CHAPTER IX
A DISPLAY OF SWORDSMANSHIP
On quitting the presence of the princess, Paul and Zabern took theirway through the palace gardens, where they were met by two individualsin uniform, whom the marshal introduced to Paul. The more youthful ofthe two, who had fair hair, blue eyes, and a comely face that seemedto indicate habitual good humor, was Dorislas, and he held the officeof Minister of Finance. The other, a somewhat sullen-lookingpersonage, was Miroslav, the governor of the Citadel, "and," addedZabern, "the present guardian of your friend the duke."
"Ah! the duke," said Dorislas to the governor. "I marvel, Miroslav,that you have not yet been called upon to defend your Bastille. Whatare your friends in Russograd thinking of, that they so tamely submitto the duke's imprisonment?"
"The marshal's placards explain the reason. At the first attempt uponthe Citadel the duke is to be brought forth upon the battlements, andsummarily shot."
"And therefore," commented Zabern, "it is a pity that they do not makethe attempt."
"Well, you know the marshal and his ways by this time," laughedDorislas, addressing Miroslav. "When to-night you see a wild mob withblackened faces advancing upon the Citadel and crying out for therelease of the duke, be sure that Zabern is somewhere among them,disguised and playing the part of chief instigator."
Zabern and his two friends, so it appeared, were on their way to the_salle d'armes_, which stood in the centre of the palace gardens. Inthis hall it was their custom, provided that state affairs were nottoo pressing, to fence daily. Zabern invited Paul to accompany them.
"And the cipher despatch, marshal?" said the new secretary, who,having Barbara's interests at heart, was desirous of beginning work atonce.
"A little fencing on your part will quicken both blood and brain."
So Paul acquiesced, somewhat reluctantly, and while he and thegovernor of the Citadel strode on in front, Zabern, adopting a moretardy pace, followed in the rear conversing with Dorislas.
"Marshal, what is this mystery?" asked the Finance Minister with asignificant glance in Paul's direction. "There is a strange rumor thathe and the princess were together in Dalmatia, and that she therepresented him with a sapphire seal which had been given to her by theduke himself. Within twelve hours of his coming to Czernova he ischallenged to a duel by Bora. Her Highness, on hearing of the affair,flies to rescue the Englishman, sends her affianced husband to prison,but permits the other duellist to go free. And now you bring theamazing news that the princess has made this Woodville her secretary.What is the meaning of it all?"
"You had better ask her Highness," said Zabern dryly, and abruptlychanging the subject of conversation, he added: "Did anything ofimportance take place at the Diet last night?"
"What, marshal! haven't you heard?" cried Dorislas, his faceexpressing the extreme of amazement.
"Heard? I've heard nothing. I was occupied in searching for thatassassin Russakoff till seven this morning, since when I have beenasleep. What new folly, then, did you and the rest of the ministryperpetrate in my absence?"
"You know, of course, that the first order of the evening was thenotification to the House of the princess's change of faith. Scarcelyhad Radzivil risen to make his statement, when he was interrupted byLipski with a sneering remark to the effect that the premier mightspare his words, for the Diet knew very well what he was going to say,and that it would have been more becoming on the part of the princessto have taken the House into her confidence earlier, and not to havewaited till her hand had been forced by the article contained in hisnewspaper, the 'Kolokol.'"
"Damn his insolence! And of course the Muscovite crew howled applause?Was Ravenna in his place?"
"No; the cardinal, having been the chief instrument in the princess'sconversion, shrank somewhat from facing the wrathful Muscovites lastnight. He preferred the opera-house."
"The coward! Would that I had been there!"
"What! at the opera? Yes, it was well worth visiting, because--"
"A truce to your fooling. What happened next?"
"After order had been restored--for, of course, Radzivil's statementprovoked a devil of a row--Lipski rose and begged leave to bring in anew bill. Lamenting the increased taxation--and you know, marshal, myBudget is devilishly heavy this year--he introduced a measure for theappropriation of all plate, jewels, and money belonging to theconventual establishments throughout Czernova, such wealth to bedevoted to the needs of the state."
"Ha!" cried Zabern. "This is nothing else but an attack upon theprincess's faith. 'I have become a Catholic,' she avers. 'Then we willplunder your Church,' is, in effect, the Muscovite answer."
"True, marshal; for though the bill affects to treat both creeds,Latin and Greek, alike, yet inasmuch as the Latin convents arenumerous and wealthy, while those of the Greek faith are few andcomparatively poor--"
"It's a case of 'I'll share my kopek with you, if you'll share yourrouble with me,' eh?"
"Just so, marshal. Well, the bill was rushed through its firstreading--"
"Fire and brimstone! where, then, was our party with its splendidmajority?"
"You forget that Rubini was here last night."
"Who's he?" asked Zabern, whose ignorance of everybody and everythingoutside the circle of politics was simply astounding.
"Come, marshal, you jest--Rubini, the Italian, the greatopera-singer."
"The devil fly away with him! Well?"
"The opera was 'The Bohemian Girl.' Rubini took the part of Thaddeus.It would have brought the tears to your eyes, marshal, to hear himsing, 'When the fair land of Poland was ploughed.'"
"It would--to hear a damnable Italian turning the sorrows of ourfatherland into a medium for putting rouble-notes into his pockets.But what has this to do with the Diet?"
"Why, most of those on our side of the House went to hear Rubini."
"Including a simpleton named Dorislas. And so Lipski and his Muscovitecrew took advantage of the emptiness of the benches on the Right tospring this new bill upon the Diet. But, sword of St. Michael, didn'tRadzivil send Opalinski to the opera-house to summon away the absenteefools?"
"He did, with this result. When Opalinski arrived Rubini was singing,and our whip became so entranced that he quite forgot the errand onwhich he had come, till--till it was too late. When our fellows cametrooping back they were met with derisive laughter from the Left."
"The bill had already passed its first reading?"
"Precisely, marshal. But that's not all. Lipski had likewise proposedthat, pending the issue of this infernal bill, the precincts of themonasteries shall be patrolled by the military."
"To prevent the monks from removing their treasures."
"That's the object. The Diet passed the resolution. Radzivil, asservant of the House, was obliged to submit, with the result thatto-day there is not a monastery in Czernova that has not bayonetsmoving round it."
"Including the Convent of the Transfiguration?" asked Zabern.
"Including the Convent of the Transfiguration," answered Dorislas.
Zabern muttered some oaths under his breath. Presently, however, hebroke into a grim smile.
"Lipski is a shrewder fellow than I gave him credit for. A cleverstroke this on his part--to prevent us from entering that monastery byturning our own bayonets against us."
"Marshal," said Dorislas, looking very grave, "if Lipski's measureshould pass--"
"If?" repeated Zabern disdainfully. "We will extinguish it on thesecond reading."
"Which has been fixed for this day month. Lipski boasts that there aresurprises in store for ministers, that there will be numerousdefections on our side."
"'Boasts'--that is a good word, Dorislas."
"If that bill should become law, commissioners appointed by the Dietwill make a round of the monasteries for the purpose of appropriatingtheir wealth; when they come to the Convent of the Transfigurationthey will discover--"
"What we do not wish them to discover. But as the bill has not theremotest cha
nce of passing, we may preserve a serene mind on thematter."
Dorislas said no more. Though he was of an optimistic nature, it wasclear from his grave manner that he did not share in Zabern's hopefulviews.
The quartette had now reached the _salle d'armes_. Over the porticohung the banner of the Lilieskis, which Paul reverently saluted, forwas he not honoring Barbara by the act?
"That flag," said Zabern, "shall one day float over a wider area thanCzernova."
Passing beneath the portico, they entered a fine and spacious hall,decorated in a style that harmonized with its use. Along the wallswere suits of armor, and pictures of duels, tournaments, and battles.The oaken panels were hung with swords, muskets, and pistols, soarranged as to form devices, the favorite one being the arms ofPoland.
"Whenever a man is mentioned to me for promotion," remarked Zabern, "Ialways bring him here for a bout. Ten minutes' fencing will give me abetter idea of his character than a month's investigation."
Paul, in view of his recent appointment, wondered whether this remarkwas intended for application to himself.
Among the Czernovese nobles and military officers assembled in thishall was Count Radzivil, occupied in a fencing-bout. In Paul's eyesthe sight of the gray-headed premier of seventy parrying and lungingwith all the ardor of a boy of seventeen was significant of much. Itseemed like a preparation for more serious work in the near future.
What surprised Paul still more was a bevy of youthful ladies fencingwith each other at the far end of the hall; and of this number wasKatina, engaged in spirited contest with her sister Juliska, a maidenso pretty that a man must have had the insensibility of a stone not tohave wished for a kiss.
All ceased their play upon the entering of Zabern, who in a brief andgraceful speech introduced Paul to the assembly as the princess's newsecretary.
The Englishman who had conducted the famous defence of Tajapore couldnot fail to be a person of interest,--an interest enhanced by the factthat he had not shrunk from facing in duel the champion swordsman ofCzernova.
Curious glances were interchanged, both among the ladies and likewiseamong the gentlemen, the meaning of which was laughingly explained byZabern.
"The truth is, Captain Woodville, we are hoping to see a littleEnglish sword-play, in order that we may know who is to becongratulated by the princess's intervention yesterday,--yourself orthe duke."
Paul modestly professed himself willing to give a display of his skillif any one would come forward to meet him.
"We have here," continued Zabern, "the six best fencers in Czernovaafter the duke. If you can defeat any of these we shall be able toform some notion as to how he would have fared at your hands."
The six champions in order of merit were adjudged asfollows:--Firstly, Zabern, the Warden of the Charter; secondly,Miroslav, the governor of the Citadel; next, Dorislas, the Minister ofFinance; then Count Radzivil, the Premier; Brunowski, the President ofthe Diet, followed; and, lastly, came Nikita the trooper.
"And," whispered Zabern to Paul, "if we were to choose a seventh itwould not be a man but a woman, and she none other than Katina."
Paul bowed to the six men, and expressed his readiness to meet infencing-bout any one of the number, or all in turn; and taking up afencing-blade, a blunt sabre with its point topped by a button, hestood prepared to make good his words.
Across the middle of the hall upon the oaken flooring ran a silverline to which the opposing fencers were required to apply their rightfoot; they might step over this mark if they chose, but to recede fromit by so little as an inch was counted for defeat.
As Paul declined to nominate an antagonist there was a slight argumenton the part of the six as to the one who should first respond.
After some hesitation Count Radzivil stepped forward. "I fear I am toohighly appraised," he modestly remarked, "when I am placed among theseven best fencers in Czernova."
All drew near to witness the contest. A double ring was immediatelyformed, the ladies being seated in a circle with the gentlemenstanding in their rear, the placing of the chairs having naturallyafforded opportunity for some pretty pieces of gallantry.
Paul was secretly conscious that though Zabern with Katina and Juliskamight regard him favorably, he did not possess the sympathy of therest of the persons present, who resented the unaccountable act oftheir princess in appointing as her secretary one who was not only aforeigner but a complete stranger to the principality. Were there noloyal Czernovese from whom her choice might have been made?
Paul knew, too, that among those who stood around were some who borethe proudest names in Polish history; he himself had neither title norlong genealogy, but if there be an order of nobility founded uponsuperiority in swordsmanship he determined to show that he was amember of that order, and that it would not be well for any man to puta slight upon him, because of the favor shown him by the princess.
On finding himself engaged in a contest with the premier Paul feltsome mortification at being pitted against one so aged; but a fewmoments' play convinced him that Radzivil's arm had lost little of itsyouthful strength, or of its suppleness and dexterity. Paul, however,was decidedly the superior; and, within the space of five minutes hesucceeded in disarming the count, whose blade flying through the airwould have struck Katina, had she not adroitly warded it off with herown fencing-foil.
Zabern, who had watched Paul with eyes that had hardly winked once,seemed pleased with the result.
"An accident!" commented Dorislas, really believing the premier tohave been the superior of the two.
He himself was the next to engage, and again Zabern watched everymotion of Paul with unwinking eyes.
As a swordsman Dorislas excelled Radzivil; but, heated with a desireto vindicate the honor of Czernova, which he conceived had suffered atthe hands of the premier, he became rash, was more disposed to attackthan to guard, and the second contest terminated in less time than thefirst by the button of Paul's sabre coming full tilt against thebreast of the Finance Minister.
"Fairly pinked!" said Zabern, evidently more pleased than before. "Noaccident this time."
The expression of surprise and bewilderment on the face of Dorislas ata result so little anticipated by himself was so comically patheticthat the spectators could not refrain from laughter.
"You were a dead man, Dorislas, had that been a real duel," theycried.
Paul was beginning to rise in their esteem.
Miroslav next ventured to try his hand, and once more Zabern became soattentive that one might almost have fancied his own life hung uponthe issue.
Profiting by the lesson of Dorislas' rashness the governor of theCitadel commenced in a spirit of coolness and watchfulness,--a spiritthat quickly evaporated when he found himself met at every point. Hegave more trouble than his predecessors, but in the end Paul succeededin twisting the weapon from his hand.
Zabern's pleasure increased.
"Good luck, not science," cried Miroslav, hotly, "I defy you to repeatthat trick, Captain Woodville. I must have a second bout."
This demand was not allowed by Zabern, though Paul himselfgood-naturedly offered to grant it.
"Miroslav seems in savage mood to-day," whispered a fair lady to thecavalier who was bending over her.
"He suffered a prisoner to escape yesterday," replied her partner,"and as a consequence he had a _mauvais quart d'heure_ with theprincess this morning. _Hinc illae lacrimae._"
"Captain Woodville ought now to give his arm a rest," cried Katina.
But Paul, perceiving the favorable impression that he was making,expressed his readiness to proceed without delay.
"I am now to be your opponent," said Zabern, taking up a fencing-bladein his left and only hand, "and I warn you, Captain Woodville, to becareful."
This caution was not without its need. Zabern was considered by thosebest qualified to judge the second swordsman in Czernova, and Paulquickly found that he had met an opponent nearly equal, if not equal,to himself. The marshal had an arm of
steel; as a warrior who hadfaced the charge of bayonets on many a battle-field he was not likelyto become nervous in a mock-contest. Cool and wary, after a fewpreliminary passes designed to test the other's skill, Zabern seemedcontent to remain for the most part on the defensive, watching hisopportunity. Paul, conscious of the marshal's dexterity, was disposedto do the same; and hence this fourth bout appeared somewhat tame whencontrasted with the spirited and dashing style of the precedingcontests. It promised to prove indefinitely long, till on a suddenZabern cried,--
"Hold, I have felt enough to know that I am your inferior, and assuch, Captain Woodville, I lower my sword to you."
Which he did in graceful fashion, and, oddly enough, seeming to beextremely pleased over this acknowledgment of defeat.
"You would not have to make such confession, marshal," said Paul, "ifyou could recover the good hand you left behind in Russia."
He turned to glance at his two remaining opponents,--Brunowski andNikita.
"If the marshal, the best of us all, admits himself beaten," said thePresident of the Diet, "of what use is it for me to try?"
The trooper murmured something to the like effect.
"Give me leave," said Paul, "to retire from this silver line and tomove about freely, and I will meet my two remaining opponentstogether."
"That were to take an unfair advantage of a man," said Brunowski,resenting Paul's proposal as a slight upon his swordsmanship.
"Fair or unfair," growled Zabern, "step forward, both of you, and letus see whether Captain Woodville can do it. If you deem his word aboast, prove it to be such."
The ladies, too, curiously eager to witness fresh proofs of Paul'sskill, added their voices to Zabern's, and thus adjured the two mencame forward and faced Paul.
As plenty of space would be required for the coming bout, the ladiesarose, the chairs were removed, and a wide circuit formed.
"A thousand roubles to a hundred that the Englishman succeeds," saidZabern to Dorislas, who seeing confidence written large on themarshal's face, declined the wager.
This fifth contest formed a brilliant finale.
Smarting under what they considered contemptuous disparagement, andeager to punish the vanity of the Englishman, Brunowski and Nikitapressed hard upon Paul. Each was no mean fencer, though much inferiorto Zabern, and Paul was quickly compelled to retreat from the silverline upon which he had at first planted himself. The previous workseemed child's play when compared with this. The interchange of cutand thrust was so swift that the eyes of the spectators failed tofollow the dazzling motions of the weapons. Despite their endeavorsthe two men failed to touch Paul, who at last saw his opportunity.With one powerful stroke he shivered Nikita's blade to fragments, andalmost simultaneously he planted the button of his sabre uponBrunowski's breast.
The members of the assembly looked at one another in breathlesswonder. Among a people who, like the Czernovese, retain much of thespirit of the feudal age, he is most in esteem who is best able todefend himself. In one sense, therefore, Paul was the foremost man inthe principality. The resentment previously felt against him had nowchanged to unalloyed admiration.
"Such swordsmanship was never seen in Czernova," cried Juliska.
"Ten thousand devils!" muttered Zabern to himself. "Why did herHighness intervene in the duel yesterday?"
And then aloud he added,--
"Ladies and lords, we must all admit that his grace of Bora has muchreason to be grateful to the princess."
No one ventured to controvert this statement.
Zabern's eyes twinkled with secret satisfaction.
"Marshal," whispered Juliska. "You have some plan in your head. Youhave been trying an experiment, I know you have. Come, tell me. Ofwhat are you thinking?"
"That the princess's coronation-day will be a very exciting time,"replied Zabern, oracularly.
And this was the only answer she could draw from the smiling marshal.
"Beaten! The whole six!" cried Katina in a voice of grief. "Shame uponCzernova! Captain Woodville will have but a poor opinion of us. Let usshow, however, that we can shoot if we cannot fence."
With this Katina directed one of the attendants to hang a squarewhite-painted board upon the wall at one end of the hall. Then takingher station at the other end with a supply of loaded revolvers, sheproceeded to aim at the distant board, the shots succeeding each otherwith a rapidity that scarcely left an interval of silence.
The result of this firing was to cause a large oval to appear upon thesurface of the board. The revolvers having been reloaded, Katinaresumed her shooting. Now within the oval lines and curves began toappear, the whole assuming the outline of a human countenance, andthat so well executed as to be clearly recognizable by thoseacquainted with the original.
"Orloff, the governor-general of Warsaw," cried several voices inunison.
"Czernova will never lack a good tirailleur so long as Katina Ludovskabe living," said Zabern, adding in a lower tone, "why have you learnedto shoot so well?"
"Can you ask?" she replied in a fierce whisper. "Against the day of mymeeting with Orloff. Can any one beat that shooting?" she added aloud,with an invitatory glance at Paul, who smiled a negative.
A shout of applause went up in favor of Katina, who was considered tohave redeemed the honor of Czernova.
"Ah! why were you not born a Pole?" said Juliska, addressing Paul.
"May I not become one?"
"Then shall you be a better Pole than any of us," said Katina, "forwhereas we are such by accident of birth, you will be such by freedomof choice."
"Well said, Katina," observed Zabern. "And never was there one whom Imore willingly admit to Czernovese citizenship. But CaptainWoodville," he added, thoughtfully, "it will be well if you remain aBritish subject for a few more days. Why, the sequel will show."
And Paul, believing that Zabern did not speak without good reason,assented to the delay.
There was no more fencing in the _salle d'armes_ that day. The membersshrank from displaying their inferior powers before such an expert asPaul. The assembly broke up into little groups.
"And how fares our ducal prisoner?" asked Radzivil, addressing thegovernor of the Citadel.
"In somewhat gloomy mood," answered Miroslav. "He spends his timechiefly in drinking old Rhenish, and in muttering to himself. By theway, he did a very peculiar act immediately after entering the Citadellast evening."
"Ha!" exclaimed Zabern, catching at this. "What was the act?"
"You know, marshal, it is our rule to search all prisoners on theirentering,--a routine from which we did not except even his grace."
"And what did you discover?"
"Upon his person--nothing; that is, nothing of consequence. But a fewminutes afterwards a soldier caught sight of the remains of a bookburning upon a fire that was close by."
"Flung there by the duke?"
"Without doubt. The mystery is how he contrived to do it without ourknowledge, inasmuch as there were several persons standing by."
"You recovered the book from the flames?"
"We attempted to remove it with the tongs, but the thing fell topieces; the pages were consumed; nothing but the leather coverremained, and that all charred; upon it we could just discern thetitle."
"And that was--?"
"'The Plays of AEschylus.' Now why should the duke desire to destroyhis copy of the Greek poet?"
"He had a motive, I warrant, and that a powerful one. I wish,Miroslav, you had secured the volume in time. AEschylus, AEschylus,"repeated Zabern, thoughtfully. "My classical scholarship has longsince evaporated, but if I remember rightly," he added, hiscountenance suddenly lighting up with a new idea, "AEschylus wrote aplay called 'The Furies.'"
"True, marshal," replied Paul. "'The Eumenides' or 'The Furies.'"
Zabern, with excitement gleaming in his face, drew Paul aside.
"The clew to the cipher despatch!" he whispered. "The last words ofour friend Trevisa were '_the furies_'!"