CHAPTER XLVI
MATE IN TWO MOVES
Maxgregor made no reply for a moment. It flashed across his mind thatsome person or persons were playing a cruel hoax on the queen.
But a moment's reflection served to show that such a thing wasimpossible. In the first place the telegram was in the cypher used bythe queen in communicating with Tomani, the only really faithful friendshe possessed in the councils of the government party of Asturia. AndTomani's honour was beyond question.
The queen was first to speak. She crossed over and laid a shaking handon Maxgregor's arm.
"You must be mistaken," she said. "Unless Tomani--but not for a momentdo I doubt _him_. I trust him as implicitly as I trust yourself. And yetyou say--you say----"
"That the king is dead, madame. The king was killed in the disaster thathappened to his special train between here and Paris. Mind you, nobodyknows of this with the exception of the faithful few into whose handsyou would place your life safely. As a matter of fact the disaster wasno accident at all, it was deliberately brought about by Countess Saensand Prince Mazaroff for their own ends. The miscreants disappeared and Iam afraid that we shall not have the satisfaction of laying them by theheels. The driver and stoker of the train were killed so that it isimpossible to obtain their testimony. Captain Alexis and Mr. CharlesMaxwell escaped by a miracle, though they are both badly knocked about.It was Mr. Maxwell who saved the situation and contrived to get the bodyof the king smuggled away."
"But the telegram, General, the telegram?" the queen cried. "Tomani saysthat the king is in our capital closeted with ministers. Perhaps at thisvery moment----"
"But, madame, I assure you that the king is no more," Maxgregorprotested. "There is some strange maddening mystery here that will beexplained in time. I say the king is dead, if necessary I am prepared toprove that to you. The body was smuggled away so that Russia should haveno pretext for interfering. It was essential that they should not knowwhat had happened, for the present at any rate. They must not know tillwe can get Prince Alix on the scene."
"You are assuming a thing that you can prove?" the queen asked hoarsely.
"Indeed I am, madame. Try and realise the fact that your sway is ended.It expires with the life of the king as you know. Therefore, we must putall private feeling aside and strain every nerve to get Prince Alix toAsturia before the Russians learn what has happened. Once Prince Alix isnominated to the succession, Russia is powerless. Do you follow me?"
"I should follow you better if I were certain that you were telling mehard facts, General."
"Heaven only knows that I am, madame. That the king is dead is beyondquestion. Let me finish what I am going to say. I have had everythingfrom Lechmere. He had a mysterious message from Prince Peretori urginghim to go at once to the scene of the disaster. He was told to visit thecottage of a certain peasant and give proofs of his identity. There hesaw the body of the king hidden away. The body was brought back toEngland, and at present it is locked in one of my rooms. I have seen it,Lechmere has seen it, so has Dr. Varney."
The queen passed her hand across her forehead with a gesture of despair.
"It is all bewildering and so confusing, so sudden!" she cried. "Youcome to me and tell me this a few minutes after the receipt of Tomani'stelegram."
"I do not wish to be hard or unkind," Maxgregor interrupted. "But I mustask you for the present to forget that telegram. That side of themystery will doubtless be cleared up in time. What most concerns us nowis the king and the fact that his death must be concealed from everybodyuntil we have had time to communicate with Prince Alix. Of your dreamand mine we can say nothing; that is shattered. Our whole energies toomust be devoted to the task of defeating Russia. And the king has to beburied, you understand."
"But that cannot be done without necessary formalities," the queenprotested. "In England----"
"Yes, I know that in England they do things differently to what they doabroad. But most fortunately, we have Dr. Varney on our side. Heattended the king, he is prepared to certify that death was the resultof a shock and that nothing in the way of an inquest was necessary.Officially, the doctor is not supposed to know anything about therailway accident. He is not bound to speak of what has happened untilofficially, you, as royal consort, see fit to announce to the world thatKing Erno of Asturia is no more. Varney suggests that the body beembalmed and conveyed to Asturia for burial. You see everything playsfor our hand if we can only be bold and do not lose our opportunities."
The queen made no reply for a little time, she paced up and down theroom lost in thought. A kingdom had slipped through her fingers, all herdarling ambition had fallen suddenly to the ground. The cup ofhumiliation was full to the brim and she had to drink it to the dregs.And yet through it all was the consolation that peace and quietnesshenceforth would be her portion. She had been tried beyond her strengthof late.
"Paul," she said, with a gentle sweetness that surprised Maxgregor. "Iplace myself entirely in your hands. I have done more than a woman'sportion and I have failed. The fact that I knew that I should fail fromthe first does not render my humiliation any the less bitter. The kingis dead, and for his own sake and mine I do not regret it. My marriedlife has been a nightmare, I am glad that it is over. How can I grievefor this thing when I remember what I have suffered? Henceforth I takeno part in politics--that is, after we have successfully placed Alix ona firm throne. The people will follow him as they never would havefollowed me, devoted as I was to their interests. When you came in I wasgetting ready to start for Asturia. I was going to travel incognito andlet it be understood that I was still in England. And that splendid girlJessie Harcourt was coming with me. It is just as well that she shouldbe out of the way for some little time, and her courage and devotionare splendid."
Before Maxgregor could make any reply, Jessie came into the room. Shewas quietly dressed in black and evidently ready for a journey. At thesight of the queen's pale face and the presence of Maxgregor she startedand backed towards the door. The queen detained her.
"This is no private conversation," she said, "at least not so far as youare concerned. I should like you to know everything, for I feel howimplicitly I can trust you. General Maxgregor brings some startlingnews. News so strange that I would not believe it for a time. He saysthe king is dead."
"Dead!" Jessie exclaimed. "But that telegram, madame. Surely your friendTomani----?"
"Is beyond reproach. Nor can I believe that anybody has obtained accessto my private cypher. And yet the king is dead. The General will tellyou all about that."
Maxgregor reported his story over again, Jessie listening with dilatedeyes. How many ages ago, she wondered, since she was filling her drearyroutine duties in Bond Street. But she seemed to have left that old lifebehind her years ago. She was piecing the puzzle together as Maxgregorspoke. At the name of Peretori a sudden light flashed in upon her.
"Prince Peretori," she cried. "It was Prince Peretori who sent thatmysterious telegram to Mr. Lechmere. Then the Prince must have known allabout it, I mean _after_ the accident. And Prince Peretori was the manwho impersonated the king for the sake of a bet and then foolishlyplayed into the hands of Countess Saens and the rest of them. It was hewho passed himself off to the Editor of the _Mercury_ as King ofAsturia. Surely you can see what has happened?"
"I wish I did," Maxgregor muttered. "It would simplify matterswonderfully."
"Why, the problem is already solved," said Jessie. "Prince Peretori wassincerely sorry for the part he had played. He said he would do his bestto make amends. Ah, he is far cleverer in his frivolous way than yougive him credit for. He foresaw something of this and hung in disguiseon the track of the king. He was not far off when the accident tookplace. And thus he was on his way when he was assured of the fact thatthe king was dead. Once more he played the part of the King of Asturia.He made up as the king, he would probably use a few bandages and adiscoloured face so as to make detection absolutely impossible. The kingwas expected in his capital and t
he prince went there instead. Hence thetelegram from Tomani who had not detected the imposture. By this timeyou may be sure that Prince Alix is on the spot. It is the old story ofthe comedy man who comes forward at the crisis and saves the play."
"She is right," Maxgregor shouted. "For a million she has hit theright nail on the head."