CHAPTER XIII. IN THE PARK
At nine o'clock the next morning the Chancellor visited the CrownPrince. He came without ceremony. Lately he had been coming often. Heliked to come in quietly, and sit for an hour in the schoolroom, sayingnothing. Prince Ferdinand William Otto found these occasions rathertrying.
"I should think," he protested once to his governess, "that he wouldhave something else to do. He's the Chancellor, he?"
But on this occasion the Chancellor had an errand, the product ofcareful thought. Early as it was, already he had read his morning mailin his study, had dictated his replies, had eaten a frugal breakfast offruit and sausage, and in the small inner room which had heard so manysecrets, had listened to the reports of his agents, and of the King'sphysicians. Neither had been reassuring.
The King had passed a bad night, and Haeckel was still missing. TheChancellor's heart was heavy.
The Chancellor watched the Crown Prince, as he sat at the high desk,laboriously writing. It was the hour of English composition, and PrinceFerdinand William Otto was writing a theme.
"About dogs," he explained. "I've seen a great many, you know. I coulddo it better with a pencil. My pen sticks in the paper."
He wrote on, and Mettlich sat and watched. From the boy his gazewandered over the room. He knew it well. Not so many years ago he hadvisited in this very room another bright-haired lad, whose pen had alsostuck in the paper. The Chancellor looked up at the crossed swords, andsomething like a mist came into his keen old eyes.
He caught Miss Braithwaite's glance, and he knew what was in her mind.For nine years now had come, once a year, the painful anniversary, ofthe death of the late Crown Prince and his young wife. For nine yearshad the city mourned, with flags at half-mast and the bronze statue ofthe old queen draped in black. And for nine years had the day of griefpassed unnoticed by the lad on whom hung the destinies of the kingdom.
Now they confronted a new situation. The next day but one was theanniversary again. The boy was older, and observant. It would not bepossible to conceal from him the significance of the procession marchingthrough the streets with muffled drums. Even the previous year he haddemanded the reason for crape on his grandmother's statue, and had beenput off, at the cost of Miss Braithwaite's strong feeling for the truth.Also he had not been allowed to see the morning paper, which was, onthese anniversaries, bordered with black. This had annoyed him. TheCrown Prince always read the morning paper--especially the weatherforecast.
They could not continue to lie to the boy. Truthfulness had been oneof the rules of his rigorous upbringing. And he was now of an age toremember. So the Chancellor sat and waited, and, fingered, his heavywatch-chain.
Suddenly the Crown Prince looked up. "Have you ever been on a scenicrailway?", he inquired politely.
The Chancellor regretted that he had not.
"It's very remarkable," said Prince Ferdinand William Otto. "But unlessyou like excitement, perhaps you would not care for it."
The Chancellor observed that he had had his share of excitement, in his,time, and was now for the ways of quiet.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto had a great many things to say, butthought better of it. Miss Braithwaite disliked Americans, for instance,and it was quite possible that the Chancellor did also. It seemedstrange about Americans. Either one liked them a great deal, or not atall. He put his attention to the theme, and finished it. Then, flushedwith authorship, he looked up. "May I read you the last line of it?" hedemanded of the Chancellor.
"I shall be honored, Highness." not often did the Chancellor say"Highness." Generally he said "Otto" or "my child."
Prince Ferdinand William Otto read aloud, with dancing eyes, his lastline: "'I should like to own a dog.' I thought," he said wistfully,"that I might ask my grandfather for one."
"I see no reason why you should not have a dog," the Chancellorobserved.
"Not one to be kept at the stables," Otto explained. "One to stay withme all the time. One to sleep on the foot of the bed."
But here the Chancellor threw up his hands. Instantly he visualizedall the objections to dogs, from fleas to rabies. And he put thedifficulties into words. No mean speaker was the Chancellor whenso minded. He was a master of style, of arrangement, of logic andreasoning. He spoke at length, even, at the end, rising and pacing a fewsteps up and down the room. But when he had concluded, when the dog,so to speak, had fled yelping to the country of dead hopes, PrinceFerdinand William Otto merely gulped, and said:
"Well, I wish I could have a dog!"
The Chancellor changed his tactics by changing the subject. "I waswondering this morning, as I crossed the park, if you would enjoy anexcursion soon. Could it be managed, Miss Braithwaite?"
"I dare say," said Miss Braithwaite dryly. "Although I must say, ifthere is no improvement in punctuation and capital letters--"
"What sort of excursion?" asked His Royal Highness, guardedly. He didnot care for picture galleries.
"Out-of-doors, to see something interesting."
But Prince Ferdinand William Otto was cautious with the caution of onewho, by hoping little, may be agreeably disappointed. "A corner-stone, Isuppose," he said.
"Not a corner-stone," said the Chancellor, with eyes that began totwinkle under ferocious brows. "No, Otto. A real excursion, up theriver."
"To the fort? I do want to see the new fort."
As a matter of truth, the Chancellor had not thought of the fort. Butlike many another before him, he accepted the suggestion and made it hisown. "To the fort, of course," said he.
"And take luncheon along, and eat it there, and have Hedwig and Nikky?And see the guns?"
But this was going too fast. Nikky, of course, would go, and if thePrincess cared to, she too. But luncheon! It was necessary to remind theCrown Prince that the officers at the fort would expect to have himjoin their mess. There was a short parley over this, and it was finallysettled that the officers should serve luncheon, but that there shouldbe no speeches. The Crown Prince had already learned that his presencewas a sort of rod of Aaron, to unloose floods of speeches. Through whatoutpourings of oratory he had sat or stood, in his almost ten years!
"Then that's settled," he said at last. "I'm very happy. This morning Ishall apologize to M. Puaux."
During the remainder of the morning the Crown Prince made variousexcursions to the window to see if the weather was holding good. Alsohe asked, during his half-hour's intermission, for the great box of leadsoldiers that was locked away in the cabinet. "I shall pretend thatthe desk is a fort, Miss Braithwaite," he said. "Do you mind being theenemy, and pretending to be shot now and then?"
But Miss Braithwaite was correcting papers. She was willing to be apassive enemy and be potted at, but she drew the line at falling over.Prince Ferdinand William Otto did not persist. He was far too polite.But he wished in all his soul that Nikky would come. Nikky, he felt,would die often and hard.
But Nikky did not come.
Came German and French, mathematics and music and no Nikky. Came at lastthe riding-hour--and still no Nikky.
At twelve o'clock, Prince Ferdinand William Otto, clad in hisriding-garments of tweed knickers, puttees, and a belted jacket, stoodby the schoolroom window and looked out. The inner windows of his suitefaced the courtyard, but the schoolroom opened over the Place--a badarrangement surely, seeing what distractions to lessons may take placein a public square, what pigeons feeding in the sun, what bands withdrums and drum-majors, what children flying kites.
"I don't understand it," the Crown Prince said plaintively. "He isgenerally very punctual. Perhaps--"
But he loyally refused to finish the sentence. The "perhaps" was agrievous thought, nothing less than that Nikky and Hedwig were at thatmoment riding in the ring together, and had both forgotten him. He wasrather used to being forgotten. With the exception of Miss Braithwaite,he was nobody's business, really. His aunt forgot him frequently. OnWednesdays it was his privilege--or not; as you think of it--to takeluncheon with the Archd
uchess; and once in so often she would forget andgo out. Or be in, and not expecting him, which was as bad.
"Bless us, I forgot the child," she would say on these occasions.
But until now, Nikky had never forgotten. He had been the soul ofremembering, indeed, and rather more than punctual. Prince FerdinandWilliam Otto consulted his watch. It was of gold, and on the inside wasengraved:
"To Ferdinand William Otto from his grandfather, on the occasion of histaking his first communion."
"It's getting rather late," he observed.
Miss Braithwaite looked troubled. "No doubt something has detained him,"she said, with unusual gentleness. "You might work at the frame for yourCousin Hedwig. Then, if Captain Larisch comes, you can still have a partof your lesson."
Prince Ferdinand William Otto brightened. The burntwood photographframe for Hedwig was his delight. And yesterday, as a punishment for theescapade of the day before, it had been put away with an alarming air offinality. He had traced the design himself, from a Christmas card, andit had originally consisted of a ring and small Cupids, alternating withhearts. He liked it very much. The Cupids were engagingly fat. However,Miss Braithwaite had not approved of their state of nature, and it hadbeen necessary to drape them with sashes tied in neat bows.
The pyrography outfit was produced, and for fifteen minutes PrinceFerdinand William Otto labored, his head on one side, his royal tongueslightly protruded. But, above the thin blue smoke of burning, hisface remained wistful. He was afraid, terribly afraid, that he had beenforgotten again.
"I hope Nikky is not ill," he said once. "He smokes a great manycigarettes. He says he knows they are bad for him."
"Certainly they are bad for him," said Miss Braithwaite. "They containnicotine, which is a violent poison. A drop of nicotine on the tongue ofa dog will kill it."
The reference was unfortunate.
"I wish I might have a dog," observed Prince Ferdinand William Otto.
Fortunately, at that moment, Hedwig came in. She came in a trifledefiantly, although that passed unnoticed, and she also cameunannounced, as was her cousinly privilege. And she stood inside thedoor and stared at the Prince. "Well!" she said.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto was equal to the occasion. He hastily drewout his pocket-handkerchief and spread it over the frame. But his facewas rather red. A palace is a most difficult place to have a secret in.
"Well?" she repeated; with a rising inflection. It was clear thatshe had not noticed the handkerchief incident. "Is there to be noriding-lesson to-day?"
"I don't know. Nikky has not come."
"Where is he?"
Here the drop of nicotine got in its deadly work. "I'm afraid he isill," said Prince Ferdinand William Otto. "He said he smoked too manycigarettes, and--"
"Is Captain Larisch ill?" Hedwig looked at the governess, and lost someof her bright color.
Miss Braithwaite did not know, and said so. "At the very least," shewent on, "he should have sent some word. I do not know what thingsare coming to. Since His Majesty's illness, no one seems to have anyresponsibility, or to take any."
"But of course he would have sent word," said Hedwig, frowning: "I don'tunderstand it. He has never been so late before, has he?"
"He has never been late at all," Prince Ferdinand William Otto spoke upquickly.
After a time Hedwig went away, and the Crown Prince took off hisriding-clothes. He ate a very small luncheon, swallowing mostly a glassof milk and a lump in his throat. And afterward he worked at the frame,for an hour, shading the hearts carefully. At three o'clock he went forhis drive.
There were two variations to the daily drive: One day they went up theriver--almost as far as the monastery; the next day they went throughthe park. There was always an excitement about the park drive, becausethe people who spied the gold-wheeled carriage always came as closeas possible, to see if it was really the Crown Prince. And when, assometimes happened, it was only Hedwig, or Hilda, and Ferdinand WilliamOtto had been kept at home by a cold, they always looked disappointed.
This was the park day. The horses moved sedately. Beppo looked severeand haughty. A strange man, in the place of Hans, beside Beppo, watchedthe crowd with keen and vigilant eyes. On the box between them, underhis hand, the new footman had placed a revolver. Beppo sat as far awayfrom it as he dared. The crowd lined up, and smiled and cheered. AndPrince Ferdinand William Otto sat very straight; and bowed right andleft, smiling.
Old Adelbert, limping across the park to, the Opera, paused and looked.Then he shook his head. The country was indeed come to a strange pass,with only that boy and the feeble old King to stand between it and thethings of which men whispered behind their hands. He went on, withhis head down. A strange pass indeed, with revolution abroad in quietplaces, and a cabal among the governors of the Opera to sell theopera-glass privilege to the highest bidder.
He went on, full of trouble.
Olga, the wardrobe woman, was also on her way to the Opera, which facedthe park. She also saw the carriage, and at first her eyes twinkled. Itwas he, of course. The daring of him! But, as the carriage drew nearer,she bent forward. He looked pale, and there was a wistful droop to hismouth. "They have punished him for the little prank," she muttered."That tight-faced Englishwoman, of course. The English are a hard race."She, too, went on.
As they drew near the end of the park, where the Land of Desire towered,Prince Ferdinand William Otto searched it with eager eyes. How wonderfulit was! How steep and high, and alluring! He glanced sideways at MissBraithwaite, but it was clear that to her it was only a monstrousheap of sheet-iron and steel, adorned with dejected greenery that hadmanifestly been out too soon in the chill air of very early spring.
A wonderful possibility presented itself. "If I see Bobby," he asked,"may I stop the carriage and speak to him?"
"Certainly not."
"Well, may I call to him?"
"Think it over," suggested Miss Braithwaite. "Would your grandfatherlike to know that you had done anything so undignified?"
He turned to her a rather desperate pair of eyes. "But I could explainto him," he said. "I was in such a hurry when I left, that I'm afraid Iforgot to thank him. I ought to thank him, really. He was very polite tome."
Miss Braithwaite sat still in her seat and said nothing. The novelty ofriding in a royal carriage had long since passed away, but she was awarethat her position was most unusual. Not often did a governess, even ofgood family, as she was, ride daily in the park with a crown prince. Ina way, on these occasions, she was more royal than royalty. She had, nowand then, an inclination to bow right and left herself. And she guardedthe dignity of these occasions with a watchful eye. So she said nothingjust then. But later on something occurred to her. "You must remember,Otto," she said, "that this American child dislikes kings, and our sortof government." Shades of Mr. Gladstone--our sort of government! "Itis possible, isn't it, that he would resent your being of the rulingfamily? Why not let things be as they are?"
"We were very friendly," said Ferdinand William Otto in a small voice."I don't think it would make any difference."
But the seed was sown in the fertile ground of his young mind, to bearquick fruit.
It was the Crown Prince who saw Bobby first.
He was standing on a bench, peering over the shoulders of the crowd.Prince Ferdinand William Otto saw him, and bent forward. "There he is!"he said, in a tense tone. "There on the--"
"Sit up straight," commanded Miss Braithwaite.
"May I just wave once? I--"
"Otto!" said Miss Braithwaite, in a terrible voice.
But a dreadful thing was happening. Bobby was looking directly at him,and making no sign. His mouth was a trifle open, but that was all. Ottohad a momentary glimpse of him, of the small cap set far back, of thewhite sweater, of two coolly critical eyes. Then the crowd closed up,and the carriage moved on.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto sat back in his seat, very pale. ClearlyBobby was through with him. First Nikky had forgotten hi
m, and now theAmerican boy had learned his unfortunate position as one of the detestedorder, and would have none of him.
"You see," said Miss Braithwaite, with an air of relief, "he did notknow you."
Up on the box the man beside Beppo kept his hand on the revolver. Thecarriage turned back toward the Palace.
Late that afternoon the Chancellor had a visitor. Old Mathilde, hisservant and housekeeper, showed some curiosity but little excitementover it. 'She was, in fact, faintly resentful. The Chancellor had eatenlittle all day, and now, when she had an omelet ready to turn smokingout of the pan, must come the Princess Hedwig on foot like the commonpeople, and demand to see him.
Mathilde admitted her, and surveyed her uncompromisingly. Royalties werequite as much in her line as they were in the Crown Prince's.
"He is about to have supper, Highness."
"Please, Mathilde," begged Hedwig. "It is very important."
Mathilde sighed. "As Your Highness wishes," she agreed, and wentgrumblingly back to the study overlooking the walled garden.
"You may bring his supper when it is ready," Hedwig called to her.
Mathilde was mollified, but she knew what was fitting, if the Princessdid not. The omelet spoiled in the pan.
The Chancellor was in his old smoking-coat and slippers. He made aneffort to don his tunic, but Hedwig, on Mathilde's heels, caught himin the act. And, after a glance at her face, he relinquished the idea,bowed over her hand, and drew up a chair for her.
And that was how the Chancellor of the kingdom learned that CaptainLarisch, aide-de-camp to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, haddisappeared.
"I am afraid it is serious," she said, watching him with wide, terrifiedeyes. "I know more than you think I do. I--we hear things, even in thePalace."
Irony here, but unconscious. "I know that there is trouble. And it isnot like Captain Larisch to desert his post."
"A boyish escapade, Highness," said the Chancellor. But, in thetwilight, he gripped hard at the arms of his chair. "He will turn up,very much ashamed of himself, to-night or to-morrow."
"That is what you want to believe. You know better."
He leaned back in his chair and considered her from under his heavybrows. So this was how things were; another, and an unlooked-forcomplication. Outside he could hear Mathilde's heavy footstep as shewaited impatiently for the Princess to go. The odor of a fresh omeletfilled the little house. Nikky gone, perhaps to join the others who, oneby one, had felt the steel of the Terrorists. And this girl, on whom somuch hung, sitting there, a figure of young tragedy.
"Highness," he said at last, "if the worst has happened,--and that Ido not believe,--it will be because there is trouble, as you have said.Sooner or later, we who love our country must make sacrifices for it.Most of all, those in high places will be called upon. And among themyou may be asked to help."
"I? What can I do?" But she knew, and the Chancellor saw that she knew.
"It is Karl, then?"
"It may be King Karl, Hedwig."
Hedwig rose, and the Chancellor got heavily to his feet. She wasfighting for calmness, and she succeeded very well. After all, if Nikkywere gone, what did it matter? Only-- "There are so many of you," shesaid, rather pitifully. "And you are all so powerful. And against youthere is only--me."
"Why against us, Highness?"
"Because," said Hedwig, "because I care for some one else, and I shallcare for him all the rest of my life, even if he never comes back. Youmay marry me to whom you please, but I shall go on caring. I shall neverforget. And I shall make Karl the worst wife in the world, because Ihate him."
She opened the door and went out without ceremony, because she washard-driven and on the edge of tears. In the corridor she almost ranover the irritated Mathilde, and she wept all the way back to thePalace, much to the dismay of her lady in waiting, who had disapprovedof the excursion anyhow.
That night, the city was searched for Nikky Larisch, but without result.