matter," said Rudolph to Max; "the meeting nextMonday night is to be a very important one, I think, from certainindications. It is called to prepare for an expected outbreak of thepeople. It would be well that some reliable person should be present,as heretofore, who can report to you all that occurs. If you can sendme a discreet man I can hide him where I have before hidden ourbrethren."
"Why could I not serve the purpose?" I said. "I will be here anyhow;and as I would have to remain until the gathering broke up, I mightjust as well witness the proceedings."
"He is not one of us," said Rudolph, doubtfully.
"No," replied Max; "
but I will vouch for his fidelity with my life."
"Then be it so," said Rudolph. "Let Miss Washington withdraw by thefarther door; and after a reasonable delay we will pass through intoa communicating series of rooms, and I will then show your friendwhere he is to be concealed."
CHAPTER VII.
THE HIDING-PLACE
I had seen something of the magnificence of this age, and of thesplendor of its lordly habitations; but I was not prepared for thegrandeur of the rooms