XIII. THE VISITOR AT MIDNIGHT
Below the castle and its distressed occupants, in a dark, damp littleroom, Grenfall Lorry lived a year in a day. On the night of theeighteenth, or rather near the break of dawn on the nineteenth, CaptainQuinnox guided him from the dangerous streets of Edelweiss to the secretpassage, and he was safe for the time being. The entrance to the passagewas through a skillfully hidden opening in the wall that enclosed thepark. A stone doorway, so cleverly constructed that it defied detection,led to a set of steps which, in turn, took one to a long narrow passage.This ended in a stairway fully a quarter of a mile from its beginning.Ascending this stairway one came to a secret panel, through which, bypressing a spring, the interior of the castle was reached. The locationof the panel was in one of the recesses in the wall of the chapel, nearthe altar. It was in this chapel that Yetive exchanged her male attirefor a loose gown, weeks before, and the servant who saw her come fromthe door at an unearthly hour in the morning believed she had gone thereto seek surcease from the troubles which oppressed her.
Lorry was impatient to rush forth from his place of hiding and to endall suspense, but Quinnox demurred. He begged the eager American toremain in the passage until the night of the nineteenth, when, allthings going well, he might be so fortunate as to reach the Princesswithout being seen. It was the secret hope of the guilty captain thathis charge could be induced by the Princess to return to the monastery,to avoid complications. He promised to inform Her Highness of hispresence in the underground room and to arrange for a meeting. Themiserable fellow could not find courage to confess his disobedienceto his trusting mistress. Many times during the day she had seen himhovering near, approaching and then retreating, and had wondered not alittle at his peculiar manner.
And so it was that Lorry chafed and writhed through a long day ofsuspense and agony. Quinnox had brought to the little room some candles,food and bedding, but he utilized only the former. The hours went by andno summons called him to her side. He was dying with the desire to holdher in his arms and to hear her voice again. Pacing to and fro like acaged animal, he recalled the ride in West Virginia, the scene in herbed chamber, the day in the throne room and, more delicious than all,the trip to the monastery. In his dreams, waking or sleeping, he hadseen the slim soldier, had heard the muffled voice, and had felt thewomanly caresses. His brain now was in a whirl, busy with thoughts oflove and fear, distraught with anxiety for her and for himself, burstingwith the awful consequences of the hour that was upon them. What wasto become of him? What was to be the end of this drama? What would thenight, the morrow bring about?
He looked back and saw himself as he was a year ago in Washington,before she came into his life, and then wondered if it could ready behe who was going through these strange, improbable scenes, thesesensations. It was nine o'clock in the evening when Quinnox returnedto the little room. The waiting one had looked at his watch a hundredtimes, had run insanely up and down the passage in quest of the secretexit, had shouted aloud in the frenzy of desperation.
"Have you seen her?" he cried, grasping the new-comer's hand.
"I have, but, before God, I could not tell her what I had done. Yourvisit will be a surprise, I fear a shock."
"Then how am I to see her? Fool! Am I to wait here forever--"
"Have patience! I will take you to her tonight--aye, within an hour.To-morrow morning she signs away the northern provinces and herinstructions are that she is not to be disturbed to-night. Not even willshe see the Countess Dagmar after nine o'clock. It breaks my heart tosee the sorrow that abounds in the castle to-night. Her Highness insistson being alone and Bassot, the new guard, has orders to admit no one toher apartments. He is ill and I have promised that a substitute shallrelieve him at eleven o'clock. You are to be the substitute. Here isa part of an old uniform of mine, and here is a coat that belonged toDannox, who was about your size. Please exchange the clothes you nowhave on for these. I apprehend no trouble in reaching her door, for thehousehold is in gloom and the halls seem barren of life."
He threw the bundle on a chair and Lorry at once proceeded to don thecontents. In a very short time he wore, instead of the cell keeper'sgarments, a neat-fitting uniform of the royal guard. He was tremblingviolently, chilled to the bone with nervousness, as they began theascent of the stairs leading to the chapel. The crisis in his life, hefelt, was near at hand.
Under the stealthy hand of Quinnox the panel opened and they listenedintently for some moments. There was no one in the dimly-lighted chapel,so they made their way to the door at the opposite end. The great organlooked down upon them and Lorry expected every instant to hear it burstforth in sounds of thunder. It seemed alive and watching their movementsreproachfully. Before unlocking the door, the captain pointed to a lancewhich stood against the wall near by.
"You are to carry that lance," he said, briefly. Then he cautiouslypeered forth. A moment later they were in the broad hall, boldlystriding toward the distant stairway. Lorry had been instructedto proceed without the least sign of timidity. They passed severalattendants in the hall and heard Count Halfont's voice in conversationwith some one in an ante-room. As they neared the broad steps who shouldcome tripping down but Harry Anguish. He saluted Quinnox and walkedrapidly down the corridor, evidently taking his departure after a callon the Countess.
"There goes your hostage," said the captain, grimly. It had required allof Lorry's self-possession to restrain the cry of joyful recognition.Up the staircase they went, meeting several ladies and gentlemen comingdown, and were soon before the apartments of the Princess. A tall guardstood in front of the boudoir door.
"This is your relief, Bassot. You may go," said Quinnox, and, with acareless glance at the strange soldier, the sick man trudged off downthe hall, glad to seek his bed.
"Is she there?" whispered Lorry, dizzy and faint with expectancy.
"Yes. This may mean your death and mine, sir, but you would do it. Willyou explain to her how I came to play her false?"
"She shall know the truth, good friend."
"After I have gone twenty paces down the hall, do you rap on the door.She may not admit you at first, but do not give up. If she bid you enteror asks your mission, enter quickly and close the door. It is unlocked.She may swoon, or scream, and you must prevent either if possible. In anhour I shall return and you must go back to the passage."
"Never! I have come to save her and her country, and I intend to do soby surrendering myself this very night."
"I had hoped to dissuade you. But, sir, you cannot do so to-night. Youforget that this visit compromises her."
"True. I had forgotten. Well, I'll go back with you, but to-morrow I amyour prisoner, not your friend."
"Be careful," cautioned the captain as he moved away. Lorry feverishlytapped his knuckles on the panel of the door and waited with motionlessheart for the response. It came not and he rapped harder, a strange feardarting into his mind.
"Well?" came from within, the voice he adored.
Impetuous haste marked his next movement. He dashed open the door,sprang inside and closed it quickly. She was sitting before herescritoire, writing, and looked up, surprised and annoyed.
"I was not to be disturbed--Oh, God!"
She staggered to her feet and was in his arms before the breath ofher exclamation had died away. Had he not supported her she would havedropped to the floor. Her hands, her face were like ice, her breast waspulseless and there was the wildest terror in her eyes.
"My darling--my queen!" he cried, passionately. "At last I am with you!Don't look at me like that! It is really I--I could not stay away--Icould not permit this sacrifice of yours. Speak to me Do not stare likethat!"
Her wide blue eyes slowly swept his face, piteous wonder and doubtstruggling in their depths.
"Am I awake?" she murmured, touching his face with her bewildered,questioning hands. "Is it truly you?" A smile illumined her face, buther joy was short-lived. An expression of terror came to her eyes andthere was agony in the finge
rs that clasped his arm. "Why do you comehere?" she cried. "It is madness! How and why came you to this room?"
He laughed like a delighted boy and hastily narrated the events of thepast twenty-four hours, ending with the trick that gave him entrance toher room.
"And all this to see me?" she whispered.
"To see you and to save you. I hear that Gabriel has been annoyingyou and that you are to give up half of the kingdom to-morrow. Tell meeverything. It is another reason for my coming."
Sitting beside him on the divan, she told of Gabriel's visit and hisdismissal, the outlook for the next day, and then sought to convincehim of the happiness it afforded her to protect him from an undeserveddeath. He obtained for Quinnox the royal pardon and lauded him to theskies. So ravishing were the moments, so ecstatic the sensations thatpossessed them that neither thought of the consequences if he were to bediscovered in her room, disguised as one of her guardsmen. He forgot thereal import of his reckless visit until she commanded him to stand erectbefore her that she might see what manner of soldier he was. With alaugh, he leaped to his feet and stood before her--attention! Sheleaned back among the cushions and surveyed him through the glowing,impassioned eyes which slowly closed as if to shut out temptation.
"You are a perfect soldier," she said, her lashes parting ever soslightly.
"No more perfect than you," he cried. She remembered, with confusion,her own masquerading, but it was unkind of him to remember it. Herallusion to his uniform turned his thoughts into the channel throughwhich they had been surging so turbulently up to the moment that foundhim tapping at her door.
He had not told her of his determination, and the task grew harder as hesaw the sparkle glow brighter and brighter in her eye.
"You are a brave soldier, then," she substituted. "It required courageto come to Edelweiss with hundreds of men ready to seize you atsight,--a pack of bloodhounds."
"I should have been a miserable coward to stay up there while you areso bravely facing disaster alone down here. I came to help you, as Ishould."
"But you can do nothing, dear, and you only make matters worse by comingto me. I have fought so hard to overcome the desire to be near you;I have struggled against myself for days and days, and I had won thebattle when you came to pull my walls of strength down about my ears.Look! On my desk is a letter I was writing to you. No; you shall notread it! No one shall ever know what it contains." She darted to thedesk, snatched up the sheets of paper and held them over the waxedtaper. He stood in the middle of the room, a feeling of intensedesolation settling down upon him. How could he lose this woman?
"To-morrow night Quinnox is to take you from the monastery and conductyou to a distant city. It has all been planned. Your friend, Mr.Anguish, is to meet you in three days and you are to hurry to Americaby way of Athens. This was a letter to you. In it I said many things andwas trying to write farewell when you came to this room. Do you wonderthat I was overcome with doubt and amazement--yes, and horror? Ach, whatperil you are in here! Every minute may bring discovery and that wouldmean death to you. You are innocent, but nothing could save you. Theproof is too strong. Mizrox has found a man who swears he saw you enterLorenz's room."
"What a damnable lie!" cried Lorry, lightly. "I was not near his room!"
"But you can see what means they will adopt to convict you. You aredoomed if caught, by my men or theirs. I cannot save you again. Youknow now that I love you. I would not give away half of the land that myforefathers ruled were it not true. Bolaroz would be glad to grant tenyears of grace could he but have you in his clutches. And, to see me,you would run the risk of undoing all that I have planned, accomplishedand suffered for. Could you not have been content with that last good-byat the monastery? It is cruel to both of us--to me especially--that wemust have the parting again." She had gone to the divan and now droppedlimply among the cushions, resting her head on her hand.
"I was determined to see you," he said. "They shall not kill me nor areyou to sacrifice your father's domain. Worse than all, I feared that youmight yield to Gabriel."
"Ach! You insult me when you say that! I yielded to Lorenz because Ithought it my duty and because I dared not admit to myself that I lovedyou. But Gabriel! Ach!" she cried scornfully. "Grenfall Lorry, I shallmarry no man. You I love, but you I cannot marry. It is folly to dreamof it, even as a possibility. When you go from Graustark tomorrow nightyou take my heart, my life, my soul with you. I shall never see youagain--God help me to say this--I shall never allow you to see me again.I tell you I could not bear it. The weakest and the strongest of God'screations is woman." She started suddenly, half rising. "Did any one seeyou come to my room? Was Quinnox sure?"
"We passed people, but no one knew me. I will go if you are distressedover my being here."
"It is not that--not that. Some spy may have seen you. I have a strangefear that they suspect me and that I am being watched. Where is CaptainQuinnox?"
"He said he would return for me in an hour. The time is almost gone. Howit has flown! Yetive, Yetive, I will not give you up!" he cried, sinkingto his knees before her.
"You must--you shall! You must go back to the monastery to-night! Ohhow I pray that you may reach it in safety! And, you must leave thiswretched country at once. Will you see if Quinnox is outside the door?Be quick! I am mad with the fear that you may be found here--that youmay be taken before you can return to St. Valentine's."
He arose and stood looking down at the intense face, all aquiver withthe battle between temptation and solicitude.
"I am not going back to St. Valentine's," he said, slowly.
"But it is all arranged for you to start from there tomorrow. You cannotescape the city guard except through St. Valentine's."
"Yetive, has it not occurred to you that I may not wish to escape thecity guard?"
"May not wish to escape the--what do you mean?" she cried, bewildered.
"I am not going to leave Edelweiss, dearest. It is my intention tosurrender myself to the authorities."
She gazed at him in horror for a moment and then fell back with a lowmoan.
"For God's sake, do not say that!" she wailed. "I forbid you to think ofit. You cannot do this after all I have done to save you. Ach, you arejesting; I should have known."
He sat down and drew her to his side. Some moments passed before hecould speak.
"I cannot and will not permit you to make such a sacrifice for me. Theproposition of Bolaroz is known to me. If you produce me for trial youare to have a ten years' extension. My duty is plain. I am no cowardlycriminal, and I am not afraid to face my accusers. At the worst, I candie but once."
"Die but once," she repeated, as if in a dream.
"I came here to tell you of my decision, to ask you to save your lands,protect your people, and to remember that I would die a thousand timesto serve you and yours."
"After all I have done--after all I have done," she murmured, piteously."No, no! You shall not! You are more to me than all my kingdom, than allthe people in the world. You have made me love you, you have caused meto detest the throne which separates us, you have made me pray that Imight be a pauper, but you shall not force me to destroy the mite ofhope that lingers in my heart. You shall not crush the hope that theremay be a--a--some day!"
"A some day? Some day when you will be mine?" he cried.
"I will not say that, but, for my sake,--for my sake,--go away from thisplace. Save yourself! You are all I have to live for." Her arms wereabout his neck and her imploring words went to his heart like greatthrusts of pain.
"You forget the thousands who love and trust you. Do they deserve to bewronged?"
"No, no,--ach, God, how I have suffered because of them! I have betrayedthem, have stolen their rights and made them a nation of beggars. ButI would not, for all this nation, have an innocent man condemned--norcould my people ask that of me. You cannot dissuade me. It must be asI wish. Oh, why does not Quinnox come for you!" She arose and paced thefloor distractedly.
He was revol
ving a selfish, cowardly capitulation to love and injustice,when a sharp tap was heard at the door. Leaping to his feet hewhispered:
"Quinnox! He has come for me. Now to get out of your room without beingseen!"
The Princess Yetive ran to him, and, placing her hands on his shoulders,cried with the fierceness of despair:
"You will go back to the monastery? You will leave Graustark? For mysake--for my sake!"
He hesitated and then surrendered, his honor falling weak and faint bythe pathway of passion.
"Yes!" he cried, hoarsely.
Tap! tap! tap! at the door. Lorry took one look at the rapturous faceand released her.
"Come!" she called.
The door flew open, an attendant saluted, and in stepped--Gabriel!