第107章

INTO THE HANDS OF AUSTRIA

Madame, surrounded by her staff and courtiers, sat in the main salon of the Continental Hotel, waiting for the archbishop.The false, self-seeking ministers of Leopold's reign crowded around her to pay their respects, to compliment and to flatter her.

Already they saw a brilliant court; already they were speculating on their appointments.Offices were plenty; new embassies were to be created, old embassies to be filled anew.

Madame listened to all coldly.There was a canker in her heart, and no one who saw that calm, beautiful face of hers dreamed how deeply the canker was eating.There were two men who held aloof from compliments and flattery.On the face of one rested a moody scowl; on the other, agony and remorse.These two men were Colonel Mollendorf and Lord Fitzgerald.The same thought occupied each mind; the scene in the throne room.

Presently an orderly announced: "Monseigneur the archbishop."Madame arose, and all looked expectantly, toward the door.

The old prelate entered, his head high and his step firm.He appeared to see no one but Madame.But this time she met his glance without a tremor.

"Monseigneur," she began, "I have come into my own at last.But for you and your ambitious schemes, all this would not have come to pass.You robbed my father of his throne and set your puppet there instead.By trickery my father was robbed of his lawful inheritance.By trickery I was compelled to regain it.However, I do not wish to make an enemy of you, Monseigneur.I have here two letters.They come from Rome.In one is your recall, in the other a cardinal's hat.Which do you prefer?""Surely not the cardinal's hat," said the prelate."Listen to me, Madame, for I have something to say to you which will cause you some reflection.If I had any ambitions, they are gone; if I had any dreams, they have vanished.Madame, some twenty years ago your duchy was created.It was not done to please Albrecht's younger brother, the duke, your father.Albrecht was childless.

When your father was given the duchy it was done to exclude forever the house of Auersperg from reigning on this throne.You say that you were tricked; well, and so was I.Unhappily Itouched the deeper current too late.

"This poor king, who lies silent in the palace, was not my puppet.I wished to make him great, and bask in his greatness.

But in that I failed; because Leopold was a poet and a philosopher, and the greatness of earthly things did not concern him.Leopold and I were dupes of Austria, as you are at this moment, Madame.So long as Leopold reigned peacefully he was not to be disturbed.Had you shown patience and resignation, doubtless to-day you would be a queen.You will never be more than a duchess.

"Madame, you have done exactly as Austria intended you should.

There is no longer any kingdom." There was a subdued triumph in his eyes."To you," with a gesture toward the courtiers and office-seekers, "to you I shall say, your own blind self-interest has destroyed you.Madame, you are bearing arms not against this kingdom, but against Austria, since from to-day this land becomes the property of the imperial crown.If you struggle, it will be futilely.For, by this move of yours, Austria will declare that this kingdom is a menace to the tranquility of the confederation.Madame, there is no corner-stone to your edifice.This is what I wished to say to you.Ihave done.Permit me to withdraw."

For a moment his auditors were spellbound; then all the emotions of the mind and heart portrayed themselves on the circle of faces.Madame's face alone was inscrutable.

"His Excellency, the Austrian ambassador!" announced the orderly.

The archbishop bowed and left the apartment.

"Your Highness," began the Austrian, "his Imperial Majesty commands your immediate evacuation of Bleiberg, and that you delay not your departure to the frontier.This kingdom is a crown land.It shall remain so by the consent of the confederation.If you refuse to obey this injunction, an army will enforce the order.Believe me, Madame, this office is distasteful to me, but it was not avoidable.What disposition am I to submit to his Majesty?""Monsieur," she said, "I am without choice in the matter.To pit my forces against the emperor's would be neither politic nor sensible.I submit." There was not a sign of any emotion, no hint of the terrible wrath which lay below the surface of those politely modulated tones.But it seemed to her as she stood there, the object of all eyes, that some part of her soul had died.Her pride surmounted the humiliation, the pride of a woman and a princess.She would show no weakness to the world.

"Then, Madame," said the ambassador, suppressing the admiration in his eyes at this evidence of royal nonchalance, "I shall inform his Majesty at once."When he had gone, Madame turned coldly to her stricken followers.

"Messieurs, the fortunes of war are not on our side.I thank you for your services.Now leave me; I wish to be alone."One by one they filed out into the corridors.The orderly was the last to leave, and he closed the door behind him.Madame surveyed the room.All the curtains were drawn.She was alone.

She stood idly fingering the papers which lay scattered on the table.Suddenly she lifted her hands above her head and clenched them in a burst of silent rage.A dupe! doubly a dupe! To-morrow the whole world would laugh at her, and she was without means of wreaking vengeance.Presently the woman rose above the princess.

She sat down, laid her face on her arms and wept.

Fitzgerald stepped from behind one of the curtains.He had taken refuge there during the archbishop's speech.He had not the strength to witness the final humiliation of the woman he loved.