The Traitors Part 44

"How so?"

"Because, not content with the mischief which he has already done, he must needs play the spy upon one or both of us. To-night he was at the Cafe Metropolitan and overheard some part of my conversation with your brother."

A sudden colour flushed her cheeks. Her eyes were bright.

"He is a brave man," she cried.

Domiloff shrugged his shoulders.

"The difference between a brave man and a fool," he said, "is so slight. But listen, Countess! You wish his life spared?"

"If harm comes to him through you or any of your creatures," she cried, with a little burst of pa.s.sion, "I will go to the King and have you hung in the market-place."

There was a moment's silence. Domiloff was staggered by her bold words.

"Countess," he said, "his safety lies with you. I give you this opportunity to warn him."

"To warn him? But I do not know where he is," Marie protested.

"Besides, he would not heed me."

"To-morrow," Domiloff answered, "I may be able to acquaint you with his whereabouts. I must at least have him watched and his dispatches intercepted. He is absolutely our most dangerous opponent."

"But even if he were to receive a message from me, he would not come if he were at the front," Marie said.

"He comes every day to Theos to send off his cables," Domiloff answered. "I shall send you word where he is, and you must send for him. It is absolutely necessary that he come over to our side."

"He is not the kind of man to desert a losing cause," Marie said. "He would not listen to me."

Domiloff gave vent to an impatient gesture.

"He must listen to you, Countess, or die," he said.

She looked him in the face.

"You will remember my threat, Baron Domiloff," she said. "Those were no idle words."

He bowed low.

"We will go to your brother," he said.

CHAPTER x.x.xVII

The King entered from his ante-chamber and took his place at the head of the long table amidst a profound and depressing silence. The faces of his counsellors were grave indeed. The military members were all at the front. Those who remained were the merchants and men of peace, and to them the guns whose roar seemed ever increasing spelled ruin.

Old Baron Doxis took the chair. He opened the proceedings with dim eyes and a shaking voice. Theos was dear to him, but so also were his sons and nephews, some of whom he could scarcely hope to see again.

The routine business was quickly dispensed with. The King in a few sentences told them the war news of the day.

Then Baron Doxis rose again.

"Your Majesty," he said, "this meeting of our Inner Council you yourself have p.r.o.nounced an wholly informal one. We are sitting here with closed doors. We are all, I believe, patriots and Thetians. Let me ask your Majesty, therefore, if every means have been tried to avoid the destruction which threatens us?"

The faces of all were turned towards the King.

"My friends," he said, slowly, "I have heard it whispered, not amongst you, perhaps, but yet amongst those who might have known me better, that this war is the outcome of my own military activity, that it is a war which might have been prevented. Let me implore you not to give credit to any such idea. It is a cruel war, an unjust war, and--we must look the worst in the face. It may mean the extinction of Theos as an independent nation. But it has been brutally thrust upon us. We have been powerless to avoid it. We have given no offence, we have striven for peace, knowing that by peace alone we can prosper. The pretext for the commencement of hostilities was a false one. An absolutely faithful account of all that pa.s.sed between Effenden Pascha and ourselves has been set down on paper and forwarded to Constantinople--also to every Court in Europe. I have appealed to every reigning sovereign for intercession. What is left to us but to fight? The enemy have crossed our frontier. But for our dispositions and the bravery of our soldiers they would be even now at the gates of Theos. If I failed in my duty, tell me where. What could I have done?"

Baron Doxis rose up again.

"Your Majesty," he said, "we do not presume to doubt your word. We believe in the justice of our cause, and we will believe that these movements on the part of the Turks are movements of ruthless aggression. But, bearing in mind our hopeless inferiority in numbers, I must ask whether any steps have been taken to ascertain the terms on which peace would be granted to us."

The King's face was set and grave.

"Baron Doxis," he said, "we have not yet approached the Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish forces on this subject. But I can tell you well what the answer would be. The surrender of your army, of our city, the pillaging of our houses, the outraging of our women.

Have you not yet learned how the Turks make war?"

Baron Doxis remained upon his feet. He pa.s.sed his trembling hand along his snow-white beard.

"Your Majesty," he said, "these are the days of civilized warfare, and it is possible that more restraint might be exercised over the Turkish soldiery now than in the days gone by. I humbly submit that the demands of the invaders be ascertained and submitted to us."

The King remained silent for a minute. Then he looked up, and though his lips trembled his voice was firm enough.

"You can send your instructions to General Dartnoff," he said. "I shall not interfere. At the same time, I feel bound to tell you that I look upon any such appeal as hopeless. We have no hope, save in G.o.d, in our arms, and from the possible intercession of one or more of the Powers."

Tavener, a merchant, who was suspected of Jewish descent, rose timidly to his feet.

"Your Majesty has come to-night from the seat of war," he said. "May we ask of these rumours concerning the Duke of Reist? It is rumoured that the Duke has abandoned his command and returned his sword to your Majesty."

"The rumour is correct," the King answered.

There was an uneasy murmur of voices. Baron Doxis rose.

"Your Majesty, we should esteem some further particulars as to this action on the part of the Duke of Reist. We have always been accustomed to consider him one of the born leaders of this country."

"The resignation of the Duke," Ughtred said, "is due to a personal matter which I am not at liberty to explain to you. No one can regret it more than I do."

An ominous silence followed. Ughtred was conscious of it, yet there seemed to be nothing which he could do to dispel it. He knew that the loyalty of these men was being sorely taxed. In their hearts they believed him responsible for the war. This severance with Reist encouraged them in their belief. Baron Doxis rose slowly to his feet.

"Your Majesty," he said, slowly, "as the oldest member of this council, as the oldest inhabitant of Theos here present, will you permit me to say a word respecting the Duke of Reist?"

The King inclined his head.

"I am prepared to hear you, Baron Doxis," he said.

"The Duke of Reist," Doxis continued, "is the sole representative of the one family in Theos who for centuries have served their country faithfully as true patriots. The Duke of Reist it was who is solely responsible for the restoration of the monarchy. It was he who found your Majesty out and brought you here to reign over us."