An Imperial Marriage Page 3

  CHAPTER III

  CHALICE

  We had great difficulty in persuading Althea to remain with us, andshould not have succeeded if Bessie had not put on her hat and vowedthat she would go with her wherever she went. Then we came to acompromise--Althea was to stay that night and decide on her plans thenext morning.

  By that time I had induced Chalice to try and clear away one at least ofthe tangles by letting the facts be told about the Prince von Graven,and to get the Prince himself to ascertain the real cause for the stepsagainst Althea.

  I sent a note to him, hinting at the reason why I wished to see himimmediately, and he answered the letter in person. He professed himselfgreatly distressed at what had occurred; but it had not suggested itselfto him that he should remedy matters by acknowledging the truth.

  "I will be frank with you, Mr. Bastable. The greatest pressure has beenput upon me to induce me to abandon my--to consent to my betrothal tothe Princess von Altenvelt; and this is apparently the result of myrefusal."

  "But do you seriously think a drastic step like this would be taken onsuch a slight foundation?" I objected.

  "I haven't thought about that. It is drastic, isn't it? But you knowthe Emperor is liable to fits of temper."

  "The order for the arrest issued from the office of Count von Felsen;will you make inquiries as to its real reason?"

  "Of course I will. The Minister and I are unfortunately at daggersdrawn. He is jealous of the favour with which the Emperor honours me.I will do all I can."

  "There is certainly one other thing you can do, Prince!" He began tofidget uneasily at this. "I mean explain the mistake and that it isFraeulein Chalice Mennerheim whom you desire to marry."

  "My dear sir, I would marry her to-morrow; but she will not have even anopen betrothal. What can I do?" Where Chalice was concerned he wasobviously like clay in the hands of the potter.

  "I am going to see her at once," I said as I rose.

  "If you can prevail with her, you will do me the greatest favour in theworld," he exclaimed eagerly, grasping my hand with warmth.

  I went off then to see Chalice, leaving the Prince to go to Althea. Itrequired very slight discernment to see that we should do little withhim. He had his own battle to fight at Court, and that was more thansufficient to monopolize all the firmness he possessed. And I expectedbut little more help from Chalice.

  An incident, to which I attached no significance at the time, occurredas I entered the house of Frau Steiner, where Althea and Chalice hadtheir lodgings. I gave my card to the servant, and she took it firstinto a room leading off the hall, and then carried it upstairs. While Iwas waiting, a dark, striking-looking Jewess came out as if to leave thehouse. She stopped suddenly, surprised to see me still in the hall,hesitated, and then returned quickly to the room.

  I knew her by sight. Her name was Hagar Ziegler. She was the daughterof a money-lender whose shady methods I had had to investigate on morethan one occasion while I had been on the _Newsletter_. I was calledupstairs to Chalice a moment later, and thought no more of the incident.

  I had not expected to find Chalice very concerned about Althea, and wasnot therefore surprised when she received me as calmly as though I weremaking just an ordinary call.

  "This is a delightful surprise, Herr Bastable," she exclaimed with alovely smile, as she gave me her hand. "But you catch me in deshabille.I was practising." As a matter of fact she was rather elaboratelygowned, and I knew she was very particular in such matters. There wasvery little of the girl about Chalice.

  "I should ask your pardon for coming at such an hour and without notice;but I have come about Fraeulein Korper."

  "About Althea? Oh, that is good of you. Of course I've been terriblyanxious about her. And worry is so bad for the voice."

  "I sympathize with you, I am sure."

  Her sense of humour was not keen, and she accepted this as quitegenuine. "Everyone is so good to me," she murmured. "And where isAlthea?"

  "Do you not know what occurred yesterday afternoon?"

  "I was at Herr Grumpel's all the afternoon--I had a most trying lesson.He was in a horrible temper, and it quite put me out. Well, when I camehome, Althea was gone, instead of having some tea ready for me. Andwhen I asked where she was, that stupid girl, Lotta, said somethingnonsensical about the police having been here. Such rubbish, ofcourse."

  "Unfortunately, it was quite true. An attempt was made to arrest her."

  "Herr Bastable! You don't mean it!" Surprise, no other feeling inthis. No grief, no concern even. "Whatever for?" As if it had beenAlthea's fault.

  "It was on your account," I said bluntly. "Because of the mistake youhave allowed people to make in regard to the Prince von Graven."

  She was not in the least embarrassed. "So you know that. I am so glad.It is such a relief not to have to keep these tiresome secrets fromone's friends. I couldn't tell you before, could I? You see, it wasAlthea's secret as much as mine. And the Prince's, too. He is sodevoted to me. And such a sweet man."

  "You don't appear to grasp the real gravity of the matter, I'm afraid."

  "Oh, that is unkind! Of course I do. I wouldn't have dear Althea getinto any trouble on my account for the world!"

  "Then of course you will let the truth as to the Prince be known atonce."

  "Herr Bastable!" Eyes, expression, voice, gestures, everything eloquentof indignant surprise at the suggestion. "Why, then they might arrestme!"

  "On the contrary, the Prince is eager to marry you at once."

  "But my voice. My debut! You don't understand. Herr Grumpel declaresthat I shall make such a reputation as----" She threw up her hands asthough it were impossible to estimate the fame awaiting her. "How canyou be so cruel? Besides, it would ruin the Prince with the Emperor.You would not have him ruined just for poor little me!"

  I was fast losing patience. "It is rather a question whether you are toruin Fraeulein Althea by keeping silence."

  Her features drew together as if she were going to cry. "Do you meanthat Althea wishes this? That she would selfishly sacrifice my futurein this way?"

  "She may be in very serious danger if it should be known that she is thedaughter of Baron von Ringheim."

  "But who is likely to tell that?" she asked with an air of quite artlessinnocence; and then added quickly: "Besides, in that case it would be ofno use to say anything about the Prince."

  It was useless to break oneself against the wall of such selfishness asthis, so I tried a different argument. "Let me show you one way in whichyou can turn this matter to your own great advantage." All sign oftears passed away instantly. "Your future depends upon your securingthe favour of the Court. Now, if you were to submit yourself to theEmperor's will in the matter of the Imperial marriage and sacrifice yourwishes in regard to the Prince because you have just heard of theImperial desires, His Majesty would highly appreciate yourself-sacrifice; the whole country would ring with your romanticself-denial; and you would gain a bigger advertisement for your debutthan any singer ever enjoyed in this Empire."

  She saw all this in a flash, and her eyes shone with the light ofambitious desire. "Oh, Herr Bastable! But do you think it could bedone?"

  "Shall I make some inquiries? I have friends on whom I can rely."

  "Oh, you would be the best friend a poor lonely girl could have in theworld. But we must be quite certain first, mustn't we?"

  "You would lose the man you love, remember."

  She sighed and cast down her eyes, a picture of beautiful resignation."It would be terrible," she murmured. "But there is dear Althea tothink of, isn't there? It is, perhaps, my duty."

  She pressed my hand warmly at parting, and urged me to come again assoon as I had any news to bring; and before I left the house, I heardher rich melodious voice ring out. She had resumed her practice.

  As I closed the front door behind me I saw Hagar Ziegler again. She
wasnow in close conversation with Hugo von Felsen; and as I did not wishhim to know of my visit to Chalice at such a time, I walked off in theopposite direction.

  He had seen me, however, and presently came hurrying after me. "Ah,Herr Bastable! It is you then," he said as he reached me. "How did youfind the ladies?"

  "I don't know that I am much concerned to tell you," I answered curtly.

  "Has Fraeulein Althea returned? Isn't that an extraordinary affair?"

  "I really have no time to discuss gossip with you."

  "I think it will be worth your while," he replied meaningly. "I heardof your change of plans, too, when you were actually at the station. Myfriend Bernhoff told me. He is a grand fellow, Bernhoff."

  "A testimonial from you is certainly a strong recommendation," I repliedas nastily as I could speak.

  But he only smiled and spread out his hands. "I'm afraid you are stillangry with me on account of that chat of ours the other night at theOhlsen's dance--about Fraeulein Althea. But I'm not a fellow to bearmalice. And you know, as every one knows, how intensely I admire her."

  "I don't care a hang whether you bear malice or not."

  "You are very difficult, Bastable; but really I wish to be your friend,and to warn you. People are talking about you."

  "Let them talk then."

  "This visit to this house here on the morning after Fraeulein Althea'sdisappearance; your sudden change of plans yesterday; the hurried visitof Prince von Graven to your house this morning. These things causequestions"; and he gave me a very sly significant smile.

  "As you appear to be asking them, the best thing you can do is to answerthem in your own way. Good-morning"; and with that I turned on my heel.

  But although I could get rid of him, I could not so easily shake off theunpleasant impression his words had made. He had certainly been spyingon me. Why? Could he have any suspicion of the truth?

  The more I considered matters, the closer appeared to be von Felsen'sconnexion with them. It was he who had first told me of the Prince'ssupposed love for Althea; he had hinted at the probable effect of theKaiser's anger; it was from his father's office that the order for thearrest had come; and as he was in that office, it was highly probable,almost certain, indeed, that on the night of the dance he had alreadyknown it was to be made.

  The thing looked like cause and effect; but then there was the fact thathe had laid stress on his admiration for Althea. He could not wish tosee a girl he cared for in the rough clutches of the police. The thingwas absurd.

  It was a fair presumption, however, that he was trying to find her. Hisknowledge of the Prince's visit to me that morning showed that some onewas shadowing the Prince, and the spy had carried the news straight tovon Felsen. I had certainly blundered badly in letting the Prince cometo Althea's hiding-place.

  He had known also of my visit to Chalice; and then it occurred to methat Hagar Ziegler had been used for that purpose. The Steiners wereJews, and she might well be a friend. I recalled her manner when shehad come hurrying out as I stood in the hall. She had been going toleave the house. Was it to carry word to him, and had she brought himthere to wait for me when I left?

  The whole business was a very ugly complication, and the best thingwould be for us to smuggle Althea out of Berlin while I set to work tostraighten it out.

  I returned home, both puzzled and ill at ease, to report the result ofmy interview with Chalice; and Bessie met me with news of another twistin the skein.

  "Aunt Charlotte has arrived, Paul," she said, with a very long face.

  "The deuce! Why she wasn't to come for a week or so."

  "Well, she's here anyway. You'd better come up to her room and see herat once"; and she turned and ran upstairs. "She does these odd things,you know."

  My aunt was a particularly nervous person, and about the last we wantedto have in the house at such a time. I followed Bessie, wondering whatsort of explanation of Althea's presence I could make.

  "Have you told her about Althea?" I asked.

  "She will only think she is staying with us in the ordinary way,"replied Bessie, pausing with her hand on the door-knob. "And you'dbetter be careful. She has one of her headaches after the travelling.You know what she is at such times."

  She was lying on the sofa with her back to the light, her long greyishcurls straggling over her shoulder, and a handkerchief pressed to herbrows.

  "I am sorry to hear you have a bad headache after your journey, AuntCharlotte," I said as I tiptoed across to her couch.

  She gave a faint little moan of pain, and held out three fingers in away I knew well. I just touched them. "I am very glad to see you," Imurmured, as she withdrew them quickly.

  "Don't make a noise, Paul," said Bessie, as she knelt down by the sofa.A most unnecessary caution, for I was not moving. "Men are so rough,are they not, aunt? Shall I bathe your head, dear? Get the scent,Paul. On the mantelpiece."

  I tiptoed to the other end of the room, and Bessie called "Hush!" in avery aggressive whisper.

  As I turned, bottle in hand, I noticed that they were both shaking withwhat looked uncommonly like suppressed laughter; and as I reached thesofa again, Bessie got up giggling. Then I understood and joined in thelaughter, and "Aunt Charlotte" let me see her face.

  "You ought to have known her hand, Paul," cried Bessie. "One wouldsuppose you had never seen it before."

  "All right. Grin away. You had me. Those curls took me in; they areAunt Charlotte's to the life."

  "They may well be. It's the wig she left here last time."

  "Is your head too bad to let you stand up so that I can see your dress,'aunt'?" I asked.

  "It is all Bessie's work," said Althea, as she stood up.

  "It's great," I agreed. "I believe I should have passed you in thestreet, and I am sure I should if you had a veil on"; and then Bessieexplained how she had been thinking it all out.

  "And now, about Chalice? Wasn't she in terrible distress?" askedAlthea.

  "No. She appeared to think that you would be all right and had notworried in the least."

  Bessie coughed significantly and glanced at me. I went on to describewhat had passed; and Althea was as firm as ever in her resolve not to doanything which would prejudice Chalice's prospects. I held my tongueabout the last argument I had used with Chalice.

  "I've seen others beside Chalice," I said presently. "Hugo von Felsen.I have the idea that he is in some way mixed up in this. Can you tellme of any reason why he would be likely to take a hand?"

  Althea paused a second and then looked up with a smile. "He wishes meto marry him. He has asked me more than once; and the only benefit Iever had from the supposed attentions of the Prince was a relief fromhis. Why does that make you look so serious?" she asked with anothersmile, seeing my grave look.

  "I am thinking."

  "It's a big effort for Paul," bantered Bessie.

  I gestured impatiently. "Tell me, do you think it possible he can haveguessed your secret--about your father, I mean?"

  "Yes, he knows it. Why do you ask that?"

  "Because things are forcing me to the conclusion that in some way orother he is at the bottom of all the trouble. I don't understand ityet; but I will before long, if I have to drag it out of him by force."

  But I would not alarm them by saying anything of von Felsen's suspicionsthat Althea was with us.

  I knew it well enough now, however, and recognized to the full thedanger which it boded.