CHAPTER VII. TEA IN THE SCHOOLROOM
Tea at the Palace, until the old King had taken to his bed, had been theone cheerful hour of the day. The entire suite gathered in one of thesalons, and remained standing until the King's entrance. After that,formality ceased. Groups formed, footmen in plush with white wigs passedtrays of cakes and sandwiches and tiny gilt cups of exquisite tea.The Court, so to speak, removed its white gloves, and was noisy andinformal. True, at dinner again ceremony and etiquette would reign.The march into the dining-hall between rows of bowing servants, the setconversation, led by the King, the long and tedious courses, the carefulwatch for precedence that was dinner at the Palace.
But now all that was changed. The King did not leave his apartment.Annunciata occasionally took tea with the suite, but glad for an excuse,left the Court to dine without her. Sometimes for a half-hour shelent her royal if somewhat indifferently attired presence to the salonafterward, where for thirty minutes or so she moved from group to group,exchanging a few more or less gracious words. But such times were rare.The Archduchess, according to Court gossip, had "slumped."
To Hedwig the change had been a relief. The entourage, with its gossip,its small talk, its liaisons, excited in her only indifference andoccasional loathing. Not that her short life had been without itsaffairs. She was too lovely for that. But they had touched her onlyfaintly.
On the day of the Chancellor's visit to her mother she went to tea inthe schoolroom. She came in glowing from a walk, with the jacket of herdark velvet suit thrown open, and a bunch of lilies-of-the-valley tuckedin her belt.
Tea had already come, and Captain Larisch, holding his cup, was standingby the table. The Crown Prince, who was allowed only one cup, was havinga second of hot water and milk, equal parts, and sweetened.
Hedwig slipped out of her jacket and drew off her gloves. She had hardlyglanced at Nikky, although she knew quite well every motion he had madesince she entered. "I am famished!" she said, and proceeded to eat verylittle and barely touch the tea. "Please don't go, Miss Braithwaite. Andnow, how is everything?"
Followed a long half-hour, in which the Crown Prince talked mostly ofthe Land of Desire and the American boy. Miss Braithwaite, much indulgedby long years of service, crocheted, and Nikky Larisch, from theembrasure of a window, watched the little group. In reality he watchedHedwig, all his humble, boyish heart in his eyes.
After a time Hedwig slipped the lilies out of her belt and placed themin a glass of water.
"They are thirsty, poor things," she said to Otto. Only--and here was astrange thing, if she were really sorry for them--one of the stalks fellto the floor, and she did not trouble to pick it up. Nikky retrieved it,and pretended to place it with the others. But in reality he had palmedit quite neatly, and a little later he pocketed it. Still later, heplaced it in his prayer-book.
The tea-table became rather noisy. The room echoed with laughter. EvenMiss Braithwaite was compelled to wipe her eyes over some of Nikky'ssallies, and the Crown Prince was left quite gasping. Nikky was reallyin his best form, being most unreasonably happy, and Hedwig, lookingmuch taller than in her boyish riding-clothes--Hedwig was fairlypalpitating with excitement.
Nikky was a born mimic. First he took off the King's Council, one byone. Then in an instant he was Napoleon, which was easy, of course; andthe next second, with one of the fur tails which had come unfastenedfrom Hedwig's muff, he had become a pirate, with the tail for a greatmustache. One of the very best things he did, however, was to make awidow's cap out of a tea-napkin, and surmount it with a tiny coronet,which was really Hedwig's bracelet. He put it on, drew down his upperlip, and puffed his cheeks, and there was Queen Victoria of England tothe life.
Hedwig was so delighted with this, that she made him sit down, anddraped one of Miss Braithwaite's shawls about his shoulders. It wasdifficult to look like Queen Victoria under the circumstances, with hersmall hands deftly draping and smoothing. But Nikky did very well.
It was just as Hedwig was tucking the shawl about his neck to hide thecollar of his tunic, and Miss Braithwaite was looking a trifle offended,because she considered the memory of Queen Victoria not to be trifledwith, and just as Nikky took a fresh breath and puffed out leis cheeksagain, that the Archduchess came in.
She entered unannounced, save by a jingle of chains, and surveyed theroom with a single furious glance. Queen Victoria's cheeks collapsed andthe coronet slid slightly to one side. Then Nikky rose and jerked offthe shawl and bowed. Every one looked rather frightened, except theCrown Prince. In a sort of horrible silence he advanced and kissedAnnunciata's hand.
"So--this is what you are doing," observed Her Royal Highness to Hedwig."In this--this undignified manner you spend your time!"
"It is very innocent fun, mother."
For that matter, there was nothing very dignified in the scene thatfollowed. The Archduchess dismissed the governess and the Crown Prince,quite as if he had been an ordinary child, and naughty at that. MissBraithwaite looked truculent. After all, the heir to the throne is theheir to the throne and should have the privilege of his own study. ButHedwig gave her an appealing glance, and she went out, closing the doorwith what came dangerously near being a slam.
The Archduchess surveyed the two remaining culprits with a terriblegaze. "Now," she said, "how long have these ridiculous performances beengoing on?"
"Mother!" said Hedwig.
"Answer me."
"The question is absurd. There was no harm in what we were doing. Itamused Otto. He has few enough pleasures. Thanks to all of us, he isvery lonely."
"And since when have you assumed the responsibility for his upbringing?"
"I remember my own dreary childhood," said Hedwig stiffly.
The Archduchess turned on her furiously. "More and more," she said, "asyou grow up, Hedwig, you remind me of your unfortunate father. You havethe same lack of dignity, the same"--she glanced at Nikky--"the samecommon tastes, the same habit of choosing strange society, of forgettingyour rank."
Hedwig was scarlet, but Nikky had gone pale. As for the Archduchesss,her cameos were rising and falling stormily. With hands that shook;Hedwig picked up her jacket and hat. Then she moved toward the door.
"Perhaps you are right, mother," she said, "but I hope I shall neverhave the bad taste to speak ill of the dead." Then she went out.
The scene between the Archduchess and Nikky began in a storm and endedin a sort of hopeless quiet. Miss Braithwaite had withdrawn to hersitting-room, but even there she could hear the voice of Annunciata,rasping and angry.
It was very clear to Nikky from the beginning that the Archduchess'swrath was not for that afternoon alone. And in his guilty young mindrose various memories, all infinitely dear, all infinitely, incrediblyreckless--other frolics around the tea-table, rides in the park, lessonsin the riding-school. Very soon he was confessing them all, in reply tosharp questions. When the tablet of his sins was finally uncovered, theArchduchess was less angry and a great deal more anxious. Hedwig freewas a problem. Hedwig in love with this dashing boy was a greater one.
"Of one thing I must assure Your Highness," said Nikky. "These--thesemeetings have been of my seeking."
"The Princess requires no defense, Captain Larisch."
That put him back where he belonged, and Annunciata did a littlethinking, while Nikky went on, in his troubled way, running his fingersthrough his hair until he looked rather like an uneasy but ardent-eyedporcupine. He acknowledged that these meetings had meant much to him,everything to him, he would confess, but he had never dared to hope.He had always thought of Her Royal Highness as the granddaughter ofhis King. He had never spoken a word that he need regret. Annunciatalistened, and took his measure shrewdly. He was the sort of young fool,she told herself, who would sacrifice himself and crucify his happinessfor his country. It was on just such shoulders as his that the thronewas upheld. His loyalty was more to be counted on than his heart.
She changed her tactics adroitly, sat down, even softened her voic
e. "Ihave been emphatic, Captain Larisch," she said, "because, as I thinkyou know, things are not going too well with us. To help the situation,certain plans are being made. I will be more explicit. A marriage isplanned for the Princess Hedwig, which will assist us all. It is"--shehesitated imperceptibly--"the King's dearest wish."
Horror froze on Nikky's face. But he bowed.
"After what you have told me, I shall ask your cooperation," saidAnnunciata smoothly. "While there are some of us who deplore thenecessity, still--it exists. And an alliance with Karnia--"
"Karnia!" cried Nikky, violating all ceremonial, of course. "Butsurely--!"
The Archduchess rose and drew herself to her full height. "I have givenyou confidence for confidence, Captain Larisch," she said coldly."The Princess Hedwig has not yet been, told. We shall be glad of yourassistance when that time comes. It is possible, that it will not come.In case it does, we shall count on you."
Nikky bowed deeply as she went out; bowed, with death in his eyes.
And thus it happened that Captain Nicholas Larisch aide-de-camp to hisRoyal Highness the Crown Prince Ferdinand William Otto, and of no otherparticular importance, was informed of the Princess Hedwig's projectedmarriage before she was. And not only informed of it, but committed toforward it, if he could!